Announcements

Congregational Meeting

Next week Sunday, January 3, we will be having a brief congregational meeting for the purposes of electing new officers (Al Kasper for the office of Deacon and Caleb Hamstra for the office of Elder) and all matters pertaining thereto; and a financial update of the church.

Please put this date on your calendars now and planning on joining us for this important and exciting meeting.

New Sermon Series

Next week we will be starting a three-week mini-series on the topic of Shame. It’s part of our everyday experience. We all know what it’s like to feel shame, the feeling that we don’t measure up; that there’s something wrong and deficient in us that needs to be hidden. We will be looking at what the Bible has to say about shame.

End of the Year Giving

The Session and Deacons encourage you to invest with us by ending the 2020 year well and to give generously and anticipate what God is planning on doing in and through us in 2021. https://onrealm.org/MissioDChurch/-/give/now or in the Realm Connect app! You can also see other options at https://www.mdchurch.us/giving! Gifts made on December 31 by 11:59 PM will appear on your 2020 giving statement.

DOWNLOAD ORDER OF WORSHIP

Order of Worship

December 27, 2020

Call to Worship: Psalm 100

Songs of Adoration

Sing the first song on the YouTube or Spotify playlist: Jesus Paid it All

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXC0pMFA89vVKgOAU89d-Lg1lhKBuIzme

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7h6JSLYgumXWw35J95XXh0

Confession of Sin

Father,

You invite us to dwell with You and to gaze on Your beauty.

Yet we often look for comfort and security in other places,

gazing distractedly at things that are neither beautiful nor life-giving.

Father, have mercy on us.

Jesus,

You invite us to come to You and learn from You,

taking Your yoke upon us and finding rest.

Yet we often look for rest elsewhere,

working for the success or approval that we already have obtained in You.

Jesus, have mercy on us.

Holy Spirit,

You invite us to walk in step with You,

sowing seeds to please You and reaping eternal life.

Yet we often choose the path that seems right in our own eyes,

sowing seeds to please ourselves.

Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3–5, ESV)

Passing the Peace

When we meet on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

Prayers for Christ’s Church and the World

Spend a few moments taking prayer requests. Pray with and for each other, our community, our church, our missionaries (Ambrose and Camiola Families), our nation, and the world.

Sermon

“Seasons” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15)

Watch our teaching video on our church’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMH1wOLwfQUI6Xydt0HQP_Q/

Or specifically this link: https://youtu.be/WCpQxiD5biM 

Songs of Response

Sing the last two songs on the YouTube or Spotify playlist:  Heart of Worship and Glorious Day

Giving of Your Offerings

If you are a part of our church family, one of the ways that we worship is through the faithful giving of our tithes and our offerings. Here are flexible ways you can contribute during this time: https://www.mdchurch.us/giving