Worship for Sunday June 7th, 2020:

Step One: Worship through affirmation of faith and song:

Our World Belongs to God Contemporary Testimony of the Christian Reformed Church

Article 41: Joining the mission of God, the church is sent with the gospel of the kingdom to call everyone to know and follow Christ and to proclaim to all the assurance that in the name of Jesus there is forgiveness of sin and new life for all who repent and believe. The Spirit calls all members to embrace God’s mission in their neighborhoods and in the world: to feed the hungry, bring water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and free the prisoner. We repent of leaving this work to a few, for this mission is central to our being.

Article 42: In a world estranged from God, where happiness and peace are offered in many names and millions face confusing choices, we witness— with respect for followers of other ways— to the only one in whose name salvation is found: Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God reconciles the world to himself. God loves all creation; his compassion knows no bounds. On our part in God’s mission, see Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 24:45-49, and John 17:18; on seeing our mission beyond our local community, Matthew 24:14 and Acts 13:1-3; on meeting the needs of people, Matthew 25:31-46 and Luke 4:18-19; and on the centrality of mission to our being, John 20:21.

Song: My Hope is Built/Solid Rock performed by Jeff Mark

My Hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name.

Chorus: On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand – all other ground is sinking sand

When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale my anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, his covenant, and his blood support me in the whelming flood. When every earthly prop gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.

Another confession: Read Aloud Our World Belongs to God Contemporary Testimony of the Christian Reformed Church

Article 52: We obey God first; We respect the authorities that rule, for they are established by God: we pray for our rulers, and we work to influence governments— resisting them only when Christ and conscience demand. We are thankful for the freedoms enjoyed by citizens of many lands; we grieve with those who live under oppression, and we seek for them the liberty to live without fear.

Article 53: We call on all governments to do public justice and to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals, groups, and institutions so that each may do their tasks. We urge governments and pledge ourselves to safeguard children and the elderly from abuse and exploitation, to bring justice to the poor and oppressed, and to promote the freedom to speak, work, worship, and associate.

Step Two: Special Offering for the month of May: En-Gedi How can you support En-Gedi with Margaret Njuguna in its ministry? Read Margaret’s latest newsletter here. Please send this month’s special offering to Crestview Church, 3665 Madison Ave, Boulder, CO 80303 and designate special giving for En-Gedi in memo.

Watch this Intro video to our summer message series, Live Wide Awake, Laura DeGroot: Laura’s Introductory Video

Step Three: Engage the Message: Message: Live Wide Awake: Known and Loved (Psalm 139)

Part 1: (13min) Video PART 1
Part 2: (9min) Video PART 2

Question for discussion: • Several of this week’s practices involve talking out loud with God, as if God is really present with you in person. Is this concept or practice something new or unusual to you? Why or why not?

Step Four: Responding to God’s Word

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, today we mourn. That’s where we start, with our voices crying out to You as we mourn our unjust world. Some terrible things have happened in the last few weeks. We mourn over the senseless and tragic killing of George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna
Taylor. And sadly, there are many more that can be named. In only the last few weeks. We mourn with our black brothers and sisters who have painfully walked this road over and over. We mourn the broken systems and we mourn our own inaction and selfishness in acknowledging, and soon forgetting and moving on with our lives.

God, unite us around a mission of justice. There are so many ways that our church and the broader Church is divided, but unite us, God, around, if nothing else, a love for You and your people. And your people are diverse. And “if one part [of the body] suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). God, unite us in our mourning. Unite us in anger against injustice. Unite us in repentance for the ways we’ve contributed and been complicit, as the church and as individuals, to racism and hate and violence. Unite us in a commitment to action. Because inaction against injustice isn’t an option for us your people.

God, take our mourning and turn it into repentance. We want to be transformed by your love, your mercy, your hope for all people, especially…specifically…the oppressed. God, convict us of that. Transform us. Break our hearts for what breaks yours, because we know that acts of racism and inaction against racism breaks your heart.

God, we commit to educating ourselves. Inspire us to listen intentionally to the voices of the oppressed and their experiences – to listen, learn, and live into building a common life of shared dignity and friendship. Give us a posture of humility.

God, make us brave: to have the hard conversations with our friends and family, to call out racism when it’s blatantly obvious, when we hear the subtle “jokes” and stereotypes among our friends. May we be brave in our advocacy. May we be brave in how we use our money to support organizations that work for racial reconciliation and justice. Because this isn’t a problem for someone else to deal with us. It’s ours. Each of ours. And ours as your people.

God, we want to be more like you. To begin, help us find a few tangible ways to invest in change and self-education now. This can feel so overwhelming, and we pray that we can focus our energy in a clear direction. Keep us humble. Root us in your Word. We as a church want to be light and hope. We don’t always say the right thing or say anything, and we know that we will continue to miss the mark because we are broken. But through you we have hope. And we know that your plan for redemption in the world is to use your people. So, use us. Lord have mercy.

Amen. (Adapted prayer of Elle Neiuwsma)

‘The Lord bless you and keep you’ and may His Kingdom Come in all of its fullness!

Download today, June 7th, Sunday at 11:00 am
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82764714482

Announcements:

Congratulations Jackie and Drew! May God bless you as you begin your married life together! Jackie and Drew married on Saturday, June 6th and your Crestview family celebrates with you.

Special Offering for month of May: En Gedi (link of latest newsletter)

Order your book online (or E-book): Live Wide Awake: Engaging God’s Story, Embracing Yours by Laura DeGroot. We will begin with chapter 1 next week, June 7th and cover a chapter a week through August 30th.

Mark’s introduction to Live Wide Awake

Update on Bridge House activities and involvement: Jared Lefebre gives us an update on ‘all things’ Bridge House and ways that Crestview and you are engaging: Watch Jared’s video here.