July 19, 2020

This week is a double-header in our annual Christ in the Psalms series: Psalms 105 and 106. Since 2012, we’ve gone week-by-week, psalm-by-psalm through about 10 psalms per summer. This may be the first time we’ve hit two in one week. Why are we doing that? Two reasons:

First, we took a break last week from Christ in the Psalms to turn our attention to racial injustice as seen through Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. You can listen to that important message here, or you can visit the July 12 Sunday Worship page to watch the whole thing.

Second, Psalm 105 and 106 tell the same story, but from different vantage points: one from the perspective of the faithfulness of God (Psalm 105) and the other from the perspective of the faithlessness of God’s people (Psalm 106).

With the two psalms this week, we also have double the Christ in the Psalms artwork for you (read more about the project here!). This week’s first artwork is a watercolor piece by Daniela Lozano for Psalm 105. The second artwork is a digital design piece by Nikki Rasmussen for Psalm 106.

An now, here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, July 19:

1. Read our texts, Psalm 105, and Psalm 106.

See Psalm 105

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He uttered, O offspring of Abraham, His servant, children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the word that He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that He made with Abraham, His sworn promise to Isaac, which He confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.”

When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it, wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, he allowed no one to oppress them; He rebuked kings on their account, saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!”

When He summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested Him. The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free; he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom.

Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And the Lord made His people very fruitful and made them stronger than their foes. He turned their hearts to hate His people, to deal craftily with His servants.

He sent Moses, His servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen. They performed His signs among them and miracles in the land of Ham. He sent darkness, and made the land dark; they did not rebel against His words. He turned their waters into blood and caused their fish to die. Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings. He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country. He gave them hail for rain, and fiery lightning bolts through their land. He struck down their vines and fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country. He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number, which devoured all the vegetation in their land and ate up the fruit of their ground. He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their strength.

Then He brought out Israel with silver and gold, and there was none among His tribes who stumbled. Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it.

He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light by night. They asked, and He brought quail, and gave them bread from heaven in abundance. He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river. For He remembered His holy promise, and Abraham, His servant.

So He brought His people out with joy, His chosen ones with singing. And He gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil, that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws. Praise the Lord!

See Psalm 106

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all His praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!

Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. Yet He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make known His mighty power. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and He led them through the deep as through a desert. So He saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. Then they believed His words; they sang His praise.

But they soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel. But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert; he gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them.

When men in the camp were jealous of Moses and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord, the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram. Fire also broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.

They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image. They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. Therefore He said He would destroy them— had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away His wrath from destroying them.

Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in His promise. They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the Lord. Therefore He raised His hand and swore to them that He would make them fall in the wilderness, and would make their offspring fall among the nations, scattering them among the lands.

Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed. And that was counted to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever.

They angered Him at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account, for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke rashly with his lips.

They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood. Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.

Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against His people, and He abhorred His heritage; he gave them into the hand of the nations, so that those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their power. Many times He delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.

Nevertheless, He looked upon their distress, when He heard their cry. For their sake He remembered His covenant, and relented according to the abundance of His steadfast love. He caused them to be pitied by all those who held them captive.

Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord!

One of the most important things we can do as followers of Jesus is to remember. It seems simple and is so often overlooked, but when we make recalling the ways God has blessed us a regular practice in our lives, it does more than make us grateful people—it has the power to make us more holy, leading us into the life that is really life.

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

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 105:1–4:

See passage

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!

Holy Spirit (Bryan Torwalt, Katie Torwalt) / Not In A Hurry (Michael Ketterer, Will Reagan)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Based on Psalm 106:

O Lord, Both we and our ancestors have sinned, We have all committed iniquity, We have all done wickedness.

Together, we have not considered Your wondrous works, Nor remembered the abundance of Your steadfast love. Instead, we have rebelled against You.

We confess our forgetfulness and nearsightedness, and ask that You would forgive us, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 8:31–34

See passage

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Your Name Is Good (Psalm 54) (Joel Limpic, Scott Mills) / You Keep On Getting Better (Dante Bowe, Jonathan Jay, Majesty Rose)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Goodness of God (Cash, Fielding, Ingram, Johnson, Johnson)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

July 12, 2020

This week, we hit pause on Christ in the Psalms to turn our attention to what Jesus has to say about how His people should respond to racial injustice. We’ll do this through the lens of the story of the Good Samaritan (more on that below).

Side note… if you’re like me, you’re pumped each week to see the fresh weekly artwork for Christ in the Psalms, or maybe you’re participating in some of the prayer initiatives of the summer, and right now you may be asking, “Are we still doing Psalm 105 this week or no?” In short, next week is a double-header in both arenas, but if you’re in rhythm with prayer, there’s nothing to lose in praying Luke 10:25–37 this week as you’d normally be praying Psalm 105.

Okay—here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, July 12!

1. Read our text, Luke 10:25–37.

See passage

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

This week we consider what Jesus has to say about how His people should respond to racial injustice. In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus is confronting the anti-Samaritan racism that was prominent in Jewish culture and calling His followers to be marked by compassion to the hurting and a sacrificial love that bridges ethnic divisions. The Bible is clear, Jesus is the only one who can forgive us of our sins and transform our corrupted hearts. And the Bible is also clear that people with transformed hearts are supposed to be people who do justice, love mercy, confront oppression, care for the vulnerable, repent of wrongdoing, show love, and live with humility. In short, we are called to reflect God’s heart by loving our neighbors as ourselves.

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

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Philippians 2:5–11:

See passage

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Walk Among Us (Joel Limpic)

CONFESSION OF SIN: from The Worship Sourcebook:

Eternal God, we confess that often we have failed to be an obedient church: we have not done Your will; we have broken Your law; we have rebelled against Your love; we have not loved our neighbors; we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Colossians 2:13–15

See passage

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.

Man Of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Lord I Need You (Carson, Maher, Nockels, Reeves, Stanfill) / The Medicine (Dee Wilson)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

July 5, 2020

It’s Christ in the Psalms week four. We’ll be in Psalm 104. In this ongoing series, we’ve gone psalm-by-psalm through about ten psalms per year, dating back to Psalm 1 eight years ago.

Our artwork for Psalm 104 is black and white photography by John Forney. See the piece and read about the art and artist here. To learn more about the weekly Christ in the Psalms artwork pieces and see them all (they go back as far as Psalm 41!), click here.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, July 5.

1. Read our text, Psalm 104.

See passage

Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering Yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. He lays the beams of His chambers on the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He rides on the wings of the wind; He makes His messengers winds, His ministers a flaming fire. He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of Your thunder they took to flight. The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that You appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches. From Your lofty abode You water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your work. You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart. The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that He planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom have You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures. Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan, which You formed to play in it. These all look to You, to give them their food in due season. When Yu give it to them, they gather it up; when You open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide Your face, they are dismayed; when You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works, who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!

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

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 104:31–34:

See passage

May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works, who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the Lord.

Praise To The Lord (Joyful, Joyful) (Bryn Haworth, Joachim Neander, Catherine Winkworth arr. Shane & Shane)

CONFESSION OF SIN: by Joe Seremane:

You asked for my hands, that You might use them for Your purpose. I gave them for a moment then withdrew them, for the work was hard. You asked for my mouth to speak out against injustice. I gave You a whisper that I might not be accused. You asked for my eyes to see the pain of poverty. I closed them, for I did not want to see. You asked for my life, that You might work through me. I gave a small part, that I might not get too involved. Lord, forgive my calculated efforts to serve You— only when it is convenient for me to do so, only in those places where it is safe to do so, and only with those who make it easy to do so. Father, forgive me, renew me, send me out as a usable instrument, that I might take seriously the meaning of Your cross. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Zephaniah 3:17

See passage

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.

What A Beautiful Name (Ben Fielding, Brooke Ligertwood) / Psalm 32:6–7 (Mark Wilkins)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

How Great Is Our God (Ed Cash, Jesse Reeves, Chris Tomlin, ) / Great Are You Lord (Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan, David Leonard)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

June 28, 2020

This Sunday is Psalm 103 and week three of this year’s Christ in the Psalms. In this ongoing series, we’ve gone psalm-by-psalm through about ten psalms per year, dating back to 2012.

Our artwork for Psalm 103 is an acrylic & ink piece by Beth Dreyer. See the piece and read about the art and artist here! To learn more about the weekly Christ in the Psalms artwork pieces and see them all (they go back as far as Psalm 41!), click here.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday!

1. Read our text, Psalm 103.

See passage
Of David.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will He keep His anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does He remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to His children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep His covenant
and remember to do His commandments.
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
and His kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, O you His angels,
you mighty ones who do His word,
obeying the voice of His word!
Bless the Lord, all His hosts,
His ministers, who do His will!
Bless the Lord, all His works,
in all places of His dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

In Psalm 103, David begins by calling his soul three times to bless God and not forget His benefits. He spends the vast majority of the psalm reminding his forgetful soul of all God is and all He has done, both for himself personally and for the people of God. This psalm has much to teach us today about our personal practice of worship and also invites us to take a fresh look at Jesus and all the ways He fulfilled this psalm.

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

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 103:1–5:

See passage

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless hHs holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Is He Worthy? (Andrew Peterson, Ben Shive arr. Shane & Shane)

CONFESSION: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Merciful God,
in Your gracious presence
we confess our sin and the sin of this world.
Although Christ is among us as our peace,
we are a people divided against ourselves
as we cling to the values of a broken world.
The profit and pleasures we pursue
lay waste the land and pollute the seas.
The fears and jealousies that we harbor
set neighbor against neighbor
and nation against nation.
We abuse Your good gifts of imagination and freedom,
of intellect and reason,
and turn them into bonds of oppression.
Lord, have mercy upon us;
heal and forgive us.
Set us free to serve You in the world
as agents of Your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Yet Even Now (Joel Limpic) / The Medicine (Dee Wilson)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Psalm 103:10–13

See passage

He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does He remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him.

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

O Praise The Name (Anástasis) (Benjamin Hastings, Marty Sampson, Dean Ussher)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

June 21, 2020

We’re in the third week of this year’s Christ in the Psalms. We’ll be in Psalm 102. During every week of this annual series, an artist in our community creates a piece based out of the Psalm we’re studying on that particular Sunday. This week’s artwork for Psalm 102 is an acrylic painting by Margie Keith. See the piece and read about the art and artist here! To see all Christ in the Psalms artwork pieces (they go back as far as Psalm 41!), click here.

Also, one more reminder about our Summer Prayer Practices: praying the psalms daily and prayer walking weekly. Read more about those practices here! Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, June 21:

1. Read our text, Psalm 102.

See passage
A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to You!
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline Your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!

For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
I forget to eat my bread.
Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my flesh.
I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl of the waste places;
I lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
I eat ashes like bread
and mingle tears with my drink,
because of Your indignation and anger;
for You have taken me up and thrown me down.
My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.

But You, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
You are remembered throughout all generations.
You will arise and have pity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her;
the appointed time has come.
For Your servants hold her stones dear
and have pity on her dust.
Nations will fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory.
For the Lord builds up Zion;
He appears in His glory;
He regards the prayer of the destitute
and does not despise their prayer.

Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:
that He looked down from his holy height;
from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die,
that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,
and in Jerusalem His praise,
when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

He has broken my strength in midcourse;
He has shortened my days.
“O my God,” I say, “take me not away
in the midst of my days—
You whose years endure
throughout all generations!”

Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of Your hands.
They will perish, but You will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
but You are the same, and Your years have no end.
The children of Your servants shall dwell secure;
their offspring shall be established before You.

Affliction assaults our lives from all angles—emotionally, psychologically, physically, relationally. We must give voice to our experience, honestly coming before God. But we must also go further. In the midst of the pain and the strife, we turn see who God is—the one who exercises permanent authority and wise compassion on our behalf. He has placed our individual stories within the broader story He is telling. And He intends to wield our lives not only for our own good, but also for the good of others. As we look to Jesus, who bore and conquered our affliction, we may walk in this unshakable joy.

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

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 102:1–2; 11–12:

See passage

Hear my prayer, O LORD;
let my cry come to You!
Do not hide Your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline Your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!

My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
But You, O LORD, are enthroned forever;

Way Maker (Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu)
Goodness of God (Cash, Fielding, Ingram, Johnson, Johnson)

CONFESSION: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against You
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways,
to the glory of Your Name.
Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: John 15:13–15

See passage

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)
The Blessing (Brown, Carnes, Jobe, Furtick)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

June 14, 2020

It’s week two of this year’s Christ in the Psalms. We’ll be in Psalm 101. During every week of this series, an artist in our community creates a piece based out of the Psalm we’re studying on that particular Sunday. This week’s artwork for Psalm 101 is a digital design piece by Bruce Butler. See the piece and read about the art and the artist here! To see all Christ in the Psalms artwork pieces (they go back as far as Psalm 41!), click here.

We’re also excited to remind you about our Summer Prayer Practices: praying the psalms daily and prayer walking weekly. These are simple ways to give yourself to God (as opposed to other things!) this summer. Read more about those simple practices here!

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:

1. Read our text, Psalm 101.

See passage
A Psalm of David

I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
to You, O Lord, I will make music.
I will ponder the way that is blameless.
Oh when will You come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
A perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will know nothing of evil.

Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
I will not endure.

I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless
shall minister to me.

No one who practices deceit
shall dwell in my house;
no one who utters lies
shall continue before my eyes.

Morning by morning I will destroy
all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers
from the city of the Lord.

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

Don’t have Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 101:1:

See passage

I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
to You, O Lord, I will make music.

Goodness of God (Cash, Fielding, Ingram, Johnson, Johnson)

CONFESSION: Adapted from Thou, Dear God by Martin Luther King, Jr.:

Our Holy Father, we confess the weakness of our lives.
We have often turned away from You to seek our own desires.
And often when we have done no evil,
we have undertaken nothing of good,
and so have been guilty of uselessness and neglect.

From this sin of idleness and indifference set us free.
Lead us into fruitful effort,
and deliver us from profitless lives.
We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Ephesians 2:13–16

See passage

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Nothing But The Blood (Forever Mine) (Robert Lowry, John Petterson addl. verses Joel Limpic) / Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Give Us Clean Hands (Charlie Hall) / Jesus Paid It All (Elvina Hall, Kristen Stanfill)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

June 7, 2020

Every summer at Park Church, we spend several weeks in the Psalms. The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. This annual series, now in its ninth year, is called Christ in the Psalms. This Sunday is week one of Christ in the Psalms 2020. We’ll be in Psalm 100.

Two resources you need to know about:

  1. Christ in the Psalms sermons for Psalms 1–99 are available here. If you can’t wait for Sunday, take a trip back in Park Church history and listen to the sermon from one of your favorite Psalms. You can also return here as a way to study the Psalms on your own or to share a message about a particular Psalm with a friend.
  2. Since 2015 (starting with Psalm 41), different artists within our community have done a piece of artwork for each Psalm, going week-by-week in step with the sermon series. This week’s piece for Psalm 100 is an acrylic painting by Jennie Pitts Tucker. See the piece and read about the art and the artist here. For all Christ in the Psalms artwork pieces, click here.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday!

1. Read our text, Psalm 100.

See passage
A Psalm for Giving Thanks

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100 is a call to joy and thanksgiving. But what if you are feeling sorrow and pain? Are joy and sorrow mutually exclusive? Does the desire for joy require you to suppress the realities of pain and sadness? Not at all. Psalm 100 was written by and for suffering and oppressed people, and it is inviting us to look to the loving presence of the Good Shepherd—who was a Man of Sorrows—as the source of joy in the midst of the sorrows of life.

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

Don’t have Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 100:

See passage
A Psalm for Giving Thanks

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

House of God Forever (Jon Foreman)

CONFESSION & LAMENT: Adapted from Apostles Church Uptown:

Lord, this morning as we gather together-though apart-
We praise you that you see us, you know us, and you love us.
We also gather today with heavy hearts,
lamenting the evil at work in our world.
We lament the racism and violence against the black community.

Among others, we lament the loss of your image bearers,
Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd.

When we are apathetic to violence, forgive us.
When we are numb to compassion, soften our hearts.
When we are confused and bewildered, comfort us.
Be with us, Jesus.

Grant us the humility and the courage
to be your hands and feet to our neighbors,
pursuing justice, loving mercy,
and walking humbly with you.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 8:35–39

See passage

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Oh God (Dustin Kensrue)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

King Of My Heart (John Mark McMillan, Sarah McMillan)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

May 31, 2020

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, where we remember the sending of the promised Holy Spirit. The Spirit is still among us, empowering God’s people. As we celebrate this day, we do so as people still living in its present reality!

This is also week 14 of Matthew, and the final week of Part One of the series. We’ll discuss Jesus & Integrity this week, then turn our attention to the Psalms for the remainder of the summer, returning to Matthew Part Two in the fall.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:33–37.

See passage
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is His footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”

Jesus’ teaching on oaths might seem foreign or even irrelevant to modern readers, but the deeper issue He is addressing is something common to us all. The practice of swearing oaths by a significant person or object was common practice in first century Judaism. It was similar to the practice of swearing by the Bible, but it was used much more widely in their society with a complex set of customs and regulations.

The main issue is that people were using something outside of themselves to try to bolster their reputation or perceived trustworthiness. Jesus is pushing them away from this cultural form of manipulation and toward integrity and honest communication. In our culture, people use things like exaggeration, embellishment, spin, or deception to control or improve their image in any given relationship or scenario. Jesus is saying that this desire to distort reality is not God’s way. It comes from a place of insecurity, and it cultivates deeper isolation and distrust that damages relationships and communities. God’s people can be honest about reality, even when the truth is unpleasant, knowing that Jesus—who already knows our blemishes, failures, weaknesses, and insecurities—still loves us and welcomes us into His Kingdom.

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

Don’t have Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Based on Acts 2:17–21:

“God will pour out the Spirit on all flesh,
and our daughters and sons shall prophesy.
Our old ones shall dream dreams,
and our young ones shall see visions,
and all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered.”

Come, let us call upon the name of the Lord.

Fall Afresh (Jeremy Riddle)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Gracious God,
You have given us the law of Moses and the teachings of Jesus
to direct us in the way of life.
You offer us Your Holy Spirit
so that we can be born to new life as your children.
Yet, O God, we confess that the ways of death have a strong attraction and that we often succumb to their lure.
Give us the vision and courage to choose and nurture life,
that we may receive Your blessing. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Corinthians 1:20–22

See passage
For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why it is through Him that we utter our Amen to God for His glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Doxology (Amen) (Bourgeois, Ken, Owens, Wickham addl. verses JD Raab)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Who You Say I Am (Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

May 24, 2020

It’s Matthew week 14 at Park Church. We’ll continue in the Sermon on the Mount, discussing Jesus and marriage.

Two weeks from now, we begin Christ in the Psalms, our annual summer series. Starting many summers ago, we’ve been going week-by-week, Psalm-by-Psalm, taking them in order from Psalm 1. We’ll start this year’s Christ in the Psalms with a little bit of a milestone—Psalm 100.

As for this Sunday, here’s how you can prepare!

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:31–32.

For many reasons, the topic of divorce is both sensitive and complex, and this instruction from Jesus is not intended to be a comprehensive teaching on the matter. Jesus’ teaching assumes that people understand the Biblical design for marriage—that marriage is to be a lifelong covenant relationship that reflects the faithful and enduring love of God for His people. At the same time, Jesus’ teachings on divorce reflect an understanding of the brokenness in our world by permitting—but not encouraging—divorce in certain scenarios related to infidelity.

The focus of this particular teaching is to confront those who were taking marriage vows lightly. People were distorting Old Testament teachings to justify divorce for almost any reason. Jesus is challenging the people of His Kingdom toward something better: to radically honor and uphold God’s design for marriage as a lifelong covenant relationship so that they might reflect the radical beauty of God’s covenant love for His people.

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

Don’t have Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 8:1, 3–4

How Majestic (Brian Eichelberger)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

O gracious and gentle and condescending God,
God of peace, Father of mercy, God of all comfort:
we confess before You the evil of our hearts;
we acknowledge that we are too inclined
toward anger, jealousy, and revenge,
to ambition and pride,
which often give rise to discord and bitter feelings
between others and us.

Too often have we thus both offended and grieved You,
O long-suffering Father.
Forgive us this sin and allow us to enjoy
the blessing you have promised the peacemakers,
who shall be called the children of God.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Peter 1:3–4

Living Hope (Brian Johnson, Phil Wickham)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Yes And Amen (Anthony Brown, Chris McClarney, Nate Moore)
The Blessing (Chris Brown, Cody Carnes, Kari Jobe, and Steven Furtick)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

May 17, 2020

We’re back to the book of Matthew for week 13 of our the series, continuing in the Sermon on the Mount.

We’re also still in the season of Eastertide, the “Great Fifty Days” between Lent and Pentecost. If you’re saying to yourself, “I still don’t know what Eastertide is!”, visit The Christian Year, our artistic accompaniment to the church calendar, for a short explanation and some music, art, and written prayer for the season.

A note for parents in regards to this Sunday’s content:

This week we discuss Jesus and the topic of lust. If your children have not been introduced to the subjects and realities of sexuality, lust, or pornography, consider being prepared in advance of this week’s sermon to have them set up with some other resources for learning and worship. Here is this week’s Kids’ Sunday Worship page!

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:27–30.

Even with the shifting ethics in American culture, marital unfaithfulness is still generally discouraged. Lust, however, is considered virtually unavoidable. For this culture—and for the original audience—Jesus’ teaching about lust is both radical and incisive. He takes the seventh commandment, “do not commit adultery,” and addresses the deeper heart issue behind it. To lust after someone who is not your spouse is to commit adultery in your heart. Jesus treats this with extreme gravity, using hyperbolic images to prescribe radical measures for eliminating such a destructive sin. Here again, Jesus is trying to show His people that moral conformity and behavioral modification is an inadequate path to the flourishing life that He wants for His people.

However, the command itself has no power to transform the human heart. Jesus alone can transform bent hearts. He alone can wash away shame. He alone can give the power to pursue a life of purity, faithfulness, and love.

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

Don’t have Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 145:8–10

Take A Moment (Will Reagan)
Way Maker (Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Psalm 51:1–3, 9–10

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 John 1:7–9

All Hail King Jesus (Gretzinger, Jackson, Mattis, Riddle) / Glory Be To God The Father (Horatius Bonar, Joel Limpic)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

His Mercy Is More (Matt Boswell, Matt Papa)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday