CHRIST CHURCH VENTURA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA

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1 The Celtic Cross is an ancient Christian symbol. The cross proper recalls the death of Christ for the sins of his people, while the circle is a historic symbol of God s eternal nature. Jesus name is at the center, depicted by the Greek letters Ιης and is surrounded by the vine and branches, representing our relationship to Him. At the bottom, CHRISTUS VICTOR, Christ is Victorious, testifies to his triumph over sin and death on the cross. This Celtic cross is used by permission of Saint Paul s Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. Each of the five panels represents a significant event in Christ s life. Exalting Christ through Worship, Learning, Community, and Outreach HIS REIGN The wounded lamb as Christ reclining on the book of seven seals is a historic symbol of the reigning Christ. The threerayed nimbus is an ancient symbol of deity. (Revelation 5:9-12) HIS RESURRECTION Lilies traditionally represent the resurrection; the trumpet heralds Christ s certain and triumphal return. (1 Corinthians 15:54; Matthew 24:31; Luke 12:27) HIS ATONEMENT The crown of thorns and nails testify to Christ s sacrificial death on the cross. (Hebrews 2:17: John 19:2; 20:27) HIS BAPTISM The dove and tongues of fire symbolically portray the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 3:10; Acts 2:3) HIS INCARNATION The open Bible is the Word of God. The double lighted candlesticks represent the dual nature of Christ his deity and his humanity. (John 1:1-14) CHRIST CHURCH VENTURA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA To all who are spiritually weary and seek rest; to all who mourn and long for comfort; to all who struggle and desire hope; to all who sin and need a Savior; to all who are strangers and yearn for home; to all who hunger and thirst after righteousness; and to whoever will come; this church offers a genuine welcome in the name of the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

2 WHAT IS OUR MESSAGE? The great good news is that God has taken it upon Himself to do something for us that we are powerless to do for ourselves. The Gospel is simply this: sinners are forgiven and accepted by God because of the work of Jesus Christ. Trust in Christ s finished work is not just the beginning of the Christian life, but the means and end as well. The Gospel is what must be applied more and more deeply in order to live as a Christian. The power of the Gospel is not merely about forgiveness and improvement, but renewal and wholeness. A GOSPEL-SHAPED MINISTRY WHAT DO WE BELIEVE? We embrace the historic Christian faith believing the timeless truths held in common by the church in all ages and places. We wholeheartedly affirm the classic doctrines defined by the Apostles, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. The Trinity There is only one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Incarnation The person Jesus Christ is the only Son of God who is both fully God and fully human. The Gospel changes people Through the continual application of the Gospel we become more like Christ. The Atonement Jesus died on a cross and was raised from the dead in order to redeem us from our sins. The Gospel produces joy Grace frees us from both condemnation and self-righteousness to enjoy God fully. The Gospel defines community In union with Christ, we become God s sons and daughters His new people. The Gospel points outward The Gospel informs attitudes The Gospel removes barriers Grace disengages approval seeking, engenders authenticity, and curbs pride. As Christians, we desire the peace and well-being of our communities and cities. Reconciliation humbles us so that we may become agents to reconcile others. The Gospel renews culture All of life matters to God and we are to pursue all vocations with excellence. WHAT DO WE BELIEVE? The Gospel builds momentum Church planting is both the result of and means to fulfilling the great commission. We also embrace the Reformed Christian faith believing the biblical teachings that were restated during the Protestant Reformation. This great renewal of the church in the 16 th century has given us a common heritage in the classic solas. Scripture Alone The Bible is the one source of divine revelation and the only completely reliable guide for faith and life. Christ Alone Salvation is accomplished by the substitutionary atonement of the historical and sinless Christ alone. Grace Alone We are rescued from God s anger, freed from sin s bondage and lifted to new life by His grace alone. Faith Alone God Alone Christ s righteousness is imputed to us as the only possible satisfaction of God s justice by faith alone. The sole purpose of our creation and redemption is to enjoy God s presence and live for His glory.

3 CHRIST CHURCH VENTURA IS A CONGREGATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA Empowered by the Gospel, we aim to experience God s pleasure in fostering true knowledge, holy affection, and faithful obedience through historic worship, gospel renewal, genuine community, and global partnership to the end that God s people are gathered and Christ s Kingdom is extended throughout Ventura County and beyond. OFFICERS Teaching Elder Roy R. Bennett (ojairoyb@gmail.com) Ruling Elder Robert Glass (rglass@raypak.com) Ruling Elder Eric Halvorson (prof.halvorson@gmail.com) Ruling Elder Roger Phelps (ojai2eyes@aol.com) Deacon David Sveiven (dsevend@yahoo.com) Order for the Celebration and Worship of God Third Sunday after Pentecost: July 3, :00 P.M. PRELUDE Pianist Tilford Jackson WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS SILENT PREPARATION CALL TO WORSHIP AND RESPONSE Isaiah 25:6-9 STAFF Chief Musician Tilford Jackson Office Manager Michelle Hindman CONTACT INFORMATION PO Box 25 Ojai, CA (805) / WORSHIP LOCATION Trinity Lutheran Church 196 N. Ashwood Avenue in Ventura at 4:00 PM ANNOUNCEMENTS EARLYBIRD BIBLE READING Wed. at 6:30 AM Isaiah Coffee Bean and Tea 4360 Main St. in Ventura **Deacon s Fund will be collected today** All music reproduction is by permission CCLI# INVITIATORY Open our lips, O Lord. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Unison: Great is your mercy and grace, O Lord. You restore the peoples of the earth for your own glory. Come dwell among us and be glorified in your Church forever. Come let us adore Him! * HYMN OF PRAISE (Music on page 2) Rejoice, the Lord Is King * PRAYER OF ADORATION Unison: O Lord, keep your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion, for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 1

4 REJOICE, THE LORD IS KING INDELIBLE GRACE A debtor to God s mercy alone, of covenant mercy I sing; Nor fear, with your righteousness on, my person and offering to bring. The terrors of law and of God with me can have nothing to do; My Saviors obedience and blood hide all my transgression from view. The work which his goodness began, the arm of his strength will complete; His promise is yea and amen, and never was forfeited yet. Things future, nor things that are now, nor all things below or above, Can make him his purpose forgo, or sever my soul from his love. My name from the palms of his hands eternity will not erase; Impressed on his heart it remains, in marks of indelible grace. Yes, I to the end shall endure, as sure as the earnest is given; * AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Westminster Confession of Faith VII.1-6 More happy, but not more secure, the glorified spirits in heaven. What do we believe concerning good works? Augustus M. Toplady Unison: Good works are only those works identified as good by God and commanded by him in his holy word. They do not include other works, no matter how well-intentioned in design or zealously promoted by men. 2 19

5 * BENEDICTION Corinthians 13:14 Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. * DISMISSAL HYMN How Can I Keep From Singing POSTLUDE * Congregation standing Go in peace to love and serve the risen Lord Jesus. Thanks be to God! 18 Pianist Tilford Jackson Good works, done in obedience to God s Commandments, are the fruit and evidence of a true and living faith. By them believers show their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance of salvation, edify their brothers in the Lord, and become ornaments of all those who profess the gospel. Good works in believers silence the criticism of the enemies of the gospel. They also glorify God by showing that believers are the workmanship and creation of Jesus Christ, because their aim is that holiness which leads to eternal life. Believers get the ability to do good works entirely from the Spirit of Christ. In addition to the other particular effects of God s grace already received, believers must be directed by the Holy Spirit in order to will and to do what pleases God. However, they are not therefore to grow spiritually lazy, waiting for some special guidance from the Spirit before doing anything commanded by God. Rather, they should diligently attempt to identify what good works God has commanded in His Word and then try their best to do all of them, praying earnestly and daily for the empowering and enabling of the Holy Spirit, who lives in them. We cannot, of course, by our best works deserve to be forgiven for sins and to receive eternal life from God. There is that great disproportion between our best works in this life and the glory which is going to be revealed in us, and there is the infinite distance between us and God, who does not profit from our best works and is not satisfied by them for the debt of our previous sins. Nevertheless, since believers are accepted through Christ, their good works in this life are also accepted in him. It is not as though they were perfect in God s sight but that God, looking on them in his Son, is pleased to accept and reward what is sincerely done, even though accompanied by much weakness and imperfection. Works done by people who have not been spiritually reborn may be the same as those commanded by God and may be of good use to them and to others. However, since they do not proceed from a heart purified by faith, are not done in the right way, that is, in response to God s word, and are not done for the right purpose, the glory of God, they are therefore sinful and cannot please God or make a person fit to receive grace from God. Nevertheless, it is more sinful and displeasing to God not to do such works than to do them. 3

6 THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 54:1-10 (ESV) ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, GIVE THANKS continued 54 :1 Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married, says the LORD. 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. 3 For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities. 4 Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. 5 For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. 6 For the LORD has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. 7 For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. 8 In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the LORD, your Redeemer. 9 This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. 10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God! * HYMN OF TRUST (Music on page 5) Redeemed! How I Love to Proclaim It PRAYER OF COMMITMENT Unison: Almighty God, you have redeemed us with the precious blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Grant that his love may constrain us to live no longer for ourselves but for him who died for us and rose again. Teach us to live for your glory and rest in your grace. Amen.

7 ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, GIVE THANKS REDEEMED! HOW I LOVE TO PROCLAIM IT 16 5

8 MAY WE BE ONE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (The congregation is encouraged to participate both verbally and in silence.) Unison: O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works. You have given us grace at this time to make our common supplication to you and you have promised through your beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his name you will be in their midst. Fulfill now, O Lord, our petitions as may be best for us and pleasing to you; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. We pray for the Church of Jesus Christ, that it may be filled with grace and truth, be moved by faith, hope and love, and be found faultless at the day of your coming, Lord, hear our prayers. We pray for freedom from pride and unbelief, from false doctrine and division, from excessive and sinful affections, and from hatred and the crafts and assaults of the devil, Lord, hear our prayers. We pray for all who suffer tribulation that you would extend your fatherly affection and provide refreshment for their souls and healing for their bodies, Lord, hear our prayers. We pray for the Holy Spirit to so stir our hearts that we may readily and cheerfully give ourselves for the service and enrichment of one another and this community, Lord, hear our prayers. 6 15

9 AGNUS DEI John 1:29 We pray for those who do not yet believe that you may dispel the darkness, enlighten their minds and renew their heart so as to receive the gospel in faith, Lord, hear our prayers. We pray for ourselves that you may give us grace to love and fear you, to receive your Word afresh, and to live in conscious thanks for our salvation in Christ, Lord, hear our prayers. THE LORD'S SUPPER Christ our Passover, sacrificed for us. Therefore, let us keep the feast! The gifts of God for the people of God. Thanks be to the Lord! (People are encouraged to come forward to receive the sacrament and to repent and rejoice as the sacrament is observed. The wafer is to be dipped into the wine.) COMMUNION HYMN (Music on page 15) May We Be One Daigle and Cooney 1993 COMMUNION SONG (Music on pages 16 & 17) Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks THE LORD'S PRAYER Matthew 6:9-13 Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. * HYMN OF FAITH (Music on page 8) Christ, of All My Hopes the Ground * NEW TESTAMENT LESSON Ephesians 5:9-21 (ESV) 5 :9 Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 14 The Word of the Lord! Thanks be to God! 7

10 CHRIST, OF ALL MY HOPES THE GROUND PRAYER OF CONSECRATION WORDS OF INSTITUTION 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION PRAYER OF APPROACH Unison: We do not presume to come to this your table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in your great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table. But you are the same Lord, whose nature is always to have mercy; grant us therefore, gracious Lord, that we may so partake of this bread and wine that our sinful bodies may be made clean by Christ s body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. AMEN 8 13

11 THE SANCTUS Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 118:26 * PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION AFTERNOON SERMON Reverend Roy R. Bennett Living As Children of Light PASTORAL PRAYER OFFERTORY * DOXOLOGY 12 9

12 * PRAYER OF DEDICATION SERMON NOTES CONFESSION OF SIN Unison: Our God and Father, we come to you this afternoon as sinners in need of your forgiveness, cleansing and restoration. What we have offered to you as a confession of faith convicts us, and so we come to you now with a new confession the confession of sin on our lips. Although you have been very gracious to us you ve adopted us into your family, you ve received us as citizens and made us heirs of your promises, we have often forgotten your grace and have become ungracious toward others. ASSURANCE OF PARDON Psalm 103:8-12 The Lord is merciful and gracious; slow to anger and abounding in loving-kindness. He does not deal with us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our sins from us. THE GREAT THANKSGIVING The Lord be with you! And also with you! Lift up your hearts! We lift them up to the Lord! Let us give thanks to the Lord! It is good and right so to do. It is right, and a good and joyful thing, that we should always give you thanks, O Lord; therefore, with the angels, we exalt and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising you and singing, 10 11