May 14, 2023

*Call to Worship | Psalm 34:3 | Blake Arnoult

God invites and calls us into his presence to worship him.

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Pastor: Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

People: Let us exalt his name together!

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*Song of Adoration | He Is Exalted

We begin by responding with praise to God for who he is and for what he does. 

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/ He is exalted, the King is exalted on high

And I will praise Him

He is exalted, forever exalted and

I will praise His Name

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For He is the Lord

Forever His truth shall reign

Heaven and earth rejoice in His holy Name

He is exalted, the King is exalted on high /

Music and Lyrics: Twila Paris

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*Confession of Faith | 1 Peter 4:8-11

With the church in history we confess a basic statement of what Christians believe.

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8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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*Song of Confession | Abide with Me

Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs are simply prayers that are sung. We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

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Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;

The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, abide with me.

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Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;

And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,

Thou hast not left me, though I oft left Thee,

On to the close, Lord, abide with me.

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I need Thy presence every passing hour.

What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?

Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?

Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me.

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I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;

Ills have no weight, tears lose their bitterness.

Where is thy sting death? Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, abide with me.

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Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;

Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.

Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, Lord, abide with me.

Music and Lyrics: Henry Francis Lyte, ‎William Henry Monk

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Confession of Sin | Kyrie Eleison | Blake Arnoult

We fight the temptation to hide our sin and instead acknowledge it openly to God, but we do so in light of the grace offered in Jesus.

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Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

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Assurance of Pardon | 1 Peter 2:24 | Blake Arnoult

The good news of the gospel is that we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. This assurance is based on God’s words of promise and it is therefore certain.

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24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

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*Song of Response | Thy Mercy, My God

We respond in repentance and praise for God’s redemptive work in Christ.

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Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song, 

The joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue; 

Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last, 

Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast. 

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Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here; 

Sin would reduce me to utter despair; 

But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive, 

And He that first made me still keeps me alive. 

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Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart, 

Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart; 

Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground, 

And weep to the praise of the mercy I’ve found. 

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Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own, 

And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son; 

/ All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine 

Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine. /

Music and Lyrics: John Stocker, Sandra McCracken

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Prayer of Thanksgiving

We offer our gratitude to God in prayer in response to his gifts and blessings to his people and ask that he make us faithful managers of these gifts.

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Song of Thanks | Jesus Lover of My Soul

As we offer our prayers so we also offer up our thanks in song.

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Jesus, lover of my soul, 

Let me to Thy bosom fly, 

While the nearer waters roll, 

While the tempest still is high. 

Hide me, O my Savior, hide, 

’Til life’s storm is past; 

Safe into the haven guide; 

Receive my soul at last. 

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Other refuge have I none, 

I helpless, hang on Thee;

Leave, oh leave me not alone, 

Support and comfort me. 

All my trust on Thee is stayed, 

All help from Thee I bring; 

Cover my defenseless head 

In the shadow of Thy wing. 

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Thou, O Christ, are all I want, 

Here more than all I find; 

Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, 

Heal the sick, and lead the blind. 

Just and holy is Thy Name, 

I am all unrighteousness; 

False and full of sin I am; 

Thou art full of truth and grace. 

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Plenteous grace with Thee is found, 

Grace to cover all my sin; 

Let the healing streams abound; 

Make and keep me pure within. 

Thou of life the fountain art, 

Let me take of Thee; 

Spring Thou up within my heart; 

For all eternity.

Music and Lyrics: Charles Wesley

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Prayer for Christ’s Church

We lift up our requests to God knowing that he hears us when we pray.

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*Reading of Scripture | Romans 12:1-5 | Rev. Blake Arnoult

God reveals himself and his work and speaks to us his people through his Word.

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1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

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Pastor: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

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The Preaching of the Word | Rev. Blake Arnoult

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“Christians in the Church”

Romans: The Power of God for Salvation

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Pastoral Prayer

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Sacrament of Communion

Sacraments are visible signs of the invisible grace of God - what Christ does by his Holy Spirit within us. Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist), as the distribution of the elements of bread and wine, symbolizes a meal. Communion is a sign of fellowship. That sign signifies more than just the future heavenly fellowship that is to come. The outward sign signifies the inner reality that sinners already experience fellowship with God in the Spirit because of Jesus. Communion is not a meal for good people. It functions as a renewing seal to desperate sinners of that fellowship we have with our holy and gracious God.

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You will be invited to come forward. If you are not a Christian we encourage you to spend this time in reflection on what you’ve seen and heard in the worship. Children who have not received their first communion are welcome and encouraged to come forward with their families to witness their partaking. We invite children who are ready to make a public profession of faith in Christ to arrange a meeting with the elders, and thus become “communicants” at the Lord’s Table. 

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Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People: And also with you.

Pastor: Lift up your hearts!

People: We lift them up to the Lord.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

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Prayer of Thanksgiving and Words of Institution

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Pastor: Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith: 

People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Hallelujah! 

Pastor: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Hallelujah! 

People: Therefore, let us keep the feast. 

Pastor: The gifts of God for the people of God.

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Please let an usher know if it is difficult for you to come forward. We would be happy to serve you at your seat. All communion bread is gluten-free. All communion wine is made from  grape juice.

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A communion prayer for those searching for the truth:

Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth and the life. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open to me the reality of who you are. Give me the ability to follow you no matter what it might cost me. Give me an understanding for you that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the life that you promise. Amen.

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Communion Song | Nothing But The Blood

We celebrate our communion in faith and song.

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What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

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Oh! precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

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For my pardon, this I see, nothing but the blood of Jesus;

For my cleansing, this my plea, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

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Chorus

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Nothing can for sin atone, nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Naught of good that I have done, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

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Chorus

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This is all my hope and peace, nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

/Chorus/

Music and Lyrics: Robert Lowry

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Departing Song | O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

We begin to end in faith and song.

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O Love that will not let me go,

I rest my weary soul in thee;

I give thee back the life I owe,

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be.

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O light that followest all my way,

I yield my flickering torch to thee;

My heart restores its borrowed ray,

That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day

May brighter, fairer be.

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O Joy that seekest me through pain,

I cannot close my heart to thee;

I trace the rainbow through the rain,

And feel the promise is not vain,

That morn shall tearless be.

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O Cross that liftest up my head,

I dare not ask to fly from thee;

I lay in dust life’s glory dead,

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life that shall endless be.

Music and Lyrics: Robbie Seay, Taylor Johnson, Albert Lister Peace, George Matheson

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*Benediction | Romans 15:5-6 | Blake Arnoult

God sends us out with his blessing. A benediction is not a prayer. We don’t bow our heads. We lift them up and even lift up our hands to receive his blessing as we are sent out as participants in his mission to the city of man.

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5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Escape Room Youth Gathering - Save the date!

May 21, 12:20pm - Escape the Room at CityCentre

All 5th-12th graders are invited to join us on May 21 after the service as we attempt to “escape the room” together!

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Men’s Summer Gathering

Thursday, June 1, 7-9pm

Cornerstone men are invited to gather at the home of Blake Arnoult for a night of grilling and fellowship on Thursday, June 1 at 7pm!

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Women’s Summer Gathering

Friday, June 16, 7-9pm

Cornerstone women will be gathering the evening of June 16 for fellowship! More details will be coming soon.

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