Author: Peter Dietsch
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Corporate Worship: Opening Hymn
Dear Church Family, For many people, singing is one of the most affective parts of worship. By its very nature, music effects our emotions unlike many other things. When the people of God sing together, they join in one voice giving expression to both the content and the affections of their faith in a unique…
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Corporate Worship: Call to Worship & Invocation
Dear Church Family, In the last several pastoral reflections, we have been examining the various parts of our corporate worship service. After discussing some of the foundational principles of worship and what it means to prepare for worship, last time we looked at the salutation and response (these previous reflections are available online at the…
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Corporate Worship: Salutation and Introit
Dear Church Family, In the first installment of this series on corporate worship, we examined some basic principles that inform worship in the Christian church. And, last time, we discussed some of the important aspects of preparing for worship – things that would help God’s people in preparing to enter His presence as a church…
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Corporate Worship: Preparing for Worship
Dear Church Family, In last week’s email, I addressed some general principles of corporate worship. This week, I would like to delineate some recommendations in preparing for worship. At the beginning of our corporate worship service, we have a time designated in the order of worship as “Silent Preparation for Worship;” however, there are things…
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Corporate Worship: Principles
Dear Church Family, As we come to the end of this first month of the new year, I am beginning a series of (hopefully) weekly emails on the corporate worship of the church. My aim will be to first enumerate and define a number of the foundational principles concerning the public worship of God. Then,…
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Well-pleased!
Dear Church Family, In the sermon on Christmas Eve, we considered Jesus’ Person from Luke 3:21-22 – specifically, how in His baptism, it is revealed that Jesus is both fully God and fully man. We saw how the declaration which God the Father speaks from heaven to Jesus at His baptism – “You are My…
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Christmas Weekend Services.
Dear Church Family, Here is the information for our services and sermons this weekend, on Christmas Eve and Sunday morning at Hill Country Church (PCA). Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Who: All are invited to join us in celebrating the incarnation and birth of our Lord Jesus Christ (Children are welcome in the service! There will…
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Exhortations of Gospel Preaching
Dear Church Family, In our Christmas sermon series from the Gospel according to Luke, we’ve looked at Mary’s Praise and Zacharias’ Prophecy. Here is our schedule of sermons: December 5 Mary’s Praise (Luke 1:46-55)December 12 Zacharias’ Prophecy (Luke 1:67-79)December 19 John’s Preaching (Luke 3:7-18)December 24 Jesus’ Person (Luke 3:21-22)December 26 Jesus’ Pronouncement (Luke 4:16-30) So,…
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Phase Two: Building Infrastructure
Dear Church Family, Earlier this year, I shared with you the general framework for our church-planting strategy at Hill Country Church (PCA). Basically, this strategy is a plan for a path to move from a “mission church” to a “particularized church” and is comprised of three phases: establishing membership, building infrastructure, and training and ordaining…