We are so excited about continuing in our discipleship journey together throughout 2021!
This Thursday, December 31 from 10am- 2pm, you can pick up your Disicpleship Group binder with the first month of curriculum from Toni in the church office at 49 Gold Avenue NW Grand Rapids, MI. If you are unable to pick up your packet, email Toni at goldavechurch@gmail.com.
The Bible Reading Calendar is for everyone so if you don’t have one, please download the pdf below and begin growing in your Bible reading in 2021 begining January 1!
This service was prayerfully planned and coordinated with worship planner Kayleen Jasperse in conjunction with the pastors.
Our prayer is that this liturgy helps us to create cultures of worship in our homes or wherever we utilize them, and that as we enter into his presence and give him praise, that we are each met, blessed, and challenged, and encouraged to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
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 our Lord.
Read the following out loud as you fix your eyes on Jesus:
From Psalm 145:9-13
The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.
Pray for the Lord to fill you, your household, and your home with His presence and His peace. Fix your eyes and the focus of your heart on Him.
Worshiping in Song:
Hark the Herald Angels Sing/King of Heaven
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.
Consider sending a greeting text message to a church family member.
“The Lord be with you!”
and in response:
“and also with you!”
And if you’re alone:
“The Lord is with me!”
Reckless Love
God You’re So Good
Testimony/Family Prayer Time:
How has the Lord been at work this week? Consider sharing your story with those around you or writing it down. Give glory to the Lord for the good work that He has done!
Take a few minutes to pray for our church family, neighborhood, and the world as the Lord leads.
Consider asking a church family member how you can be in prayer for them or inviting a church family member to pray for you.
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
Mail a check payable to Gold Avenue Church at 49 Gold Avenue NW Grand Rapids, MI 4950
Song of Preparation
The Song of Preparation serves to prepare our hearts to receive the Word of the Lord. Continue to fix your eyes on Jesus and surrender your attention and heart to him as we transition and prepare to enter into His Word.
The song of response gives opportunity to consider, apply, and respond what we’ve just heard from the Word. If you need to and are able, take a few minutes to process what you’ve just heard and how the Lord may be inviting you to respond. Sing in response as you feel led. If this is a newer song, feel free to listen and dwell on the rich lyrics.
God is Able
The Lord’s Blessing:
The Lord’s Blessing serves to make space for us the Lord to bless us to continue to walk in faithful obedience and to grow up into maturity.
Fix your eyes on him as you read the following out loud:
From Isaiah 41:12
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
00Gold Avenue Churchhttp://goldavenuechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GAC-Logo-V5-nbmod-300x300-1.pngGold Avenue Church2020-12-26 16:50:232020-12-26 16:50:23Gold Avenue Church At Home Worship Liturgy 12.27.20
Thanks for joining us again as we do Children’s Worship from home!
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
Activity Two: Discuss the story using provided questions as prompts.
Worship: Singing
Activity Three: Respond to the story by doing the activity.
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 do you think of when you hear the word “worship”? We tend to use that word for the music portions of church services. Many people love Christmas music, but music isn’t the full story of worshiping Jesus at Christmas.
When Paul wrote to the Romans about worship, he told them to present their bodies as living sacrifices—it was their spiritual act of worship (see Romans 12:1)! That doesn’t sound like just singing a song or playing music at church! No, in light of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, the only reasonable response is to give Him our all— our time, our finances, our dreams, our desires, our rights, our very selves. Choosing to bring honor to Jesus in everything we do is true worship— the best Christmas gift for Jesus!
When the Magi—wise men from a very different culture and background—came to worship Jesus, they gave us a glimpse of the day when Christ will rule over all the earth. On that day, people from all nations will worship Jesus as Savior and Lord. The future we look forward to is described in Philippians 2:10-11: “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
(From Debbie Barber, Senior Editor of this curriculum)
Activity 1: STORY
Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds.
Introduction to read to the children:
After Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary didn’t go back to their hometown of Nazareth. They stayed in Bethlehem, about five miles outside the big city of Jerusalem. The young couple moved into a house and began to take care of this amazing baby who came from God!
Do you like to look at the stars? Can you count all the stars in the sky? I don’t think so, there are way too many!
When Jesus was born, somewhere far to the east, lived some men who were carefully watching the stars. They noticed an unusual new star! And this star didn’t just make them curious; they knew that it MEANT something important— that a very special King had been born to the Jews! These men, called Magi, or wise men, or some people call them kings, decided they wanted to see this new King!
Let’s watch this amazing story.
Watch the video:
Activity 2: DISCUSSION
The story doesn’t end there, though. Listen as I read verse 13. You’ll hear what an angel told Joseph in the middle of the night.13 When they (the Wise Men) had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
Joseph didn’t waste any time. He woke Mary, and they took little Jesus in the quiet of the night and moved to the south as fast as they could. They knew Herod was a dangerous man.
When Joseph’s little family got to Egypt, they stayed there until an angel told Joseph that Herod was dead. Then they moved north, to Nazareth, the town where Mary and Joseph had come from.
Wonder Questions:
Why did the wise men make such an effort to find and worship Jesus?
How did King Herod respond to the news about Jesus’ birth? Why did he respond that way?
Why do we worship Jesus? (He is God’s Son. He loves us. He died on the cross to pay for our sins and then came back to life again to make a way for us to live forever in God’s family.)
After discussing the Wonder Questions, you’ll have the opportunity to pray with and for each of the children.
Jesus was no ordinary baby! The wise men traveled a very long way to meet Jesus. They did this because they recognized that Jesus was the One God had promised to send. They came to honor Him by giving Him gifts and thanking God for sending Him.
Let’s take a minute to pray and thank God for keeping his promises by sending Jesus and thank Him that through Jesus we can be part of God’s family.
Encourage children to respond with their own words. Then, transition into a time of prayer for personal requests.
Christmas is a time to thank God for sending Jesus. In everything you do this week, remember to show that you worship Jesus, just like the wise men did so long ago. May you worship Jesus because He is the Savior of the world!
This service was prayerfully planned and coordinated with worship planner Marissa Walters in conjunction with the pastors.
Our prayer is that this liturgy helps us to create cultures of worship in our homes or wherever we utilize them, and that as we enter into his presence and give him praise, that we are each met, blessed, and challenged, and encouraged to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
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 our Lord.
Read the following out loud as you fix your eyes on Jesus:
From Isaiah 9:6-7a:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
Pray for the Lord to fill you, your household, and your home with His presence and His peace. Fix your eyes and the focus of your heart on Him.
Worshiping in Song:
Joy to the World
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 Ephesians 6:23-24
Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying 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.
You could also consider sending a greeting text message to a church family member.
“The Lord be with you!”
and in response:
“and also with you!”
And if you’re alone:
“The Lord is with me!”
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Angels From the Realms of Glory/Emmanuel
Here I am to Worship
Testimony/Family Prayer Time:
How has the Lord been at work this week? Consider sharing your story with those around you or writing it down. Give glory to the Lord for the good work that He has done!
Take a few minutes to pray for our church family, neighborhood, and the world as the Lord leads.
Consider asking a church family member how you can be in prayer for them.
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
Mail a check payable to Gold Avenue Church at 49 Gold Avenue NW Grand Rapids, MI 4950
Song of Preparation
The Song of Preparation serves to prepare our hearts to receive the Word of the Lord. Continue to fix your eyes on Jesus and surrender your attention and heart to him as we transition and prepare to enter into His Word.
The song of response gives opportunity to consider, apply, and respond what we’ve just heard from the Word. If you need to and are able, take a few minutes to process what you’ve just heard and how the Lord may be inviting you to respond. Sing in response as you feel led. If this is a newer song, feel free to listen and dwell on the rich lyrics.
Noel
The Lord’s Blessing:
The Lord’s Blessing serves to make space for us the Lord to bless us to continue to walk in faithful obedience and to grow up into maturity.
Fix your eyes on him as you read the following out loud:
From 2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you!
00Gold Avenue Churchhttp://goldavenuechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GAC-Logo-V5-nbmod-300x300-1.pngGold Avenue Church2020-12-19 16:50:552020-12-19 16:50:55Gold Avenue Church At Home Worship Liturgy 12.20.20
Thanks for joining us again as we do Children’s Worship from home!
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
Activity Two: Discuss the story using provided questions as prompts.
Worship: Singing
Activity Three: Respond to the story by doing the activity.
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.)
The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, the town of David, was just one of many events that fulfilled God’s promise to send the Messiah. This Messiah, as one of King David’s descendants, was called the Prince of Peace. Jesus came to give us peace with God—a peace made possible by Jesus’ death on the cross. As a result, we are invited to live forever with Him as part of His family!
Activity 1: STORY
Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds.
Introduction to read to the children:
Christmas time is full of really fun things! There are many reasons that people love to celebrate Christmas. But the best reason was announced by an angel a long time ago. Read Luke 2:11 aloud. (11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.)
This week, when you see an angel ornament, you can remember the amazing news brought by a REAL angel: God sent His Son, Jesus, so that people all over the world would know He loves them.
Jesus was the Messiah, the One God had promised to send. Jesus’ birth was part of God’s plan from the very beginning! Jesus came to tell people about God and to show what God is like. And most amazing of all, God knew that Jesus would take the punishment for our sins by dying on the cross and then coming back to life again. Jesus is the Savior! That’s why we celebrate Christmas!
Watch the video:
Activity 2: DISCUSSION
During today’s part of The Big God Story, God’s promise to His people to send a Savior to forgive their sins comes true, Jesus was born. What a wonderful gift!
Wonder Questions:
Who were the first people to hear that God’s Son, Jesus, was born? Who told them about Jesus?
Why do you think God chose shepherds to hear the news first, instead of other people?
How did the shepherds respond when they heard the good news from the angel? What did they do after they saw Jesus?
After discussing the Wonder Questions, you’ll have the opportunity to pray with and for each of the children.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, it showed that He was the One whom God had promised to send. Jesus was called the Prince of Peace. Jesus came to give us true peace by making a way to forgive all the wrong things we have done and inviting us to join God’s family.
Let’s take a minute to pray and thank God for keeping his promises by sending Jesus and thank Him that through Jesus we can be part of God’s family.
Encourage children to respond with their own words. Then, transition into a time of prayer for personal requests.
Worship Songs:
Activity 3: RESPONSE ACTIVITY
This is a make-it-yourself diorama of the Christmas story. You can print it in color or in black and white and have the children color it. Then glue to a stand. The directions are included. There are more figures included than just in today’s story so some are optional. The Wise Men story is coming next week. Counting the directions there are 5 pages to print.
This week, as you prepare to celebrate Christmas with your family, remember the best reason for celebrating. God loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son to be born as a baby.
Children, may you always remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas. May you always know that God sent His Son, Jesus, to forgive your sins so you can be part of His family.
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 Derek in particular who prayerfully discerned the songs and scripture for this liturgy.
Our prayer is that this liturgy helps us to create cultures of worship in our homes or wherever we utilize them, and that as we enter into his presence and give him praise, that we are each met, blessed, and challenged, and encouraged to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
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 22:27-31
All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.
All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!
Let us worship our Lord!
Pray for the Lord to fill you, your household, and your home with his presence and his peace. Invite him to stir up worship 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.
Joy to the World (Joyful Joyful)
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 Thessalonians 3:16, 18
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with all of you.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
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!”
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
King of Kings
Amazing Love (You are my King)
Testimony/Family Prayer Time:
Consider the Question: How has the Lord been faithful to you in this past week? How have you seen the Lord’s faithfulness to others?
If you’re worshiping alone, consider journaling about His faithfulness; if you’re worshiping with others, share about his faithfulness to you.
Take a few minutes to praise the Lord for his goodness and his faithfulness.
Are there areas in your life or in the lives of those around you in which you long to see the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness? Our loving father invites us to share our needs and concerns with him as his beloved children and also invites us to share his heart for those around us. Take some time to raise your requests and pray as His Holy Spirit leads you.
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
Mail a check payable to Gold Avenue Church at 49 Gold Avenue NW Grand Rapids, MI 4950
Song of Preparation
The Song of Preparation serves to prepare our hearts to receive the Word of the Lord. Continue to fix your eyes on Jesus and surrender your attention and heart to him as we transition and prepare to enter into His Word. If this is a newer song, be blessed to listen and reflect on the words and join as you feel led.
The song of response helps us to receive and apply the words that we’ve just heard through the Word. If you need to and are able, take a few minutes to process what you’ve just heard and how the Lord may be inviting you to respond. Sing in response as you feel led.
Adore
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 Number 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.
00Gold Avenue Churchhttp://goldavenuechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GAC-Logo-V5-nbmod-300x300-1.pngGold Avenue Church2020-12-12 16:50:472020-12-12 16:50:47Gold Avenue Church At Home Worship Liturgy 12.13.20
Thanks for joining us again as we do Children’s Worship from home!
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
Activity Two: Discuss the story using provided questions as prompts.
Worship: Singing
Activity Three: Respond to the story by doing the activity.
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.)
Think about it! At the beginning of time, God knew what would happen in the Garden of Eden. He knew that eventually He would send His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior. God set into motion a redemptive plan that not only includes the people in Bible times but also includes us today.
Sometimes we are anxious to know what God’s plan for us is, but even in the midst of our worry, we can remember that God’s promises are always good and He always keeps them. He truly is our “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
With the announcement of the birth of Jesus, Matthew breaks the silence of the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament closed with God’s chosen nation looking for their long-promised King, their Messiah. Over and over again, Matthew’s Gospel shows that Jesus was that King. He is the One the world had been waiting for since the beginning. Jesus came to be the King, the Savior who brings forgiveness of sin.
Activity 1: STORY
Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds.
Introduction to read to the children:
As you read the introduction to the children, have them say, “That’s a promise!” after each paragraph as you pause. You may need to lead them in saying this.
We’ve talked about some things that happened in the Old Testament. Now as we start talking about Jesus’ birth at Christmas, let’s review Genesis, the start of the Old Testament. After Adam and Eve sinned, God told them a Savior would come and overcome Satan, God’s enemy. Lead students in saying:“That’s a promise!”
Now let’s move on through history, into the years of the kings of Israel like David. In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, in Isaiah 7:14, God said, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”Here is another promise God made. God promised a child would come who would be like no other baby ever born! And He would be called Immanuel, which means “God is with us”! Lead students in saying “That’s a promise!”
Over 400 years later, a couple was going to be married in Nazareth, a town in Israel. The man’s name was Joseph and the woman’s name was Mary. Mary was completely surprised one day by a visit from the angel Gabriel! The angel told her that she was going to be the mother of a baby like no other baby who had ever been born! Lead students in saying “That’s a promise!”
When Joseph found out that Mary was going to have baby, he was very upset! So God sent an angel to give HIM an important message. Listen to Matthew 1:21. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”This baby’s birth would fulfill the promise God had made in Isaiah! Lead students in saying “That’s a promise!”
Lots of people make promises. “I promise I will take you to the park later.” “I promise to be your best friend.” Sometimes people keep their promises and sometimes people break them. We know that no matter what, God will always keep His promises to us. He sent Jesus to be our Savior so that we could be a part of God’s family, and . . . “That’s a promise!”
Watch the video:
Activity 2: DISCUSSION
During today’s part of The Big God Story, God’s promises to His people begin to come true by sending His angel to Mary and Joseph to announce the coming of Jesus, who was going to be the Savior of the world..
Wonder Questions:
What promise did God make to Mary? (To give her a son.)
What did God promise about Jesus? (He is God’s Son. He is the promised Savior.)
Why is God’s promise important?
After discussing the Wonder Questions, you’ll have the opportunity to pray with and for each of the children.
The first chapter of Matthew announced that God’s promise to send Jesus was coming true! The Old Testament told this promise over and over again. But now the promised King, God’s own Son, was going to be born. This Christmas, celebrate the birth of the King, the Savior who made it possible for our sins to be forgiven. Let’s take a minute to pray and thank God for keeping his promises and what that means for our lives.
Encourage children to respond with their own words. Then, transition into a time of prayer for personal requests.
Worship Songs:
Activity 3:
RESPONSE ACTIVITY #1: Make an angel craft, click on the picture below to go to the instructions
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Sometimes we might think that the promises that we read about in the Bible are just for the people who lived a long time ago. But God’s promise to send a Savior was not just for the people in the Bible. It was also for each of us today. We are the “whoever” in that verse! God wants us to be a part of His family, and sending Jesus was part of His plan.
Children, may you always know that God’s promises are for you. May you always trust that you are part of God’s family.
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 Kayleen in particular who prayerfully discerned the songs and scripture for this liturgy.
Our prayer is that this liturgy helps us to create cultures of worship in our homes or wherever we utilize them, and that as we enter into his presence and give him praise, that we are each met, blessed, and challenged, and encouraged to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
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.
Reading scripture out loud over yourself, your home, and your loved ones can be a beautiful and powerful experience. Please read the following out loud as you fix your eyes on Jesus:
From Psalm 148:
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree that will never pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
young men and women,
old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
And he has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the Lord!
Pray for the Lord to fill you, your household, and your home with his presence and his peace. Invite him to stir up worship and take time to express your gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord as you feel led.
If you’re worshiping with your family or with friends, consider taking turns praying and giving thanks to the Lord.
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.
O Come All Ye Faithful
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 Ephesians 6:23-24
Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying 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!”
My Hope is Built on Nothing Less
Lion and the Lamb
As we consider our God: our firm foundation, the lion and the lamb who died for the sins of the world, the one who breaks chains, rules with power, and sits enthroned above, we turn our hearts to long for our King.
As the Deer
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?
How has the Lord been faithful to you in this past week?
If you’re worshiping alone, consider journaling about his faithfulness; if you’re worshiping with others, share about his faithfulness to you.
Take a few minutes to praise the Lord for his goodness and his faithfulness.
Are there areas in your life or in the lives of those around you in which you long to see the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness? Our loving father invites us to share our needs and concerns with him as his beloved children and also invites us to share his heart for those around us. Take some time to raise your requests and pray as His Holy Spirit leads you.
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
Mail a check payable to Gold Avenue Church at 49 Gold Avenue NW Grand Rapids, MI 4950
Song of Preparation
The Song of Preparation serves to prepare our hearts to receive the Word of the Lord. Continue to fix your eyes on Jesus and surrender your attention and heart to him as we transition and prepare to enter into His Word. If this is a newer song, be blessed to listen and reflect on the words and join as you feel led.
If you are a baptized member of a church that declares Jesus is Lord, and if you are walking in the light and in pursuit of righteousness, we welcome and encourage you to join with us as we celebrate the Lord’s Supper! If you are not yet baptized or are not yet walking in the light, we encourage you to take some time to pray and reflect with the Lord or to confess and repent of your sins as His Word promises that when we confess, he is faithful to forgive! We welcome baptized children of believers to the table as parents discern they are ready, and also invite you to pray blessing over your children who are not yet ready to partake.
Song of Response:
The song of response helps us to receive and apply the words that we’ve just heard through the Word and the Lord’s Supper that we just received. If you need to and are able, take a few minutes to process what you’ve just heard and how the Lord may be inviting you to respond. Sing in response as you feel led.
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 Number 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.
00Gold Avenue Churchhttp://goldavenuechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GAC-Logo-V5-nbmod-300x300-1.pngGold Avenue Church2020-12-05 16:50:162020-12-05 16:50:16Gold Avenue Church At Home Worship Liturgy 12.6.2020
Thanks for joining us again as we do Children’s Worship from home!
Included in today’s Children’s Worship Lesson are some links to an advent devotional/activity to do with children. One uses the Jesus Storybook Bible and has an updated free advent download this year with printable ornaments and coloring pages to go with each story.
The other is from Dwell, the CRC’s children’s ministry curriculum. They have a Jesse tree advent devotional and ornaments to print and/or color with many ideas to go along with it.
May your Advent season be full of peace and hope for the coming of our Savior
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
Activity Two: Discuss the story using provided questions as prompts.
Worship: Singing
Activity Three: Respond to the story by doing the activity.
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.)
It was undoubtedly a confusing time for David. He had been anointed the next king of Israel and had just proved victorious in one of the most famous battles of all time—even carrying the head of the giant Goliath back to King Saul (1 Samuel 17:57). The crowd chanted his name in honor—even above the king—for his military exploits. And yet, in the midst of this time of elation for this teenage boy, the unthinkable happened. The king tried to pin David to the wall with his spear. David was also promised the king’s daughter in marriage, only to be betrayed. The king’s servants, messengers, and family were then ordered to kill young David. Yet here, in the most confusing time of his young life, God provided a picture of and reminder of His unfailing love that David would never forget.
This picture of love came from the most unlikely of sources. The heir apparent to the throne, Jonathan, had every right to hate and even kill David, but he “had taken a great liking” to David (1 Samuel 19:1). They were “one in spirit” (1 Samuel 18:1). We see here one of the most beautiful pictures of the love of best friends Scripture affords.
The festival of the new moon approached, a time when a two-day feast was held every month (1 Samuel 20:5, 27). David was not only invited, but expected to attend, for it’s likely that civil affairs of court were handled at the gathering. David chose this time to make his permanent exit from court, and it’s here that Jonathan’s love was displayed for all to see. Jonathan disobeyed a direct order from King Saul, his father, and protected rather than killed his friend David. David repaid that loyalty and love by caring for Jonathan’s son the rest of his life. God showed His love through these two friends.
Activity 1: STORY
Lead children in a Prayer of Release to pause, be still, and ask the Holy Spirit to quiet their hearts and minds.
Introduction to read to the children:
When David fought the giant Philistine, Goliath, God was with David and helped him defeat Goliath. Soon after that battle, King Saul’s son Jonathan and David became best friends. God can show us that He is Love through our close friends. That’s what God did with Jonathan and David!
King Saul gave David a very important job in his army. God was with David, and every battle he fought, he won! The people loved David very much and sang songs to celebrate his victories. King Saul didn’t like that at all. He became jealous of David and how much the people loved him. He wanted to kill David! He even told Jonathan to kill David, his best friend.
God was with David. Jonathan was his best friend and he didn’t want to hurt David. Their friendship grew even stronger. David promised Jonathan that he would always be kind to him and his family. He could only keep that promise with the Lord’s help. God is love, and He can show us how to share that love with others! So David and Jonathan made a plan to keep David safe from the king. What was that plan?
Watch the video:
Activity 2: DISCUSSION
During today’s part of The Big God Story, David and Jonathan became close friends. They made a promise to each other and cared for one another. God used these men to show His love.
I wonder … What fun things did David and Jonathan do together as friends?
I wonder … What did Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s handicapped son, think about David’s kindness to him and his family?
I wonder … How can I show God’s love to others?
After discussing the Wonder Questions, you’ll have the opportunity to pray with and for each of the children.
God is Love, and He gives us friends to care for and love too. Today, let’s pray and thank God for all the friends we have in our lives.
Continue by offering praise to God. Examples of praises: “God, I love You so much. I’m thankful that You have so much love to give.” “God, thank You for friends like ____.”
Encourage children to respond with their own words. Then, transition into a time of prayer for personal requests.
Worship Songs:
As God loves us He wants us to love others.
God showed His love at Christmas when He sent down His Son, Jesus, as a baby to be the Savior of the world.
Activity 3: RESPONSE ACTIVITY
#1: Friend pencil holder
Needed: Empty and clean soup or vegetable can
Printed picture (see below)
One piece of colored paper cut to fit your can
Tape or glue
Markers or crayons
Print and cut out the picture below.. Measure your can and cut out the piece of colored paper to fit around it. Tape it in place. Tape or glue the picture to the paper on the can. Write the names of their friends or family in the blank spaces around the picture. Fill the can with markers and crayons.
“By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.”
Invite kids to hold hands in a circle as you speak the final blessing.
Children, may you trust and know the love of the LORD. May you know that He is your hope and your strength.
PS: As I made this lesson about friends I couldn’t find a suitable craft online that was easy to do and easy on supplies. So I thought of the pencil holder and made one up to use for a picture. I randomly pulled a piece of purple paper out of the stack and started to cut it to fit around the can. When I turned the paper over this is what I read:
Apparently, this was something our daughter wrote a long time ago on that sheet of purple paper and it got scooped up and put back in the pile. It was so appropriate for the lesson I knew it wasn’t really a random choice of paper but one directed by God!
