Posts Tagged ‘worship’

This past weekend, we continued in our fifth message of our series – “Seven.” Our pastor, Joe Hishmeh, shared from Philippians 2:3-4 about the importance of having healthy friendships in following Christ. The best way to have great friendships is to be a great friend–one who loves like Jesus has loved us. Joe called us to being available, building up, accepting, enduring, sharpening, and understanding in our friendships. It was a great call for us, and it was something I needed to hear this weekend. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:

Welcome
“Hosanna (Praise Is Rising)” (G) [Paul Baloche, Brenton Brown]
“Unchanging” (G) [Chris Tomlin]

Greeting Time/Announcements
Message – “Seven: Friends – Philippians 2:3-4″ [Joe Hishmeh]
“One Thing Remains” (Bb) [Brian Johnson, Jeremy Riddle, Christa Black]
“How He Loves” (Bb) [John Mark McMillan]
“Everlasting God” (Bb) [Brenton Brown, Ken Riley]

Dismissal

Thoughts: This weekend was a great Mothers’ Day Weekend. Joe’s message was very challenging, and our times of singing were really moving. It was highlight to sing “One Thing Remains” and “How He Loves” together again. I really enjoy both of those those songs because they portray the love of God for us so uniquely and powerfully.

Since Joe was talking about friendship and how our relationships ought to reflect the gospel and how Christ gave Himself up for us, you can see that we sang primarily of Christ’s unfailing love and grace for us. I believe when we sing of true character of God, we are also in a sense calling ourselves to reflect that character in our own lives. What we praise, in some way we also desire to be. If we want to love like Christ, let’s worship Him for His amazing love for us, which He demonstrated at the cross.

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?

This past weekend, we continued in our fourth message of our series – “Seven.” Our pastor, Joe Hishmeh, shared about being content with what God has provided for us, and leveraging our resources for the gospel and the kingdom of God, rather than trying to keep up with other people we see. It was a challenging message that called us away from the Keeping-up-with-the-Joneses mentality of the world to the selfless mentality of a Christ-follower. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:

Welcome
“Made Alive” (C) [Zach Bolen, Brian Eichelberger]
Greeting Time/Announcements
Message – “Seven: Finances – Philippians 4:11″ [Joe Hishmeh]
Communion

“Jesus Take All Of Me (Just As I Am)” (C) [Charlotte Elliot, Brenton Brown]
“Wonderful Maker” (G) [Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman]
“10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)” (G) [Matt Redman, Jonas Myrin]

Dismissal

Thoughts: This weekend was a solid weekend of worship. The team did a great job, and the church sang out! I am loving “Made Alive.” It is a song that I can’t get out of my head, and it is a great way to get the truth of Ephesians 2 in our hearts and minds throughout the week. I think the church is getting a hold of it, and I look forward to continuing to sing it in the near future. We’re going to rest the song next weekend, and we’ll pick up the weekend after that to continue to teach the song & refresh it for those who don’t remember it as well. “Jesus Take All Of Me” is one of my favorite newer songs for our church, and it was a very meaningful moment during communion in the wake of Joe’s message.

“Wonderful Maker” always holds a special place in my heart as the song that opened my eyes to how selfish I was in worship. This song helped me see just how much I was saying the words “I” and “Me” in worship, and seeking what I could get from God, rather than the glory and praise that I could give to Him because of His surpassing goodness and worth. He alone has effected our rescue, so He alone is worthy of all glory, praise, and honor. This was the first song I can remember singing that didn’t say “I” or “me” in it even once. This song was a game-changer for me that really altered my trajectory as a worshiper and as a worship leader.

I love our church, and I love what God is doing in us!

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?

First off, sorry for the late posting this week! This past weekend, we continued in our third message of our series – “Seven.” Our pastor, Joe Hishmeh, shared about the importance of our calling, and how we are all called to be ministers of the gospel in whatever vocation we have. Every job can present an opportunity for the gospel if we serve with excellence and integrity. His message called us all out to a higher level of serving with our lives. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:

Pre-Service – “Only A Word” (E) [Original]
Welcome
“Your Grace Is Enough” (G) [Matt Maher]
“Made Alive” (C) [Zach Bolen, Brian Eichelberger]
Greeting Time/Announcements
Message – “Seven: Calling – Colossians 3:17″ [Joe Hishmeh]
“Take My Life And Let It Be” (D) [Frances Ridley Havergal, Henri Abraham Cesar Malan]
“Your Great Name” (Bb) [Michael Neale, Krissy Nordhoff]
“Let Me Sing” (Bb) [Todd Fields]

Dismissal

Thoughts: This weekend was a beautiful and powerful weekend. The team did an amazing job, and the church sang out! I was really encouraged by the feedback we received regarding the weekend, especially about the new song we introduced: “Made Alive” by The Citizens. I LOVE this song. It feels totally different from most of the music for the Church that is out there, and it is taken right out of Ephesians chapter 2, which is one of my favorite gospel passages. It lays out where we were and where we are now because Christ has brought us back and made us alive together with Him because of His grace, love, and mercy. Singing it really just makes me want to shout out! I can’t wait to sing it again this week. Another highlight of the weekend was when we sang “Your Great Name.” I’m not sure I have ever heard the church sing as loud as they did during that song this weekend. It was overwhelming. Jesus is so good, it’s ridiculous.

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?

This was our first week of our new series – “Seven,” which is about the seven marks of an intentional life. Our discipleship pastor, David Hinkle, started us off by preaching through the spiritual area of our lives, coming primarily from Galatians 2:20. It was a powerful challenge with four practices for help us seek and serve Jesus with our lives. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:

Welcome/Call to Worship
“All Because of Jesus” (B) [Steve Fee]
“Happy Day” (B) [Tim Hughes, Ben Cantelon]

Greeting Time/Announcements
Message – “The Seven: Spiritual – Galatians 2:20″ [David Hinkle]
“Because of Your Love” (E) [Phil Wickham]
“Forever Reign” (A) [Reuben Morgan, Jason Ingram]
“Jesus Messiah” (A) [Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Ed Cash]

Dismissal

Thoughts: This weekend was a fantastic weekend. David’s message was a great reminder for our church, and our worship team did an awesome job leading together. I am so thankful to lead beside such amazing people. They love God, they love the Church, and they give their best to point our people towards Christ through our time of singing together. The church sang out beautifully this weekend, especially during the final three songs of the services. It was so much so that I was getting a little choked up at several points (It’s a little hard to keep singing at those moments…). It was amazing. I felt the songs we sang really connected with the central message of Galatians 2:20, and I think it was really powerful all together.

I love my team. I love our church. Praise God for what He is doing in us.

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?

For our final week of our 2 Corinthians series – “Purpose In Christ,” our pastor, Joe Hishmeh, preached through 2 Corinthians 13, and taught about how believers can pursue peace with one another through “rejoicing, restoring, reaffirming, reuniting, and reconciling.” It was a great challenge to each of us to pursue health in our relationships. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:

Welcome/Call to Worship – Ephesians 2:4ff
“In Tenderness” (G) [Adoniram J. Gordan, W. Spencer Walton, arr. by Citizens]
Greeting Time/Announcements
Message – “Purpose In Christ, pt. 11″ [Joe Hishmeh]
Communion
“In My Place” (G) [Michael Bleecker, Matt Boswell]
“Son of God” (G) [Jon Neufeld, Tim Neufeld, Ed Cash, and Gordon Cochran]
“Our God” (G) [Jonas Myrin, Jesse Reeves, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin]

Dismissal

Thoughts: This was a good weekend. Our team did a great job, and the church engaged well in each of our worship experiences. Lindsay Kraisinger and Heidi Carlson did a great job leading “In My Place” during communion, which was a beautiful moment. Kip Kraisinger did a great job co-leading on several of the songs, as well. It was great to have a few people to share the leading load this weekend, especially since I was fending off strep throat (which my wife had) the whole weekend. My immune system finally gave in Sunday afternoon, but I’m glad to have gotten through the weekend without too much trouble. Now, it’s time for some rest.

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?

This year, we celebrated Easter together at the Topeka Performing Arts Center again. It was quite an extensive event to put together, but it is an incredible experience to see our church all together like that! Joe shared about the true significance of Easter for people in every station. Some need to see it, others need to believe it, others need to lives it, and still others need to give it. We also incorporated a special element of artwork that we used parts of at both Good Friday and Easter services: local artist and teacher Mike Mize painted the major stories of redemption history, and recorded the painting process on a tablet so we could replay his paintings in progress for each of the stories. It was pretty incredible to see.

You can watch the message, the services, and The Cross painting video here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:

Pre-Service – “Beautiful” (C) [Phil Wickham]
Call to Worship
“Before The Throne” (A) [Charitie Lees Bancroft, arr. by The Modern Post]
“You Have Overcome” (A) [Bill Horn, Erik Oldberg]
Welcome – David Hinkle
The Cross – Video

Message – “Easter Revealed” [Joe Hishmeh]
“Your Great Name” (Bb) [Krissy Nordhoff, Michael Neale] (with “cardboard testimonies” during the song)
Call to Response/Offering
Reprise of “Your Great Name” (Bb)
“Jesus Paid It All” (Bb) [John T. Grape, Elvina M. Hall, Alex Nifong]
“Lord of All” (Bb) [Kristian Stanfill]/ “How Great Thou Art” (Bb) [Stuart Wesley Keene Hine]
Dismissal – David Hinkle

Thoughts: It is always a beautiful thing when our church comes together in only two services. The church really sang out, and it was overwhelming at times to hear them and see them worshiping Jesus together. A few of the highlights were the cardboard testimonies during “Your Great Name” and our extra drummers playing floor toms during “Jesus Paid It All.” In all, I felt that it was one of best services I have ever been a part of planning. It flowed well from one element to another, and the tech team did a great job of facilitating each element.

Above all, people responded to the gospel – many trusted in Jesus for the first time, and others wanted to reconnect with Christ after drifting. Still others wanted to trust their lives to the same power of God that raised Jesus from the dead. It was amazing!

Our staff team and volunteers did an incredible job with all of the many aspects of putting together off-campus services. It is such a privilege to serve with each of them. I am so thankful for our church!

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?

For our tenth week of our 2 Corinthians series – “Purpose In Christ,” our family pastor, Brian Tryhus, preached through 2 Corinthians 11-12, and taught about how we as believers need to handle trials and difficulties in our lives. He challenged us to recognize our own weakness, and to find our strength in Christ alone. It was a powerful reminder to all of us. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:

Pre-Service – “Beautiful” (C) [Phil Wickham]
Welcome/Call to Worship
“Hosanna (Praise Is Rising)” (G) [Paul Baloche, Brenton Brown]
Greeting Time
Child Dedications
Announcements/Trash Mountain Documentary Trailer

Message – “Purpose In Christ, pt. 10″ [Brian Tryhus]
“It Is Well” (B) [Horatio G. Spafford, Todd Fields]
“Always” (B) [Kristian Stanfill, Jason Ingram]
“One Thing Remains” (B) [Christa Black, Brian Johnson, Jeremy Riddle]
Dismissal

Thoughts: This was a great Palm Weekend celebration. Our team did a great job! We also had two brand new team members: Matthew Gonzales on drums and Dawn Phoenix helping with background vocals. It was great to see them connecting with the team and finding their fit in ministry. I loved how everything connected in our services, and the songs we sang this weekend were some of my favorites. It had been a while for all of the final three songs, so it was refreshing to sing them together with our congregation once again. I am so grateful for what the Lord continues to do in our church. I’m am really pumped about Good Friday and Easter this week! It will be our best one yet!

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?

For our eighth week of our 2 Corinthians series – “Purpose In Christ,” pastor Joe preached through 2 Corinthians 9, and taught about what believers receive when we give to God and to others. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:


Welcome/Call to Worship – 1 Chronicles 29:11-13
“Your Grace Is Enough” (G) [Matt Maher]
“Joyful (The One Who Saves)” (C) [Ludwig van Beethoven, Brenton Brown, Jason Ingram]
Greeting Time/Announcements
Message – “Purpose In Christ, pt. 8″ [Joe Hishmeh]
“10,000 Reason (Bless The Lord)” (G) [Matt Redman, Jonas Myrin]
“Because of Your Love” (G) [Phil Wickham]
“Beautiful” (C) [Phil Wickham]
Dismissal

Thoughts: This was a great weekend. From the call to worship to the end of the last song, it was a beautiful time of worship in each of our services. We continued teaching Phil Wickham’s “Beautiful” to our congregation. It is a simple and powerful song that helps us declare the glory and power of Christ as demonstrated through creation, redemption, and the final consummation of our salvation. I love it and hope our church continues to take a greater hold of it. It was also great to sing “Joyful” again. It had been a while since we had sung that one. “Because of Your Love” and “10,000 Reasons” were great fits for where Joe went with the message this weekend. They helped us reiterate and sing the truth about giving and generosity in their proper place–as a response to what God has already done for us and given us.

On a side note, I had an issue with a burr on my guitar’s saddle, which resulted in several broken strings–a little frustrating, but not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. My main guitar is getting the frets planed and dressed, so I’ll have to get the issue figured out on this guitar in the meantime…
I hope you had a great weekend of worship! Thanks for reading and being a part of this with me.

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?

For our seventh week of our 2 Corinthians series – “Purpose In Christ,” pastor Joe preached through 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, and taught that every believer needs to grow in giving, because of the grace, joy, and sacrifice that we receive from God.  You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:


Pre-Service – “Beautiful” (D) [Phil Wickham]
Welcome
“I Stand Amazed (How Marvelous)” (G) [Charles Hutchison]
Greeting Time/Announcements
Message – “Purpose In Christ, pt.7″ [Joe Hishmeh]
Communion
“Son of God” (G) [Jon Neufeld, Tim Neufeld]
“Jesus Paid It All” (B) [John T. Grape, Elvina M. Hall, Alex Nifong]
“Beautiful the Blood” (B) [Louie Giglio, Steve Fee]
Dismissal

Thoughts: It was a fantastic weekend. I love celebrating the Lord’s Supper together with our church, and the songs we sang together were great anthems to sing together. Communion weekends are always powerful moments, as we are even more intentional about focusing on the cross and what Jesus accomplished for us in rescuing us from our sins. It was really moving. “Beautiful The Blood” is becoming more familiar to our congregation, so I look forward to continuing to sing it together in the future. It’s a great anthem about the precious blood of Christ that was shed for us! All in all, it was a beautiful weekend. God is so good to us.

Thanks for reading and being a part of this with me! Sorry it was so late!

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?

This was the fifth week of our 2 Corinthians series – “Purpose In Christ.” Our pastor Joe Hishmeh preached through a second video message he recorded–this week time India. As I type this, he is somewhere over the northern U.S. headed to Kansas City International Airport, after visiting our mission partners around the world for the last 19 days. I can’t wait to hear more about what the Lord has done in and through him on his journey. This week, he shared about being controlled by the love of God. It was a great reminder that we should not allow any other factor to control our interactions with the people in our lives–only the love of God, demonstrated through the cross of Christ. You can listen to or watch the entire message and service here.

Here’s our service plan from this weekend:


Pre-Service – “Beautiful the Blood” (Bb) [Louie Giglio, Steve Fee]
Welcome
“Those Who Trust” (Em) [Don Chaffer]
“Our God’s Alive” (Em) [Andy Cherry, Jason Ingram, Dan Muckala]
Greeting Time/Announcements
Message – “Purpose In Christ – Controlled by the Love of God (from Chennai, India)” [Joe Hishmeh]
“From The Inside Out” (Bb) [Joel Houston]

“Your Great Name” (Bb) [Michael Neale, Krissy Nordhoff]
“Beautiful the Blood” (Bb) [Louie Giglio, Steve Fee]
Dismissal

Thoughts: It was another great weekend at Fellowship. We introduced (or reintroduced) “Beautiful The Blood,” which is a great song about the gospel. During the service, we incorporated a video background that was created for the song with the lyrics of the song in motion. I loved how that incorporated with the song and enhanced our focus on what we were singing together. That was probably the highlight of the weekend for me. Beginning our service with “Those Who Trust” and “Our God’s Alive” back to back was a great way to start, setting the tone for the service and developing a great energy in the room. (Plus, they’re both a lot of fun to play with the band – I did not account for how little breath I would have as a result of doing the two together, however…)

Our team did a great job throughout the weekend, and the church was singing beautifully all weekend. Praise God for what he’s doing in our church!

Thanks for reading and being a part of this with me!

- Bill

What were your thoughts or experiences from your worship gathering this weekend?