Last Sunday night was our most recent communion service here at Grace Church. WOW! What a night it was. Over and over I have heard people say that last Sunday evening was the best communion service they have ever attended. I have to agree with those sentiments. It was a very special night of worship and celebrating the past, present and future ministry of Christ in our lives. What made this one so different? I think three words would describe it best. The evening was informal…simple…focused.
The evening began with Lisa Weidman leading us in two very powerful worship songs that allowed us to really focus on Christ. After I spent some time reminding our church that this evening was all about Jesus, we began to focus on His present ministry in our lives, the fact that He daily cleanses us from our sin. This celebration and worship is done through the washing of each other’s feet. As we wash the feet of another believer we remind them that according to John 13 and 1 John 1:9 we have a Savior who is able and willing to wash our spiritual feet each and every day. I read from Psalm 32 which declares, “How blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” During the singing of three beautiful hymns, as the Spirit led, the men went to footwashing areas on the side of the auditorium and the ladies to areas in the back of the auditorium. As we sang these songs we washed each others feet and focused on Christ and His cleansing
Immediately following the time of footwashing we were able to watch several adults follow the Lord in water baptism. What a thrill to hear their testimonies of how they found Jesus Christ and the people God used to lead them to a saving knowledge of the Lord.
When baptism ended, I introduced the time that we call the love feast. This is a celebration of the future ministry of Christ when at the grand Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven, Christ Himself will come forth and serve us. The focus of that event will not be the food but the Bridegroom…Jesus. I reminded us that Jesus said that by this one thing all men will know that we are His followers…by our love for one another. I then dismissed us to enjoy a time of food and fellowship. During this time I encouraged everyone to take the time to hug another believer or two and tell them those powerful and Biblical words, “I love you”! I also encouraged us to take a minute sometime during the love feast and to go over to the wall of the auditorium where we have 3,000 names written of people that we are asking God to use us to help bring to Jesus and to pray for some of those names.
We then gathered together to end the evening by celebrating the past ministry of Christ, His death on the cross as the substitutionary atonement for our sin. I had everyone close their eyes and envision as I read the crucifixion account from Mark 15 followed by the glorious account from Revelation 5 as in heaven we will all shout out, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” We then sang two final worship songs about the cross. During these songs, as the Spirit led us, we invited people to go to one of two stations in the auditorium where elements were located on tables to partake of the bread and the cup, remembering and thanking God for the sacrifice of Christ. What a night of worship! What a Savior He is!
The evening began with Lisa Weidman leading us in two very powerful worship songs that allowed us to really focus on Christ. After I spent some time reminding our church that this evening was all about Jesus, we began to focus on His present ministry in our lives, the fact that He daily cleanses us from our sin. This celebration and worship is done through the washing of each other’s feet. As we wash the feet of another believer we remind them that according to John 13 and 1 John 1:9 we have a Savior who is able and willing to wash our spiritual feet each and every day. I read from Psalm 32 which declares, “How blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” During the singing of three beautiful hymns, as the Spirit led, the men went to footwashing areas on the side of the auditorium and the ladies to areas in the back of the auditorium. As we sang these songs we washed each others feet and focused on Christ and His cleansing
Immediately following the time of footwashing we were able to watch several adults follow the Lord in water baptism. What a thrill to hear their testimonies of how they found Jesus Christ and the people God used to lead them to a saving knowledge of the Lord.
When baptism ended, I introduced the time that we call the love feast. This is a celebration of the future ministry of Christ when at the grand Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven, Christ Himself will come forth and serve us. The focus of that event will not be the food but the Bridegroom…Jesus. I reminded us that Jesus said that by this one thing all men will know that we are His followers…by our love for one another. I then dismissed us to enjoy a time of food and fellowship. During this time I encouraged everyone to take the time to hug another believer or two and tell them those powerful and Biblical words, “I love you”! I also encouraged us to take a minute sometime during the love feast and to go over to the wall of the auditorium where we have 3,000 names written of people that we are asking God to use us to help bring to Jesus and to pray for some of those names.
We then gathered together to end the evening by celebrating the past ministry of Christ, His death on the cross as the substitutionary atonement for our sin. I had everyone close their eyes and envision as I read the crucifixion account from Mark 15 followed by the glorious account from Revelation 5 as in heaven we will all shout out, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” We then sang two final worship songs about the cross. During these songs, as the Spirit led us, we invited people to go to one of two stations in the auditorium where elements were located on tables to partake of the bread and the cup, remembering and thanking God for the sacrifice of Christ. What a night of worship! What a Savior He is!
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