CREDO what we believe Membership Vows Prayers Presence

CREDO: what we believe

Membership Vows • Prayers • Presence • Gifts • Service • Witness

Bible Study: Hebrews 10: 2325 • Scripture—write down the verse God has • • impressed on you during your reading. Observation—write down what the lesson is for you this day Application—write how this lesson applies to your life Prayer—write a prayer to God concerning this lesson and your life Yield—what must you yield in your life for this lesson to become alive in you?

Presence “‘Holy solitaries’ is a phrase no more consistent with the gospel than holy adulterers. The gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness. ” –John Wesley

Becoming Methodist CONFERENCE SOCIETY CLASS BAND

Presence Why is it important to you to attend worship and participate in some sort of small group?

Presence What does it mean to be present?

Presence in Worship • • When are you most present in worship? How do you prepare for worship? What do you expect to bring to worship? What do you expect from worship?

Presence in Worship • Worship as Service • Worship as Work – Liturgy—a prescribed ritual for public worship and is derived from the Greek word leitourgia, which means ‘work of the people’

Presence in Worship • Four-Fold Order –Gathering –Proclamation –Response –Sending

Presence in Worship • • When are you most present in worship? How do you prepare for worship? What do you expect to bring to worship? What do you expect from worship?

Presence in Community I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. -- John Wesley, May 24 1738

Presence in Community In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

Presence There are times when I come to worship to affirm the faith that I hold, but there are other times when I come to worship so that the faith the church affirms can hold me. …There are times when I am present with my small group in order to encourage someone else, and there are times when I need to be present so they can encourage me. -- Rev. Jim Harnish

Presence in Community • Why do you think it is important to participate weekly worship and a small group community? • What are the obstacles/excuses/reasons that might prevent you? • How will you overcome them? • What blessings from God do you imagine might come through such steps?

Next Week GIFTS Financial Generosity