LEFC Guide to Worship

Sunday, October 11, 2020
Lanse Evangelical Free Church

• From the Pastor
• Home Worship Guide
• Church Family News
• Prayer Items

From the Pastor

Dear Church Family,

I like to think of October as Congregation Appreciation Month. Heather and I feel very loved by you all year round, but as you all go out of your way in October to express your appreciation for us, I always feel that it is just as appropriate to tell you what a joy it is to be your pastor. Thank you for supporting me all of these years, and thank you, especially for following my lead this year in particular. I know it’s been hard for all of us to make uncomfortable adjustments in a stressful year, but you have been a great encouragement to me in 2020. Thank you!

The theme of our worship this weekend is putting our hope in God no matter how we feel. I love that there are psalms for every feeling that we experience as God’s people. Let’s learn from Psalm 42 how to hang on with total honesty and tenacious faith. The Lord is what our souls so desperately need.

Whether at home or on campus, let’s make sure that every single one of us in this church family worships the Lord Jesus Christ.

In His Grip,

– Pastor Matt

P.S. Psalm 42 repeats the refrain, “I will yet praise him.” A great way to do that is to sing out loud, no matter how you feel. I hope your family is singing through the month of October!

Home Worship Guide

1. Welcome to Worship

Read Psalm 150 with exuberance as your family gathers to worship.

**Option. Pastor Matt will be preaching from Psalm 42 this weekend which has the refrain, “I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Families could begin by discussing Psalm 42 and Psalm 150 together and asking what does it mean to praise God?

Have someone pray and ask God to bless your time of worship at home.

2.Worship in Singing

As a household sing “Praise Him! Praise Him!” by Fanny Crosby (1869).

YouTube Video

**Option. Those worshiping on campus are also singing, “Let’s Just Praise the Lord,” “What A Friend We Have in Jesus,” “This Is Amazing Grace,” “His Mercy Is More,” and “It Is Well With My Soul.” You could add or substitute those songs for your household, too.

3. Worship in Unity

Answer together the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism (1563):

Q. What is our only comfort in life and death?

A. That we are not our own
but belong with body and soul
both in life and in death
to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all our sins
with his precious blood,
and has set us free
from all the power of the devil.

He also preserves us in such a way
that without the will of our heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from our heads;
indeed, all things must work together
for our salvation.

Therefore, by his Holy Spirit
he also assures us
of eternal life
and makes us heartily willing and ready
from now to live for him.

[Pastor Matt has worded the translation into the first-person plural so that we declare it together as a community of faith with the communion of the saints.]

**Option: Listen to the new song by Keith and Kristyn Getty based upon this catechism question: Christ Our Hope in Life and Death.

4. Worship in Lament and Thanksgiving

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).

Share with your family those things you are thankful for and those things you are lamenting this week.

5. Worship in Bible Memory

Recite our current “Hide the Word” memory verses, Philippians 4:4-8.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

6. Worship in Prayer

Take prayer requests and pray for each other.

Read the prayer guide together and pray for the rest of the church family and the requests listed.

7. Worship in the Word

Watch or read Pastor Matt’s message: “A Dying Thirst for the Living God.”

Facebook Video

YouTube Video

Read on Pastor Matt’s Blog

[The message will be available online by Sunday morning.]

Some families may want to watch/read the message on their own and then have a Bible study and discussion together during this time.

8. Worship in Singing

Sing “As the Deer” by Martin Nystrom (1981).

You Tube Video

9. Worship All Week

Have someone pray a prayer of commissioning for your family as you end this time of gathered worship and face a week of new opportunities and new challenges to serve the Lord, the church, and the world in His Name.

10. Participate in LEFC Family Fellowship Meeting on Zoom – 6:30pm on Sunday October 11th.

Many of us are meeting through video-conference online this Sunday at 6:30pm:

• See one another’s faces and hear each other’s voices.
• Listen to announcements of church family news.
• Interact with Pastor Kevin Martin of Wheatland Community Church. Learn about what the Lord is doing in and through our EFCA sister church in Rush, NY.
• LEFC Zoom Kids, can you show us a toy boat or ship you have in the house? Pastor Matt has another object lesson to share with us this week that involves rudders.
• Pray for one another live and online.

If you have any questions about how to do this, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Church Family News

Operation Christmas Child

Our church will once again participate in Operation Christmas Child, sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse. If you feel led to pack a shoebox for a child, take one of the boxes in the foyer and fill it up. The shoeboxes need to be returned to the church by Wednesday, November 11th or Sunday, November 15th. Please bring any extra items that don’t fit in your shoeboxes as often we need an item or two to fill out other boxes. Each box will cost $9 to ship. If you are interested in sponsoring one or more of the shoeboxes we hope to send, mark your donation “Shoeboxes.”

Children’s Church

All children (ages 3 – 3^rd grade) are invited to join us for Children’s Church at our 9:30 worship service. Parents: When indicated in the service, please bring your kids back to the foyer. Drop them off at the end of the hall with a volunteer. We will bring them back out the hallway to the foyer to meet you at the conclusion of our program time. All ministry workers have their clearances.

West Branch Ministerium Thanksgiving Service

What are you thankful for? We are looking for a few people willing to share their answers to this question on video to be used in the West Branch Ministerium’s Thanksgiving service. Some ideas for expressing this are to write a poem, prayer, or short praises or thanks to God that can be used in the opening segment of the service, record a message of thanks on video (1 minute max), draw or paint a picture, record a song with your family, or be creative and come up with your own ideas. Marilynn will submit all items by the end of the month. These will be combined with others from the ministerium and be used to create a virtual worship service to premiere on Sunday, November 22^nd at 7:00pm.

New Here?

Thanks for joining us today! Newcomer cards are on the Welcome Tables in the foyer. If you have not received one yet, please ask one of our greeters where they are. We appreciate you joining us and would like to know more about you. Please take some time to fill it out then drop it in the offering plate when you leave. Thanks!

Family Fellowship on Zoom

Join us this evening at 6:30pm for our Church Family Fellowship on Zoom. We will visit together, share Church Family News items, and spend some time interacting with Pastor Kevin Martin of Wheatland Community Church and learn about what the Lord is doing in and through our EFCA sister church in Rush, NY. LEFC Kids, can you show us a toy boat or ship you have in the house? Pastor Matt has another object leson to share with us this week that involves rudders.

Pastor Appreciation Month

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Remember to thank Pastor Matt & Heather for their hard work, sacrificial dedication, and multiple blessings they have provided to us by serving our Lord here at LEFC. As our gift of appreciation to Pastor Matt & Heather, the Elder Board has decided to send them on a personal Pastor and Wife retreat the weekend of October 16-18.

Compassion Walk

Did you participate in West Branch Ministerium Compassion Walk through their virtual option last week? If so, your sponsor sheet and donations are due today and can be dropped in the offering plate. Be sure your gift is marked “Walk.” Thank you.

On-Campus Prayer Meeting

Join us Wednesdays at 7:00pm in the Fellowship Hall for a brief Bible study, praising God through song, and praying with other believers. Reminder: Because we are inside, masks or shields are required of all who attend. We will continue to send the Prayer Meeting at Home guide to anyone who requests it. Contact the church office to get this weekly email.

Need Prayer?

Our church and our pastor love to pray for you. If you have a need for prayer, you can email us at prayer@lansefree.org. All emails being sent to this address will be seen by Pastor Matt. Please indicate if this is a private request (for Pastor Matt and the Elder Board) or public request for the prayer chain.

Pavilion Fund

We have opened a designated giving fund for a picnic pavilion here at church. You can donate to this by marking your gift “pavilion” and placing it in the offering.

Sunday Morning Greeter Sign-Up

Do you like to say hi to people? Can you smile behind your mask? Be sure to stop in the foyer on your way out and sign up to greet for a service (or more!) in October, and November.

Continuing to Give

Thank you for continuing to support our ministries and missionaries. Ways to give:

• Mail your offering check to us at PO BOX 114, Lanse, PA 16849.
• Cash or Check in person. Drop off your offering at the church during office hours (9:30-2:30 Tuesday – Friday) in the offering plate right inside the door.
• Online Payments – P2P (CNB), PayPal, and Venmo are all e-giving options. Our account address is our email: churchoffice@lansefree.org. Contact Marilynn if you need any help navigating this way of giving.

Prayer Items

Contact the church office for this week’s prayer requests from the bulletin.