First, as reflected in the previous blog (Conversation on Worship), I’d like to really praise God for the heart engagement of his people in last week’s worship, in which we instituted some of the ideas we have been talking about. This week we will:
(1) Have the prelude at 10:50 a.m., a time of quietness, reverence and heart preparation. As suggested in the conversation, we will have a slide reminding people (especially visitors) what the time is for.
(2) Have a sign on the double door by the sanctuary saying “After worship starts, at 10:50 a.m., please use the front doors to enter.”
(3) Have a sign on the inside double doors in the foyer saying “After worship starts, at 10:50 a.m., please enter the auditorium quietly and reverently.”
(4) Have a partition which will roll in front of the coffee serving area at 10:45 and signs which will say “Coffee is available until 10:45 a.m. and again after the worship service.”
This is week 2 of Piper’s ten suggestions for heart preparation:
2. Meditate on the Word of God
“O taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8). On Saturday night, read some delicious portion of your Bible with a view to stirring up hunger for God. This is the appetizer for Sunday morning’s meal.
Our text for this week is “Elijah’s Depression,” 1 Kings 19:1-21. Our worship will focus on the still small voice of God, and his presence with us in times of trial, difficulty or depression. Even so, we have tried to pick music that ranges from upbeat to meditative:
O Love that Will Not Let Me Go
Children of the Heavenly Father
Why Art Thou Cast Down O My Soul
(Sorry I couldn’t find a vid for this)
Why art thou cast down, O my soul
And why art thou disquieted within me?
Why art thou cast down, O my soul
And why art thou disquieted within me?
Hope thou in god, for I shall yet praise Him
Who is the health of my countenance
and my God – and my God.
