GATHERING TO PRAISE GOD Sunday, October 9, 2022
Prelude
Praise Song
Welcome
The People Gather
L: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you people!
P: With shouts of joy, we celebrate the good news of God’s love.
L: Open your hearts to the warmth of God’s redeeming love.
P: God has poured such wonder into our lives!
L: Come, let us worship God with hearts and souls and voices!
P: Let our praise ring to the rafters and ascend to the heavens! AMEN.
Hymn
The People Pray
We give praise to you, O God, for you are awesome and amazing.
We remember your deeds and —deeds that have brought us to this day, your faithfulness that has helped us weather life’s storms.
We have gone through fire and water and stand before you today in gratitude and praise.
How awesome are your deeds, O God! Amen.
Special Music
Children’s Moment
The People Confess Their Sin
L: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!
P: Where we need healing, make us whole!
L: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!
P: Where we are isolated and excluded, bring us near!
L: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!
P: Where we are chained, break our bonds!
L: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!
P: Where we are dying, bring us back to life!
Words of Assurance
L: If we have died with him,
P: we will also live with him.
L: If we endure,
P: we will also reign with him. Amen!
The Word of God for the People of God
Scripture Acts 2:41-47
41 Those who accepted Peter’s message were baptized. God brought about three thousand people into the community on that day.
42 The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. 43 A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. 44 All the believers were united and shared everything.45 They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. 46 Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. 47 They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved.
John 15:12-15
This is my commandment: love each other just as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I don’t call you servants any longer, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because everything I heard from my Father I have made known to you.
Message Remembering the First Christians
Pastoral Prayer
The People Bring Their Gifts
There are baskets in the back or use your online app
The People Go into The World
Praise Song
Benediction
Postlude
Sermon Notes
Remembering is essential for
How many where added to the Church that first Pentecost?
One characteristic that described the early Church is?
The first Christian communities were defined by four different simple and clear activities.
A devotion to the
A devotion to
A devotion to
A devotion to
Give one example for each devotion in your life.
1.
2.
3.
4.
A Greek word that describes the early Church is
One of the hallmarks of these early Christian communities was their desire to__
The early Church’s rhythem of life was
What is one thing our church needs to work on to be more like the Acts 2 church?
What is one thing you can do to help our church model be an Acts 2 church?