Every now and again I like to share an order of worship from Grace Fellowship Church. This service’s cast of characters included Paul (our lead pastor) as the preacher, Josh as the lead worshipper, Peter (one of our Assistant Ministers) as the service leader, Thushara (one of our deacons) as Scripture-reader, and Steve as the elder who led the Scripture-reading and pastoral prayer. Our band consisted of guitar, piano, cajon, and accordion accompanying one male and two female vocalists. The various elements of the service are in bold with the name of the person who led the element in parentheses. Items in quotes represent roughly what the person said to the congregation. Items not in quotes are explanatory. Here’s how we worshipped on one Sunday in October.
Call to Worship (Paul)
Paul welcomed the congregation. He read from Psalms 106:1-12 and exhorted them to sing and rejoice.
Singing (Josh)
Confession of Sins (Paul)
Paul read from Psalm 106:13-23. He followed this by saying, “We, too, have sinned. Even after our salvation. Praise God for the greater Moses, who stood between us and hostile heaven,” and then repeated verse 23. After this, he prayed a brief prayer of confession on behalf of the church.
Singing (Josh)
Opposite Text Reading (Thushara)
Thushara introduced the passage by saying, “Listen to the Word of God and see if you can figure out how this text from Mark’s Gospel corresponds with the crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus 14.”
[Read Mark 1:9-15]
“This reading was from Romans 1.”
Singing (Josh)
Pastoral Prayer (Steve)
Steve prayed for Liberty Grace Church, a nearby congregation, for our church’s upcoming Ministry Fair that evening, a time in which the people in charge of different ministries at the church set up tables with information on how to serve through that particular ministry, and he prayed for our upcoming Couples’ Night. He also prayed for the nation of Paraguay (as we pray our way around the world).
Scripture Reading (Steve)
The Scripture passage which will form the basis of the sermon is almost invariably read by one of our elders. This week’s text was Exodus 14:15-31
“This is what Holy Scripture says…”
[Steve read Exodus 14:15-31]
“This is the world of the Lord,” to which the congregation replied, “Thanks be to God.”
Singing (Josh)
Josh dismissed our Early Years Ministry which includes nursery for kids 0-24 months, pre-school for 2 to 3 year olds and kindergarten for children ages 4 and 5.
Sermon (Paul)
Paul preached a sermon titled “Forward” from the series The God Who Saves, Speaks & Stays: A Series on the Book of Exodus.
Singing (Josh)
Commission and Benediction (Paul)
Paul gave a reminder to the church that those who are interested could head to the overflow room immediately after the service for sermon Q&A. He also reminded the church to attend the Ministry Fair in the evening and for engaged and married couples to attend the Couples’ Night on Wednesday.
“Receive this blessing of the Lord from His Word: ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.’ Amen.”
