the christian calendar on Church Programs

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Scripture

Isaiah 11:1-5, Psalm 86:1, Psalm 22:1-2, Psalm 28:7, Psalm 65:5

A Blue Christmas Service is offered especially for those hurting during the holidays. It’s often offered December 21, the longest night of the year. Some come because they are mourning the death of...

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World Communion Sunday 2023

Author

William Rowley

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World Communion Sunday

Scripture

Ephesians 4:3-5

This post is from 2023. For our most up-to-date World Communion Sunday resources and updated content, visit our World Communion Sunday Worship Guide. Celebrating World Communion Sunday World C...

liturgy

Traditional Ash Wednesday Service

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Ash Wednesday

Scripture

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, Isaiah 58:1-12, Psalm 103:, Psalm 51:1-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

This is a traditional Ash Wednesday service focused on a penitent and reflective beginning of Lent. It features traditional collects, an invitation to a holy Lent, and a confession structured as a lit...

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How to Write a Great Call to Worship for Lent

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So, you’re staring at your laptop screen. It’s later at night than you’d like to admit. The Word document is blank and that vertical bar is flashing, daring you to write the first word. You need to st...

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Last Minute Liturgy | Maundy Thursday and Good Friday

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Asking for a "Friend"... You are ready for Holy Week. You are probably reading this because you're already thinking about next year— you're just that organized and put together...

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Easter Liturgy: Call to Worship, Confession, Communion Prayer, and Benediction

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Your Easter morning services should do two things: put on a rip-roaring celebration for the most joyful event in history and invite newcomers and Christmas-and-Easter attenders to join in, building a ...

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World Communion Sunday Liturgy

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John 17:

World Communion Sunday calls us to celebrate our unity as the global body of Christ. It's a great opportunity to celebrate that what unites us as Christians is greater than what divides us denomin...

liturgy

Modern Ash Wednesday Service

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Ash Wednesday

Scripture

Psalm 51:, Genesis 3:19, Psalm 103:8-14, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, Joel 2:1-2, Joel 2:12-17

A contemporary Ash Wednesday service integrating music and scripture with the imposition of ashes. Service Order Prelude People are encouraged to enter in silence. Lights are dim. As people ...

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Reformation Sunday 2023

Author

William Rowley

Keywords

Reformation Sunday

Scripture

Psalm 90:1-6, Psalm 1:null, Matthew 22:34-36

Celebrating Reformation Sunday Reformation Sunday this year is October 29, the Sunday preceding October 31. It marks the 506th year since Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of All Saints&...

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6 Palm Sunday Service Ideas: Processions and Interactive Liturgies

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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The Sunday before Easter is Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and beginning Holy Week. Even less-liturgical churches often dip a toe into the liturgical waters, distributing palms...

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Author

Russell Moore

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A Christianity that reflects its culture, whether that culture is Smith College or NASCAR, only lasts as long as it is useful to its host . That’s because it’s, at root, idolatry, and people turn from...

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Author

Pope John Paul II

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Pentecost

The Church of Christ is always, so to speak, in a situation of Pentecost: she is always gathered in the Upper Room in prayer, and at the same time, driven by the powerful wind of the Spirit, she is al...

liturgy

Walking in God's Holy Ways

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Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Isaiah 58:6-12, Romans 3:23-26, Ephesians 2:8-10, Psalm 139:23-24

Pastor: O Lord, in these Lenten days set our minds on Your things rather than the things of man, that we may listen for Your call and walk in Your ways. Lord, in Your mercy, People: hear o...

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Pentecost for the Rest of Us

Author

Jack Levison

Keywords

Pentecost

Scripture

Acts 2:1-41

Set Aside the Balloons, the Plastic Doves, and the Chips and Salsa for a Moment... When I arrived at church on Pentecost Sunday a few years ago, I sat down in the pews and looked up to see red and ...

liturgy

All Saints Remembrance

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1 Corinthians 1:2-3

VOICE ONE To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Ch...

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All Saints' Day Liturgy and Prayers: Two Options for Your Church

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I wouldn’t be surprised if, as a Protestant pastor, you approach All Saints’ Day with a little unease. After all, because Protestant churches tend not to have a special class of canonized exemplars ...

liturgy

Prayers for Lenten Season

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Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Isaiah 58:6-12, Romans 3:23-26, Ephesians 2:8-10, Psalm 139:23-24

Pastor: O Lord, in these Lenten days set our minds on Your things rather than the things of man, that we may listen for Your call and walk in Your ways. Lord, in Your mercy, People: hear o...

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Author

Warren W. Wiersbe

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Easter

Easter is the truth that turns a church from a museum into a ministry.

liturgy

Prayers of the People: Path to Salvation

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Psalm 118:25a, John 8:31-59, Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:8-11, Luke 19:36-44, John 12:16-19

Pastor: Heavenly Father, as Your Son humbled Himself for our salvation, give to each of us and to every member of Your Church a confident faith in Christ’s Passion for us, so that during this Holy W...

liturgy

Father: Thank You for always being

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Psalm 34:14, Luke 15:20, Hebrews 4:14, Romans 6:4, Acts 1:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalm 25:4-5, Matthew 11:28-30, Isaiah 41:10, John 14:13, James 1:5, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Habakkuk 3:2, Isaiah 6:8, Matthew 28:19-20

Father: Thank You for always being ready to welcome us and listen to us. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior: born like us, experiencing all that we experience yet sinless, who d...

liturgy

All Brought to Light

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Royal One, grant us strength to serve and keep on serving to risk and keep on risking to love and keep on loving Holy One, grant us faith to stand, trusting all will be revealed to bow, knowing all w...

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The Art of Remembering

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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Scripture

James 1:17, Ephesians 4:null

The Necessity of Memory Memory—or, more actively, remembering , plays an all-important role in our lives. Our culture likes us to focus on the now, "looking forward rather than looking back&q...

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A Life Re-Defined by The Spirit of God

Author

Mark Labberton

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Scripture

Acts 8:36-38, Acts 8:29-31, Acts 10:44-46, Acts 10:3-6, Acts 10:1-48, Acts 9:17-18, Acts 9:3-6

In his excellent book on worship, The Dangerous Act of Worship , pastor and president of Fuller Seminary Mark Labberton shares a story of the transformation of one of his former congregants: Ben ...

liturgy

Adapted from Acts 10:34-43

Author

Dustin Ray

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Scripture

Acts 10:34-43

Pastor: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good n...

illustration

“I’m in the Secret Service”

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Source Unknown

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Hebrews 10:24-25 , Matthew 18:20, Matthew 25:14-30, Acts 2:42, Acts 20:28 , Hebrews 10:24-25 , Colossians 3:16 , Psalm 122:1 , 1 Corinthians 3:17 , Acts 2:47

Jim was leaving church after Christmas services when the pastor greeted him and said, “Jim, it’s time you joined the Army of the Lord. We need to see you every Sunday.” “I’m already in the Army of th...

liturgy

Invocation for Easter

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