Worship Service Outlines Copyright 2006 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship en-us Thu, 6 Apr 2006 12:05:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship http://www.calvin.edu/worship/images/nameplate_cicw_vert_sm.gif http://www.calvin.edu/worship http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/prayer/09_23_07.php We continue a series of nine worship services that focus on the Christian's life of prayer. These services will follow the sequence of the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Days 45-52, and will center on each of the petitions of the Lord's Prayer. Because God's names reveal his person and character, the use of his names is a privilege. However, such privilege also involves great responsibility. His name may be used in such a way that he will be offended and his honor discredited, or that he will be praised and honored to bring knowledge of him to others. This service aims to hold his name high (to “hallow” it). Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Wed., 26 September 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/prayer/09_23_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/prayer/09_16_07.php We continue a series of nine worship services that focus on the Christian's life of prayer. These services will follow the sequence of the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Days 45-52, and will center on each of the petitions of the Lord's Prayer. At the conclusion of this series we will have provided worship services that are built on the entire Heidelberg Catechism. Each of these is archived on the website of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri., 14 September 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/prayer/09_16_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/prayer/09_09_07.php With this service we begin a series of nine worship services that focus on the Christian's life of prayer. These services will follow the sequence of the Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Days 45-52, and will center on each of the petitions of the Lord's Prayer. At the conclusion of this series we will have provided worship services that are built on the entire Heidelberg Catechism. Each of these are archived on the website of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Thurs, 30 August 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/prayer/09_09_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/05_20_07.php The tenth commandment speaks about "coveting." The Bible uses "envy" and "greed" as synonyms. This service centers on the need for contentment in material possessions as the antidote to greed, envy, and coveting. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 4 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/05_20_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/05_13_07.php The theme of this service is the ninth commandment with its focus on truth-telling and lying. God's children are called to exercise their life of new obedience by gratefully committing themselves to being truth-telling persons. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Tues, 1 May 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/05_13_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/05_06_07.php Though the commandment that is the focus of this service is a prohibition against stealing, the message is much larger. We live out our gratitude to God and our neighbors by expressing our love through honest and faithful work. In such work we make a valuable contribution to the welfare of society, and we are able to share generously with others in need. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Tues, 24 April 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/05_06_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/04_29_07.php The honor of marriage and our Christian obedience to moral purity, both within and outside of marriage, is the focus here. While the seventh commandment speaks only of "adultery," the rest of Scripture leads us to broaden the focus in this sermon from marriage to purity and morality regardless of marital status. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 16 April 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/04_29_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/04_22_07.php This service is built around the sixth commandment. Not only are we to refrain from murder, but we must also affirm the value and sacredness of life through loving our neighbors. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Tues, 10 April 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/04_22_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/04_15_07.php We continue the Shaping Our Gratitude series (Ten Commandments) which began before the Lent series Questions of the Last Week. The second table of the law begins with the fifth commandment. We are taught how to love our neighbor by learning how to respect those in authority over us. The theme of this service is how to respect, honor and obey those who are given authority over us. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 2 April 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/04_15_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/04_08_07.php Since this worship service is designed for Easter Sunday morning, its theme is obviously a joyful and praise-filled celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whereas the previous questions of this series have all included probing questions to direct our reflection and self-examination, this one is a question that begins with the normal skepticism about how a resurrection can be possible, implicitly includes the fear that we are without hope if it did not happen, and celebrates the fervent hope we have because God did, indeed, raise Christ from the dead! Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 23 March 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/04_08_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/04_06_07.php This service will focus on the intensity of Christ's suffering on the cross during the three hours of darkness during which he cried out the words of Psalm 22. It is intended to be a tenebrae service, which involves the increasing darkening of the worship space over the course of a variety of readings from the passion story. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 23 March 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/04_06_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/04_01_07.php This question was spoken on the first day of the week as Jesus entered Jerusalem. The theme focuses on how we understand information about Jesus and arrive at a conviction of his identity. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Thurs, 22 March 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/04_01_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/03_25_07.php The question considered in this service was expressed during the trial of Jesus before Pilate. It is precipitated by Jesus' statement in John 18:37, "Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." This question expresses the search of all generations, not only to find truth, but to discover whether there is such truth that can be discovered. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Thurs, 15 March 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/03_25_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/03_18_07.php The question in this service was originally heard during the trial of Jesus before Pilate. This question comes from the lips of a troubled man who wanted to get Jesus "off his hands" and couldn't find a successful way to do it. In the process he voices this exclamatory question that captures the most far-reaching decision all humans will make. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 12 March 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/03_18_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/03_11_07.php The question considered in this service takes us to the Garden of Gethsemane, and is a confrontational probing of the disciples' watchfulness and alertness. It is an opportunity for us to engage in the same kind of self-examination. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 5 March 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/03_11_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/03_04_07.php This service focuses on an event in the Upper Room as Jesus prepares to celebrate the Passover with the disciples. He is increasingly revealing the agony that he will experience. The question of this service rises from frightened hearts that are trying to resist facing their weaknesses. This service will focus on our devotion to Christ, which should lead to healthy Lenten self-examination. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 23 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/03_04_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/02_25_07.php This Lenten series is titled "Questions of the Last Week," as each of the questions comes from the narratives of the week before Christ's death and resurrection. This service and sermon will help examine our attitudes and our faithfulness in expressing our devotion and adoration to Jesus. The event from which the question comes is Jesus' visit to Simon's home in Bethany, where a woman anoints Jesus with perfume. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/questions/02_25_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/02_18_07.php This service is built around the fourth commandment, honoring the Sabbath. The theme is that the observance of the Sabbath is for our good and is an expression of our respect for and obedience to God. (Note that this completes the first table of the law. Next week the season of Lent begins, so we will set the series on the Ten Commandments aside and return to it after Easter.) Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Wed, 7 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/02_18_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/02_11_07.php The third commandment treats both the holiness of the name of God and the manner in which we take it upon our lips. Therefore, this service is built around the privilege of knowing the name of God (because he has chosen to reveal himself and his name to us) and the element of Christian obedience in knowing how to use and speak his name in a way that is honoring to him. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Wed, 31 January 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/02_11_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/02_04_07.php God makes exclusive claim on our allegiance in the first commandment. With the second commandment we address the matter of how he is to be worshiped. He has declared that our worship should not include images of him that we have made. God is spirit, and our worship must be given to him as a spiritual being. This service will focus on the nature of God (that he is spirit) and the method our worship of God ("in spirit and in truth"). Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 29 January 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/02_04_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/01_28_07.php This service will center on the first commandment. As both our Creator and Deliverer, God's claim on our lives is exclusive. As the only infinite almighty being, he may claim that there is no other before him. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 22 January 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/01_28_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/01_21_07.php This week we focus on the key parts of the life of sanctification, the "dying away" of the old self and the "coming-to-life" of the new, as the Heidelberg Catechism expresses it. These words are an exact reflection of Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 4:20-24. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 1 January 2007 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/01_21_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/01_14_07.php This series will focus on the Ten Commandments, primarily the second function of the law according to Reformed theologians: to give us direction for the life of grateful obedience. "Therefore" is the first word of Romans 12:1 (NIV), and it signals a significant turning point in the epistle, the enormous response that is expected of those who have come to know God's grace. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 22 December 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/gratitude/01_14_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/epiphany/01_07_07.php From his baptism through his ministry, Jesus brought the light of God into a world that had been darkened by sin. The liturgy is structured according to four sub-themes, each of which includes a meditation. Though this may not be the normal structure of a worship service, we encourage you to consider it for a special celebration around the theme of Epiphany. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 22 December 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/epiphany/01_07_07.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_31_06.php The story of Simeon is filled with unrecognized drama that points to the entrance of God's Messiah, the welcome he does (or doesn't) receive, and the relationship of Jesus with the temple in Jerusalem. This story speaks of fidelity, expectation, and hope, but it also warns about the danger of ignoring the Messiah. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 15 December 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_31_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_24_06.php The theme for this service is the Song of Mary, which we know as the "magnificat" (its first word in Latin). Her song is directed to God, proclaimed during the months of her pregnancy, and filled with an awareness that God is in the process of doing his mighty redeeming work. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 15 December 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_24_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_17_06.php The service focuses on the appearance of the angels, their song to the shepherds and the shepherds' response as they went to Bethlehem. This service is designed to be a candlelight service for the week before Christmas. Your own local customs and traditions should shape how you use candles, but we strongly encourage you to prepare the sanctuary with visuals that create a setting of awe and celebration. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 11 December 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_17_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_10_06.php On this second Sunday of Advent, we stand with Moses, Miriam and the people of Israel and give praise and thanks to God for his miraculous delivery through the Red Sea. The spirit is thankful celebration for God's actions on our behalf. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Wed, 6 December 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_10_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_03_06.php On the first Sunday of Advent, this sermon intends to introduce the entire series for the season. Its message is that the people of God are a singing people. Their song is a "new song" and reflects their faith in God and their remembrance of his mighty acts. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Wed, 29 November 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/songs/12_03_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/faith/11_26_06.php This service addresses the persecution of faith. We encourage you to do some preparatory work for this service by reading or listening to the testimony of the sad and painful plight of many of our brothers and sisters around the world who are severely persecuted for their faith. We offer several suggestions for resources. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 17 November 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/faith/11_26_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/faith/11_19_06.php This service focuses on the challenge for the Christian church to be a redemptive tool in the hand of the risen Christ. In this service listeners will hear how the early church was obedient to Christ's call and be faced with the challenge to do the same. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 10 November 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/faith/11_19_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/faith/11_12_06.php Not only is the message of the cross foolishness to the world, but those of us who serve Christ are also viewed as "fools for the sake of Christ." Still, we must resist the temptation to soften our distinctiveness to minimize the cost to us. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 3 November 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/faith/11_12_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/faith/11_05_06.php This service begins a four-part series that focuses on the counter-cultural aspect of the Christian Faith. These four messages can be seen as a sequel to the previous series that set forth key Reformation Truths. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 27 October 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/faith/11_05_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/reformation/10_29_06.php This service, final in a series of four, is a festival of celebration of the grace of God as the only hope for our salvation. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 20 October 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/reformation/10_29_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/reformation/10_22_06.php Our focus in this service, third in a series of four, is, as the Reformers claimed, "sola fide." We are saved through faith, and we live by faith. This service, like the others, prepares the way for a celebration of the grace of God on Reformation Sunday next week. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 13 October 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/reformation/10_22_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/reformation/10_15_06.php This service, second in a series for the month of October called Reformation Truths, centers on the Bible as our authoritative guide for believing and living. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 29 September 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/reformation/10_15_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/reformation/10_08_06.php We offer a series called Reformation Truths for the month of October that centers on four of the main teachings of the Protestant Reformers. The first focuses on the sovereignty of God. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 22 September 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/reformation/10_08_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/10_01_06.php On World Communion Sunday the worldwide church gathers at the table of the Lord to express their oneness in Christ. This service also includes a variety of resources and ideas on celebrating our unity and recommitting ourselves to the life of unity to which Christ calls us. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 15 September 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/10_01_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/09_24_06.php Anniversaries are ideal times for congregations to tell their own stories to the next generation. The story of each congregation is built around both the faithfulness of God and the faithfulness of the generations that preceded us. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 1 September 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/09_24_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/09_17_06.php This service focuses on the importance of the ministry of music and the proper commissioning of those who serve. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 25 August 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/09_17_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/09_10_06.php This service focuses on the importance of the ministry of education, its goals, and the proper commissioning of those who serve. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 25 August 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/09_10_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/09_03_06.php This final service on the theme of the significance of our vocations will focus on the style of work that characterizes Christians. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 13 August 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/09_03_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/08_27_06.php Our daily vocation should be a source of productivity, satisfaction and meaning for us as image-bearers of God who have been redeemed in Christ. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 13 August 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/08_27_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/08_20_06.php The theme of this service is that we humans who have been made in the image of God have been created for productive creation-caring efforts that provide for our needs and the needs of others. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 28 July 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/08_20_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/08_13_06.php Our vocation, properly discovered and undertaken, provides the adventure that we need. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 28 July 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/08_13_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/08_06_06.php This service begins a five part series on vocation and focuses on the integration of our faith and work. The series title comes from an excellent and thought-provoking book by Doug Sherman and William Hendricks, Your Work Matters to God (NavPress, 1987). Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 28 July 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/work/08_06_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/07_30_06.php This week, instead of an entire worship service, we offer materials that can be used in liturgies that include the reception and/or baptism of adopted children. An entrustment ceremony is also provided, along with sugggestions for baptism anthems and songs. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 14 July 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/occasion/07_30_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/07_23_06.php This service examines how the church exercises the keys of the kingdom, according to the Heidelberg Catechism: the preaching of the gospel and the exercise of church discipline. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 30 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/07_23_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/07_16_06.php This week's service includes the celebration of the Lord's Supper. The sermon will address the requirements that are necessary for faithful participation in the sacrament. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 23 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/07_16_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/07_09_06.php Jesus is the Bread of Life that nourishes our spiritual lives through our participation in the Lord's Supper. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 16 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/07_09_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/07_02_06.php This service focuses on the meaning of infant baptism, what it says about God, our children, and our families. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 9 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/07_02_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/06_25_06.ph This week the focus of the worship service is on baptism in general; next week we will concentrate more specifically on the baptism of infants. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 2 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/06_25_06.ph http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/06_18_06.php This week the worship service focuses on the life of faith that uniquely provides the identity of the Christian Church. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 26 May 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/06_18_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/06_11_06.php Since Pentecost marks the beginning of the work of the Holy Spirit in drawing the Christian Church together (the story throughout the book of Acts), we will spend the next seven weeks looking at the nature and the life of the Christian Church as the place where faith is fed and nurtured. In this process we will first examine the catholic (worldwide) nature of the church. Then we will look at the fact that faith is given and must be fed. For two weeks we'll focus on the nurture of our faith in the sacrament of baptism, and for two more weeks we'll examine the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Finally, we will focus on the church's exercise of the keys of the kingdom. These messages will be built on the teachings of Scripture as expressed in the Belgic Confession of Faith and the Heidelberg Catechism. We begin this series with a service focusing on the statement in the Apostles' Creed concerning the "holy catholic church, the communion of saints." The Church of Christ is larger than our local congregation and our denomination. It spans time and space beyond our imagination! Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 26 May 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/church/06_11_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/pentecost/6_04_06.php This service marks the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This event emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit who enters the church to empower it for its mission of proclaiming the truth of the resurrected Lord. The theme of this service will focus on the heartbeat of Pentecost which is the call to proclamation. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 5 May 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/pentecost/6_04_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/ascension/5_28_06.php This service of worship celebrates the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. The Worship Sourcebook has this information about Ascension Day: "Ascension Day, the fortieth day after Easter, marks the day on which Jesus went to the Mount of Olives with his disciples and ascended to heaven before their eyes (Acts 1:1-12). Though often overlooked, the ascension of Christ is filled with theological significance. Christ's ascension means that in heaven there is one who, knowing firsthand the experience of suffering and temptation, prays for us and perfects our prayers. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 28 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/ascension/5_28_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/resurrection_previews/05_21_06.php The previous services in this series have focused on Enoch, Elijah, and Jairus' daughter; this service is built around the resurrection of Lazarus. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/05_21_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/resurrection_previews/05_14_06.php The previous services in this series have focused on Enoch, Elijah, and Jairus' daughter; this service is built around the resurrection of Lazarus. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/05_14_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/resurrection_previews/05_07_06.php In this service we focus on the work of Jesus in raising Jairus' daughter. While the events of Enoch and Elijah are more shrouded in mystery, this story clearly shows the power of Jesus Christ to raise a young girl who had clearly died. In his actions and his words, we learn of his power over death. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/05_07_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/resurrection_previews/04_30_06.php In this service we examine how Elijah left this earth and what that says to us. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/resurrection_previews/04_30_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/resurrection_previews/04_23_06.php For the next four Sundays we will examine narratives that occurred before Christ's resurrection but which shed light on how we should live after his resurrection. The theme of this particular service will center on the brief account of the life and faith of Enoch who "walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away." (Genesis 5:24) All this happened "by faith" according to Hebrews 11:5. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/resurrection_previews/04_23_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_16_06.php This is the final service in the series of "Psalms for a Lenten Journey" and is designed for Easter Sunday. Though Psalm 2 is certainly not a very common choice for Easter Sunday proclamation, we are convinced that you will find its message fresh, appropriate and powerful for Easter. Psalm 2 is a royal psalm, probably composed for the coronation of a king. In the background of this Psalm is the promise of God's future redemption of his people and the coronation of his exalted king. In the New Testament this Psalm is applied to Jesus Christ as the son of David and God's Anointed King. In this service we see the resurrected Jesus as the fulfillment of this promise. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 7 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_16_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_14_06.php This service takes its spirit from the 22nd Psalm and the cry of forsakenness that was repeated by Christ on the cross. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 26 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_14_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_13_06.php Maundy Thursday is the day for the church to remember the last evening before Christ's crucifixion. At that time Christ was in the upper room with his disciples and instituted the Lord's Supper. Therefore, this service includes the celebration of the Lord's Supper. We have selected Psalm 116 as the theme of this service so that the testimony of praise to the Lord for his deliverance from death can be prominent. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 19 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_13_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_09_06.php Psalm 118 is the focus of this service of worship. In this Psalm the king and the people give thanks to God for his deliverance. It is a Psalm of celebration, and God, their faithful deliverer, is honored and praised. This was probably one of the songs sung by Jesus and his disciples on Thursday evening after the Last Supper and their leaving for the Garden of Gethsemane. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 12 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_09_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_02_06.php Psalm 73, a Psalm of Asaph, is one of those psalms which speaks very candidly about the seeming inequities of life and expresses honest doubts and questions to God. Yet when the psalmist comes into the presence of God in his sanctuary (v.17), he finds a new orientation to life. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 5 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/04_02_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/03_26_06.php Psalm 32 is a well-known Psalm for its pointed expression of the experience of guilt, its humble confession, and its joyful expression of peace that comes through being pardoned. These themes shape this worship service. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 24 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/03_26_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/03_19_06.php Psalm 32 is a well-known Psalm for its pointed expression of the experience of guilt, its humble confession, and its joyful expression of peace that comes through being pardoned. These themes shape this worship service. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 17 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/03_19_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/03_12_06.php The character of Psalm 34 is that of giving testimony for God's goodness to us so it is necessary for us to do the same in worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 10 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/03_12_06.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/03_05_06.php With this service we enter the season of Lenten worship. See the material provided for March 1, Ash Wednesday, for an introduction to the season of Lent, suggestions for worship planning during this season, and a suggested devotional service for Ash Wednesday. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 3 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EDT http://www.calvin.edu/worship/services/series/lent_journey/03_05_06.php