GraceDestin

Our Story

Our Sunday Worship service is Liturgical. The Lord promises to be with us in His Word and His sacraments, Communion and Baptism.

The Word is preached. Scripture is read. Holy Communion is Celebrated. Hymns and Praise Songs are sung. Children are always welcome! We begin at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday School for Adults and Children at 10:45 a.m.

Our worship, just like everything we do, is centered on Christ. We come to public worship in order to receive his saving Gospel in the Word and in the Sacraments. In response, we also offer to him our thanks, our praise, and our lives. This cycle of receiving from God and giving to God is reflected in the form of our worship.

The Parts of the Liturgy

Invocation
The service begins with words that call on the name of the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” are the same words that were spoken at your baptism. They are a reminder that we enter God’s presence to worship him because we were made his children through baptism.

Confession and Absolution
Instead of presuming we have the right to approach God, first we humbly confess our sins to God and then gladly hear his proclamation that each and every one of them has been forgiven. We do this week after week because we sin daily and because God never tires of forgiving. We can never hear those amazing, comforting words too often.

Song of Praise
In response to the forgiveness given so freely to us, we join our voices in a song of praise to God.

Prayer of the Day
We pray the appointed prayer for that Sunday of the church year. This prayer fits with the theme for the day.

First Lesson
The first lesson from God’s Word is usually taken from the Old Testament. Many times we will hear about a prophecy that was fulfilled by Christ in the Gospel lesson for the day or about a historical event that correlates to Jesus’ words and works in the Gospel.

Psalm of the Day
For 3,000 years believers have worshiped God by singing and reciting psalms.

Second Lesson
The second lesson is usually taken from the part of the New Testament we call the Epistles—letters written by the apostles. Typically they apply God’s Word specifically to the believer’s life.

Verse of the Day
A short Bible verse, based on the theme of the day, is read or sung. This verse thanks God for and prepares us to hear the Gospel lesson.

The Gospel
The entire service revolves around the Gospel lesson. We stand to hear the words and works of Christ our King, just like people stood in the presence of royalty in ancient times.

Hymn of the Day
One of several hymns selected for the service, the words of this hymn in particular teach God’s Word in relation to the theme of the day.

Sermon
The pastor preaches a message based on one of the lessons for the day. The sermon teaches how God's Word applies to our Christian life.

Confession of Faith
Immediately before or after the sermon we proclaim what we believe—what the Christian Church has always believed. To do that we use the words of the Nicene or Apostles’ Creed—both of which have been used in the Christian Church for almost two millennia.

Prayer of the Church
We join to pray to God about specific joys and troubles in our church and in the Church around the world. This is followed by the Lord’s Prayer.

Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper is offered. We, united with our brothers and sisters in the faith, approach God’s altar to receive the true body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith.

Benediction
As we return to our Christian lives refreshed by God’s Word and Sacrament, we receive the same blessing that God gave to the ancient Israelites.