Sunday, March 1, 2009

Sunday Set List 03/01/09

This is my fourth "Sunday Set List" for Fred McKinnon's blog.
This week I'm doing it early, as I am determined not to be #50 or lower.
I'll have my weekly worship confessional up monday as usual... or as should be usual.

You can find other worshippers' set lists here -
http://www.fredmckinnon.com/myblog/2009/03/01/sunday-setlists-32/
Thanks to Elizabeth for commenting on my blog - it helps me know who is out there and reading.
I still encourage you to say something if you can. It can start conversation, and isn't that what blogging is all about?

This weekend is the start of a week of prayer for North American Mission - additionally we've started a prayer guide. Our pastor has asked the church to participate in 40 days of prayer for our city and our country.

SET LIST
Intro by pianist and organist

Welcome and Call to Worship: Pastor Harbers

Songs of Praise:
Forever (Chris Tomlin)
I love singing this song. It went so much better than I had planned. The body started clapping and celebrating - not common for our body, but it is a behavior starting to emerge. I will definitely be leading this song again soon.
Grace Greater than Our Sin (Hymn)
OK so this was a selfish move - I really enjoyed leading this hymn a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to feel that feeling again. When we sang it about a month ago, the body just attached themselves to this song and sang it with all their hearts.
Additionally, I wanted in these first two songs to celebrate what God has done for us. So, I went back to this song to see if what happened a couple of weeks ago was a one time thing. It wasn't. The body really likes this song and sings it from their heart. I thought the morning started out as strong as I could remember

Offertory
Intro by Pastor Harbers.
Robert Moore speaks and presents the Video "God of this City"
Video
Robert Moore speaks.

Robert just came and spoke to us all from his heart. He really wants to see people get to know Jesus. I was really proud of what Robert said and what he is doing. It isn't often that a community leader steps up like this. Praise God it is happening here.

Hymns of Worship:
Blessed Assurance
Heaven Came Down
I Love to Tell the Story

When I was putting this service together, the pastor and I had to re-craft this service a couple of times. It just wasn't fitting into the theme that well. So, finally, I re-did the entire service and I felt good about everything... until we went through these three songs on Sunday Morning. I practice with the instrumentalists about 2 hours before church starts. It takes about 20 min. to run through everything. Everything was going well until we tried to transition from Blessed to Heaven Came Down. It was a tough transition. Not the instrumentalists fault, it was mine in planning. When I played it through by myself on my guitar, it went much easier, but sometimes things change on a Sunday morning.

So, we worked some things out and gave it a go. During service, Blessed Assurance went well but as I feared, I felt we lost energy going into Heaven Came Down. However, I Love to Tell the Story made up for it. It really worked well with Robert Moore's comments and I felt like the spirit really picked up heading into the sermon.

Prayer: Russ Ponder

Sermon
"Live with Urgency - Sowing Together for Harvest" - Pastor Donny Harbers

Invitation
Have Thine Own Way

I again chose a traditional invitation this week, and I was disappointed on how it wrapped things up. I don't feel like it had the spirit or yearning that we needed - maybe it was the song, but it just didn't do it for me this week.

Announcements

Closing
11. Blessed Assurance
I usually sing a chorus of the song that I believe ties the service together best, and then we instrumentally play it as people walk out. This song was that for us this week, and I believe I picked the right song, so we ended on a good note. (No pun intended)

I felt the service started out very strong, but kind of lost steam halfway through. It is important when crafting a blended service that you truly blend it (I believe). You lose something by leaning heavily one way or the other. If we were to do more hymns, some hymn should feel more contemporary. If it is leaning the other way, make sure there are songs the older crownd can still sink their teeth into. Just my opinion - and I don't feel like service went like it could have this week. Maybe switching those two songs would have made a difference... or trying a different song at #2 in that set. Whatever the case, I could have done better.

Again, I'd love for you to come back and check out my worship confessional. It should become more entertaining as I loosen up.

Blessings and may the Joy of the Lord be your Strength!
Kendall

5 comments:

  1. Kendall... thanks for jumping in.. you only learn as you keep doing.

    Thanks for sharing your struggle with the song selection. Sometimes planning is perfect until you implement... then you have to change. Always happens.

    Oh Snap.. I forgot that it was Missions Sunday--we did have the prayer guides. We have moved to ONE offering for all missions-(divide up the offering over the year to Lottie, Annie and such.) We gave 18% more last year by asking people to give through out the year rather than these special offerings.

    take care.

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  2. You sang some songs I've never heard of. I guess I should get out more.

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  3. They're older hymns - so you probably could get out more, you just won't hear these songs. :-)
    It is amazing how many different songs are posted each week on these set lists. Thanks for the comment!

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  4. Kendall, "Forever" is a great song that our former worship leader used to sing a lot at Homestead Park UMC. It's on my short "to-do" list for both of my churches. "I Love To Tell The Story" is a favorite at our traditional service, right out of the Methodist hymnal. Great message. I like your blended approach, and you are right by thinking that the timing of when to do a song during a service is so critical to the reaction you will get from it!

    Blessings,
    B.J. Collins
    70x7.com

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  5. Thanks for the comments B.J.
    The "blended" approach I do here at FBC Hamlin is not the approach I'd do at every church, but it's the approach that fits best here. It is easy to lead in the style and way that you like, but that isn't always the best for the body you're trying to reach. I love the song "Overcome" by Desperation Band, but it wouldn't get this group of believer to praise like "Victory in Jesus" or "Holy is the Lord", so I have to pray constantly for discernment. With God leading, we'll be OK... If it was just me, I'd mess things up :-)

    Hope your week is blessed.

    Kendall

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