Getting Ready for Sunday :: How to Prepare for Worship at Uptown, November 18

I’m getting this out late this week. But I’m hopeful you can and will use this resource as you prepare for worship tomorrow.

We’ve walked with Ruth and Naomi from the beginning of their story and we are drawing near to the end. Reading the beginning of this story is sort of like watching the beginning of the movie Up, in that in short order (three verses, for Ruth) things look terrible. So the story is not primarily concerned with how things got bad (though that does matter), but with how they went from bad to good. Next week, we will see the implications of this story on the larger story of redemption. But this week, in this story, we have arrived. It brings to mind those weep-worthy words at the end of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings from Sam Gamgee, “Gandalf! I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself. Is everything sad going to come untrue?“

THE WORD

Scripture: Ruth 4:13-17

Sermon: “Turning Mourning Into Joy”

SONGS

Worship Leader: Jeremy D. Goodwyne

Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (arr. Charlie Hall)
listen | chords | lyrics/info | purchase

Not To Us (Chris Tomlin)
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Pensive, Doubting, Fearful Heart (arr. Wendell Kimbrough)
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We Will Dance (David Ruis)
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Offering: Dance, Dance (Enter the Worship Circle)
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Song of Response: Out of My Bondage, Sorrow and Night (arr. Greg Thompson)[bandcamp track=1465849288 bgcol=F7F3EE linkcol=4285BB size=venti] listen | chords | lyrics/info | purchase

RESPONSIVE READING

Confession of Faith : Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 54

Q. 54     How is Christ exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God?

A.            Christ is exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man he is advanced to the highest favor with God the Father, with all fullness of joy, glory, and power over all things in heaven and earth; and does gather and defend his church, and subdue their enemies; furnishes his ministers and people with gifts and graces, and makes intercession for them.