September 15, 2019

We’re in Exodus part two, week two. The book of Exodus is about God’s mission to redeem a people for His Kingdom in the world.

Here’s how you can prepare for Sunday:

1. Read through our text, Exodus 20:1–26.

The opening of God’s instruction to Israel comes in the form of ten “words” from God to His redeemed people, often referred to as the “ten commandments.” These ten words give a summative and foundational expression of how God calls His redeemed people to act in relationship to Him and to one another. The instructions are given in a way that would remind the Israelites of the opening story of the Bible where God speaks to creation. When creation listens to His voice, the world flourishes. When the created humans reject His voice, they experience death and destruction. Here again, God’s newly created people are hearing the words that lead to a flourishing life with God.

In the first several words, God’s calls His people to show Him undivided love and allegiance. This is not an oppressive command, but a command from a God who rescued them from a kingdom of slavery and death, and has called them into a kingdom marked by rest and life. The next set of words flows from the first. God calls His covenant people to show love and justice toward one another. This is to be a kingdom where people respect the life and dignity of all of those whom God created.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 100, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners,
Welcome!

Doxology (Amen) (Bourgeois, Ken, Owens, Wickham)
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (Stuart Townend, Charlie Hall arr. Chichi Agorom, The Christian Year)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From Every Season Prayers by Scotty Smith

Heavenly Father, for your steadfast love, we bless You.
For your daily mercies, we trust you.
Forgive our sins, for they are real and many.
We confess loving relief from our pain more than change in our hearts.
We confess thinking too often of ourselves and too seldom of You.
We confess that it’s easier to be cynical than to be hopeful.
We confess under-trusting the Gospel and over-honoring our fears.
We confess seeking our kingdoms first and Your kingdom last.
Have mercy on us Lord; have mercy on me.
In Jesus’ name and for His glory, we offer our prayer and ask for forgiveness. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Colossians 2:13–14

Jesus We Love You (Kalley Heiligenthal, Hannah McClure, Paul McClure)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE, & COMMUNION

Come Thou Fount (Above All Else) (Shane Barnard, Robert Robinson, John Wyeth)
The Lion And The Lamb (Brenton Brown, Brian Johnson, Leeland Mooring )

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

September 8, 2019

We’re back into the book of Exodus this week at Park Church! As a refresher, the book of Exodus is about God’s mission to redeem a people for His Kingdom in the world. Part One of the series happened January–June of this year (you can listen to those sermons here). We now begin Part Two of the series with the question, “Why the Law?”

Here’s how you can prepare for Sunday:

1. Read through our text, Exodus 19:1–6.

The people of Israel had lived for 400 years in bondage in the kingdom of Egypt. Their lives were being destroyed, and they could not free themselves. Then God, in His great mercy and by His incomparable power, set His people free. He brought them through the wilderness and to Mount Sinai, the Mountain of God. This is the setting for the rest of the book of Exodus. Here, God will meet with His people to give them the instructions for life as His people in His Kingdom. These instructions, traditionally called the “Law of Moses,” have at least two functions: First, they show what is required of Israel in their covenant relationship with God. If the people listen to God’s voice and obey His words, they will enjoy a long life in the land with their God, and they will be God’s representative on earth—displaying and spreading the blessing of His presence to the world (Exodus 19:1-6). If they refuse to listen to His voice and rebel against His words, they will be separated from His presence and experience destruction and death (Leviticus 26:14–39). This brings us to the second function of the Law: the Law serves to expose rebellion (Exodus 32; Romans 7; Galatians 3) and to point Israel—and ultimately the rest of the world—to our need for a Savior who can forgive us for our rebellion and transform our rebellious hearts.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 107:1–3, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners,
Welcome!

Praise To The Lord The Almighty (Joachim Neander, Catherine Winkworth addl. verse Joel Limpic, JD Raab)
Joy (Pat Barrett, Tony Brown arr. VaShawn Mitchell)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Almighty God, who sent the promised power of the Holy Spirit to fill disciples with willing faith: We confess that we resist the force of Your Spirit among us, that we are slow to serve You and reluctant to spread the good news of Your love.

God, have mercy on us. Forgive our divisions and by Your Spirit draw us together. Inflame us with a desire to do Your will and be Your faithful people for the sake of Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Ezekiel 36:25–27

Fall Afresh (Jeremy Riddle)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE, & COMMUNION

In Tenderness (Garvey, Gordon, Walton arr. Brian Eichelberger)
Living Hope (Brian Johnson, Phil Wickham)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

New Staff at Park Church

We’re excited to introduce five new staff members to you this week. We’ve asked them each to share a little about themselves:

Christopher Frierson: Director of Strategic Development

I’m a husband-in-training to Jerusalem and a gushing father to Selah, both an Air Force brat and veteran, and discipleship is my jam. On the Enneagram, I’m a 7 (Enthusiast) with an 8 wing (Challenger). I love all things related to culture (especially food, travel and language), was a Human Resources Business Partner in my last role, an alumnus of Colorado Christian University, a performing arts junky, and I serve on the board for the Issachar Center for Urban Leadership. Fun Fact: I’ve never experienced a brain freeze!

Ryan Gannett: Director of Operations

I love journeying through life with my wife and best friend, Erica. We live in the Athmar Park neighborhood and spend our time exploring the mountains and hanging out with friends around Denver. I grew up in a suburb of San Francisco and graduated from Notre Dame. I’m thankful we don’t have to suffer through midwest winters living in Denver. In my previous role, I worked to help patients with chronic illness live healthier lives. I have a passion for building and creating both relationships and organizations that help people grow. My hidden talent is that I’m decent at making pottery and always looking for an excuse to practice and get better.

Margie Keith: Office Manager

My name is Margie, and I’m the new office manager and Community and Formation admin! I have attended Park since I moved to Denver in June of 2018 and I’m delighted to have a place on staff. A couple of fun facts about me: I was born and raised in Vermont (although I haven’t lived there in a long time), I love to travel internationally, and I can almost always be found with a cup of coffee close at hand. Looking forward to ministering alongside you all!

Josh de Leon: Connection Coordinator

Hey, my name is Josh and I was hired as the Connection Coordinator at Park and I am pumped to engage new congregants into the life of the Church! When I’m not at work, I’m usually found with a nice book, a cup of coffee and an itch to get outside. I look forward to what is to come!

Zach Foster: Park Teens Coordinator

Hey all! My name is Zach Foster and I’m excited to be the new Park Teens Coordinator! I am a Denver native who came to know Jesus while on a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico my freshman year of high school. Ever since, I have been passionate about revealing the beauty of Christ to teenagers just as my youth pastors did for me. I believe that winning our youth to Christ is crucially strategic for growing the Church and making a greater impact for the Kingdom in our city and our world. I am currently pursuing my Masters of Divinity with a concentration in Leadership at Denver Seminary. Important things you should know about me: 1) I love the Denver Broncos, Chipotle, Parks & Rec, and Nacho Libre a little too much. 2) My spirit animal is a combination of Jack Black and Ron Swanson. 3) As a part-time handyman, I can fix anything, except a broken heart. I look forward to getting to know you all in in the coming months and years!

in Blog

September 1, 2019

This week is our third and final week of this year’s Mission series, an annual overview of who we are and what we do as a church. This year, we’ve focused on a particular aspect of spiritual growth each week. This week’s topic will be spiritual disciplines—here’s how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, Colossians 2:16–3:4.

Personal renewal precedes corporate renewal. Our longing for the Spirit to move through our church and city must be met with rhythms that actively orient individual lives around Christ. This is not dutiful moralism or the seeking of mere emotional highs, it is following the way of Jesus. Rejecting the cultural allurements of the inflated self and microwaved satisfaction, we instead seek after God: hearing from Him, speaking to Him, and enjoying His delightful presence. No great move of the Spirit has been absent these rhythms. And the invitation remains open for us to enter in.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 103:1–5, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners,
Welcome!

Be Thou My Vision (Mary Elizabeth Byrne, Eleanor Henrietta Hull, Reuben Kendall, arr. Ascend The Hill)
God I Look To You (Ian McIntosh, Jenn Johnson)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Gracious God,
our sins are too heavy to carry,
too real to hide,
and too deep to undo.
Forgive what our lips tremble to name,
what our hearts can no longer bear,
and what has become for us
a consuming fire of judgment.
Set us free from a past that we cannot change;
open to us a future in which we can be changed;
and grant us grace to grow more and more in Your likeness and image;
through Jesus Christ,
the Light of the world. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Colossians 2:13–14

Build My Life (Barrett, Kable, Martin, Redman, Younker)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE, & COMMUNION

Set A Fire (Will Reagan)
Jesus Is Better (Aaron Ivey, Brett Land)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

Psalm 99—Artwork

Learn more about Christ in the Psalms artwork and download artwork guides here.

Person: Danielle Damrell

Danielle Damrell is a local artist and small business owner. She started a custom art, design, and lettering company called Damrell Designs, LLC in November 2017. In the winter of 2018, she was the featured ornament calligrapher for Denver Zoo’s “Zoo Lights” and has designed and created over 500 custom projects for individuals and families throughout the country. When Danielle isn’t painting and designing she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and friends as often as possible. Danielle is passionate about Jesus, loving others well, and sharing about the transformational grace of what Christ has done in her life. Danielle is also a graduate student working on her degree in organizational leadership at Colorado Christian University, pursuing her long-time desire to serve in ministry someday. Danielle is currently working hard to continue to build her business and feels extremely blessed to turn her forever love of art into a career. You can connect with Danielle at danielle@damrelldesigns.com or on Facebook and Instagram at @DamrellDesignsLLC.

Piece: Mixed Media

This piece was inspired by Psalm 99. The overarching theme of this Psalm is praising the Lord for HE IS HOLY. To explain the relation of this piece to Psalm 99, we will start from the top and work down. The prominent gold crown in the top center is a representation of The Lord our “King” (v.4). Painted on the crown in small lettering is הוהי which is Hebrew for “Yahweh” or “The Lord.” The reason for the crown being a separate raised piece entirely serves as a visual representation of the Lord being exalted which Biblically means “to raise high” or “to elevate” (v.2,5,9). The angel wings on each side of the crown is a display of the description found in this Psalm of His royal throne (v.1).The gold found on the crown as well as raining down from the top is meant to show the “reign” of God from the source (His throne) as well as how that “reign” pours onto the rest of His creation (the world) (v. 1). Found in the middle of this piece are three mountains representing the trinity and the Throne of God sitting upon the highest “Holy Mountain” (v. 9). At the bottom of the mountains are shaky waves of darkness. This is a display of our fallen world shaking and trembling at the power and Holiness of our Lord and King (v. 1). At the very bottom, in the darkest parts of the painting, are small specks of gold representing all of us (believers) who display the glory and holiness of God who lives inside us, in this fallen world. The placement of these flakes of gold is intentionally at the very bottom, underneath the mountains, showing that we are to worship at “His footstool”; at the bottom of “His Holy mountain” (v. 5, 9). This is a hand-painted, mixed-media project in which acrylic paint, hot glue, extra heavy gel, and metal leaf were primarily used.

This piece was definitely my favorite piece I’ve ever created. I loved that, in order to design this, I had to take a deep dive into the Word of God and research what the original written words of this Psalm meant during the time it was written. I was challenged in the most amazing and growing ways by the Lord the entire time and for that I am so thankful.

in Blog • Christ in the Psalms Artwork

August 25, 2019

It’s week two of three in this year’s Mission series, an annual discussion of who we are and what we do as a church. This year, we’ll focus each week on a particular aspect of spiritual growth. Here’s how you can prepare for this week and our discussion of the spiritual journey:

1. Read through our text, Matthew 28.

The resurrection of Jesus and the giving of the Great Commission mark the beginning of the “church age” as we know it. Jesus’ charge to us is one of faithful movement and action; persistent going, telling, and baptising.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Matthew 28:18–20, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners,
Welcome!

Doxology (Amen) (Bourgeois, Ken, Owens, Wickham addl. verses JD Raab)
Holy Spirit (Bryan Torwalt, Katie Torwalt arr. Jesus Culture)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Lord, You have called us to worship You. We gladly gather!
As we praise You, though,
our own inadequacy reminds us
of how we have broken our relationship with You.
Because we have sinned against You,
even our worship fails to be what it could.
We often treat it as a show.
We simply go through motions,
failing to recognize that You want to engage us deeply.
Renew us, we pray, according to Your steadfast love.
Remind us of Your covenant faithfulness
and have mercy on us in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 8:31–34

Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)

GREETING, SERMON, BAPTISM, & COMMUNION

O Come To The Altar (Brock, Brown, Furtick, Joye)
Kids: Joshua 1:9 (John Petterson)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday