This Week In Worship
E
ach week, we gather for the life- and world-changing act of worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ. We celebrate God's presence with joyful music, prayer, and practical Biblical messages. The choir, organ, and worship team lead during the 9am service; the worship team leads during the 10:30am service.
Check this page every week for material related to both the past Sunday's services and the coming Sunday's services. As this page evolves, we hope to put song lyrics, video clips, sermon notes, discussion questions, scripture passages, and more on this page.
For now, check out the iTunes playlist of songs we've been using in worship recently.
Mexico Sunday (April 15, 2012)
"Crave Jesus" - Matthew 11:28-29
As you prepare for the service:
- Read Matthew 11:28-29.
- Reflect: Where in your life do you have intentional times to come to Jesus and let Him give you rest? How manageable is the pace of your life?
Palm Sunday and Easter, 2012
(April 1 and April 8, 2012)
Reflecting on the Easter service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Matthew 28:1-10.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: How does the reality of the Resurrection impact your daily life?
- Pray a prayer of thanks that the same "Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is living in you" (Romans 8:11). Bring before God areas of need in your life in which you crave seeing "resurrection power" at work.
As you prepare for Holy Week:
We'll be learning this song on Palm Sunday and singing it again on Easter. Learn it ahead of time!
We'll also be singing the classic hymn "Christ Arose" in a style not unlike this one:
Christ Arose - Brookwood Church
Read through the Gospel of Matthew's account of what we call Holy Week, the week from Palm Sunday to Easter. It's found in Matthew 21-28.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
"Spiritual Adoption: Invited To Be God's Kids" - John 1:12-13
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through John 1:12-13.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: When did you first become (or realize you were) a child of God? What difference does it make in your life that God chose you? Which of the privileges of being God's child means most to you?
- Pray a prayer of thanksgiving, thanking God for choosing and adopting you.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
"¿Es El Senor Tu Pastor?" - Psalm 23
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Psalm 23.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: Where do the words of this familiar psalm meet your real life this week?
- Pray the 23rd Psalm. Let God minister to your needs as you linger with the words of scripture.
As you prepare for the service:
- Read Psalm 23.
- Reflect: This is one of the most familiar passags of Scripture in the whole bible. Whatever your prior experience with it, what images strike you in this wonderfully poetic Psalm? What does it tell you about God?
Sunday, February 5, 2012
"No Business Like His Business" - Luke 16:1-9
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Luke 16:1-9.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: What does it mean for you to invest in God's business? In what ways might that look different from our culture's normal "business?" In what ways might it mean a change in your current way of life?
- Pray the Lord's Prayer, lingering on the lines "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Ask God to use your time, talents, and finance to help bring God's Kingdom.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
"Deepening Our Discipleship: Moses & Facing Tomorrow" - Deuteronomy 30:1-4, 9-10
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Deuteronomy 30:1-4, 9-10.
- Continue to pray the "three sacred passions of Moses": 1) Teach me Your ways. 2) Let Your presence go with me. 3) Show me Your glory. Ask God to increase your level of trust in God's ways.
As you prepare for the service:
- Read Deuteronomy 30:1-4, 9-10.
- Reflect: What does this passage tell you about God? Do you generally think of God's "decrees and laws" as life-giving, as the passage suggests they are?
Sunday, January 22, 2012
"Deepening Our Discipleship: Moses & Real Encouragement" - Exodus 6:1-9
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Exodus 6:1-9.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: During hard times or transitional times, how do you see God's goodness and God's power influencing the way you relate with others?
- Continue to pray the "three sacred passions of Moses": 1) Teach me Your ways. 2) Let Your presence go with me. 3) Show me Your glory. Ask God to increase your level of trust in God's ways.
As you prepare for the service:
- Read Exodus 6:1-9.
- Reflect: What does this passage tell you about God? What about Moses' reaction versus the reaction of the people of Israel?
Sunday, January 15, 2012
"Deepening Our Discipleship: Moses & Measures of Success" - Numbers 20:1-13
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Numbers 20:1-13.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: Moses did not fully trust in God's ways in this passage. In what areas of your life are you finding it difficult to trust in God's ways over your own?
- Continue to pray the "three sacred passions of Moses": 1) Teach me Your ways. 2) Let Your presence go with me. 3) Show me Your glory. Ask God to increase your level of trust in God's ways.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
"Deepening Our Discipleship: Moses and Sacred Passions" - Exodus 33:12-23
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Exodus 33:12-23.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: Moses knew he needed God's holy presence with him to carry out his role. In what ways can you relax your grip on your life and trust in the power of God's presence with you?
- Pray the "three sacred passions of Moses": 1) Teach me Your ways. 2) Let Your presence go with me. 3) Show me Your glory.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
"Sing We Noel: The First Noel" - Luke 2:8-15
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Luke 2:8-15.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: What past experience comes to mind in which what seemed to be an interruption became for you an opportunity to let God change you or steer you in a new direction?
Sunday, December 4, 2011
"Sing We Noel: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus" - Isaiah 40:3-5 & Galatians 4:4-5
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Click here for a video of MVPC member Dan Rodowicz's arrangement of "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus", performed at last year's Christmas On The Hill concert.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Isaiah 40:3-5 and Galatians 4:4-5.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: For what have you waited over a long period of time? How differently would you live if you knew that Jesus (God in the flesh!) would return tomorrow?
Sunday, November 27, 2011
"Sing We Noel: What Child Is This" - Luke 1:26-38
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Click here for a video of "Sing Noel", the song we learned this past week
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through Luke 1:26-38.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: For what might God be preparing you? What steps might you need to take in order to "prepare to be prepared?"
- In prayer, thank God for the gift of Emmanuel ("God With Us"), meditating on His presence in your life.
As you prepare for the service:
- Read Luke 1:26-38.
- Reflect: What strikes you about the news given to Mary? What strikes you about her response?
Sunday, November 20, 2011
"Giving Thanks To God For Our Past, Present, and Future"
Reflecting on this service:
- Listen to the sermon.
- Reflect on the sermon by reading and praying through 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
- Discuss with family, friends, or small group: When have you found yourself grateful for God's presence even when circumstances were less than ideal?
As you prepare for the service:
- Read Psalm 100.
- For what are you particularly thankful?
- Where in your life are you having trouble cultivating gratitude?
Sunday, November 13, 2011
"Our Future: Christ-Centered Funding"
- Listen to the sermon.
- Discuss with your family the areas in which God might be calling you to surrender and trust in a new way.