CALL TO WORSHIP

Our service begins with a call to worship. This greeting, responsive reading, or song helps root our service in the narrative of God in the world. We enter His courts with thanksgiving and praise and focus our attention on what God would desire to do in our hearts during our time together.

MUSIC

We love music, and that is how God intended it. Music has a way of piercing into the deep parts of our soul, that assists in our expression and response to God and our shared faith with one another. Singing helps unite us with one another, the church, and God’s Kingdom work all around us. This is why music and corporate singing remains a cornerstone of our liturgy. Our style is folk-inspired acoustic music with a contemporary flair. We sing songs from all eras and styles.

SILENCE

We also appreciate the value of deeply meaningful moments of silence for prayer, contemplation, and reflection. We recognize that a worship service invites us into moments that tend to be a bit counter-cultural to our busy lives, so moments of corporate silent prayer and contemplation provides a unique opportunity to connect with God and to reorient our hearts.

CONFESSION

Every week we take time to recognize our need for God. We can’t fully appreciate what God has done for us if we don’t recognize our own brokenness. Our time of confession can take many forms. We might sing a song, read scripture, stay silent, or pray prayers of confession. We realize that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

ASSURANCE

This is the good news! We remember that God has acted to redeem us from sin. Though we are a broken people, God has not left us that way. Through Christ we have victory over sin and death! In Him we are forgiven and made new. He has given us his Holy Spirit to comfort us and guide us into perfect love. During assurance, we might read scripture or sing songs that celebrate the redemption and forgiveness that is available in Christ.

PASSING OF THE PEACE (GREETING)

The Christian life cannot be lived in isolation. The passing of the peace is a time of greeting one another and declaring we are at peace with one another and with God. There is plenty of time to welcome each other and make a brief connection. But don’t let it end there! Make plans to continue your conversation after the service and during the week.

SERMON

The sermon is a time to focus our full attention on the Word of God. You can expect to be challenged and encouraged by the sermon each week. We usually organize our sermons into series based on a book of the Bible or formational topic. No matter the series, you’ll discover beautiful truths and explore implications for your life today.

COMMUNION

From the earliest Christian worship gatherings, the Eucharist has been the central and culminating moment of the gathering. It is where the followers of Christ remember his death, celebrate his resurrection, and anticipate his return. More than mere memorial, we believe Christ is active in this sacrament to shape us as the people of God. There are no prerequisites for participating in Communion at Emmaus Road, anyone hungry for the presence of God is welcome to join us at the Table.

GIVING (TITHES + OFFERING)

Generosity with our resources, time, and talent is an important way to affirm what we have received from God. This is a time where we give to God with glad and joyful hearts. The way we spend our money is often an indicator of where our loyalties lie. Giving to God is a tangible way to express our worship and trust in him. Just as Jesus gave joyfully and sacrificially of his life, so we believe that giving to God is a tangible way to express our worship and trust in him through this joyful and sacrificial part of our worship.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (INTERCESSION)

Each week we pray earnestly as a congregation, bring our praise and adoration, thanksgiving, and requests to God. This time of guided prayer invites us all to participate in the many ways God is moving among us and our world. It also provides spaces and language for us as we lament moments of tragedy or injustice in our world, with faithfully praying for God’s love, peace, and mercy to be know by all. By praying this pattern each week we are unified with one another, and with the church universal, in seeking God’s will to be done, on earth as it is in his perfect Kingdom.

BENEDICTION

To close our service, receive a commission by holding out our hands. This is often done by a member of our congregation and followed by singing the Doxology a cappella. Here the narrative is complete: after being called to worship, confessing our need for God, being assured of God’s forgiveness, hearing the scriptures preached, and receiving communion; we are commissioned to live out our faith in the world.