Beginning of Blessing – Genesis 12

Call to Worship – Psalm 121

¹ I look up to the mountains—
    does my help come from there?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

³ He will not let you stumble;
    the one who watches over you will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
    never slumbers or sleeps.

⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.

⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.

Song of Praise – Just a Closer Walk

Message – Beginning of Blessing

Is there a command or an invitation God wants to speak you today – something he wants you to act on?

Is there a word of promise or blessing that God wants to speak to you today – something that he wants you to take hold of in a deep, deep way as you forge forward in the journey with Him?

Benediction – Romans 4:20-25

²⁰ Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. ²¹ He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. ²² And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. ²³ And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded ²⁴ for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

Thanks be to God!

Beginning of the Nations: Genesis 11:1-9

Call to Worship – Psalm 104:31-35

³¹ May the glory of the Lord continue forever!
    The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made!
³² The earth trembles at his glance;
    the mountains smoke at his touch.

³³ I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.
    I will praise my God to my last breath!
³⁴ May all my thoughts be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the Lord.
³⁵ Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth;
    let the wicked disappear forever.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

Song of Praise – I Lift My Eyes Up

Message – Beginning of Nations (Genesis 11:1-9)

Benediction – Romans 8:14-17

¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

¹⁵ So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Come, let us live as children of God!

Beginning Again (Part 2): Genesis 8-9

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Call to Worship – Psalm 30

¹ I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me.
    You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
² O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you restored my health.
³ You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.
    You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

⁴ Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
    Praise his holy name.
⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

⁶ When I was prosperous, I said,
    “Nothing can stop me now!”
⁷ Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
    Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

⁸ I cried out to you, O Lord.
    I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
⁹ “What will you gain if I die,
    if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
    Can it tell of your faithfulness?
¹⁰ Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
    Help me, O Lord.”

¹¹ You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
    You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
¹² that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

Song of Praise – Great is Thy Faithfulness

Message – Beginning Again (part 2)

Benediction – Romans 6:1-11

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? ² Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? ³ Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? ⁴ For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

⁵ Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. ⁶ We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. ⁷ For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. ⁸ And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. ⁹ We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. ¹⁰ When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. ¹¹ So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

If this Sunday worship page has some value for you we invite you to let us know as we are needing to make some decisions going forward. Thanks!

Beginning Again (Part 1): Genesis 6-7

If this Sunday Worship page has some value for you we invite you to let us know as we are needing to make some decisions going forward. Thanks!

Call to Worship – Psalm 46

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
² So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
³ Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude

⁴ A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
⁵ God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
⁶ The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
⁷ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

⁸ Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
⁹ He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.

¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

¹¹ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

Song of Praise – No Longer Slaves to Sin and Our God Saves

Message – Beginning Again (part 1)

Benediction – Romans 1:16-17

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. ¹⁷ This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Come let us walk in the light of the Lord!

If this Sunday Worship page has some value for you we invite you to let us know as we are needing to make some decisions going forward. Thanks!

Beginning of Sibling Rivalry – Genesis 4:1-16

If this Sunday Worship section is helpful to you on your journey please like or better yet comment in that section or personally through the contacts link. We are in the midst of evaluation and need your feedback. Thanks!

Call to Worship – Psalm 20

¹ In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.
    May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.
² May he send you help from his sanctuary
    and strengthen you from Jerusalem.
³ May he remember all your gifts
    and look favorably on your burnt offerings. Interlude

⁴ May he grant your heart’s desires
    and make all your plans succeed.
⁵ May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory
    and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.
May the Lord answer all your prayers.

⁶ Now I know that the Lord rescues his anointed king.
    He will answer him from his holy heaven
    and rescue him by his great power.
⁷ Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,
    but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.
⁸ Those nations will fall down and collapse,
    but we will rise up and stand firm.

⁹ Give victory to our king, O Lord!
    Answer our cry for help.

Song of Praise – Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Message – Beginning of Sibling Rivalry

Benediction – Psalm 119:73-77

⁷³ You made me; you created me.
    Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
⁷⁴ May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy,
    for I have put my hope in your word.
⁷⁵ I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair;
    you disciplined me because I needed it.
⁷⁶ Now let your unfailing love comfort me,
    just as you promised me, your servant.
⁷⁷ Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live,
    for your instructions are my delight.

We are in the midst of evaluation and need your feedback. Leave a comment. Thanks!

Beginning of Sin – Genesis 3

If this Sunday Worship section is helpful to you on your journey please like, or better yet comment in that section or personally through the contacts link. We are in the midst of evaluation and need your feedback. Thanks!

Call to Worship – Psalm 32

¹ Oh, what joy for those
    whose disobedience is forgiven,
    whose sin is put out of sight!
² Yes, what joy for those
    whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
    whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
³ When I refused to confess my sin,
    my body wasted away,
    and I groaned all day long.
⁴ Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
    My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

⁵ Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
    and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
    And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. 

Song of Worship – Just a Closer Walk with Thee

Sermon – The Beginning of Sin: Genesis 3

Water Colour Image based on Genesis 3 by Graeme Unrau – Faith Covenant Church Winnipeg

Benediction – Romans 5:15-17

¹⁵ But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. ¹⁶ And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. ¹⁷ For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

If this Sunday Worship section is helpful to you on your journey please like, or better yet comment in that section or personally through the contacts link. We are in the midst of evaluation and need your feedback. Thanks!

Beginning of Human Community: Genesis 2

If you are able to leave a comment or like we are trying to evaluate how to connect and encourage the Body best in this wild season. If you’d rather make a private message or comments simply talk to your pastors an email in the contact section. Thanks!

Call to Worship – Psalm 8

¹ Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory
    in the heavens.
² Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger.
³ When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?

⁵ You have made them a little lower than the angels
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
⁶ You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
    you put everything under their feet:
⁷ all flocks and herds,
    and the animals of the wild,
⁸ the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

⁹ Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Song of Praise – Reckless Love

Message – Beginning of Human Community

Benediction – Hebrews 2:8-13

When God put them in charge of everything, nothing was excluded. But we don’t see it yet, don’t see everything under human jurisdiction. What we do see is Jesus, made “not quite as high as angels,” and then, through the experience of death, crowned so much higher than any angel, with a glory “bright with Eden’s dawn light.” In that death, by God’s grace, he fully experienced death in every person’s place.

It makes good sense that the God who got everything started and keeps everything going now completes the work by making the Salvation Pioneer perfect through suffering as he leads all these people to glory. Since the One who saves and those who are saved have a common origin, Jesus doesn’t hesitate to treat them as family, saying,

I’ll tell my good friends, my brothers and sisters, all I know
    about you;
I’ll join them in worship and praise to you.

Again, he puts himself in the same family circle when he says,

Even I live by placing my trust in God.

And yet again,

I’m here with the children God gave me.

Again, if you are able to leave a like, comment or reach out to one of our pastors or churches it will be helpful in our ongoing evaluation.

God of Beginnings – Genesis 1

This week we begin a new 8 week journey through the first 12 chapters of the book of Genesis. These are bedrock chapters for understanding so much of the Biblical story. We invite you to read along. This is incredibly provocative literature, but even more than that, this is God’s Word and carries the possibility of shaping us for God’s glory and neighbour’s good. It carries the possibility of a real hearing and encounter with our Creator.

Call to Worship – Psalm 16

¹ Keep me safe, O God,
    for I have come to you for refuge.

² I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!
    Every good thing I have comes from you.”
³ The godly people in the land
    are my true heroes!
    I take pleasure in them!
⁴ Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.
    I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood
    or even speak the names of their gods.

⁵ Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
    You guard all that is mine.
⁶ The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
    What a wonderful inheritance!

⁷ I will bless the Lord who guides me;
    even at night my heart instructs me.
⁸ I know the Lord is always with me.
    I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

⁹ No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
    My body rests in safety.
¹⁰ For you will not leave my soul among the dead
    or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
¹¹ You will show me the way of life,
    granting me the joy of your presence
    and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Song of Praise – How Great Thou Art / How Great is Our God

Message – The God of Beginnings

Reflection and Prayer

“In the beginning God…”

How do you recognize this reality and live it? Where do you not and need a shift?

The message points out 4 realities about who we are which are implicit in the creation story:

• We are made in community (communion) for community (communion)
• We are blessed to be a blessing
• We are made by work for work
• God rests, we rest

If you were to do a little self-evaluation, how are you doing in these areas 1-10? What is a next step or two you could take to live more fully into your created reality?

Spend a few minutes going to God in prayer. Talk with Jesus as you would to a caring friend about what you see and what you would like to see in your life.

Benediction – Psalm 30:10-12

¹⁰ Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
    Help me, O Lord.”

¹¹ You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
    You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
¹² that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

Feedback

We remain hopeful that sooner than later we will have the opportunity to return to in-person worship. We also know the many in our community participate in the Zoom services. We also know Zoom isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and/or doesn’t always work as it is time specific.

As we continue to evaluate and plan we would welcome your feedback. If you still use this site and find it valuable please like the posts and/or leave some comments during the month of June. If there are things you find most helpful (or not helpful) be bold and make comments. We are committed to run the Winnipegcovenant.ca services through the end of July which is the end of the Genesis series and longer if useful and needed but we need to make plans beyond this and need your feedback. Thanks!

“underline” 

We are in this series called, “underline”  Our hope is we can encourage one another through encouragement from the Scriptures. If you have a verse of encouragement and a story about how it came to you we would love you to share it with us (do so in the comments). God’s Word is indeed a lamp to our feet and a light to the path!

We also invite you to join one of our church Zoom services. Holy Community meets online at 10:30am and Faith Covenant meets at 10am each Sunday. We have individuals sharing their stories each week in this series so contact one of the offices for login information, join, and be encouraged!

Psalm 19:11-14

11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

12 But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Invitation to Pray

What are the words in your mouth these days? What are you chewing on and praying? What are you chewing on and not praying?

Take a couple minutes to talk to Jesus as you would to a friends and be honest. Take a minute to be silent and see if there isn’t a whisper, word, or feeling that returns.

Message – Psalm 19 (Part 3)

Song of Response – King of my Heart

Benediction – 2 Corinthians 13:14

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

“underline” 

We are in this series called, “underline”  Our hope is we can encourage one another through encouragement from the Scriptures. If you have a verse of encouragement and a story about how it came to you we would love you to share it with us (do so in the comments). God’s Word is indeed a lamp to our feet and a light to the path!

We also invite you to join one of our church Zoom services. Holy Community meets online at 10:30am and Faith Covenant meets at 10am each Sunday. We have individuals sharing their stories each week in this series so contact one of the offices for login information, join, and be encouraged!

Psalm 19:7-10

⁷ The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
    reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
⁸ The commandments of the Lord are right,
    bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
    giving insight for living.
⁹ Reverence for the Lord is pure,
    lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
    each one is fair.
¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.

Song of Praise – Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Message – Psalm 19:7-10

Prayer

“Lord, I need you. Please open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions” (Based on Psalm 119:18).

Response Song

Benediction – Ephesians 3:17-19

(May) Christ dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.