Gold Avenue Church At Home Worship Liturgy 03.21.21
A Note Before you Begin:
This service was prayerfully planned and coordinated with worship planner Derek Sterenberg 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. May the Lord bless you as you enter into his presence and give him praise. May we each be met, blessed, challenged, and encouraged to grow as disciples and disciple makers of Jesus Christ.
*If you happen to encounter any technical difficulties or notice any technical issues with this liturgy, please send a text message to Mark Essenburg whose phone number can be accessed through the Church Directory linked in your weekly email update.
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 97:1-6:
The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.
His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.
Worshiping in Song:
10,000 Reasons | Bless the 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 Matthew 11:28-29:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
And From John 15:6:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
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!”
Our God
King of Kings
Testimony/Family Prayer Time:
How has the Lord been at work in around you 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, our 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.
Special Offering: Matthew’s House
This month’s Special Offering is for Matthew’s House, a local, West Side ministry. Check out the note below from Pastor George:
Thank you for your continuing financial support of the work God has called us to do on the West Side of Grand Rapids. During the pandemic it has been challenging to do ministry work but God has protected us. One thing we rarely think of is, where does a homeless person shelter? We have found ways to be creative and have helped those who are struggling during these times of quarantine and closures. We have stayed open during this time with limited capacity. We also received a grant to help with transportation for individuals who could not find ways to get to work, doctors appointments, and other vital assignments. This was a blessing to us and the community as we worked together.
Last July, we opened our new Lydia’s House at: 808 7th St. N.W., and transformed the home that had been Lydia’s House into a home we call the “Oasis House” which has now become our family housing. We run into so many families that are living in vehicles just trying to make ends meet. We have certain criteria that they need to meet in order to be in our housing program and we get calls daily to see if we have an opening. Housing is a big concern and rent has become unattainable for many families. We are looking for areas where God can use us as we work together with Gold Avenue church. We have been blessed to be a blessing to others.
Pastor George Werkema
Matthew’s House Ministry
766 7th St. NW Grand Rapids 49504
(616) 233-3006
cell: (616) 304-7984
You can give to the Special Offering by:
- Text: send amount space “special” (ex: 50 special) to (616) 319-2259 and follow prompts to give securely
- Give online: at https://goldavenuechurch.breezechms.com/give/online select special from dropdown menu or type “special” in memo line
- Check: write “special” in memo line
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 give through PayPal here.
- 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.
Heart of Worship
The Preaching of the Word:
Our current sermon series is written in connection to and alongside a helpful tool that we have developed called the Gospel Tool. Disciple Groups at Gold Avenue Church are working through lessons that are based upon the Gospel Tool, and we want to make this resource available to every listener. Click here to check out the Gospel Tool, the Visual Gospel overview, statements, & scriptures.
Access the audio of the sermon here: Sermon Audio Recording
Song of Response:
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 experienced and how the Lord may be inviting you to respond.
Jesus at the Center
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 Colossians 1:9-14:
May God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
