The Lords Day Worship Service

January 8, 2011 ~ New City Church Calgary

Welcome We are glad you have joined us today. Whether you are a Christian seeking to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ, or a skeptic looking for answers, or someone who is struggling to make sense of life and are looking for a caring community, you are warmly welcome here. Were glad you came.

God Calls Us To Worship Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. ~ Psalm 150:6
The Call to Worship Leader: based on Psalm 95

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; Let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. We have gathered to worship and enjoy our gracious God. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!

Unison:

Hymns of Praise & Worship Sing to the King Sing to the King Who is coming to reign Glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain Life and salvation His empire shall bring And joy to the nations when Jesus is King chorus: Come, let us sing a song A song declaring that we belong to Jesus He is all we need Lift up a heart of praise Sing now with voices raised to Jesus Sing to the King For His returning we watch and we pray We will be ready the dawn of that day We'll join in singing with all the redeemed 'Cause Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King (repeat chorus)

His Name is Jesus All hail the power of Jesus name Let angels prostrate fall Bring forth the royal diadem And crown Him Lord of all Bring forth the royal diadem And crown Him Lord of all Ye chosen seed of Israels race Ye ransomed from the fall Hail Him who saves us by His grace And crown Him Lord of all Hail Him who saves you by His grace And crown Him Lord of all (chorus) His name is Jesus Risen Lamb, for sinners slain His name is Jesus All creation sings the praise Of Jesus name Let every kindred, every tribe On this terrestrial ball To Him all majesty ascribe And crown Him Lord of all To Him all majesty ascribe And crown Him Lord of all (repeat chorus)

Crown Him with Many Crowns 1. Crown Him with many crowns The Lamb upon His throne Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns All music but its own Awake, my soul and sing Of Him Who died for thee And hail Him as thy matchless King Through all eternity 2. Crown Him the Lord of love Behold His hands and side Rich wounds, yet visible above In beauty glorified No angel in the sky Can fully bear that sight But downward bends His wond'ring eye At mysteries so bright 3. Crown Him the Lord of life Who triumphed o'er the grave Who rose victorious to the strife For those He came to save His glories now we sing Who died, and rose on high Who died eternal life to bring And lives that death may die 4. Crown Him the Lord of heav'n One with the Father known One with the Spirit through Him giv'n From yonder glorious throne To Thee be endless praise For Thou for us hast died

Be Thou, O Lord, through endless days

Adored and magnified

God Graciously Renews Us in Christ Have mercy on me, O God, in Your faithful love, in Your great tenderness wipe away my offenses; wash me thoroughly from my guilt, purify me from my sin. ~ Psalm 51:1-2

Call to Confession Leader: Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. ~ Isaiah 1:18

Prayer of Confession Leader: Almighty and merciful God, We have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things that we ought not to have done. ~ Silent Confession and Reflection Unison: O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare those who confess their faults. Restore those who are repentant, according to Your promises Declared to the world in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And grant, O merciful God, for His sake, That we might live a holy, just, and humble life To the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
~ from Romans 8:1; 5:1

The Words of the Gospel Leader:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Beautiful Scandalous Night Go on up to the mountain of mercy To the crimson perpetual tide Kneel down on the shore /Be thirsty no more Go under and be purified Follow Christ to the Holy Mountain Sinner, sorry and wrecked by the fall Cleanse your heart and your soul In the fountain that flows

Songs of Response

For you and for me and for all chorus At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree On that beautiful scandalous night you and me Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white On that beautiful scandalous night On the hillside you will be delivered At the foot of the cross, justified And your spirit restored By the river that pours, From our blessed Saviour's side (repeat chorus)

God Gives Us His Words of Eternal Life Lord Jesus, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life! Let your word dwell in us richly, that whatever we do, in word or deed, we may do everything in Your name, giving thanks to the Father through You. ~ based on John 6:68, Colossians 3:16-17

Todays Scripture Lesson:

What Do We Do With A New Beginning? Rohan Crown, Guest Minister JOSHUA 24:14-15

14 Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
(notes)

 God Feeds Us His Covenant Meal From the east and the west, from the north and the south, people will come and take their places at the banquet in the Kingdom of God. ~ based on Luke 13:29
A Word About Participating in The Sacrament of The Lords Supper The Lords Supper is a special family meal that Christ gave to His Bride, the Church. For Christians, this meal is a time to receive these signs and seals of the New Covenant which Christ has established with them. Believers come to this Table to meet with their Lord and Saviour by faith, to be renewed by Him and strengthened in their callings and mission as they eat the bread and drink the wine. Therefore, all baptized Christians who trust in Christ alone as their Lord and Saviour, who are connected to a church that proclaims His Gospel are invited to come to the Table. If you are not yet a Christian, or if for whatever reason you are not prepared to share in this meal, we would encourage you to spend this time in prayer (perhaps using one of the prayers listed below). Consider the invitation of Jesus, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirstfor my Fathers will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:35, 40). We would ask that children who have not yet professed belief in the Lord Jesus also refrain from partaking until doing so. The pastor would be delighted to speak to families about what it means to participate in the Lords Supper. The Words of Institution

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lords death until he comes. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
The Sacrament of The Lords Supper Please come forward by rows to the center aisle and form a semi-circle in front of the Table to receive the bread and the wine. When finished, place your cup at the side tables and proceed to your seat via the outer isles. If you are unable to come forward we would be delighted to serve you at your seat. New City Church uses wine in serving the Lords Supper. We would encourage you to take of the wine since it is a symbol of joy and celebration in Scripture. However, juice is also provided if you cannot drink wine due to health reasons or issues of conscience.

Prayers for Those Not Communing A Prayer Searching for the Truth: Jesus, You claim to be the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except by You. If what You claim is true, please guide me and teach me. Open to me the reality of who You are. Grant that I might be undaunted in following You as I consider the reasons for doing so. Give me an understanding of You that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the eternal life that You promise. Amen. A Prayer of Trust in the Lord Jesus: Jesus, I confess that I am more broken, flawed, and sinful than I had ever before dared to admit. Yet you tell me that I am more loved than I ever dared to hope, and that You accept all who turn to You in simple faith. I am doing that right now. I thank You for taking the justice that my sins deserved when You died on the Cross. I eagerly trust You for the forgiveness for my sins, and I receive from You now the eternal life that You promise to all who come to You. Amen. A Prayer for Those Struggling with Sin: Lord Jesus, You know the battle that rages within my heart. Grant that in my battles with sin, I may see in You the fulfillment of all my needs. Give me strength to turn from every false satisfaction to find my ultimate joy in You. Enable me to lay aside the sin that clings so closely to me, and fill me with your Spirit to run with perseverance the race You have set before me, looking to You, the pioneer and champion of my faith. Amen. A Prayer for Children (who have yet to profess faith): Jesus, the Bible tells me that you blessed kids like me. Help me to know who You are and to understand what You have done for me. Amen. Communion Hymns Revelation Song Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Holy, Holy, is He Sing a new song to Him who sits on Heaven's Mercy Seat (repeat) chorus Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord God Almighty Who was, and is, and is to come With all creation I sing Praise to the King of Kings You are my everything And I will adore You Clothed in rainbows of living color Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder Blessing and honor, strength and Glory and power be To You the Only Wise King

(repeat chorus) Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder At the mention of Your Name Jesus, Your Name is Power Breath, and Living Water Such a marvelous mystery I Will Rise There's a peace I've come to know Though my heart and flesh may fail There's an anchor for my soul I can say "It is well" Jesus has overcome And the grave is overwhelmed The victory is won He is risen from the dead chorus: And I will rise when He calls my name No more sorrow, no more pain I will rise on eagles' wings Before my God fall on my knees And rise, I will rise There's a day that's drawing near When this darkness breaks to light And the shadows disappear And my faith shall be my eyes Jesus has overcome And the grave is overwhelmed The victory is won He is risen from the dead (repeat chorus) And I hear the voice of many angels sing, "Worthy is the Lamb" And I hear the cry of every longing heart, "Worthy is the Lamb" (repeat)

God Receives Our Offerings lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
~ Jesus, in Matthew 6:20-21

The Prayers of the People Leader: Unison: Let us pray

(The leader prays for specific requests as the assembly prays along with him).

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our debts As we also have forgiven our debtors And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, Now and forever. Amen.

The Presentation of our Tithes and Offerings This collection of our tithes and offerings is for those who consider New City Church their church family and regularly benefit from her ministry and want to invest in her mission. If you are visiting with us, please feel no obligation to give. Hymn of Praise & Worship 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 Til 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

The language of debt/debtor is not to be understood primarily in a financial sense but in the moral/ theological sense of our indebtedness due to our sins against God and others, or the sins others may have committed against us.

Up from the grave He rose again And as He stands in victory Sins 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 lifes first cry to final breath Jesus commands my destiny No power of hell, no scheme of man Can ever pluck me from His hand Til he returns or calls me home Here in the power of Christ Ill stand

Our Confession of Faith Leader: Unison: Let us confess our faith

Colossians 1:15-20

Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

God Sends Us Out Into The World With His Blessing God has shown you what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. ~ from Micah 6:8
Leader: People: Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17). Amen!

 Community Life
New City Church Welcomes Pastor Rohan Crown Pastor John & Pastor Rohan Crown of Amazing Grace Community Church in Lethbridge, Alberta, are doing a pulpit exchange today. Pastor Rohan started Amazing Grace on the same Sunday New City Church was launched last September . Amazing Grace is a key church in Lethbridge and a strategic partner with New City Church for church planting in Alberta. Monthly Potluck Luncheon Today Please stay around for our monthly potluck luncheon immediately after the service today. Our regulary luncheons (usually held on the first Sunday of every month) are designed to encourage fellowship & relationships at New City Church as we share a meal together. Kids Club Next Saturday, January 14th from 4:00-5:30pm ! Our first kids club of the new year is Saturday, January 14th from 4:00-5:30pm here at the Confederation Park Activity Centre. This is an opportunity for kids ages 3-11 to meet once a month to get to know Jesus through worship songs, puppet stories, sharing, memory verses, crafts and games. For any adults or youth volunteers interested in helping or for general information please contact Lori 403 286-7088 or Lana 403 208-9354. Mark your calendar for upcoming dates for Kids Club: Jan 14; Feb 18, Mar 16, Apr 21 & May 26. Registration is ongoing so invite your friends & neighbours! Congregational Meeting Next Sunday After Church The board of elders has approved the budget for 2012 & will present it to the congregation during a brief meeting immediately after church on January 15, 2011. Boring? We hope not. Though budgets can seem just about numbers, they are also a vision of how to spend money, and in our case, how we want to invest in the Kingdom of God during 2012. Mens Discipleship: Basic Training The mens discipleship group will resume its bi-monthly meetings on Thursday, January 19th, 7-9pm in the Board Room here at the Confederation Park Activity Centre. Newcomers Class Beginning January 22nd, New City Church will offer a six-week class orienting you to the beliefs, values, & goals of the church. Open to everyone, this class will take place immediately after the worship service for about 45 minutes. Feel free to come with your questions & thoughts! Upcoming GraceFinder Resourcing Network Event Desert night with Bryan Clarke at Woodgreen Presbyterian Church on January 28 th, 2012 from 2:00 to 4:00pm. Also, Bryan will be teaching a two part mini-seminar on violence in the Old Testament on January 27th from 7:00 8:30pm and on the 28th from 12:30 1:30 pm with desert and food afterwards. Woodgreens Second Conference On Apologetics The conference has been scheduled for February 4, 2012from 6:00 9:00 pm with Dr. Andy Bannister of RZIM as our guest speaker. Topics will include the biblical mandate for

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apologetics, God, creation, and science and Jesus, history, and the resurrection. The Second Calgary Reformed Conference The date has been set for April 13-14, 2012 with Dr. Derek Thomas as our guest speaker. The theme will be When the Storm Breaks: Suffering the Christian Life (An overview of the book of Job) with one session on Friday evening and two on Saturday morning. The conference will be held at Woodgreen Presbyterian Church and further details will be published on www.calgaryreformedconference.ca as they become available. For more information, contact either Eric Stobbart or David Morton. Coffee with a Pastor? If you have any questions about Christianity, or would simply like to get together and talk about the issues of life, pastors John and Mike are available to you. Coffee is on them! You can contact John at john@newcitychurch.ca or call 403.991.5555. If you work in the downtown area, touch base with Mike who also works in downtown. You can contact him at mike@newcitychurch.ca or call 403.828.2241. Weekly Servants Schedule

All songs used by permission. CCLI license # 273300. Parts of the worship service are adapted from or reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, c. 2004, CRC Publications.

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