Glorify God Together with One Voice

A mark of the faithful church is singing praise to God together in unity. But worship can be one of the divisive practices of a church. We sing different songs, in different ways. When worship is about our preferences, it divides. When it is about God, it unites us.

As OCC grows, we are prayerfully seeking ways to unite our voices together in song, across the many styles that we bring together. So, each week, David is going to post a new song with a link that you can get to know so we can sing together on Sunday.

This week, we are trying something new! Instead of speaking our 'Call to Worship', we are going to sing it, in a call and response fashion.


Here's the words...

Congregational Response
Lord, our God
we give you praise!

From the rising of the sun to the setting of the same,

Lord, our God
we give you praise!

Leader:
Attend dear Lord
to Your people now...

Response

Leader:
There is none
like our God Jehovah!

Response

Leader:
Such mercy!
Your blood like cleansing rain has washed away our stains

Leader:
Humbled, dare we
gather to approach Thee...

Response

Leader:
Welcomed by the blood You've shed so freely!

Response

Leader:
Your grace is
sufficient for my case
my failures you’ve erased!

© 2012 by David Sovereign

Kyrie Elieson

Lyrics to Kyrie Elieson

Last night we sang a 'Kyrie' which is an ancient song sung by Jews before Christ, and then adopted by the early church. It simply means 'Lord have Mercy'. similar to the expression Jesus quotes in Matthew In Rome and elsewhere it became a part of the formal liturgy of the church.

Together, these words summarzie the heart of the faith - Jesus is Lord, yet, he offers mercy.

Throughout the centuries Christians have sung these words to a multitude of tunes with additional words around it. Here is the version we sang last night. Getty is focusing on our communal sin and need to repent for our lack of justice.

CHORUS:
Kyrie Eleison, have mercy
Christ Eleison, have mercy;
Kyrie Eleison, have mercy,
Christ Eleison, have mercy.

VERSES:
As we come before You with the needs of our world,
We confess our failures and our sin,
For our words are many yet our deeds have been few;
Fan the fire of compassion once again.

When the cries of victims go unheard in the land,
And the scars of war refuse to heal;
Will we stand for justice to empower the weak
Till their bonds of oppression are no more?

 If we love our God with all our heart, mind and strength,
And we love our neighbors as ourselves;
Then this law of love will heal the nations of earth
And the glory of Christ will be revealed.

 Lord, renew our vision to be Christ where we live,
To reach out in mercy to the lost;
For each cup of kindness to the least in our midst
Is an offering of worship to the throne.

 Kyrie Eleison (Lord Have Mercy) Words & Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend © 2010 Thankyou Music & Gettymusic

 See Keith Getty's website for more info.

 See this for another version we won't be singing.