The Lords Day Worship Service

April 14, 2013 ~ New City Church Calgary

Welcome We are glad you have joined us today. Whether you are a Christian seeking to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ, or a skeptic looking for answers, or someone who is struggling to make sense of life and are looking for a caring community, you are warmly welcome here. Were glad you came. There is a nursery available for kids aged 0-2 years. Kids are always welcome in the service with us too. After the Service Please stay around for some refreshments after the service and meet someone new. If we havent met you before, please come say Hello. Wed like to make that connection. Pastors John Ferguson & Mike Ivancic

Reflections & Preparation for Worship O God, by your power may we, together with all the saints, comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that we may be filled with your fullness. Amen. ~ based on Ephesians 3:18-19

...for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes through it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and honor and glory... ~ 1 Peter 1:6-7 We may say that we believe that God is our Father, but as long as we remain untested on the point our belief falls short of steady conviction. But supposed the day comesas it does and will when circumstances seem to mock our creed, when the cruelty of life denies his fatherliness, his silence calls into question his almightiness, and the sheer, haphazard, meaningless jumble of events challenges the possibility of a Creators ordering hand. It is in this way that lifes trials test our faith for genuineness. ~ J. A. Motyer, The Message of James For to this you have been called [i.e., to endure suffering], because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ~ 1 Peter 2:21 Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. ~ Hebrews 12:2

 God Calls Us To Worship Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. ~ Psalm 150:6
The Call to Worship Leader: Unison: ~ based on Psalm 84:1-2, 10-12

Show us Your steadfast love, O God, and grant us Your salvation. How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! Our souls long, yes, faint for the courts of the Lord. Our hearts and our flesh will sing for joy to the living God, for a single day in Your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! For the Lord God is our Light and our Shield; the Lord bestows favor and honour. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord Almighty, blessed are those who trust in You!

Leader:

Unison:

Hymns of Praise & Worship Better is One Day How lovely is Your dwelling place O Lord Almighty My soul longs and even faints for You For here my heart is satisfied Within Your presence I sing beneath the shadow of Your wings chorus Better is one day in Your courts Better is one day in Your house Better is one day in Your courts Than thousands elsewhere (repeat) Our Great God Eternal God, unchanging, mysterious and unknown Your boundless love unfailing, in grace and mercy shown Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight around your glorious throne They raise their voices day and night in praise to You alone Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God! Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God! Lord, we are weak and frail, helpless in the storm

One thing I ask and I would seek To see Your beauty To find You in the place Your glory dwells (repeat chorus) My heart and flesh cry out For You, the living God Your Spirits water for my soul Ive tasted and Ive seen Come once again to me I will draw near to You I will draw near to You

Seraphim are angels. Cf. Isaiah 6:2, Above [the Lord] stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

Surround us with Your angels, hold us in Your arms Our cold and ruthless enemy, his pleasure is our harm Rise up, O Lord, and he will flee before our sovereign God Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God! Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God! Let every creature in the sea and every flying bird Let every mountain, every field and valley of the earth Let all the moons and all the stars in all the universe Sing praises to the living God, who rules them by His word Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God! Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!

God Graciously Renews Us in Christ Have mercy on me, O God, in your faithful love, in your great tenderness wipe away my offenses; wash me thoroughly from my guilt, purify me from my sin. ~ Psalm 51:1-2
Call to Confession Leader: ~ based on Matthew 22:37-38

Our Lord Jesus instructs us with these words, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. As the Lord has instructed us as to what our deepest loyalty should be, and because we have not lived fully in light of this commandment, let us confess our sins to God, trusting in Christ as our Saviour and Lord. Jesus, I Come (Out of My Bondage)

Song of Confession Out of my bondage, sorrow and night Jesus, I come; Jesus I come Into Thy freedom, gladness and light Jesus, I come to Thee Out of my sickness into Thy health Out of my wanting and into Thy wealth Out of my sin and into Thyself Jesus, I come to Thee Out of my shameful failure and loss Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come Into the glorious gain of Thy cross Jesus, I come to Thee Out of earths sorrows into Thy balm Out of lifes storms and into Thy calm Out of distress into jubilant psalm Jesus, I come to Thee The Words of the Gospel Out of unrest and arrogant pride Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come Into Thy blessed will to abide Jesus, I come to Thee Out of myself to dwell in Thy love Out of despair into raptures above Upward forever on wings like a dove Jesus, I come to Thee Out of the fear and dread of the tomb Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come Into the joy and light of Thy home Jesus, I come to Thee Out of the depths of ruin untold Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold Ever Thy glorious face to behold Jesus, I come to Thee
~ based on Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24-25; 3:18

Leader:

The proof of Gods amazing love is this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

Song of Response Amazing grace How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now I'm found Was blind, but now I see 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed

chorus My chains are gone I've been set free My God, my Savior has ransomed me And like a flood His mercy reigns Unending love, amazing grace The Lord has promised good to me His word my hope secures He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures (repeat chorus) The earth shall soon dissolve like snow The sun forbear to shine But God, Who called me here below Will be forever mine Will be forever mine You are forever mine

God Gives Us His Words of Eternal Life Lord Jesus, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life! Let your word dwell in us richly, that whatever we do, in word or deed, we may do everything in Your name, giving thanks to the Father through You. ~ based on John 6:68, Colossians 3:16-17
Todays Scripture Lesson: JAMES 1:2-4 Navigating the Trials of Life
John Ferguson, Lead Pastor

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Leader: Unison: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!

(notes)

God Feeds Us His Covenant Meal From the east and the west, from the north and the south, people will come and take their places at the banquet in the Kingdom of God. ~ based on Luke 13:29
A Word About Participating in The Sacrament of The Lords Supper The Lords Supper is a special family meal that Christ gave to His Bride, the Church. For Christians, this meal is a time to receive these signs and seals of the New Covenant which Christ has established with them. Believers come to this Table to meet with their Lord and Saviour by faith, to be renewed by Him and strengthened in their callings and mission as they eat the bread and drink the wine. Therefore, all baptized Christians who trust in Christ alone as their Lord and Saviour and who are connected to a church that proclaims his Gospel are invited to come to the Table. If you are not yet a Christian , or if for whatever reason you are not prepared to share in this meal, we would encourage you to spend this time in prayer (perhaps using one of the prayers listed below). Consider the invitation of Jesus, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirstfor my Fathers will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:35, 40). We would ask that children who have not yet professed belief in the Lord Jesus also refrain from partaking until doing so. The pastor would be delighted to speak to families about what it means to participate in the Lords Supper.

The Words of Institution

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lords death until he comes. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
The Sacrament of The Lords Supper Please come forward by rows to the center aisle and form a semi-circle in front of the Table to receive the bread and the wine. When finished, place your cup at the side tables and proceed to your seat via the outer isles. If you are unable to come forward we would be delighted to serve you at your seat. New City Church uses wine in serving the Lords Supper . We would encourage you to take of the wine since it is a symbol of joy and celebration in Scripture. However, juice is also provided if you cannot drink wine due to health reasons or issues of conscience. Prayers for Those Not Communing A Prayer Searching for the Truth: Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except by you. If what you claim is true, please guide me and teach me. Open to me the reality of who you are. Grant that I might be undaunted in following you as I consider the reasons for doing so. Give me an understanding of you that is coherent, convincing, and leads to the eternal life that you promise. Amen. A Prayer of Trust in the Lord Jesus: Jesus, I confess that I am more broken, flawed, and sinful than I had ever before dared to admit. Yet you tell me that I am more loved than I ever dared to hope, and that you accept all who turn to you in simple faith. I am doing that right now. I thank you for taking the justice that my sins deserved when you died on the Cross. I eagerly trust you for the forgiveness for my sins, and I receive from you now the eternal life that you promise to all who come to you. Amen. A Prayer for Those Struggling with Sin: Lord Jesus, you know the battle that rages within my heart. Grant that in my battles with sin, I may see in you the fulfillment of all my needs. Give me strength to turn from every false satisfaction to find my ultimate joy in you. Enable me to lay aside the sin that clings so closely to me, and fill me with your Spirit to run with perseverance the race you have set before me, looking to you, the pioneer and champion of my faith. Amen. A Prayer for Children (who have yet to profess faith): Jesus, the Bible tells me that you blessed kids like me. Help me to know who you are and to understand what you have done for me. Amen. Communion Hymns We Hunger and Thirst Exalted Son of glory humbly came down Wounded for the broken, bore the sinners crown Through the willing death You died You became our Bread of Life

chorus Jesus, we hunger and thirst for You, Lord As we remember Your sacrifice We see the wounds from Your hands and pierced side Extravagant love! Oh how great the price Now our lives are Yours The priceless blood of Jesus, this gracious cup A life spring overflowing, poured out for us He has conquered every sin For the ones who trust in Him (repeat chorus) The cup we drink, the bread we eat Reminds us You are all we need And makes us long for Your wedding feast Name Above All Names From the brightness of His glory Jesus, the Son of God descends Takes on the nature of a servant Jesus, obedient to death The Father willed to crush Him As a sacrifice for sin He satisfied Gods justice And in victry rose again chorus You are highly exalted Name above all names Worthy of all praise You are reigning in glory Jesus, Youre the King over everything Exalted to the highest place Given the name above all other names The tomb is empty, Christ has risen Jesus, the Lamb once crucified The angels never cease to worship Jesus, in heaven glorified To Him belongs the power The wisdom, might and strength All glory and dominion To the Lord of every age (repeat chorus) Our knees will bow, our tongues proclaim That You are Lord of all Our knees will bow, our tongues proclaim That You are Lord of all (repeat chorus)

We Will Glorify We will glorify the King of Kings We will glorify the Lamb We will glorify the Lord of lords Who is the great I AM Lord Jehovah reigns in majesty We will bow before His throne We will worship Him in righteousness We will worship Him alone He is Lord of heaven, Lord of earth He is Lord of all who live He is Lord above the universe All praise to Him we give Hallelujah to the King of kings Hallelujah to the Lamb Hallelujah to the Lord of lords Who is the great I AM

 God Receives Our Offerings lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
~ Jesus, in Matthew 6:20-21

The Prayers of the People Leader: Unison: Let us pray

(The leader prays for specific requests as the assembly prays along with him).

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our debts As we also have forgiven our debtors And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, Now and forever. Amen.

The Presentation of our Tithes and Offerings This collection of our tithes and offerings is for those who consider New City Church their church family and regularly benefit from her ministry and want to invest in her mission. If you are visiting with us, please feel no obligation to give. Hymn of Praise & Worship Lord Reign in Me Over all the earth You reign on high Every mountain stream Every sunset sky But my one request Lord my only aim Is that You reign in me again chorus Lord reign in me Reign in Your power Over all my dreams In my darkest hour / You are the Lord Of all I am / So wont You reign in me again Over every thought

The language of debt/debtor is not to be understood primarily in a financial sense but in the moral/ theological sense of our indebtedness due to our sins against God and others, or the sins others may have committed against us.

Over every word May my life reflect The beauty of the Lord Cause You mean more to me Than any earthly thing So wont You reign in me again Our Confession of Faith Leader: Unison: Heidelberg Catechism #1

Christian, what is your only comfort in life and in death? That I belongbody and soul, in life and in deathnot to myself but to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ, who at the cost of his own blood has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me from the dominion of the devil that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven, not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that everything must fit his purpose for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him!

God Sends Us Out Into The World With His Blessing God has shown you what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. ~ from Micah 6:8

Leader: People:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:13). Amen.

 Community Life

Thanks for visiting New City Church! Were delighted to have had you with us today. If you are looking for a place to explore Christianity and its life-changing relevance, we hope that you will find New City Church a safe place to ask questions and to grow in your understanding of the person and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have any questions about New City Church, Christianity, or the uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth, please dont hesitate to ask us. You can contact Pastor John at john@newcitychurch.ca or call 403.991.5555. If you work in the downtown area, touch base with Pastor Mike Ivancic who also works in downtown. You can contact Mike at mike@newcitychurch.ca or call 403.828.2241.

Pastor John & his wife will be on vacation next week. If any pastoral concerns arise, please contact Pastor Mike Ivancic, or one of our elders, Don Kitchener or Darrell Wolfe. Concert of Prayer, Sunday April 21st, 6-7pm Pastor Mike Ivancic will be leading us through a time of prayer as we pray for the city, for our church, and for the mission that God has given to his church. This is a great opportunity to exercise the muscle of faith by prayer.

Much praying is not done because we do not plan to pray. We do not drift into spiritual life; we do not drift into disciplined prayer. We will not grow in prayer unless we plan to pray. That means we must self-consciously set aside time to do nothing but pray. ~ D.A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation
Western Canada Presbytery Retreat There will be retreat in Canmore from May 2 - 4 this spring. The retreat is being organized by Presbytery but is for church members from all of the Western Canadian churches. The speaker is Jerram Barrs who is a faculty member at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. The retreat theme is "Learning Evangelism from Jesus". More information, be sure to pick up a brochure in the foyer (contact: Don Kitchener don@newcitychurch.ca). Attention Ladies: Save the Date Ladies of NCC to save the evening of April 27th for a Potluck Bridal Shower for Sarah Hiebert, who will be marrying Nathan Fletcher on May 11, 2013. The shower will be at Catherine Gordans home (3508 Varal Rd NW). Please RSVP by April 21st to Shannon De Jong (thedejongs@shaw.ca). All songs used by permission. CCLI license # 273300. Parts of the worship service are adapted from or reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, c. 2004, CRC Publications.

New City Church Online.

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Visit us NCC online at www.NewCityChurch.ca. Here, you can find our sermons & sermon notes posted. You can also subscribe to our sermons via iTunes. Just search for New City Church Calgary and you can find us on iTunes. Were also on Facebook & have a blog for those who are not on Facebook as well. All is accessible via www.NewCityChurch.ca.

ESL Bible Study At Every third Friday of the LeBlancs welcome. For more Richard or Marie

The LeBlancs House the month at 7:00pm at house. All are information, contact

(richard_marie@shaw.ca). Next meeting is on April 19th!

Weekly Servants Schedule

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