Worship

Our Sunday morning worship begins at 10:00 a.m. each week. A second opportunity for worship (distinct from the morning service) is provided at 5:30 p.m. We typically celebrate the sacrament of Communion on the third Sunday of August, November, February, and May, and also on Good Friday.  Guests who are communicant members of the church to which they belong are invited to join us.

The Flow of Our Worship Service

Our morning worship services at Hanley include the singing of contemporary songs and classic hymns, a focus on confession and renewal, a time of prayer, and a message of contemporary relevance from God’s Word.  Our worship follows the general pattern of a dialogue between God and his people. 

We begin with the pastor, as God’s messenger, issuing a call to worship the Lord. Often, a Bible verse that cites God’s great power and love as displayed in his acts of creation and redemption draws us to worship the Lord. We readily respond with whole-hearted praise. 

The worship dialogue continues with time of repentance, assurance of God’s pardon, and renewed commitment to live a Spirit-led life of devoted obedience, fruitful service, and love. 

In humble reliance on God’s providence, we spend time in prayer expressing our praise and thanks to God and bringing before his throne the needs of our members, the broader community, our nation, our world, and the church worldwide. 

We then gladly give our financial support to God’s works of redemption, renewal, healing, and mercy as these are carried out through the local, regional, and worldwide ministries of the church.  (Guests are not expected to give but are free to participate if they wish.)

In a brief age-appropriate children’s message, and a longer message to the church as a whole, the pastor brings God’s Word to his people – explaining a passage from the Bible and applying it to our lives today. We respond with an appropriate song that echoes the theme of the message and expresses our commitment to take it to heart as we live for the Lord in the week ahead. 

We close our worship with a blessing from God to which the congregation responds with a song that glorifies the name of the Lord.