Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord!

These were the words John the Baptist chose to quote from the prophet Isaiah as he began his mission to prepare Israel to receive its messiah. By so doing, John established himself as the latest of Israel’s great prophets, a tradition that went at least as far back as Elijah. As we prepare to receive Jesus this coming advent, we will spend the month of November listening to the important words of many of Israel’s great prophets.

This week, we will attend to Micah’s prophesy that God would rise up a new king out of Bethlehem-a new David. This king will shepherd his people and they will trust him alone to provide their security and protection. Judah and Israel both had a kingship problem. Namely, their kings were corrupted by idolatry and dishonesty. Furthermore, they made alliances with foreign kings from Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon, putting their trust in the military strength of these nations in order to provide protection. Micah’s word of judgment to Judah is that God alone is our protector. Judah will be kingless and exiled as a reminder that the LORD is the one true king. Then, Micah says, the Lord will send a new shepherd-king who will guide his people and protect them.

In the coming weeks, we will explore how the prophets believed that the coming messiah would fulfill Israel’s three most important offices: kingship, priesthood, and prophecy. The coming messiah would be the one prophet, priest, and king who fulfilled all of God’s promises to establish Israel’s political, economic, and religious security for all eternity. 

As we follow the prophets’ vision for the Way of the Lord, we are challenged to think about where we turn when we need protection, connection, and direction.

This month’s sermon series will unfold as follows:

November 1: The Day of the Lord (Amos 5:18-21)

November 8: A New David (Micah 5:51-56)

November 15: A New Joshua (Zechariah 3:1-10)

November 22: The Way of the Lord (Luke 1:67-80)

We are providing in-person worship for ALL ages with nursery for little ones and children’s church for preschool and elementary age children. This is a wonderful opportunity for young families to return to worship. To read the reopening plans for kids check out this guide. 

Many neighborhood prayer groups are continuing to meet in a front lawn near you. Even when you’re not able to meet in person, it is nice to know there is someone near you who cares.

If you need help finding a group please contact our Associate Pastor, Dave Hunsicker at david.hunsicker@covhsv.org.

Neighborhood Group Discussion Guide

Neighborhood Shepherd Guide

From the Day of the Lord to the Way of the Lord – Week 1

Set-Up:

Invite everyone to stand (or sit) in a circle in your front lawn with 6-ft distance between each family grouping. Families do not need to social distance but should remain socially distant from other family units. These meetings are intentionally designed to be brief—so you do not need to provide chairs or refreshments for the group.

Instructions (by now you should have a routine. Feel free to get away from our script as you are comfortable):

1. “Welcome to the __________ neighborhood group. We are so excited to have you here with us. If you are joining us for the first time, let me describe the format to you:
   • “We will ask some questions each we to get to know each other better and to talk about the sermon series at church.”
   • “Then we will close by praying for each other and for our neighborhood”.
2. “Let’s start with an ice breaker question. Let’s go around the circle and each say:
   • our name,
   • What are your family’s thanksgiving plans this year?
3. 15 seconds of silence
   • Pastor Hunsicker’s sermon this week is Micah’s prophesy that God would give Israel a new king David. This has to do with Israel’s desire for a king to protect it from the things that caused it fear and/or anxiety. What are some of fears or anxieties that have kept you awake at night in the past? The present?
   • After 15 seconds, go around the circle and listen reflections from each participant.
4. Deeper Reflection
   • What are the “kings” you turn to in order to feel more secure or comforted? What are some habits or practices you’ve developed that have helped you to turn to Jesus?
   • Allow free conversation at this point.
5. Closing Prayer:
   • “Let’s take another 15 seconds to listen to God. Ask God what you need to request prayer from the group for this week”
   • “Then, we’ll go around the circle and share our prayer requests.”
   • “Each of us will pray for the person/group on our left, so pay attention to their requests as they are shared.”
6. Close
   • “Thanks for being here. Please feel free to bring your friends and neighbors next time.”
   • Offer for folks to stick around a few minutes and chit-chat in accordance with what you are able/comfortable accommodating.

Worship Relaunch Information

We offer a small worship service at 10AM. Based on a congregational survey, we anticipate most folks to continue worshipping online – so we will continue to provide excellent worship resources and videos each Sunday for those at home. Together we are united in our commitment to one another and our commitment to Christ, whether worshipping in-person or online!

No reservation or permission is required to attend worship in the sanctuary. However, all participants must wear a mask (we will have some available for you!) and we request that you take your temperature and use the restroom before leaving your home.

The elders request that you make a careful and informed decision about the best way for you to worship in June. For those who intend to attend worship in person, please read the following guidelines carefully when making your decision.

Key Links

For your convenience, here are all the links you need to participate in today’s service!