CP 3/16-17/24

Good evening/morning!

It is good and fitting to gather together for worship.

If you are new with us, a special welcome to you. My name is Tim and I serve as one of our pastoral residents.

We’d love for you to stop by our welcome desk after the service or to connect with one of us pastors, either here at the front or in the lobby after the service.

Church, I’ve got two exciting things I want to share with you today:

1) Summer Blast Day Camp is only a few months away!

Let’s turn our eyes to the screen to learn more about what happens at Summer BLAST.

Video

I’d encourage you to consider your sphere of influence and any children that may be in it,

and spread the word about this fun and faith-building time.

And, as a reminder, the early-bird pricing is still available for a few more weeks.

2) Second,

Easter Eggstravaganza is right around the corner!

This upcoming Sat Mar 23rd from 9am-12:30, we will be celebrating through all sorts of fun and creative ways, including egg hunts, crafts, and a Resurrection party.

Registration is filling up fast, so please make sure to register online today to join in on the festivities. If you attend the Orchard, but don’t have young kids/grandkids, come anyway to serve and help host the hundreds of people who visit us from the community! You can register to serve on online.

Would you now turn with me to the Lord in prayer?

I will be using Psalm 127 to guide my prayer. TIMER***

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Great Builder of your Church.

You yourself are the cornerstone, chosen and precious, upon which this spiritual house is built.

and unless you build this house, those who build it labor in vain.

Us pastors labor in vain.

Our staff and deacons labor in vain.

Our lay leaders and volunteers labor in vain.

All our members and attenders labor in vain.

Unless you BUILD up this church in faith, hope, and love,

- in maturity, sound doctrine, and steadfast purpose,

- our serving, our worship services, our Life Groups, every ministries is in vain.

Lord Jesus, we need YOU to build this church;

and we need you to build every household represented here.

Thank you for every single person,

for every married couple,

every family big and small,

for all of our children, from infancy to adulthood

Every marriage is a wondrous mystery that YOU have formed

and what you have joined together, let no man separate

Every child that you have given

the many babies in our midst

are a heritage from you, a gracious inheritance from your loving hand

Lord Christ, Giver of life

there are couples here this morning who are barren and unable to conceive

we beg you, Lord,

BUILD their house, and reward them with offspring, the fruit of the womb

Singles here, who desire marriage—grant them godly spouses, as a good gift from you.

There are families here whose children are experiencing the assaults of the evil one and the allure of the world

depression and anxiety

stubborn rebellion

gender dysphoria

bitter jealousy

crippling doubt and unbelief

Lord,

you said you will build your church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

But in many of our lives, the power of darkness seems to encroach upon us,

upon our families,

upon our dear little ones.

Lord Jesus, Commander of Heaven’s army,

if you do not act as our All-Seeing Watchman,

our prayers and sleepless nights are all in vain.

If you do not guard us from the flaming darts of the adversary,

from his subtle lies and accusations,

we lie helpless and exposed.

BUT Lord you are our Almighty Builder, Defender, and Shelter,

you are our Watchman, who neither slumbers nor sleeps,

working for our good day and night.

And therefore,

With the psalmist we confess:

‘it is in vain that we rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil, for You give to your beloved sleep.”

We are your beloved saints, your precious children,

and in the midst of turmoil, trial, and difficulty

we can sleep safely and sweetly

your sovereignty being our pillow.

Thank you that in peace we can serve you, watching and waiting,

and in peace we can lie down and sleep,

for it is You o Lord who make us dwell in safety.

We ask now for your mighty anointing upon the preaching of the Word as we continue in worship,

‘in your holy name King Jesus,’

Amen.

Well now, as we continue in worship, this is your time to fill out the Connection Card.

No matter who you are--member, attender, or visitor,

this is our way as a pastoral staff to know you are here, so that we can provide the BEST pastoral care.

Our desire is that each of you fill one out EVERY time you’re here,

even simply to check-in.

At this time you can do your online giving, or prepare a physical gift to place in the box outside the exits after the service.

Remember: he who sows bountifully reaps bountifully, he who sows sparingly reaps sparingly!

Benediction

As the Spirit leads...

hear these words

All authprity

Go therefore making disciples, lowing your neihbornajd enemy as yourselves

for He is w9th you always

———————

God the Watchman of the heavenly Jerusalem, the ChurchThe Guard, Protector, all-Seeing Defender of city of light Watching over a city to guard against and announce enemies… Watchman announced danger coming… to raise up the army and warn the people Unless God watches over us; ACTIVE watching;

you call us to be like a city of light, set on a hill, whose brightness cannot be hidden

if you do not watch over us, your holy city,

exposing the schemes of Satan and the deceptions of our own hearts

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

working without resting, and working as though it all really depended on us, is vanity

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.“