1/11- And the Lord is With Us

Greetings St. Andrew's Family

This week we begin a five-week worship journey centered on Grace, and our first step into that journey echoes the promise at the heart of Norma’s sermon: “And the Lord is With Me.” Our Scripture from Genesis 39:1–6 leads us into the story of Joseph in a season of displacement and uncertainty. Though far from home and living in circumstances he did not choose, Scripture repeats a grounding truth — the Lord was with him. God’s presence does not remove challenge from Joseph’s life, but it shapes his spirit, directs his work, and allows grace to flourish even in unfamiliar places. As a worshiping community, we hear in Joseph’s story a reminder that God’s nearness is not dependent on setting, status, or comfort — God accompanies us wherever we stand.

Our worship begins with the hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” a prayer that God would tune our hearts to grace the way Joseph’s life was tuned toward trust and faithfulness. It invites us to look back at the ways God has led us and to remain open to the grace still unfolding ahead of us. Throughout this Grace series, our Gloria Patri will take the form of the first verse of “Amazing Grace,” but with a unique musical twist: each week we will sing the same words to a different tune. This practice invites us to listen more deeply and experience grace in a fresh way, reminding us that God’s grace meets us in many seasons and expressions before we finally sing the familiar hymn in full on the final week.

Our centering hymn, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” offers a quiet and humble prayer for companionship with Christ along the journey. It reflects the posture of Joseph’s life and invites us to bring our own dependence, longing, and hope before God. The choir then lifts the anthem “Lead Me, Lord” by Samuel Sebastian Wesley — a musical prayer of trust and guidance that echoes Joseph’s faith and our own desire to be led by God’s presence in every step of our lives and ministry.

In this season before Lent, our doxology will be the fourth verse of “They’ll Know We Are Christians,” turning our gratitude into a commitment to live as people marked by grace, unity, and shared witness. We conclude worship with “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord),” sending us back into our week with hearts grounded in gratitude and trust, naming God’s presence in every breath and every blessing.

Together, this arc of worship tells a story — grace that leads, sustains, transforms, and accompanies. As we begin this five-week journey, may we carry Joseph’s testimony and our shared songs with us: wherever life places us, in seasons of clarity or uncertainty, the Lord is with us. 

Music Tom 

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