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| The Charis Methodist Church Family |
'Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. They tell of Your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty. They tell of the power of Your awesome works. They celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness. ' Psalm 145:3a,4a,5a,6a,7
Why do we go to church?
- To worship God
- To sing praises
- To sing hymns
- To pray
- To hear God's Words read from the Bible.
- To hear inspirational sermons
- To hear good music and chorale singing
- To enjoy sanctuary.
- To fellowship with friends and encourage one another.
The answer to the question should be all of the above and in that answer we give the full expression for church attendance, as one family and the body of Christ, Total Church.
There is a special meaning for me to come for the worship service of my church, Charis Methodist Church. I come to join my friends, my brothers and sisters in worship and confession of my faith. It is my spiritual refreshment at the start of every week. King David wrote of the joy of corporate worship.
'I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord.' Psalms 122:1 (NLT)
Nowadays the standard of the preaching or the quality of the music seem to be the main attractions. Many move from church to church, now from zoom to zoom, to hear the great speakers that can inspire and deliver good sermons every week. Others are attracted to the praise singing or the choir. Unfortunately not all local churches will be so endowed or gifted, thus leaving some members disappointed.
If we come for Sunday service only for the sermons and music, we fail to understand the two imperatives for regular church attendance
- To worship God -the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- To profess the spirit of the Christian family - the Body of Christ
Every Sunday serves to bring out these two aspects of the church, the Corporate Worship and the Family of Believers.
When a person enters the house of God, he should be struck by reverential awe. The architecture of the sanctuary, whether simple or ornate should help the worshipper sense peace and beauty.
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| St Peter's Church, Munich |
'One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.' Psalm 27:4
The Orthodox Christians celebrate Christ, the Lord of Hosts and adorn their churches with gilded icons and golden coloured frescoes to uplift the Christus Pantocratos. The crucifix in Catholic churches draws attention to the suffering and sacrifice of Christ. The simple cross in Protestant churches celebrates the victory of the resurrected Christ. Yet some others, like the Quakers believe in making their sanctuary simple and minimalistic.
Some churches used the organ, piano and choir in the prelude, during and postlude to help in the worship. Others use prayer and praise sessions. Still others use silence and prayer. All should help direct the congregants' attention to God and enhance the spirit of connection.
The song, 'Come Now Is The Time To Worship' helps express this connection.
Come, now is the time to worshipCome, now is the time to give your heartCome, just as you are to worshipCome, just as you are before your God, ComeOne day every tongue will confess You are GodOne day every knee will bowStill the greatest treasure remains for thoseWho gladly choose You now
The second imperative to come to church is the gathering of the family of God. This gathering allows 'Koinonia' or Fellowship. We build our friendships and learn to grow along with others as Christian brothers and sisters. We help, comfort, and strengthen each other. The Bible encourages us to meet together regularly for mutual encouragement and spurring each other to remain faithful.
'And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another...' Hebrews 10:24-25
This expression of family strengthens the church and in turn allows the congregation to go beyond themselves to consider outreach and service to others. We engage as one family in missions, evangelism, witnessing, social concerns and outreach. Just as worship enables the vertical relationship between Church and God, fellowship strengthens the horizontal relationships between friends, families and reaches out to the the community. This is an expression of the Total Church
This song, 'Welcome to the Family' sends a powerful message of our Christian bonds and expressions of love for one another.
Welcome to the family
We're glad that you have come
To share your life with us
As we grow in love and
May we always be to you
What God would have us be
A family always there
To be strong and to lean on,
May we learn to love each other
More with each new day
May words of love be on our lips
In everything we say
May the Spirit melt our hearts
And teach us how to pray
That we might be a true family
We're glad that you have come
To share your life with us
As we grow in love and
May we always be to you
What God would have us be
A family always there
To be strong and to lean on,
May we learn to love each other
More with each new day
May words of love be on our lips
In everything we say
May the Spirit melt our hearts
And teach us how to pray
That we might be a true family
Going to church is not personal, the church is family. It is timely that we free ourselves from personal preoccupations with sermons or music, important though they may be, but to consider brothers and sisters, coming together, to express 'Total Church.'
Lionel
