LEFC Guide to Worship

Sunday, January 31, 2021
Lanse Evangelical Free Church

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

From the Pastor

Dear Church Family,

“Remember” is the most repeated command in the Old Testament. As followers of Jesus Christ, it is good for us to regularly look back and review our past. When we remember, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness. We remember His faithfulness in the good times. We remember the bad times, too, but with the eyes of faith, we remember how the Lord was faithful to us in those bad times. And that reminds us that He will be faithful every day of the future and forever.

Traditionally, we have held an Annual Reports and Vision Meeting on the last Sunday of January. We are not having our regular meeting with “soup-er bowls” ladled up by the Hospitality Team in the Fellowship Hall, but we are marking the occasion by publishing the 2020 Annual Report which recounts God’s faithfulness to us in the tumultuous past year. And we are also looking forward to God’s faithfulness in the year ahead of us.

I encourage you to read through the 2020 Annual Report this week and, along the way, stop to lament each hard loss in a hard year and praise the Lord for each and every blessing.

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

In His Grip,

– Pastor Matt

P.S. I wrote in the Worship Ministries Report, “In 2020, our church worshiped like we never have before,” and that is no understatement. I hope it’s true for all of us that we didn’t just worship more differently but more deeply because the Lord Jesus is worthy of it all. Sing about Him!

Home Worship Guide

1. Welcome to Worship

Read Psalm 111 with joy and expectation as your family gathers to worship.

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

**Option. Families with small children may want to sing again “The Trees of the Field” by Steffi Rubin and Stuart Dauermann. Make sure to clap with the trees!

2.Worship in Singing

As a household sing “The Church’s One Foundation” by Samuel Stone (1866).

YouTube Video

**Option. Our church family is learning the new song, “Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me” by Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson, and Michael Farren (2018). Your family want to sing it every Sunday for the next several weeks.

**Option. Those worshiping on campus are also singing, “Blessed Be Your Name,” “Be Thou My Vision,” and “The Family of God.” You could add or substitute those songs for your household, as well.

3. Worship in Unity

Recite together Article #8 of the EFCA Statement of Faith on Christian Living:

“We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.”

4. Worship in Thanksgiving and Lament

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

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

5. Worship in Bible Memory

Recite our church’s current set of “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.”

**Option: Last week, Pastor Matt suggested that Psalm 86:11-13 would be another great passage to be memorizing right now. If you have the current one down, start in on this:

“Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.”

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, “Be the Church.”

Facebook Video

YouTube Video

Read Message Manuscript

[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 “Send the Light” by Charles Gabriel (1890).

YouTube 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.

Church Family News

Additional Outdoor Seating Options

We are now broadcasting audio of all 3 worship times into the church parking lot on 89.5 FM. We also have a tent seating section available with a sound system transmitting the words and music outside when weather allows. Please contact the church office if you want to know for certain if the tent will be open on any particular Sunday. While outdoors, protective face coverings are optional. Outdoor worship resources are available on tables near the entrances.

Stay Sharp : 2021 EFCA Theology Conference

The Psalms are the Church’s song and prayer book. We have rightly been drawn to them during these days filled with changes and challenges. Thankfully, God remains the same. The theme of this year’s live-streamed Theology Conference is The Psalms: The Undershepherds’ Shepherd. The conference will be held Wednesday and Thursday online. Our church has purchased a group registration for this online event. Join us by letting Pastor Matt know and providing your email address to him.

2020 Annual Reports Available

The 2020 Lanse Free Annual Report is available in the foyer. Pick one up and spend some time remembering the ways the Lord blessed us … even during a global pandemic. Members: there is copy in your mailbox along with the other items normally provided at our Annual Reports Meeting.

Our Daily Bread

The latest edition of Our Daily Bread for March, April & May is available in the foyer.

Baby Bottle Blessings

Our church is participating in The Pregnancy Resource Clinic’s Baby Bottle Blessing campaign. Stop by the table in the foyer and take a baby bottle home and fill it with your extra change and bills over the next few weeks. Baby bottles are due back February 21^st. Join us as we help further the impact of the PRC.

Going to Summer Camp?

Miracle Mountain Ranch is moving forward with plans to have their summer camp program. There are a variety of camp options for campers age 6-18. Anyone interested in learning more or registering for camp should pick up a flyer in the foyer. The church is once again paying the $75 registration fee for each camper. We will register as a group (no matter the size) to take advantage of our E-Free discount too. Call Marilynn Kristofits soon with any questions or your preferred camp dates.

God’s Promises Bulletin Board

There are thousands of God’s promises to discover in the Bible. Help us “Hang On God’s Promises This Year” by finding them in your Bible. Write down a promise God has made to you on a cutout from the table in the foyer. Cut outs can be taken home to fill out and returned as well. Promise references can also be emailed to the church office. Be encouraged as our bulletin board fills up.

Ladies’ Restroom Project

Please excuse our dust as the work in the ladies’ restroom continues. We appreciate your understanding as we update this room. Ladies: the family restroom is open for you to use throughout this project.

Sunday School at Home

The Explore the Bible winter Sunday School at home continues this week. Pick up your copy of Luke 1-9 and spend this quarter reading along at home. We also have a few copies in large print available. Call the church if you would like these resources mailed to you.

On-Campus Prayer Meeting

Join us Wednesdays at 7:00pm in the Fellowship Hall as Joel Michaels leads us in a brief Bible study, praising God through song, and praying with other believers. Reminder: Because we are inside, masks 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.

Sunday Morning Greeter Sign-Up

Do you like to say hi to people? Can you smile behind your mask? Be sure to stop on your way out today and sign up to greet for a few services in January and February.

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.

Gideon Fund

A designated giving fund will remain open the rest of this month to help with the work the Gideons are doing spreading God’s Word.  To do this, please mark your gift “Gideon Fund” and place it with your offering. Thank you.

Pavilion Fund

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

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 in the offering plate right inside the  office door.
• E-banking – Check with your financial institution about using their bill pay programs to have the bank send us a check directly at no cost.
• Online Payments – PayPal and Venmo are our current e-giving options. Our account address is our email: churchoffice@lansefree.org.

Prayer Items

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