May 17, 2020 - Sunday Service Worship Guide
TOday's Announcements
Good morning Mercy Hill! If you're new with us, we just wanted to extend a special welcome to you. Feel free to fill out a Connection Card to get more info or prayer. We're glad to have you with us!
If you're tuning in for the Watch Party, you'll notice that the platform has tabs where you can find today's Worship Guide, read an online Bible, and even chat. While we're meeting virtually like this, we'd encourage everyone to please consider taking a moment to put a comment in the chat box there. Let us know who you are and maybe where you're tuning in from. Say hi. We miss you! And as we get into the message, feel free to share other Scriptures that come to mind, prayer requests that you have, questions that you'd like answered, etc. It would be great to interact even in this limited format.
Here are a few critical announcements to keep in mind:
- Men of Prayer Video Series: Mercy Hill men! Let's stay connected through this lock down period. Come join us for an 8-week Zoom video series starting Tuesday, May 26th @ 4:30-5:30 pm. In this one-hour session, men will view a new men’s video series (Mighty Men of Prayer) which covers 8 key topics for modern Christian men and their lives. After the 15-minute video, the session will be facilitated through key questions for follow-up discussion and prayer. You can find more info and sign up here.
- Sunday Service Afterparty: Remember to join us immediately following the Watch Party via Zoom for the Afterparty (which today will include a time for connections and prayer). You can find a link to join in here.
- Mercy Hill Kids Online Worship: Beginning at 11:30am today! Go here to read more and to find a link to sign in!
- All Church Prayer: Join us tonight for a time of prayer beginning at 6:00pm! Find more info and link to join here.
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- Home Groups: All groups have now moved to a virtual format. Find one to join here. You are not alone!
- COVID-19 SOS Form: If you or anyone you know needs help during this challenging time, we'd love to do what we can!
- Neighborhood Care Cards: With the shelter-in-place order extending for yet another month, please consider making use of these cards as a way of reaching out to and serving your neighbors. You can get more info regarding these in the last section of this post.
Today's Sermon
Title: Do Not Be Afraid . . . Wait for the Lord!
Text: Psalm 27
Preacher: Nick Weber
Manuscript: If you appreciate following along with written material, you can find today's manuscript here.
Reflection Questions
- Read the Psalm again. In what ways—good and hard—do you relate to David here? How would you personalize this Psalm and make it your own? What are you currently facing that feels a bit like what David describes here? How does this Psalm help point the way forward?
- In the sermon, Nick said that God uses hardship and trial to drive head-knowledge deeper into our hearts. Can you think of other stories or verses in Scripture that might validate and elaborate on this claim? How have you personally experienced this to be true? What would you say God is trying to drive deeper into your heart even right now?
- Read verse 4 of this Psalm again. David says that God is the "one thing" he is after. If you had to identify what your "one thing" has been lately, what would it be? If someone were to look into your life from the outside, what do you think they would identify as your "one thing"? God? Or something else? Explain. How can you move towards more of this singleness of devotion and passion for God?
- This pandemic has certainly messed up our rhythms, systems, and plans. One of the things Nick said God is doing in this is opening us up to instruction, change, and new possibilities. Do you find yourself longing to just "get back to normal" or are you opening up to hear what God might be saying to you in this hard season? How do you think God is trying to change and redirect you? What do you think He is saying? What is He going to want you to take from this season into life on the other side of it? Pray and journal and think hard on these things. Don't waste your quarantine!
- One reason the Psalms are especially helpful is they teach us how to identify and express our feelings to God. They show us how to speak to Him in hard times. Pick a verse or two from this Psalm to memorize and make your own this week. Turn it over in your heart. Speak it out to God. Pray around it. Let it inform and give expression to the things that are on your heart (or the things you wish were there!).
Call to Response
Sing:
- Land of the Living (Pat Barrett)
- Behold (Hillsong Worship)
Pray:
If you need prayer in any way, please either: (1) request it during the Watch Party via the "Request Prayer" button; (2) fill out a Connection Card; or (3) post your request to our Mercy Hill Community Facebook Group. We’d love to be lifting you up and caring for you in this time!
Give:
If you’d like to give an offering this morning, please check out our Give page to find the best option for you!
Mercy Hill Kids
While difficult, this pandemic does create a wonderful chance for parents to step towards their God-given call as chief disciplers of their kids. We know this may feel overwhelming and that is why we want to help! Parents of Mercy Hill children should have already received an email from the Director of Mercy Hill Kids, Christina Lugo, regarding ways you can utilize the Gospel Project curriculum at home. This information has also been included on our blog here. Beyond this, each Sunday, we are also looking to host an online worship gathering for our kids. You can check here for more details. We'd love to have you join us!
If you have any questions or need help in any way, don't hesitate to reach out to Christina at
Have a Wonderful Week!