Our Worship
Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
— Isaiah 41:10
We gather each Sunday to be renewed in the relationship (or covenant) that has been established with us in the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. And since it is God Himself who has established this covenant, we look to His Word to tell us how to approach Him in worship.
Our Sunday
We look at Sunday as the high point of our week, strengthening us for the work of the Kingdom in our various vocations. In worship we find who we are truly meant to be, and receive the grace of God to walk in closer fellowship with Him and one another.
At 10 AM we gather for worship. We strive to keep Jesus Christ and the Word of God central in our liturgy, so our services incorporate a great deal of reading and singing, expository preaching, and a weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper. After worship, we often share lunch together. We’d love for you to join us!
Our Liturgy
Our liturgy consists of five major pieces:
Call to Worship:
After the Fall, man does not naturally desire or seek God. So in salvation, God graciously initiates. The Spirit calls us to faith in Christ, and as believers, God calls us to worship Him.Confession of Sin:
As we come into God’s holy presence, we are reminded that in so many ways we fall short of what God requires. Together in prayer, we acknowledge our wrongdoing, turn from our sins, and seek the mercy and forgiveness promised by Jesus Christ.Consecration:
The glory of the gospel is that God lavishes His grace upon us. We are not left merely forgiven, but Christ also equips us to serve Him and extend His kingdom by teaching us from His Word.Communion:
Weekly communion reminds us that through Christ we are at peace with God and one another. Jesus is the bread of life, and there is no life apart from Him.Commissioning:
Having been cleansed and consecrated by God, and having enjoyed worshipful communion with Him, we are sent forth from worship to glorify and enjoy God, and to be salt, light, and leaven in the world for Him.
Our Bulletin
Our greeter would be glad to give you a quick walk-through of the bulletin and answer any questions you may have before the service.
You can download a sample bulletin here:
What To Expect
Every church has its own personality. Here is what to expect from Christ Church Elk River.
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After our service, we have a fellowship meal each Sunday but the first Sunday of the month. We’d love to have you join us, and look forward to spending some time with you.
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We encourage parents to bring their children into worship with them (Matt 19:14). Though this can seem a bit daunting at first, families typically find that their children adapt quite well to the service. Our liturgy is designed to be meaningful and interactive even to little ones who can’t yet talk or read. Our goal is to so raise our children in worshiping God that their earliest memories of church aren’t ones of being segregated off with other kids but rather, always being summoned into God’s presence.
That said, having young children in worship can and does create some challenges. Don’t worry–we’ve all been there and understand! If you think your child might be distracting others or has some other need, you’re more than welcome to take them out of the sanctuary and into the fellowship hall, which serves as our cry room. From there you’ll still be able to hear the service and return once your child is ready.
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Throughout worship, we have various responsive readings and also sing a variety of hymns, psalms, and historic service music. Before the service begins, our church greeter will make sure to answer any questions you may have about the bulletin.
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We celebrate the Lord’s Supper every week, and invite all those who are baptized and members in good standing in their local church to join us. If you are bringing children with you, they are welcome to partake of the Supper also if they have been baptized.
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The most important garment to wear on Sundays is the righteousness of Christ (Zech. 3:1-5; Rev. 3:4, 5, 18). The good news is that though we are dressed in the filthy rags of our own righteousness (Is. 64:6), God offers us His righteousness—symbolized by white clothing—as a free gift of grace.
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You should expect worship to last until about 11:30 AM. Sometimes, when there is a baptism or other addition to the liturgy, it might be a little after.
FAQs
What is the Gospel?
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Put simply, it is the good news of God: that though we are by nature sinful we may be washed clean and forgiven by repenting of our sin and believing in Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sin when He died on the Cross. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit, so too we are raised into a new life, given a regenerated heart, and called to seek the will of our heavenly Father in all things.
At first glance, most would see us as traditional since we mainly use music and hymns from centuries past. Our use of such music in worship, however, is not because we think what is old is inherently superior. Our most important commitment in worship is to be biblical, and we find that many of the older hymns of the historic Church are more tightly woven together with the Bible than many contemporary songs. Further, we think that by recapturing those enduring hymns of the past we will be in a better position to write and sing new songs that will endure beyond the 21st century. In this fashion, we believe we are being meaningfully contemporary in our worship style. Likewise, we use the piano as an accompanying instrument to the main instrument God has given all of us–our voices. The piano is very practical and useful in assisting the development of singing excellence in a congregation, which is something we humbly desire at our church. Hearing, following, and singing melodies as well as harmonies are possible with the piano, especially when others around us lift up their voices (and thereby help our voices as well) to God in worship. On occasion and as God gives us opportunity, other instruments are used as accompaniment at our church as well. We whole-heartedly resist any style that is employed more to entertain than to worship–more focused on man than on God, more in touch with our flesh than the Spirit and truth. There are both traditional and contemporary examples of this, and by God’s grace, we desire to steer clear of both in worship at Christ Church Elk River.
Are you traditional or contemporary in worship style?
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Why do you sing psalms?
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The question really should be, why wouldn’t we sing psalms in worship? (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16). The Psalms are the inspired songbook that God has given us. As we become more acquainted with Psalms in worship, we will be better equipped to identify and produce new songs that are deeply informed by God’s Word.
Who can partake in communion?
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You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day.
How often do you have communion?
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We believe that communion is an integral part of worship each Sunday, so we join together in celebrating the Lord’s Supper immediately prior to the conclusion of our service every week.
Do you pass a plate for tithes and offerings?
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Our preference is to leave a box at the entrance of the sanctuary into which people may place a tithe or a gift before the service begins. Towards the end of the service, the basket is brought forward and our pastor offers a prayer of dedication for that which has been given.
We are thankful for the work of organizations like National Center for Family Integrated Churches (NCFIC) and affirm their mission. We welcome and encourage whole families to participate in worship on Sundays and call parents to fulfill their biblical duties of raising their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We have found over the course of years, however, that the term “family integrated” can mean different things to different people and sometimes the term can be wrongly used as a thin excuse for heavy-handed leadership in the home and a remarkable failure to honor and love the local church. We recommend this book as well as Westminster Larger Catechism 123-133 as a helpful corrective to those misusing the term.
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Are you “family integrated”?
What is the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches?
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The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) is a growing body of congregations spanning much of the world, including the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Central Europe and Southern Asia. The churches of the CREC uphold and embrace the historic Christian Creeds. Each congregation also affirms the evangelical tenets of Protestantism, holding to one or more confessional documents of the Reformation.