A key to new life is worshiping God personally.

Worship is any activity by which we honor God as God. In English we use the word “worship” to mean various things, like going to church, singing, praying, or even to describe a certain mood or emotion (“worshipful”). That’s fine, but know that worship is not defined by feelings or form.

It is not synonymous with singing. It can be exuberant or solemn. We can worship God in joy and in sorrow, in celebration and in lamentation. When we obey God by doing something we don’t want to do, that is worship. When we sacrifice something for God’s honor, that is worship.

Worship can be public where we gather with other believers to sing, pray, study, and give our offerings. It can also be private where we set aside time every day to meet “face to face” with God. Here we can talk to him in prayer, sing to him whatever song he puts in our heart, listen to him through scripture, etc. We should plan this for the best part of our day. A key to new life is learning to worship God personally.

But it’s also vital that we learn to worship God in community with others!

God has always called his people to gather for worship. The worship of God is inherently personal, but inseparably communal. We have come to speak of Church as the congregation, the assembly, or the gathering of the saints. Jesus said that wherever two or more people gather in his name, he is there with them. (Matthew 18:20)

In illiterate societies, or where copies of scripture are not readily available, the worship gathering serves as the primary medium for communicating God’s truths, and calling his people to response. In literate and abundant societies the gathering serves to reinforce the unity of faith through the common experience of singing the same songs, praying the same prayers, engaging the same scripture, etc.

There is no prescribed form for the public worship gathering. Some people prefer “high church” structured around formal liturgies and ceremonies, with all the “smells and bells.” Some people prefer “low church” with its casual demeanor of jeans and coffee. Most people lean toward one as better than the other, but it's just a matter of preference based on formative experiences. There is simply no right or wrong worship style or form.

God calls on us to prioritize the weekly worship gathering. Clear your calendar of Sunday morning commitments other than Church. Ask your employer for Sundays off so you can worship. Choose sports teams that don’t play regularly on Sundays. Hold it all in a spirit of grace and relationship, not religious duty. This is not about earning God’s approval, it’s about choosing to honor him!

Let’s worship.

“What Most People Get Wrong About Worship” Roger Shenk, Pastor

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You can stop by the Info Center & order a DVD or CD for $3

6

For Further Study

Read Exodus 17:1-7 about how the Israelites quarreled and rebelled against the Lord and Moses because they didn’t have water. Now read Psalm 95 and notice how verses 1-7 are a beautiful and familiar call to worship. But then verse 8 suddenly cites the Israelites’ rebellion from 500 years earlier. What do you think God was warning them about? How have you observed quarreling or rebellion in yours or someone else's life? How does it affect our worship?

Read 1 Chronicles 16 (especially verses 4-6), then 25:1-8, and then 1 Corinthians 14. Prophecy is the declaration of God’s heart and mind. David appointed temple musicians to lead in prophetic declaration by singing the praises of God. Later, Paul made a case that the church is edified (built up) when we all prophesy. Have you ever considered that you singing with the rest of the church is an act of prophesying? If it is, does that change how you will participate next Sunday?

Read 2 Samuel 24:18-25. David could have offered God something at someone else’s expense, but he refused. He spent what wasn’t necessary because he wanted it to be a measure of his love. Does your worship cost you anything?

Last Week

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Change for a Dollar / $8,104 YTD / $134,956 Since 12.14.2011

A Note from Liz Lane

Families Minister

“Exciting things are happening in SCC Kids! I will share a few highlights this week with more

to come in the following weeks!”

Sunday Mornings

Knights of the Beatitudes-A study focusing on Jesus' teachings of character qualities and blessings of the Kingdom of God.

During the next 11 weeks, we will journey through the medieval time period with two village kids as they receive their invitation from King Jesus to become Knights of the Beatitudes. Each weekly skit will highlight a Beatitude and will be followed up with small group activities and discussion as SCC Kids learn to apply the Beatitudes to their lives.

Family Discipleship Component

Sword Master’s Program This optional study provides families with daily verses to dig deeper into each Beatitude as a family and provides weekly application questions to discuss at the dinner table, in the car or wherever your family finds time to talk together.

Knight’s Armor Memory Verse Program

SCC Kids will be encouraged to memorize each Beatitude. Why not take on this challenge as a family? Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." What an eternal and beneficial investment! As each child memorizes and recites a Beatitude they receive a piece of armor to add to the knight on their Castle Chart.

The Sprucing Up of the SCC Kids Area

During the next month, we will be sprucing up the SCC Kids area of the church! Look for changes in the Nursery and in Room 11 as we bring those areas to life. If you would like to be a part of helping paint and do some renovation work, contact Liz Lane or Dennis Bontrager at the church office, 941-377-4041.

CHURCH NEWS Come for the Movie – Stay for the Video & Book Study Wednesdays, September 18th! Sign up for SCC's A Restoration Video/Book Study based on the movie "I Can Only Imagine"! This is a 4 week video/book study series to help you, "See yourself through God's eyes,” and find rest in HIS approval, purpose, and eternal hope. Recall your past wounds, Reorient your present identity, and Reimagine your future." There is a journal that you may purchase that goes along with this series. You can get it for $13.20 from Amazon.com. The series is offered on Wednesdays from 9/18 thru 10/10 at 6:30 in Module 17. The discussion leader is Kathy Cydrus 941-809-0566 cell. Living Joyfully Resumes! Thursday, September 26th at 11:30am – 1:00pm. We share personal stories and experiences so we can be challenged to live joyfully and age well. The topic is Candid Conversations about Aging - J. David Yoder, Sunnyside Village Executive Director and Kelly Amilcar, Personal Choices Case Manager. Lunch is served at 11:30 am with a program noon - 1pm. Register at the Info Center on Sundays. This helps us be prepared to serve you! The cost of lunch is $5. Questions or RSVP, contact Nancy B. Yoder at yodernb@gmail.com or 540-421-6514.

The Southeast Mennonite Conference Annual Assembly. Sunday October 4th – 5th at SCC. Save the date and plan to attend a weekend of worship and fellowship, everyone is welcome. Registration brochures will be available soon. Conference begins with worship on Friday night at 7, followed by an ice cream social sponsored by Everence at 8:30. Saturday morning there's a continental breakfast at 8, followed by worship at 9. The Delegate session is from 10:45 - 12 noon, lunch is from 12 - 1, Workshops are from 1- 2, and worship is from 2 - 3:30 when we dismiss. For more Info contact Lee Miller, 941-321-7132 leemiller@smcmennonite.org

GriefShare classes beginning Sunday, September 8th – 1st December from 3:00 – 5:00pm. Wondering how you will survive the weeks surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas? Our Surviving the Holidays seminar is especially for people who are grieving a loved one’s death. GriefShare is non denominational and open to people of all faiths, as well as those who do not practice a faith. There is a onetime cost of $25 for the workbook, and scholarships are also available. Come join us on Sundays, from September 8th through 1st of December at Sarasota Community Church Room 17 located at 4041 Bahia Vista St, Sarasota, 34232. Please RSVP www.Griefshare.org, or call Shirley and leave a message at 941-254-1653, or you can email her shirley@sarasotacommunitychurch.org.

Invitation to Sunnyside Village Annual Meeting September 14, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. in Eicher Auditorium at Sunnyside Village’s Community Center. Your ongoing support of Sunnyside Village is appreciated and because of this, we invite supporting church members to be our guest at our Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting is a time to reflect on what has happened at Sunnyside during the year, recognize an outstanding contribution of servant leadership to our organization, and enjoy fellowship as believers. This year, our theme is “Channels of Comfort” based on 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. The Annual Meeting is scheduled for Breakfast will be served. Please RSVP to 371-2750 ext. 337. 1st Annual Sarasota Bible Readathon at First Baptist downtown on Tuesday, Oct 1 thru Saturday, Oct 5. A Bible Readathon is 90 continuous hours of reading through the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation without commentary. Up to 350 people can participate. For everyone who volunteers to read, please be aware that we will be using one Large Print New Kings James Version Bible in English to facilitate easy follow along. WHO: Anyone who would like to read God’s word publicly is invited

to participate! Families, Children, Teens, Pastors, Politicians, & Snow Birds! Anyone can participate. Reading is done round the clock so time slots are available day and night. Although we welcome young readers (8yo+), we ask that they are proficient at reading. WHERE: First Sarasota, The Downtown Baptist Church: 1661 Main Street Sarasota, Fl. 34236 WHY: We read His Holy Word publicly to honor God and to declare His Word with the residents of Sarasota, Florida and its visitors, as an act of faith that God will accomplish what He would like to do here in the city of Sarasota! To volunteer to read you can sign up on their website, or email Max Murphy sarasota@biblereadathon.org https://sarasota.biblereadathon.org KING & COUNTRY “Burn the Ships” Concert Sunday October 13th at 6pm at Amalie Arena. King and Country is a reflection of standing and fighting for something greater than yourself. Known for venturing into new musical territories, for KING & COUNTRY raised expectations tremendously with a win for New Artist of the Year at the 2013 GMA Dove Awards, where they received 6 nominations. Billboard also named them as one of the New Artists to Watch for 2012 and American Songwriter called them “Australia’s answer to Coldplay.” Tickets are available on JoyFM.com