Prepare for Worship (Page 2)

Hey, Church! We have a new song to sing this Sunday called “Here Again.” Its lyrics prompt us to look back and remember God’s long, steady faithfulness to us; to look forward and trust that He will be faithful then just as well. And in light of the past and future–”here in the middle”–we want to call on Him to make His glory appear in our present weakness: “I’m not enough…

Hey, Church! I am praying for this Sunday to be an extra-joyful one! Think about it: God, who created the universe and saved your life with His own blood, looks to you with a smile and says, “Come! Let me rejoice over you and show you more of my goodness and glory!” We will respond to that call with a song that we have only sung once before–on Easter Sunday 2021. It is…

Hey, Church! Not long after the COVID lockdown began a little over two years ago, I picked up a new hobby and started a small fruit and vegetable garden in my backyard. At times it has been more rewarding than I had ever imagined and, at other times, it has been deeply disappointing. The process of burying one tiny little bell pepper seed in soil and seeing it grow up to…

Hey, Church! Recently, Pastor Tom has been challenging our staff to cultivate joy, which is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. There is not a whole lot, in the worldly sense, to be joyful about right now! If anything, it feels like the world around us is becoming increasingly angry and hopeless. As a result of the encompassing darkness, Tom observes, we have a unique…

Hey, Church! Man! People are AMPED UP out there! Am I right? After a short drive to the Dunkin in which I sit to write some encouragement to you all now, my adrenaline is surging as if I were being stared down by a grizzly bear. All I did was drive! Sitting in the air-conditioning, in no hurry at all, I was assaulted by one seething driver after another. On the bright…

Hey, Church! One of the easiest ways you can prepare for worship each weekend is to listen through the songs we will sing together. Put them in a playlist and set it to repeat until you are familiar enough with the melody and lyrics to sing along. With each listen, make it more personal so that you can sing it authentically to God.  Remember that YOU are the worship team…

Hey, Church! Last week, we read the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed during our Maundy Thursday service as part of a corporate confession. Much like the better-known Apostle’s Creed, the Nicene Creed was authored by our Christian forefathers as a response to a contemporary misreading of Scripture that led many to adopt a heretical view of God. When it was written in…

Dear Rio Family, We hope that you have been experiencing a blessed Holy Week and you’ve had opportunity to attend our Holy Week services. As you prepare your hearts for Resurrection Sunday tomorrow, we encourage you to participate in the Holy Saturday Vigil tonight. If you are able, we invite you to come to the worship center and do so. (A note about that. The…

EDITOR’S NOTE: Beginning this weekend, your Prepare for Worship newsletter will be delivered on Saturdays, around 4 PM (or so we intend). Historically, that is when it was delivered, but during the time we had a Saturday evening service, the newsletter moved to Friday. Since that service no longer is held, we’re moving back to Saturdays. Thanks! Hey Church! In…

Hey Church! As you make your plans for the weekend, I want to encourage you once again to carve out adequate space on Saturday night and Sunday morning to prepare your hearts and minds for worship. It’s so easy to slip into the habit of simply “showing up” to church, like a work meeting that was scheduled weeks ago but still somehow caught you by…