Welcome
Thank you for joining us in gathered worship today! At Covenant, we believe that true hope, joy, meaning, and redemption is found in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we hope that you will be moved towards greater love for Jesus and one another as we pause to praise, pray, and ponder under God’s Word.
The emphasis throughout our Sunday service is that worship is all about God. We gather to worship Him. Our gathered worship is that it is foundationally and fundamentally about God. In our service, we will: worship our Heavenly Father for his miraculous deeds, bear witness to Jesus Christ the Son and the hope he brings through his death and resurrection, be moved to engage with the mission of God through the power of the Holy Spirit as we wait for the return of Christ. All of these activities of worshipping, witnessing, and waiting will be shaped and formed by God’s divine revelation as it is given to us in Holy Scripture.
Our understanding of Scripture, God’s divine action, and theology will shape the flow of our service. Therefore, our worship service is “liturgical” and what you hold before you is our weekly liturgical document. Originating from Greek, this word means, “work of the people”. This means our service is both corporate and communal in nature. We are not individual consumers of a product, but join others in community to participate together in engaging with God. At different points in the service, there will be opportunities to join the liturgy, and we encourage you to enthusiastically participate in these corporate moments of response.
We hope your time with us serves to encourage and fill you with hope and joy.
Call to Worship
Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!Psalm 147:1
Songs of Invitation
Confession of Sin
Gracious God, you take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, you desire that none should perish, you long that all should turn from their evil ways and live.
Have mercy upon us and forgive the sins of all who turn to you this day, forsaking the way of pride and bowing humbly before the cross of Christ, in whose name we pray.
All: Amen!
Word of Assurance
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Congregational Prayer
Offering
Weekly Catechism
New City Catechism for Kids – Question 15
Q: Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose?
A: That we may know the holy nature of God, and the sinful nature of our hearts; and thus our need of a Savior.
Community News
Covenant Preliminary Vision and Values now available
Session is pleased to release a document setting out the preliminary vision and values that we have been working on for the last two months. Thank you for your patience and prayers. To access the document, click the link below:
https://covenantchurch.com.au/aka/vision
Parents with young children meeting today
If you are a parent with a child 3 or under, reminder that we have a meeting after service today. We aim to finish in half an hour.
Save the Date for our Big Day In!
Block out your calendars for the following: Saturday 25 October 4pm to late; Sunday 26 October 8am to 3pm. Planning for our Big Day In is underway!
Sunday school and Extreme teachers/helpers
Every parent wants the children and youth of Covenant to come to a saving relationship in Christ and to know God in his word. We need more members of the Covenant family to teach and help at Sunday school and Extreme. Please see Robyn, Gloria, Jayden, Caroline or Dan for more details.
Covenant is on Instagram
Follow us on IG! Request for permission to use photos with children to follow.
Important Dates
| August 24 | Covenant Session meeting 2pm @ Christ College |
| August 31 | Mission Talk with Kevin Murray After service @ Christ College |
| October 25 | Big Day In (Day 1) 4pm @ Christ College |
| October 26 | Big Day In (Day 2) 8am to 3pm @ Christ College |
Bible Reading
- Philippians 4:1-9 NIV
All: Thanks be to God.
Sermon Outline
Stand Firm
Philippians 4:1-9
Ian Smith
1. Standing firm against disunity –vv 2-3
v 2 Euodia and Syntyche
v 4 “noble yoke fellow”
2. Standing firm amidst anxiety – vv 4-7
v 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
v 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
v 5 let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
3. Standing firm with our thoughts –vv 8-9
v 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
v 7 And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Songs in Response
Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord;
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended to the dead;
On the third day he rose from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit;
the holy catholic [universal] Church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.
Amen
Benediction
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21