Pastor Gina has recorded a second video around the theme of Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” Some of us have recurring negative thoughts or questions that are interfering with our peace, and which take our attention away the Lord. For others, we may find ourselves lacking the joy that we normally might experience day to day.
A Note before you begin:
Welcome to Gold Avenue Church’s At home Worship Liturgy; we’re so grateful to join together in Spirit as we worship! We want to give special thanks to our worship leaders: Kayleen Jasperse, Derek Sterenberg, and Marissa Walters who have been prayerfully discerning our Orders of Worship and Marissa in particular who prepared this week’s order. While we would love to be together in person and it may be somewhat difficult or even a little bit uncomfortable to worship from home, we’re reminded of the many believers around the world and throughout time that have worshipped from their homes in the wake of political opposition. Our prayer is that despite the circumstances you’re able to be fully present to the Lord and that he meets with each of you richly.
Call to Worship:
The Call to Worship serves to focus our attention on the living God who is present with us; it calls us to position ourselves as those who are ready to worship and ready to receive from Him.
Read the following out loud as you fix your eyes on Jesus:
From Psalm 145: 17-21
The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Pray for the Lord to fill you, your household, and your home with his presence and his peace. Invite his presence afresh and take time to express your gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord as you feel led.
Worshiping in Song:
You can access the video of each song by clicking on the video. We invite you to turn up the volume and to participate freely and fully: sing along, dance, kneel, listen and soak, read the included lyrics–however you feel led. You may find it fruitful to listen to a song more than once, to respond between songs with prayer, thanksgiving, meditation, or even discussion about how the Lord is at work in and through the song.
High and Lifted Up
Lord of all the earth
And all of heaven
I come and seek Your face
Worship You with all I have within me
Humbled by Your grace
Every heart every nation
Every tribe all creation
Will bow before Your presence and sing
You are high and lifted up
You are high and lifted up
And my soul sings hallelujah
To the Lamb
The Lamb of God
Lord of righteousness
You come in glory
Bright and morning star
All my days I?ll worship and adore You
Healer of my heart
Every prayer every cry
You alone satisfy
We will lift Your praise
Again and again
Majesty
Majesty
Jesus Lamb of God
Majesty
Majesty
Holy are You Lord
The Lord’s Greeting:
The Lord’s Greeting serves to remind us that we are in the presence of the living God. It makes space for him to greet us as our loving heavenly father who rules and reigns as the King over all and who is present with us as our loving heavenly father!
Fix your eyes on him as you read the following out loud:
From 2 John 1:3:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
Greeting One Another:
It might feel a little odd doing this at home, but take time to say these words to greet each other, as you shake hands, hug or elbow bump:
“The Lord be with you!” and in response: “and also with you!”
And if you’re alone: “The Lord is with me!”
Jesus
There is a truth older than the ages
There is a promise of things yet to come
There is one born for our salvation
Jesus
There is a light that overwhelms the darkness
There is a kingdom that forever reigns
There is freedom from the chains that bind us
Jesus, Jesus
Who walks on the waters
Who speaks to the sea
Who stands in the fire beside me
He roars like a lion
He bled as the Lamb
He carries my healing in His hands
Jesus
There is a name I call in times of trouble
There is a song that comforts in the night
There is a voice that calms the storm that rages
He is Jesus, Jesus
Who walks on the waters
Who speaks to the sea
Who stands in the fire beside me
He roars like a lion
He bled as the Lamb
He carries my healing in His hands
Messiah
My Savior
There is power in Your name
You’re my rock and my Redeemer
There is power in Your name
In Your name
You walks on the waters
You speaks to the sea
You stands in the fire beside me
You roars like a lion
You bled as the Lamb
You carries my healing in Your hands
Jesus, there is no one like You
Jesus, there is no one like You
Wonderful Merciful Savior
Wonderful merciful savior
Precious redeemer and friend
Who would have thought that a lamb could
Rescue the souls of man
Oh you rescue the souls of man.
Counselor comforter keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost our way
Oh we’ve hopelessly lost the way.
You are the one that we praise
You are the one we adore.
You give the healing and grace our
Hearts always hunger for
Oh our hearts always hunger for.
Oh mighty infinite father
Faithfully loving your own
Here in our weakness you find us
Falling before your throne
Oh were falling before your throne
You are the one that we praise
You are the one we adore
You give the healing and grace our
Hearts always hunger for
Oh our hearts always hunger for.
You are the one that we praise
You are the one we adore
You give the healing and grace our
Hearts always hunger for
Oh our hearts always hunger for.
If you feel led, take a moment to reflect on our Wonderful Merciful Savior and his tremendous goodness to you before moving on. The next song expresses God’s goodness and also serves as an opportunity to cry out to God for his healing and provision… what might you want to ask of the Lord at this time?
Good to Me
I cry out
For your hand of mercy to heal me
I am weak
I need your love to free me
Oh Lord, my Rock
My strength in weakness
Come rescue me, oh Lord
You are my hope
Your promise never fails me
And my desire
Is to follow You forever
For You are good
For You are good
For You are good to me
For You are good
For You are good
For You are good to me
Testimony/Family Prayer Time:
As you transition, take a moment to reflect on how the Lord was ministering to you through song: what lyrics stood out to you? What emotions were you experiencing? What did God reveal to you about who he is? What did God reveal to you about what he says about you? How else were you ministered to?
Share a story with those around you or to the Lord about how he was at work in worship as well as in your week. Give him glory for his goodness. If alone, you could write down your testimony.
For Family Prayer Time: Please utilize and add your own requests to this prayer guide and also take time to pray–giving thanks, repenting, raising petition, and praying as the Lord leads.
Song of Preparation:
The Song of Preparation serves to prepare our hearts to receive the Word of the Lord. This song time also serves to give us an opportunity to worship through giving. We’re invited to give back as the Lord has so richly given to us.
Receiving of our Tithes and Offerings:
Support ministry at Gold Avenue Church by giving to the general fund (Click the picture for more giving options):
- Text: send amount (number only, no extra symbols) to (616) 319-2259 and follow prompts to give securely
- Give online at https://goldavenuechurch.breezechms.com/give/online or https://www.paypal.com/donate/…
- Mail a check payable to Gold Avenue Church at 49 Gold Avenue NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504
As you feel led, surrender your attention, your will, and your heart to the Lord and ask him to anoint your ears to hear the message and to bless you to receive and apply it.
Power of Your Love
Lord I come to you
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You
Lord I’ve come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
The Preaching of the Word:
Click on the play button below the picture to listen, or click here to go to the stand-alone sermons page.
Click on the play button below
Song of Response:
The Song of Response serves to make space for us to respond to the message the Lord has given. Feel free to take a moment to ask the Lord how he might be inviting you to respond and follow accordingly. You’re welcome to sing along, to listen and reflect, to pray or journal, etc.
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
And what a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer
Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer
The Lord’s Blessing:
The Lord’s Blessing serves to make space for us to receive the Lord’s blessing to equip and empower us to receive his word, to be obedient to it, and to walk it out in his grace and favor.
Fix your eyes on him as you read the following out loud:
From Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace
Closing Song:
Go My Children with my Blessing
Go, my children, with my blessing, Never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you; You are my own.
In my love’s baptismal river
I have made you mine forever.
Go, my children, with my blessing – You are my own.
Go, my children, sins forgiven, At peace and pure.
Here you learned how much I love you, What I can cure.
Here you heard my dear Son’s story;
Here you touched him, saw his glory.
Go, my children, sins forgiven, At peace and pure.
Go, my children, fed and nourished, Closer to me;
Grow in love and love by serving, Joyful and free.
Here my Spirit’s power filled you;
Here his tender comfort stilled you.
Go, my children, fed and nourished, Joyful and free.
I the Lord will bless and keep you And give you peace;
I the Lord will smile upon you And give you peace;
I the Lord will be your Father,
Savior, Comforter, and Brother.
Go, my children; I will keep you And give you peace.
Children’s Worship Lesson:
This week we’ll be learning about how Jesus chose 12 disciples as part of God’s big plan for the world: LINK HERE Enjoy going through the lesson with your family, and even if you don’t have kids you might find yourself blessed by the teachings in this lesson!!! While you’re at it, please take some pictures of your family participating in Children’s Worship and share them with us! You can post them to the Gold Avenue Church Facebook page or send by email to goldavechurch@gmail.com
Dear Parents,
Thanks for joining us again as we do Children’s Worship from home! Today we are reminded of how Jesus called his first helpers and taught them how to live and share the good news. We, too, and our children are called to be his helpers and live as Jesus taught, to share the gospel and to be part of his great plan. Let’s learn together.
OVERVIEW:
Activity One: Watch the video
Activity Two: Discuss the story using provided questions as prompts
Worship
Activity Three: Respond to the story by doing an art or serve project. Pray together.
Activity Four: Bless your children
EQUIP:
(It’s not an activity, but just a little background on the story for you, the parent, to read.)
What exactly did it look like to be called by Jesus? Most people knew Jesus as a rabbi or teacher, as Jesus probably dressed like a rabbi. Every young Jewish man began a religious education and hoped to be chosen by a prominent rabbi for further training. Rabbis would choose their followers (disciples) very carefully, and potential followers would go through years of training in an attempt to prove themselves. But Jesus had a plan. He wasn’t looking for the most educated men with social status. He was looking for men with whom He could have a relationship. These men were teachable, hard workers from humble backgrounds.
Second, Jesus sought them out rather than the reverse, as was appropriate for the system. None of the future disciples came to Jesus to ask to follow Him. He pursued them in the places they worked and lived. With these first disciples, they were convinced of His power with the catch of their lives. Jesus—the Son of God—took the time to seek out these men and get their attention.
Finally, Jesus had His Father’s bigger picture in view. As He picked these men, He was already setting up His plan. He chose 12 disciples. (A disciple is someone who follows and learns.) Jesus spent three years in life-on-life relationship with each of these men. Not only did He train them, He also exposed them to wonders beyond what they could imagine. He prepared them to be catalysts for the greatest movement ever seen on earth. Jesus’ relationship with the 12 disciples set an example for the type of relationship He wants with each of us: He wants to be part of our lives, He will seek us out, He wants us to know Him, and He wants to use each of us in His great plan.
Read over Luke 5:1–11. Think about your own life. Think about the first time you heard God calling you to be part of His plan.
Read the passage again. Do you see any parallels between this situation and your life? When did His calling on your life begin? In what ways did He pursue you? How has that changed everything for you?
Spend some time this week praying and asking God to reveal the narrative of your calling. Thank Him for all the ways He has revealed Himself in your life. Thank Him for inviting you to be part of His amazing plan.
Activity 1: STORY
Activity 2: DISCUSSION
In The Big God Story today, we heard how Jesus chose 12 disciples as part of God’s big plan for the world. God wants you and me to tell everyone about Him and how much He loves us. We get to be part of God’s big plan!
I wonder … What did Peter think when tons of fish swam into his net?
I wonder … What might the fishermen have thought when Jesus invited them to go with him?
I wonder … What would it be like to leave my home and travel with Jesus?
I wonder … Who can I share God’s love with?
These questions can easily extend into the rest of the week. Look for opportunities to bring conversations about how God Saves into your everyday life as a family.
Today’s Worship Songs:
“I Will Make You Fishers of Men”
“Peter, James, and John in a Sailboat”
“Tell the World That Jesus Loves You”
Activity 3: RESPONSE ACTIVITY
(There are four of them, choose one or as many as you would like.)
#1 Kids, today we heard how Jesus called fishermen to follow Him. God invited these men to be a part of His plan and to share His love and plan with others. Like these fishermen, God invites us to follow Him so we can be His disciples too! As His disciples, we can show others the love of Jesus and tell them about God’s plan. He wants to have a relationship with every single person in the world. Let’s spend time responding to God and His amazing love for us by praying for someone who might not know how much God loves her, or that He invites her to follow Him. But first, let’s make our bodies still and quiet and close our eyes. Who is someone you can share God’s love with?”
Give children a few moments to think and pray quietly. Then pass out the paper person and crayons. Help children write on their Person template the name of someone they want to share God’s plan with, then encourage them to color their cutout. As children are working, talk with them about ways they can share about God’s love and plan with others. Why do you think God calls His disciples to share His plan with others? What are some ways we can tell others about Jesus and share His love? Once children have finished coloring their person, invite them to place their cutout in a prominent place to view as a reminder to share God’s love with that person. Close this time by praying for the people who are represented.
Person template: Download Here
#2 Some of the first disciples Jesus called were fishermen. In this activity, children will get to be fishermen too!
- Card stock or index cards (various colors or if white – color them)
- Scissors
- Masking tape
- Wooden dowels or go out in the yard and find a sturdy stick
- String (1′ )
- Paperclips (1 per fish plus 1 for every pole; large)
- Fish Template: Download Here
Print the Fish template onto colored card stock, and cut out the fish. For every dowel, bend a paperclip so there’s a hook on one end, and attach the non-hooked end of the paper clip to the dowel with the string. Bend the rest of the paper clips into large U shapes, and then carefully tape the paper clips to the mouth of the fish using the masking tape so the two ends of the U are attached to the fish’s mouth. The goal is to create a large “hook” on the string and a large “mouth” on the fish to hook the fish. (To make it easier for children to catch the fish, consider bending the U upward so it’s perpendicular to the fish.)
Using the masking tape, make a circle on the ground approximately two feet in diameter. Place the fish in the masking tape circle. You can have children keep the fish they catch or place them back into the pond. As children get better at catching the fish, add to the challenge by encouraging them to catch a fish of a certain color.
#3 Print this picture and cut apart to make an easy puzzle. Let your child(ren) put back together as you talk about the story.
#4 The fish symbol became a secret symbol used by early Christians. When much persecution was taking place Christians used the fish symbol to determine who was their friend and who was their enemy. According to one ancient story, when a Chrstian met a stranger on the road, the Christian sometimes drew one arc of the simple fish outline in the dirt, if the stranger drew the other arc, both believers knew they were in good company. (Taken from “Christianity Today.”)
You can try this with the older children. Draw a fish arc on a paper or outside in the dirt and have them complete the fish. Then you will know you both love Jesus!
Activity 4: CLOSING BLESSING
A blessing to pray over your child(ren):
Read the following words from Ephesian: Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. (Ephesians 5:1–2a).
Bless each child by saying:
(Child’s name), may you follow God’s example. May you hear when God calls you to follow Him this week. May you be an example for others as you love God and love others.
Pray with your kids, asking them if they have any prayer requests and encouraging them to pray for others. Have a blessed week!
Note: Please let us know about how your family is enjoying Children’s Worship! Take some pictures of your family participating in Children’s Worship or share a story. You can post to the Gold Avenue Church Facebook page or send by email at goldavechurch@gmail.com
A Word from Pastor Dave about where we’re headed:
Call to Worship:
The Call to Worship serves to focus our attention on the living God who is present with us; it calls us to position ourselves as those who are ready to worship and ready to receive from Him. Read the following out loud as you fix your eyes on Jesus:
From Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Pray for the Lord to fill you, your household, and your home with his presence and his peace. Invite his presence afresh and take time to express your gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord as you feel led.
Worshiping in Song:
You can access the video of each song by clicking on the video. Participate freely and fully: sing along, dance, kneel, listen and soak, read the included lyrics–however you feel led. You may find it fruitful to listen to a song more than once, to respond between songs with prayer, thanksgiving, meditation, or even discussion about how the Lord is at work in and through the song.
In Christ Alone
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone! – who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.
The Lord’s Greeting:
The Lord’s Greeting serves to remind us that we are in the presence of the living God. It makes space for him to greet us as our loving heavenly father who rules and reigns as the King over all and who we celebrate as or risen Lord on this Easter morning!
Fix your eyes on him as you read the following out loud:
From 2 John 1:3:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
Greeting One Another:
It might feel a little odd doing this at home, but take time to say these words to greet each other, as you shake hands, hug or elbow bump:
“The Lord be with you!” and in response: “and also with you!”
And if you’re alone: “The Lord is with me!”
Holy Spirit
There is nothing worth more
That will ever come close
No thing can compare
You’re our living hope
Your presence Lord
I’ve tasted and seen
Of the sweetest of love
When my heart becomes free
And my shame is undone
Your presence Lord
Holy spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord
There is nothing worth more
That will ever come close
No thing can compare
You’re our living hope
Your presence Lord
I’ve tasted and seen
Of the sweetest of Love
When my heart becomes free
And my shame is undone
Your presence Lord
Holy spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord
Holy spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord
Let us become more aware of Your presence
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness
Let us become more aware of Your presence
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness
Let us become more aware of Your presence
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness
Holy spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord
Holy spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord
Holy spirit, You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord
Hungry
Hungry I come to You
For I know You satisfy
I am empty but I know
Your love does not run dry
So I wait for You
So I wait for You
I’ve fallen on my knees
Offering all my needs
Jesus You’re all
This heart is living for
Broken I run to You
For Your arms are open wide
I am weary but I know Your touch
Restores my life
So I wait for You
So I wait for you
Your Love Never Fails
Nothing can separate
Even if I ran away
Your love never fails
I know I still make mistakes
But You have new mercies for me everyday
Your love never fails
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
And may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails
The wind is strong and the water’s deep
I’m not alone in these open seas
‘Cause Your love never fails
The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I’d reach the other side
‘Cause Your love never fails
‘Cause you stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Oh no, love never fails
‘Cause You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
‘Cause you stay
‘Cause you stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
It may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Love never fails
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make, you make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
‘Cause You make all things work together for my good
‘Cause you stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
It may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Never fails
Testimony/Family Prayer Time:
As you transition, take a moment to reflect on how the Lord was ministering to you through song: what lyrics stood out to you? What emotions were you experiencing? What did God reveal to you about who he is? What did God reveal to you about what he says about you? How else were you ministered to?
Share a story with those around you or to the Lord about how he was at work in worship as well as in your week. Give him glory for his goodness. If alone, you could write down your testimony.
For Family Prayer Time: Please utilize and add your own requests to this prayer guide and also take time to pray–giving thanks, repenting, raising petition, and praying as the Lord leads.
Song of Preparation and Receiving of the Offering:
The Song of Preparation serves to prepare our hearts to receive the Word of the Lord. This song time also serves to give us an opportunity to worship through giving. We’re invited to give back as the Lord has so richly given to us.
Regular offering:
Support ministry at Gold Avenue Church by giving to the general fund (Click the picture for more giving options):
- Text: send amount (number only, no extra symbols) to (616) 319-2259 and follow prompts to give securely
- Give online at https://goldavenuechurch.breezechms.com/give/online or https://www.paypal.com/donate/…
- Mail a check payable to Gold Avenue Church at 49 Gold Avenue NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504
Special Offering:
Once a month we take a special offering to support special causes that the Deacons have prayerfully discerned. This month’s special offering is for the Gold Avenue Church Van Fund. The Gold vans are used throughout the year to transport people to and from church, to transport youth to GoldRush youth group, and for many other uses. As the vans age, the need for an updated model has become apparent, and so we invite you to sow into the purchase of a replacement van. You can do this by:
- Text: send amount space van (ex: 50 van) to (616) 319-2259 and follow prompts to give securely
- Give online: select van fund from dropdown menu or type “van fund” in memo line
- Check: write “van fund” in memo line
As you feel led, surrender your attention, your will, and your heart to the Lord and ask him to anoint your ears to hear the message and to bless you to receive and apply it.
Turn Your Eyes
VERSE 1
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
VERSE 2
Turn your eyes to the hillside
Where justice and mercy embraced
There the Son of God gave His life for us
And our measureless debt was erased
CHORUS
Jesus, to You we lift our eyes
Jesus, our glory and our prize
We adore You, behold You, our Savior ever true
Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You
VERSE 3
Turn your eyes to the morning
And see Christ the Lion awake
What a glorious dawn, fear of death is gone
For we carry His life in our veins
VERSE 4
Turn your eyes to the heavens
Our King will return for His own
Every knee will bow, every tongue will shout,
‘All glory to Jesus alone!’
The Preaching of the Word:
Access the audio of the sermon here: Sermon Audio Recording
Song of Response:
The Song of Response serves to make space for us to respond to the message the Lord has given. Feel free to take a moment to ask the Lord how he might be inviting you to respond and follow accordingly.
Weep With Me
Weep with me
Lord will You weep with me?
I don’t need answers, all I need
Is to know that You care for me
Hear my plea
Are You even listening?
Lord I will wrestle with Your heart
But I won’t let You go
You know I believe
Help my unbelief
Yet I will praise You
Yet I will sing of Your name
Here in the shadows
Here I will offer my praise
What’s true in the light
Is still true in the dark
You’re good and You’re kind
And You care for this heart
Lord I believe
You weep with me
Part the seas
Lord make a way for me
Here in the midst of my lament
I have faith, yes I still believe
That You love me
Your plans are to prosper me
You’re working everything for good
Even when I can’t see
You know I believe, yeah
Help my unbelief, oh
Yet I will praise You
Yet I will sing of Your name
Here in the shadows
Here I will offer my praise
What’s true in the light
Is still true in the dark
You’re good and You’re kind
And You care for this heart
Lord I believe
That you weep with me
Turn my lament into a love song
From this lament, raise up an anthem
Oh I’ll sing it in the darkness, oh
Turn my lament into a love song, ’cause I love You Lord
And from this lament, raise up an anthem, oh
Oh I’ll sing it in the darkness
Yet I will praise You
Yet I will sing of Your name
Right here in the shadows
Right here I will offer my praise
What was true in the light
Is still true in the dark
You’re good and You’re kind
And You care for this heart
Lord I believe
That you weep with me
Yeah you weep with me
The Lord’s Blessing:
The Lord’s Blessing serves to make space for us to receive the Lord’s blessing to equip and empower us to receive his word, to be obedient to it, and to walk it out in his grace and favor.
Fix your eyes on him as you read the following out loud:
From 1 Peter 5:10-11:
And the God of all grace, who called me/us to his eternal glory in Christ, after I/we have suffered a little while, will himself restore me/us and make me/us strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
Closing Song:
Bless the Lord/ 10,000 Reasons
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
You’re rich in love
And You’re slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Bless You Lord
And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
Forevermore
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Yes I’ll worship Your Holy name
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Jesus I will worship Your Holy name
Worship Your Holy name
Reminder that this month we have our special “Van Fund” offering. Click the picture or go back to the middle of this liturgy for instructions on how to give.
Children’s Worship Lesson:
This week we’ll be learning more about Jesus’ ministry as he feeds 5,000 people: LINK HERE Enjoy going through the lesson with your family, and even if you don’t have kids you might find yourself blessed by the teachings in this lesson!!! While you’re at it, please take some pictures of your family participating in Children’s Worship and share them with us! You can post them to the Gold Avenue Church Facebook page or send by email to goldavechurch@gmail.com
Dear Parents,
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, “We miss you!!!!” This lesson is brought to you straight from Asher and Eila’s bedroom (disregard the messes and clothing choices!). Today we are reminded of how Jesus did the will of the Father and we are called to as well, wherever we are at today and this week- I hope you will be encouraged as well!
OVERVIEW:
Activity One: Watch the video
Activity Two: Discuss the story using provided questions as prompts
Activity Three: Respond to the story by doing an art or serve project. Pray together.
Worship
Game: “Father Says”
Activity Four: Bless your children
EQUIP:
(It’s not an activity, but just a little background on the story for you, the parent, to read.)
In Luke 4, we find a mission statement from Jesus in the first message He preached in Nazareth when He said:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18–19).
Before beginning His public ministry, Jesus was “taken by the Spirit” into the desert to be prepared for all His Father had planned for Him to do. During His time of prayer and fasting, He was tempted by the Devil, but He came out of this time fully empowered to do the ministry that lay before Him. Later in Scripture we often see Jesus going off to secluded places to be alone with His Father. Jesus was one who knew better than any other the importance of solitude.
In Mark’s gospel, Jesus heals not only through the words He speaks, but also through the touch He shares. After teaching in the synagogue, He heals the sick all through the night. Coming from serving, touching, giving, teaching, and healing, He makes the time to slip away to a secluded spot to pray and receive instructions concerning the day that is before Him.
Jesus cared about following His Father’s will. In John 5:19, Jesus affirms: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
God the Father entrusted ministry to Jesus, His Son. Jesus in turn entrusted the ministry to the 12 leaders He chose. Now, the ministry is entrusted to each of us.
Jesus is fully God and fully human. He knew the limitations of being human. Because of this He made it a priority to spend time with His Father. How much more, then, do we need to spend time alone with God, our Father? We need time with God to ensure we stay on the path He has set before us and remain connected to Him. In preparation to minister to your children this week, find some time to draw away and listen to God. Take this passage and meditate on it: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21). Ask God if there’s something He is specifically inviting you to do based on this Scripture.
Activity 1: STORY
Watch the story video below.
Activity 2: DISCUSSION
From today’s part of The Big God Story, we learned how important it was for Jesus to take time away to prepare for His Father’s plans for Him. He would go out to be alone and pray. God has plans for each one of us too.
- I wonder … How did Jesus know what the Father wanted him to do?
- I wonder … What other plans did God have for Jesus?
- I wonder … What plans might God have for me?
These questions can easily extend into the rest of the week. Look for opportunities to bring conversations about how God Saves into your everyday life as a family.
Today’s Worship Songs:
“Every Move I Make”:
“I Will Praise the Lord”:
Activity 3: RESPONSE ACTIVITY
After your time discussing the Wonder Questions, you’ll have the opportunity to pray with and for each of the children in your group. Friends, we can pray and talk to God just like Jesus did. It’s good to be quiet and listen to things God might be telling us through His Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that He needed time with God to get ready for all the things He was going to do and to know God’s path for Him. We need time with God too, so we can see the path God has for our lives.
We can talk to God in all sorts of different ways and places and times. You can talk to God by yourself, or we can pray together as a family. Right now, let’s take some time to pray with each other. I’ll start. “Dear God, thank You for Your plans to send Jesus to earth as the promised Savior so we can be with You forever and ever. Please show us the way to live.”
God the Father had big plans for Jesus. He prepared Jesus to care for us and show us love, which were part of His big plan for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. When we follow Jesus by choosing to love Him and trust and obey Him, we’ll see that God has big plans for our lives too. God can use us to care for people and tell them about Jesus. How do you think God may be getting you ready for the plans He has for you? After asking the question, let child(ren) take a minute to sit quietly and listen to God. Give them a piece of paper and crayons/markers. Talk together about any ideas God may have given them about plans God may have for their life- it could be something this week that they’d like to do to show God’s love or maybe a bigger picture of how they think God might be working in their lives for the future! Encourage them to draw their ideas on a piece of paper (it’s great if your whole family does this together- God is teaching all of us and we have the opportunity to model to our kids how God speaks to us! It’s also a good time to turn on some quiet music to listen to while you pray/draw)
Game: Father Says
When Jesus went about His ministry, He was careful to follow God the Father’s plans for Him, and He often spent time listening to God. Today, your kids will practice their listening and following skills in a version of Simon Says. Lead your (child)ren in a game of Father Says, modeled after Simon Says. Let’s play a game called Father Says. To play, you need to watch the leader and try to follow everything the leader is doing. Most importantly, though, you’ll need to listen carefully. Be sure to only do the things that the leader tells you to do after he says, “Father Says.”
Begin by being the leader yourself, and then invite your kids to come and lead. Command suggestions: clap your hands for joy, shout to the Lord, shake hands with your neighbor, dance for the Lord, whisper your favorite kind of pizza to your neighbor, say the ABC’s as fast as you can, etc. When the game is finished, share with them: You did an excellent job of listening. In the story we heard today, we learned how Jesus did everything His Father, God, had planned for Him, and how He always listened carefully so He could follow God’s plans exactly.
Activity 4: CLOSING BLESSING
A blessing to pray over your child(ren):
Walk in the ways of the Lord.
Obey His voice.
Hold tight to Him.
Love the Lord your God. (reference Deuteronomy 30)
Repeat these phrases a few times before moving on to the next portion.
The Lord will guide you.
He will comfort you.
He will give you rest.
He will pour His goodness and love upon you. (reference Psalm 23)
Repeat these phrases a few times. Then read the following statements as individual blessings over children before you close:
(Child’s name), may you walk in the ways of the Lord … The Lord will guide you.
(Child’s name), may you obey His voice … He will comfort you.
(Child’s name), may you hold tight to Him … He will give you rest.
(Child’s name), may you love the Lord your God … He will pour His goodness and love upon you.
Pray with your kids, asking them if they have any prayer requests and encouraging them to pray for others. Have a blessed week!
Note: Please let us know about how your family is enjoying Children’s Worship! Take some pictures of your family participating in Children’s Worship or share a story. You can post to the Gold Avenue Church Facebook page or send by email at goldavechurch@gmail.com
In the following video, Pastor Dave continues to introduce the topic of our upcoming sermons on Lament as an Expression of Faith.
Gold Avenue Church leadership has been noticing a recurring invitation from the Lord over the past few weeks. He seems to be calling us to be still in a time that is filled with uncertainty. It’s important to pay attention to verses, songs, and themes that continue to come up in prayer and conversations. Often the Lord will speak to us through these consistent pieces and then it is important to ask the Lord to show us how He would have us respond.
Watch this video from Pastor Gina where she shares about how to quiet yourself in God’s presence, as she reflects on Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”
We pray you will be intentional in letting go of things that interfere with being quiet and still before the Lord. We trust we will all be strengthened and refreshed in His presence. Enjoy listening to the song “Be Still” by Hillsong Worship.
Hi Church Family from your Deacon Team! We wanted to let you know that despite not being in the church building on Sundays, we are still here and willing to help. Our role in the church is to offer resources to church members and, by extension, to our Gold Avenue Church neighborhood. We’d love to talk with you about how you are doing and to find out if there’s anything we can do to help with any physical needs you might have.
With the economic downturn and general uncertainty that we are currently living in, we anticipate that there may be more financial struggles than usual. We want you to know that we’re here to help. There are several ways of getting in contact with us. You can contact the church directly by email or phone (at the end of this post), or you can fill out the form LINKED HERE. In addition, if you have neighbors or people you know of within our community that are struggling, we invite you to refer them to the deacon team using one of the methods of contact. Make sure to include their contact info and as much information as possible. We ask you to pray and discern if this next step is necessary for anyone, and invite as the Lord leads, as this is a time when we can all be the hands and feet of Jesus to our neighbors.
In addition, we would like to connect you to a list of resources LINKED HERE. This resource list will be updated as events unfold in the next months for people who live in and around the West Side of Grand Rapids. Any suggestions for what could be added to this can also be sent to the church office using the contact information below.
FInally, we want you all to know that we are praying for each and every one of you. We are living in strange times, but we are so thankful for the hope of Christ that cannot be taken from us. As well, our work is funded by the Benevolence fund, to which many of you sow into on a regular basis, thank you so much for continuing to express your generosity and helping us care for our brothers and sisters in Christ!
Church Contact Information:
616-454-8833
Call to Worship:
The Call to Worship serves to focus our attention on the living God who is present with us; it calls us to position ourselves as those who are ready to worship and ready to receive from Him. Read the following out loud as you fix your eyes on Jesus:
From 1 Peter 1:3-9
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Pray for the Lord to fill you, your household, and your home with his presence and his peace. Invite his presence afresh and take time to express your gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord as you feel led.
Worshiping in Song:
You can access the video of each song by clicking on the video. Participate freely and fully: sing along, dance, kneel, listen and soak, read the included lyrics–however you feel led. You may find it fruitful to listen to a song more than once, to respond between songs with prayer, thanksgiving, meditation, or even discussion about how the Lord is at work in and through the song.
Resurrecting
The head that once was crowned with thorns
Is crowned with glory now
The Savior knelt to wash our feet
Now at His feet we bow
The One who wore our sin and shame
Now robed in majesty
The radiance of perfect love
Now shines for all to see
Your name, Your name
Is victory
All praise, will rise
To Christ, our king
Your name, Your name
Is victory
All praise, will rise
To Christ, our king
The fear that held us now gives way
To Him who is our peace
His final breath upon the cross
Is now alive in me
Your name, Your name
Is victory
All praise, will rise
To Christ, our king
Your name, Your name
Is victory
All praise, will rise
To Christ, our king
By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
In Your name I come alive
To declare Your victory
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
In Your name I come alive
To declare Your victory (c’mon!)
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
In Your name I come alive
To declare Your victory
The resurrected king, is resurrecting me
He’s resurrecting me
Our God is good, oh
The tomb where soldiers watched in vain
Was borrowed for three days
His body there would not remain
Our God has robbed the grave
Our God has robbed the grave (yes He has, yes He has)
Your name, Your name
Is victory
All praise, will rise
To Christ our king
Your name, Your name
Is victory
All praise, will rise
To Christ our king
By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
In Your name I come alive
To declare Your victory
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
In Your name I come alive
To declare Your victory
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
In Your name I come alive
To declare Your victory
The resurrected king, is resurrecting me
The resurrected king, is resurrecting me, yeah
The Lord’s Greeting:
The Lord’s Greeting serves to remind us that we are in the presence of the living God. It makes space for him to greet us as our loving heavenly father who rules and reigns as the King over all and who we celebrate as or risen Lord on this Easter morning! Fix your eyes on him as you read the following out loud:
From 2 John 1:3:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
Greeting One Another:
It might feel a little odd doing this at home, but take time to say these words to greet each other, as you shake hands, hug or elbow bump:
“He is Risen!” and in response: “He is Risen indeed!”
Christ is Risen
Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely You’ve bled for us
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bowed to none but Heaven’s will
No scheme of Hell, no scoffer’s crown
No burden great can hold You down
In strength You reign
Forever let Your church proclaim
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night
Sing it, o death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
Our God is not dead, He’s alive, He’s alive
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Rise up from the grave
O Praise the Name
I cast my mind to Calvary
Where Jesus bled and died for me.
I see His wounds, His hands, His feet.
My Savior on that cursed tree
His body bound and drenched in tears
They laid Him down in Joseph’s tomb.
The entrance sealed by heavy stone
Messiah still and all alone
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
Then on the third at break of dawn,
The Son of heaven rose again.
O trampled death where is your sting?
The angels roar for Christ the King
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
He shall return in robes of white,
The blazing Son shall pierce the night.
And I will rise among the saints,
My gaze transfixed on Jesus’ face
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
O praise the name of the Lord our God
O praise His name forever more
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
Oh Lord, oh Lord our God
Behold Our God
Who has held the oceans in his hands?
Who has numbered every grain of sand?
Kings and nations tremble at his voice
All creation rises to rejoice
Behold our God, seated on his throne
Come, let us adore him
Behold our king, nothing can compare
Come, let us adore him
Who has given counsel to the Lord?
Who can question any of his words?
Who can teach, the one who knows all things?
Who can fathom all his wondrous deeds?
Behold our God, seated on his throne
Come, let us adore him
Behold our king, nothing can compare
Come, let us adore him
Who has felt the nails upon his hands?
Bearing all the guilt of sinful man
God eternal, humbled to the grave
Jesus, Savior, risen now to reign
Behold our God, seated on his throne
Come, let us adore him
Behold our king, nothing can compare
Come, let us adore him
You will reign forever (let Your glory fill the Earth)
You will reign forever (let Your glory fill the Earth)
You will reign forever (let Your glory fill the Earth)
You will reign forever (let Your glory fill the Earth)
You will reign forever (let Your glory fill the Earth)
You will reign forever (let Your glory fill the Earth)
You will reign forever (let Your glory fill the Earth)
You will reign forever (let Your glory fill-)
Behold our God, seated on his throne
Come, let us adore him
Behold our king, nothing can compare
Come, let us adore
Behold our God, seated on his throne
Come, let us adore him
Behold our king, nothing can compare
Come, let us adore him
Testimony/Family Prayer Time:
As you transition, take a moment to reflect on how the Lord was ministering to you through song: what lyrics stood out to you? What emotions were you experiencing? What did God reveal to you about who he is? What did God reveal to you about what he says about you? How else were you ministered to?
Share a story with those around you or to the Lord about how he was at work in worship as well as in your week. Give him glory for his goodness. If alone, you could write down your testimony.
For Family Prayer Time: Please utilize and add your own requests to this prayer guide and also take time to pray–giving thanks, repenting, raising petition, and praying as the Lord leads.
Song of Preparation:
The Song of Preparation serves to prepare our hearts to receive the Word of the Lord. This song time also serves to give us an opportunity to worship through giving. We’re invited to give back as the Lord has so richly given to us.
Ways to give (Click the picture for more giving options):
Online Direct: Give securely and directly through this link, the default fund is general fund, you can choose others in the drop down menu: https://goldavenuechurch.breezechms.com/give/online
Text: send amount (number only, no extra symbols) to (616) 319-2259 and follow prompts to give securely, giving without a keyword goes to the general fund, for other fund options click the picture above for instructions
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/…
Check: Make checks out to “Gold Avenue Church” and mail to: Gold Avenue Church, 49 Gold Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
As you feel led, surrender your attention, your will, and your heart to the Lord and ask him to anoint your ears to hear the message and to bless you to receive and apply it.
Is He Worthy
Do you feel the world is broken? (We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen? (We do)
But do you know that all the dark won’t stop the light from getting through? (We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new? (We do)
Is all creation groaning? (It is)
Is a new creation coming? (It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? (It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? (It is)
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David’s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
Is He worthy? Is He worthy
Of all blessing and honor and glory?
Is He worthy of this?
He is
Does the Father truly love us? (He does)
Does the Spirit move among us? (He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah, hold forever those He loves? (He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us? (He does)
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David’s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
From every people and tribe (People and tribe)
Every nation and tongue (Every nation and tongue)
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son
Is He worthy? Is He worthy
Of all blessing and honor and glory?
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?
He is, He is
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
He is, He is
He is worthy, He is worthy
He is
The Preaching of the Word:
Listen to the sermon below or access the audio of the sermon here: Sermon Audio Recording
Song of Response:
The Song of Response serves to make space for us to respond to the message the Lord has given. Feel free to take a moment to ask the Lord how he might be inviting you to respond and follow accordingly.
Living Hope
How great the chasm that lay between us
How high the mountain I could not climb
In desperation, I turned to heaven
And spoke Your name into the night
Then through the darkness, Your loving-kindness
Tore through the shadows of my soul
The work is finished, the end is written
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Who could imagine so great a mercy?
What heart could fathom such boundless grace?
The God of ages stepped down from glory
To wear my sin and bear my shame
The cross has spoken, I am forgiven
The King of kings calls me His own
Beautiful Savior, I’m Yours forever
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
Then came the morning that sealed the promise
Your buried body began to breathe
Out of the silence, the Roaring Lion
Declared the grave has no claim on me
Jesus, Yours is the victory, whoa!
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Jesus Christ, my living hope
Oh God, You are my living hope
The Lord’s Blessing:
The Lord’s blessing serves to make space for us to receive the Lord’s blessing to equip and empower us to receive his word, to be obedient to it, and to walk it out in his grace and favor.
Fix your eyes on him as you read the following out loud:
From Numbers 6:24-26:
The Lord bless me/us and keep me/us; the Lord make his face shine on me/us and be gracious to me/us; the Lord turn his face toward me/us and give me/us peace.
Closing Song:
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
Children’s Worship Lesson:
This week the lesson is: Easter of course! Enjoy going through the lesson with your family, and even if you don’t have kids you might find yourself blessed by the teachings in this lesson!!! While you’re at it, please take some pictures of your family participating in Children’s Worship and share them with us! You can post them to the Gold Avenue Church Facebook page or send by email to goldavechurch@gmail.com
*all scripture notations are from the NIV Bible
Dear Parents,
Here we are again, ready to worship with you and your children on this special Sunday! Today we celebrate Easter and new life in Christ! We pray this will be a blessed day of praising and giving thanks to Jesus! Begin with this special greeting for this special day.
Greeting: The Lord is with you!
Response: And also with you!
OVERVIEW:
Activity One: There are three videos this week! The first video is a puppet show starring the Houtstra family. The puppets remind us of how we can have new life in Jesus. The second video features the Essenburg family and tells the Resurrection story, and the third video is an object lesson that ties it all together.
Activity Two: Discuss the story using provided questions as prompts
Worship: Sing together
Activity Three: Respond to the story by doing an art or serve project. Pray together.
Activity Four: Bless your children
Activity 1: STORY
(Optional Review)
Last week we learned about how God’s Son, Jesus, rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and was adored by many who waved their palm branches and shouted Hosanna! Then the crowd turned on Him when they realized He was not going to be their earthly king and save them from their oppressors. But we know that Jesus came to be our King and Savior, the King of our lives and our Savior from sin.
Watch the Easter puppet show video.
Watch the Easter story video.
Tie it all together with the Object Lesson video.
Activity 2: DISCUSSION
I wonder what the ladies talked about on the way to the tomb?
I wonder how Jesus could come alive?
I wonder why Mary was so sad?
I wonder how Jesus gives us new life?
These questions can easily extend into the rest of the week. Look for opportunities to bring conversations about how God Saves into your everyday life as a family.
Today’s Worship Songs:
One, Two, Three
Lord, I Lift Your Name on High
Activity 3: RESPONSE ACTIVITY
Response #1
In today’s part of The Big God Story, God saved His people by sending Jesus to die on the cross and rise again and give us new life. How can we thank and praise Him for this? Can we find ways to show God how much we love him? What can we do? Brainstorm with your child(ren) ways we can thank and praise God. Suggest drawing a picture or writing a few words. Take a look at last week’s response activity and try that if you haven’t done it already.
Last week’s response activity: Use a permanent marker to write “What needs to be done?” across the top of a piece of paper. Tape this to a wall. Print out the People, Heart, and Tree templates onto colored card stock and cut them out. You’ll want one of each shape per child.
Download and print the templates here: People, Heart, Tree (right click and select “download linked file”)
Jesus is our King and Savior. His greatest act of serving was to give up His life on the cross and die so we could have new life and be with Him forever. He invites us to serve others too. What does it mean to serve? Pause for responses. When we serve someone, it means we’re putting what we want aside and helping someone else. What are some ways you can serve God this week? Interact with responses. Those are great thoughts! We can serve another person, like a family member or someone in your neighborhood. Show the person shape. We can tell others about God’s love. Show the heart shape. We can serve God by caring for the animals and the world He created. Show the tree shape.
Let’s all spend a few moments asking God what needs to be done and listening to what He says. Invite children to spend a few moments praying silently, asking God how they can serve Him this week. Then, children can select a shape that best fits how they want to respond to God. Give children time to write or draw on the shape and attach it to the poster board using a glue dot. Let children know they can also leave the shape blank, if they prefer.
Close by praying that God would help your children serve in their families, communities, and world this week.
Response #2
If you’d like to make an empty tomb craft here’s an idea.
Make a picture showing Jesus’ empty tomb! Draw two half circles (one small and one large, make the small one black or a dark color) for the tomb. Draw a circle for the stone that was rolled away. Let your little one cut out the pieces. Glue the tomb onto construction paper and attach the stone with a brad. Write a message on the paper maybe one of praise or thanks to God.
Also, here is an Easter Sunday page to color: 
Activity 4: CLOSING BLESSING
A blessing to pray over your child(ren):
“Children, may you always remember the power of the Easter story and how Jesus brings us new life!”
Pray with your kids, asking them if they have any prayer requests and encouraging them to pray for others. Have a blessed week and Happy Easter!
Note: Please let us know about how your family is enjoying Children’s Worship! Take some pictures of your family participating in Children’s Worship or share a story, and you could be featured at the top of our next lesson! You can post to the Gold Avenue Church Facebook page or send by email at goldavechurch@gmail.com.
