This is part of the worship series
"Growing in Grace"
Series Introduction
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Introduction
Another September rolls around. If you’re a typical worship and liturgy planner, you’re probably thinking, “We really ought to highlight the beginning of another season of education.” On the heels of that thought comes another: “We need to commission our education leaders. Where do we find a liturgy for that?” You might rummage through your files, hoping to cobble something together. And that may be the end of it, at least until next September.
But doesn’t church education deserve more than a token nod? A Lilly Foundation study from 1991 concluded that an effective church education program is second only to parental influence in promoting and fostering spiritual growth in youth and adults in the church. That reality has not changed. Yet church education has suffered a decline in status—more and more churches are finding that it’s harder to get committed teachers and leaders. At the same time, fewer people—both children and adults—are attending church school classes.
What would it look like if we declared the first month of a new season of church school a “Joy of Growing” month, or pick another month that works for your church. To help you do that this four-week series is includes Scripture passages and themes, sermon notes, children’s messages, song suggestions, prayer guides, bulletin notes, and a commissioning service—all designed to help churches highlight the joy that comes from growing “in the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
The Theme, Scripture, and Sermon notes come from services held at Covenant Christian Reformed Church (Edmonton, Alberta), as does the commissioning service for Week Two.
Series Outline
| Title | Scripture | |
| Week 1 | The Joy of Hearing God’s Word | Nehemiah 8:1–18 |
| Week 2 | The Joy of Spiritual Maturing and Commissioning Service | Luke 8 |
| Week 3 | The Joy of Stepping Out in Faith | Luke 10:1–24 |
| Week 4 | The Joy of Growing | Colossians 1:1–14 |
Song Suggestions
Consider using one or more of these songs as a theme song for this month.
“Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil” Hanson
“The Tree Song” Medema
“As Trees from Tiny Seeds Can Grow” Parker Huber
“How Blest are They, Who Fearing God” The Psalter, 1912
“I am the Holy Vine” Quinn
“My Friends, May You Grow in Grace” Meaney, Diamond, DeMey, Kett
“Tell Your Children” Hawthorne
"Take, O Take Me as I Am” Bell
