LEFC Guide to Worship

Sunday, February 7, 2021
Lanse Evangelical Free Church

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

From the Pastor

Dear Church Family,

We are blessed to be a blessing.

You and I are not called to be dead-end “cul-de-sacs” where the Lord’s blessings come in but then don’t flow out to others. Sometimes we can get the wrong idea that we are the destination at the end of the road for God’s blessings. But instead of “cul-de-sacs,” we are called to be conduits of His love.

As we enter February and our minds turn to the great theme of love, I think it’s important for us to both meditate on God’s measureless love for us and also to share it with those who need it most–and that includes all the nations of the earth (Psalm 67). We have been blessed to know Jesus and to make Him known. His blessing are too great to keep them to ourselves.

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

In His Grip,

– Pastor Matt

P.S. The 2021 EFCA Theology Conference was online this week, and the subject was the theology of the psalms [Day One, Day Two]. I was encouraged to go deeper into both my own study and my own singing of the psalms for my own life. The worship leader, Michael Strand, compiled two playlists to correspond with the conference which you and I can play and sing along with: Conference Worship Playlist and Playlist of Songs Based on the Psalms.

Home Worship Guide

1. Welcome to Worship

Read 67 with joy, praise, and anticipation 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!

**Option. Families with children at home could prepare them by asking, “What is Psalm 67 about?” “What do you think Pastor Matt will say about Psalm 67 today?” “What did Psalm 67 make you think or feel when we read it?” “What does Psalm 67 teach us about God?” “What does Psalm 67 teach us about ourselves?” “What does Psalm 67 teach us about Jesus?”

2.Worship in Singing

As a household sing “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” by Edward Perronet (1780) followed by “The Doxology.”

**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, “Hallelujah (Your Love Is Amazing),” “Days of Elijah,” and “I Love You, Lord.” You could add or substitute those songs for your household, as well.

3. Worship in Unity

Recite together Article #10 of the EFCA Statement of Faith:

“We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.”

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: The list of “whatevers” seems to be the hardest thing to remember in our memory verse. One way to get the list down might be to go around the family circle or back and forth between a couple, taking turns with each one: “truth, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable.”

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, “May All the Peoples Praise You.”

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 “Jesus Saves!” by Priscilla Owens (1829).

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.

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.

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.” Write down a scripture reference for 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 later or emailed to the church office.

Ladies’ Restroom Project

Please excuse our dust as the work in the ladies’ restroom has entered the next stage. The tile was installed this past week and work will continue next week. 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.

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.