WORSHIP Gatherings

Every Sunday morning we come together for a time of fellowship and spiritual renewal that we call a worship gathering. This is a rich and meaningful time in which we worship our Savior through various liturgical rhythms.

Song

Theologian Karl Barth once noted that, “singing is the highest form of human expression.” In Scripture we see that song has been a part of the worship of God from creation and that it will continue into eternity. When we gather together at New City Church, we sing to God of our adoration, gratitude, and need for his saving grace.

Word

The Word of God is rich with wisdom, inspiration, encouragement, and insight for our daily lives. Scripture tells us that faith comes from hearing the Word of Christ and so when we gather together we always open the Bible to read his Word and to hear the gospel preached.

PRAYER

When we gather, we pray. We pray together, adoring the infinite majesty of our creator, recognizing our unworthiness as those who have sinned against the Father, inviting his presence through the Holy Spirit, expressing our gratitude for God’s acceptance of us through the work of Jesus Christ, and petitioning Him as our provider and defender.

CONFESSION

At New City Church, we sometimes recite creeds or confessions that are true to God’s Word. This reminds us that we are a part of the unfolding plan of God’s redemption for mankind that has extended throughout history; that his truth is timeless; and that his Word is as relevant today as when it was first written.

SACRAMENTS

One of the greatest gifts that God has given to the Church is the grace we are afforded through the partaking of the holy sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper. We go to the Table every Sunday at New City Church. As often as possible, we celebrate together as children or new believers are baptized.

PASSING the Peace

At New City Church, we engage in an ancient practice of "passing the peace". The gesture is simple - turn and greet your neighbor - but the purpose is profound. By extending our hand to one another we identify with Jesus who extended his very life to make peace with us. With hugs or hand shaking we express our desire for unity.

Generosity

"When we worship we respond to the hope of the gospel by committing our lives to the God we believe in. Worship is giving. To worship, we give him our praise, our attention, our sins, our fears, our burdens, and our hearts. It is also an act of worship to give him our money.

Paul advised the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 16:2) to offer their gifts as an act of worship on the first day of the week (Sunday). This regular offering ensured the right proportion of generosity, and that the gifts were given as a joyful, praise-filled response to grace. This is why Christians have always seen regular Sunday offerings as the typical means of giving."