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The Community of Grace
The Apostles' Creed 11
1 Peter 2:9-10
Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 21

Other Services in This Series

Sermon Notes
Music Notes
Liturgy Notes

Theme of the Service

When the Holy Spirit bridges the gap and brings us to share in Christ (see previous service/sermon), he draws us together into the visible body of Christ. This body of Christ, called the Christian Church, is a community of grace and exists in all places and all generations.

The theme of this service will weave together three lines of truth-the holy catholic church, (which is) a communion of saints, and (is based on) the forgiveness of sins.

WE GATHER IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Prelude: "Oh, for a Thousand Tongues" [see music notes]
     or "God Is Here!"

The Call to Worship

*Song of Praise: "God Is Here" (st. 1-3) PsH 516

*Our Declaration of Trust and God's Greeting
     Congregation of Jesus Christ, in whom are you trusting?
     Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
     Grace, mercy, and peace to you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.           
     Amen.

*Worshipers Greet Each Other
     (The historic greeting to one another is to express "The peace of Christ to you" or similar words.)

*Song of Response: "God Is Here" (st. 4)

WE ARE RENEWED IN GOD'S GRACE

The Call to Confession [see liturgy notes]

Our Prayer of Confession
     Merciful God,
     we confess that we have sinned against you
     in thought, word, and deed,
     by what we have done,
     and by what we have left undone.
     We have not loved you
     with our whole heart and mind and strength.
     We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
     In your mercy forgive what we have been,
     help us to amend what we are,
     and direct what we shall be,
     so that we may delight in your will
     and walk in your ways,
     to the glory of your holy name.
     Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. (The Worship Sourcebook, 2.2.11)

The Assurance of God's Pardon
     This morning you will receive the bread and the cup at the Lord's Table. And you will be invited
     to eat and drink believing that the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ was given for a
     complete remission of all your sins. May that assurance be yours in rich abundance.

Response of Praise: "I Will Sing of My Redeemer" PsH 479, TWC 492 [see music notes]

God's Call to Grateful Living: Micah 6:8 (spoken)
     or (sung) Anthem: "Offertory," Beck [see music notes]

WE OFFER OUR PRAYERS AND OUR GIFTS

The Pastoral Prayer

The Offertory
     The Offering of Music: "The Church's One Foundation" [see music notes]
     The Offering of our Gifts for . . .

GOD SPEAKS THROUGH HIS WORD

*Song: "The Church's One Foundation" PH 442, PsH 502, RL 394, TH 347, TWC 689, UMH 545 [see music notes]

The Prayer for Illumination

The Reading of the Catechism
     What do you believe
      concerning "the holy catholic church"?

     I believe that the Son of God,
     through his Spirit and Word,
     out of the entire human race,
     from the beginning of the world to its end,
     gathers, protects, and preserves for himself
     a community chosen for eternal life
     and united in true faith.
     And of this community I am and always will be
     a living member.

      What do you understand by
     "the communion of saints"?

     First, that believers one and all,
     as members of this community,
     share in Christ
     and in all his treasures and gifts. 

     Second, that each member
     should consider it a duty
     to use these gifts
     readily and cheerfully
     for the service and enrichment
     of the other members.

     What do you believe
     concerning "the forgiveness of sins"?

     I believe that God,
     because of Christ's atonement,
     will never hold against me
     any of my sins
     nor my sinful nature
     which I need to struggle against all my life.

     Rather, in his grace
     God grants me the righteousness of Christ
     to free me forever from judgment. (The Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 21)

The Reading of Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-12
     The Word of the Lord.
     Thanks be to God!

Sermon: "The Community of Grace" (The Apostles' Creed - #11)
Text: 1 Peter 2:9-10

The Prayer of Application

WE CELEBRATE THE LORD'S SUPPER

God's Invitation and Welcome

*Our Profession
     I am right with God
     and heir to life everlasting
     only by true faith in Jesus Christ.

     Even though my conscience accuses me
     of having grievously sinned against all God's commandments
     and of never having kept any of them,
     and even though I am still inclined toward all evil,
     nevertheless,
     without my deserving it at all,
     out of sheer grace,
     God grants and credits to me
     the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ,
     as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner,
     as if I had been as perfectly obedient
     as Christ was obedient for me.

     All I need to do
     is to accept this gift of God with a believing heart. (Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 23)

*Song: "Lift Up Your Hearts Unto the Lord" PsH 309, SFL 63, TWC 771

The Children's Moment

The Prayer of Approach

Preparing the Bread and the Cup

Our Participation in the Bread
     (A time of reflection on Christ's love for us.)
     Music: "What Wondrous Love" [see music notes]

Our Participation in the Cup
     (A time of reflection on God's grace for us.)
     Music: "Amazing Grace" [see music notes]

The Prayer of Thanksgiving

WE GO OUT TO LIVE AS THE BODY OF CHRIST

*The Blessing and Congregational Amen!

*Song of Praise: "Praise the Savior" PsH 400, TH 243

Postlude: "Fanfare," Lemmens

      * you are invited to stand

Sermon Notes:

1. Two different methods may be used to weave together the three threads of this sermon-the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, and the forgiveness of sins. The academic and didactic method would have three points and move from one to the other, remarking along the way how the three are all tied together. It may, however, be more meaningful to focus on the church and draw the next two statements of the creed in as descriptive of the church. We can point to a number of biblical descriptions of the church as the body of Christ. Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Colossians 3:12 can lead up to the description provided by Peter in our text.

2. The other statements of the creed add confessional description to the nature of the church. We are "forgiven," a "communion," and "catholic." Each of these warrants explanation and illustration as the Catechism sets them forth.

3. On the basis of these teachings, we can affirm a number of things about the church: our identify is from God, not ourselves; we are called together by God, not ourselves; though sinful we are graced; though different we are bonded; and though present we have an eternal future.

4. The aim of this message should be that of stirring up a heart of thanks and a sense of privilege as we prepare to come to the Lord's Table as the body of Christ.

Music Notes:

Glossary of Hymnal Abbreviations:
PH        The Presbyterian Hymnal (Presbyterian Church USA; Westminster/John Knox Press)
PsH      The Psalter Hymnal (Christian Reformed Church; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
RL        Rejoice in the Lord (Reformed Church in America; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company)
RN        Renew! (Hope Publishing Company)
SFL      Songs for LiFE (children's songbook; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
SNC     Sing! A New Creation (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Christian Reformed Church,
            Reformed Church in America; Faith Alive Christian Resources)
TH        Trinity Hymnal (Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church in America; Great
            Commission Publications)
TWC     The Worshiping Church (Hope Publishing Company)
UMH     The United Methodist Hymnal (United Methodist Publishing House)
WOV     With One Voice (Augsburg Fortress)

1. The suggestions for prelude based on the hymn tunes AZMON and ABBOT'S LEIGH can be found in the following resources:

AZMON ["Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"]
Organ:

Handbells:

ABBOT'S LEIGH ["God Is Here!"]
Organ:

Handbells:

2. Alternative harmonizations for the first two hymns of the service, "God Is Here!" and "I Will Sing of My Redeemer," can be found in the following resources:

ABBOT'S LEIGH ["God Is Here!"]
Alternative Harmonization for Organ:

Alternative Harmonization for Piano:

HYFRYDOL ["I Will Sing of My Redeemer"]
Alternative Harmonization for Organ:                                

Alternative Harmonization for Piano:

3. The SATB anthem "Offertory" by John Ness Beck is published by Beckenhorst BP1280 [1987] (E-M).

4. Suggestions for the offertory music, based on the hymn tune AURELIA ("The Church's One Foundation"), can be found in the following resources:

Organ:

5. Alternative harmonizations for "The Church's One Foundation" can be found in the following:
Alternative Harmonization for Organ:

Alternative Harmonization for Piano:

6. Music for reflection and for accompanying singing during the distribution of the communion elements can be found in the following sources:

AMAZING GRACE/NEW BRITAIN ["Amazing Grace"]
Organ:

Piano:

Handbells:

Choral Resources:

Alternative Harmonization for Organ:

Alternative Harmonization for Piano:

WONDROUS LOVE ["What Wondrous Love"]
Organ:

Piano:

Handbells:

Choral Resources:

Alternative Harmonization for Organ:

Alternative Harmonization for Piano:

7. The organ postlude "Fanfare" can be found in the following resources:

Liturgy Notes:

1. Congregations often need reminders of the significance of certain steps in a worship service. That is particularly true for the service of confession and renewal, and especially in this service in which the "forgiveness of sins" from the Apostles' Creed is in focus. As you prepare and introduce the confession of sin, consider these words from Dr. Cornelius Plantinga Jr. in his book Beyond Doubt (p. 54):

Nobody wants to confess sins. It scuffs our pride. It doesn't sound like possibility thinking. So we skip it. Or we print out the short list instead of a full account. Or we mumble. . . . The problem is that sin is like garbage. You don't want to let it build up. Confessing sin is like taking out the garbage. You want to do it regularly because taking out the garbage is an extremely healthy thing to do.

2. For the prayer of confession, we have included a formulation of a prayer that has been used by many Christians over many centuries. Taking these words on our lips gives us a sense of solidarity with Christians of previous generations who have confessed, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins."

3. It is vitally important to build a meaningful bridge from the sermon to the sacrament. We've taken another section of the Heidelberg Catechism (from Lord's Day 23) so that all can take on their lips the words of affirming that we stand before God as those who are pardoned.

4. A time for the children would be very special just before we proceed with the sacrament. Taking a few minutes to explain to the children what we have done, why we just said those words about being forgiven and "right with God," and now what we will be doing at communion, and why, will draw them into this event very meaningfully.

5. You will likely structure the liturgy of the Lord's Supper according to your local custom and the formularies provided for it. We have offered these suggestions with the assumption that you will merge them with your local practices.

6. During the distribution of the bread and the cup, we suggest that the reflection and meditation by the worshipers be directed. Some seem unable to use silence meaningfully unless they are given some direction about what to reflect on. Here the directives are given by the words of the worship leader, and are reinforced by the message of the music being offered.

This weekly worship service has been provided for your use and encouragement by Howard Vanderwell and Norma de Waal Malefyt, Resource Development Specialists at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. You can reach them with your suggestions and comments at howard.vanderwell@calvin.edu or norma.malefyt@calvin.edu.

Any materials included here from The Worship Sourcebook are used by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, © 2004, CRC Publications. This permission is granted for one time worship use in an order of service for a congregation, or in a special program or lesson resource, provided that no part of such reproduction is sold, directly or indirectly. For all other uses, please contact the copyright holder.