04-28-24 Liturgy

Main Theme:  Where does God want us to join him?

Opening
Goal: Focus our attention on Jesus and be open to what He wants to do & say in our gathering.

• Read Psalm 86:8-13

⁸Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
⁹All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
¹⁰For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
¹¹Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
¹²I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
¹³For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.

Worship
Goal: Make Jesus central in our gathering. This could be done through songs, prayerful scripture reading, communion, etc.

Suggested Practice:
Choose 2 songs to sing together (or listen to) that will help you focus on our identity in
Christ.
Possible Options:

• Spirit Lead Me (YouTube)
• Oceans (YouTube)

____[Dismiss the Kids/Youth]____

Small Group Exercise
Goal: Better understand how the 1st century church stayed connected to Christ & His Spirit.

• Break into 3 small groups. Give one of the following scriptures to each group:  
  • Group 1 = Acts 1:4-5 & 4:13.
  • Group 2 = Acts 1:14 & 6:2-4.
  • Group 3 = Acts 6:7, 12:24 & 19:20.
• Give each group 10 minutes to read their assigned scripture and answer the following question:  
  • What can we learn from how the 1st century church stay connected to Christ and His Spirit?
• Ask each small group to briefly share their answers with the rest of the Small Church.

Prayer
Goal: Discern where and to whom the Holy Spirit is leading us.

• Encourage people to find a comfortable spot and grab a pen and paper (or use their phone to make notes).
• Play some soft worship music in the background that won’t be a distraction to people.
• Lead your Small Church through the following reflective practice:
  • Prayer
    • Make a list of your unique spheres of influence (e.g. extended family, neighbors, co-workers, hobbies etc.).
    • In each unique sphere of influence, make a list of people who are hurting/disconnected from God or church.
    • Write a prayer asking God to give you the name of 1 person that needs hope.
    • Pause for a moment. Then, write down the name of that person.
  • Proximity
    • What life rhythm could you establish that would keep you close and connected to the person that needs hope?
  • Partners
    • Who could join you in bringing hope to this person?

Large Group Exercise
Goal: Provide accountability and an opportunity to hear how the Holy Spirit is leading those in your Small Church.

• Ask your Small Church whether anyone would be willing to share what God revealed to them during the prayer exercise.
  • Allow everyone the opportunity to share. But, don’t force everyone to share. God may be speaking very personally to some people.
  • Make note of any similarities between what people share (called to the same person or group of people, desire to establish the same life rhythm etc.).

____[Kids/Youth Rejoin Adults]____

Communion
Goal: Remember Jesus’ death and resurrection. Receive strength & joy that He is with us. Renew our hope for Jesus’ return and the restoration of creation.

Suggested Practice:

• Distribute bread and juice.
• Read the following statement…“the body of Christ has been given, broken for us and the entire world. This bread reminds us that He paid a debt that He did not owe so that we wouldn’t have to pay a debt that we did owe”.
• Eat the bread.
• Read the following statement…“The blood of Christ has been poured out, shed for us and the entire world. This juice reminds us that we have a permanent and unbreakable relationship with Him and that death has no power over us and no power over creation”.
• Drink the juice.

Homework
Goal: Activate the missional activity of your Small Church.

Below is a practice designed to activate our missional calling as followers of Jesus. It is a rhythm of life with the acronym BLESS.

• Bless others, including nonbelievers, those different from us, and the poor, at least three times a week.
• Listen to God in his Word and Spirit and to others to understand their stories and our culture’s story.
• Eat with others, including unbelievers, believers, and the poor.
• Speak to God (prayer) and speak to unbelievers the story and message of Jesus (witness).
• Sabbath in rest, play, praise and celebration.  

Select at least one “letter” to practice between today and the next Small Church gathering.