Here's how the morning went down at
Community Gospel Church in Bremen, IN...
THE SERVICE
Our Great GOD [Casey Darnell]
Video Announcements
Missions Update & Offering
Forever [Chris Tomlin]
You Never Let Go [Matt Redman]
It Is Well With My Soul [Horatio Spafford]
Message
Overcome [Jon Egan]
Dismiss
Our Great GOD (Reprise)
THE TEAM
Jonathan Eckberg - guitar/vocals
Beth Stemble - piano
Nick Hostetler - drums
Marc Hyde - bass
Alli Hutchens - vocals
Cyndi Leamon - vocals
THE NOTES
Pastor Jordan was on vacation this week so we had a guest speaker fill our pulpit. Brandon Addison grew up in CGC and recently finished his seminary degree in California. Brandon shared an overview of the book of Ecclesiastes and focused on the fact that life according to the world is meaningless, as Solomon laments throughout the book, but life according to Christ is meaningful. It is only through our salvation in Christ that we can find any lasting peace in this life and move past the absurdity of this world.
With this in mind, our worship set focused on the eternity of our GOD. That because he is the GOD who reigns forever that we can always find our hope and peace in who He is and what He has done. It is through Christ and Christ alone that we may overcome the misery and aimlessness of what this life appears to offer.
THE SONGS
Our Great GOD - This is a new song, so we opened the service with it so that people would have a chance to hear it. We also closed the service with it to put it in people's ears one more time. We have actually played it as house music (from the CD) a few times over the past months so I think it felt a little familiar to a lot of people. I love the song and the message of the greatness and majesty of God. I've wanted to introduce it for a while, but haven't had the right time where it fit where we were going. Alli sang lead on this song because the lead guitar parts have an odd timing that I can't seem to make my fingers play while singing something else. It's always nice to have that flexibility within our team.
Casey Darnell is a fantastic songwriter and worship leader. He's part of the team at Northpoint and his last album is a phenomenal album of corporate worship songs. I highly recommend checking out his stuff.
[album: Coming Alive - Casey Darnell]
Forever - In looking at the "big picture" of Ecclesiastes is seems to point to the fact that GOD reigns through all circumstances. A life lived apart from the will of GOD is a life lived in vanity, as Solomon says. Fortunately for the believer GOD is forever faithful, strong, and with us.
[album: The Noise We Make - Chris Tomlin]
You Never Let Go - The GOD who created the heavens and the earth, the GOD who reigns for all eternity, also covers us in his grace. As Paul prays over the thorn in his flesh in 2 Corinthians 12 he hears from the LORD, "My grace is sufficient for you." GOD's grace never let's us go. His peace and calms us through all the storms and struggle of this life and gives us meaning to our existence.
[album: Beautiful News - Matt Redman]
It Is Well With My Soul - This is maybe my all-time favorite hymn. In regards to the service it continued the thought of GOD's reign and our rest within it. As GOD's love and majesty exists throughout all of history and he remains sovereign over all we can rest in the knowledge that he maintains his mercy and justice over us. With this in mind we can find in him our comfort in every situation.
[Album: Ebenezar: A Collection of Hymns - Dave Hunt]
Overcome - Perfect ending to our service. The whole idea that Christ has already overcome Satan and our eternal standing is secure when we stand in light of that truth is phenomenal. Ecclesiastes walks through Solomon's struggle with materialism and a final resting in the justice of GOD, not in the thoughts and justice of our hearts and minds.
[album: Everyone Overcome - Desperation Band]
To see the ways that other brothers and sisters worshipped in song this week you can check out the
sunday setlist at
www.theworshipcommunity.com.
