The psalmist in his opening verse of Psalm 122 proclaims, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” May it be with that same sense of rejoicing, we who have gathered here today to worship God, have come. And may He be pleased with what we offer Him.
Leading us in our worship this morning is Steve Bown, and when we share together during our time of Communion our leader will be Rob Frazer.
To everyone who is present, “Welcome!” And to any who are with us as visitors we extend an extra special greeting. It is our pleasure to have you with us. After the service you are invited to stay for a time of fellowship in our coffee shop.
Our guest speaker this morning, accompanied by his wife Lise, is Raymond Christinat representing Gideons International. Raymond and our pastor, Grant, served together for a number of years together as elders of the Keith Church of Christ. Raymond and Lise attend what is now One Church, the amalgamated body of the Churches of Christ and Uniting Church congregations in Keith. Raymond will be preaching on the subject, “A Sower Went Out To Sow.”
In one of his Prayers for the Christian Year William Barclay begins with, “O God, we thank you for all those in whose words and in whose writings your truth has come to us. For the historians, the psalmists, and the prophets, who wrote the Old Testament; For those who wrote the Gospels and the Letters of the New Testament; For all who in every generation have taught and explained and expounded and preached the word of Scripture: We thank you, O God.”
As we read these words we’re mindful of the verses from Isaiah 55:10,11 which are often referred to in the Gideon ministry when talking about what God accomplishes through the distribution of His Word: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Benediction: Go forth into the activity of this day and the week ahead as a companion of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
GS