In Christ Alone, Celtic Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kvFtXphmMU&list=FLL5mTq_KrlrqpjGGTiFwbAg&index=2&t=0s

“In Christ Alone” has been and always will be, in my opinion, one of the most well-written worship songs of our time. Verse one opens with a picture – relevant always and some would say especially now – of Christ as our hope, our solid ground in any storm. Our comforter. Verse two speaks of Christ’s work on the cross, verse three of His resurrection. As a result of being purchased by His blood we have new life in Him, and we can never be plucked from His hand. Few songs paint such a clear picture of the Gospel. Until He returns, or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I stand.
-RJT


Full Lyrics:

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone! – who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand:
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

“Lord I Need You” – Dustin Aschinger

https://youtu.be/5BLezINZiJA

This video has always been important to me because I remember singing it with my Grandma and also my Dad loves this song. The words have encouraged me over the years when I have felt lonely, discouraged, or afraid. Just to know that we can find peace and we can give our burdens to the Lord and bring him our anxieties and hopeless feelings through prayer. and “thou wilt find a solace there” ~ Vanessa Lynn

Here are the lyrics in their entirety:

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer

O what peace we often forfeit

O what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer

Have we trials and temptations

Is there trouble anywhere

We should never be discouraged

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share

Jesus knows our every weakness

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Are we weak and heavy-laden

Cumbered with a load of care

Precious Savior still our refuge

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Do thy friends despise forsake thee

Take it to the Lord in prayer

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee

Thou wilt find a solace there

We have a special treat out on the VPC Online Stream – The Pabst Family Singing “Springs of Living Water”

Watch it here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuJhN_U5yyM

This week Sophie Herman share’s one of her favorite Worship Song – P E A C E 

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This song always reminds me that I cannot be in control and that instead I can always rely on Christ to take care of me. It reassures me over and over again that God is in control and that he will always come through. This song seems to reference/remind me of some of my favorite verses including: Psalm 23:4, Psalm 34:4, Matthew 6:34, and Philippians 4:6-7. My favorite quote from the song is: “There’s a peace far beyond all understanding, let it ever set my heart at ease, my anxiety bows in the presence of Jesus the keeper of peace, and peace is a promise You keep”.

Daryl has something special planned for next Sunday Morning…

As you all know, Easter Sunday is next week and we are all “confined to our quarters,” as it were. Resurrection Sunday has always been very special for the people of God

Because He lives we live. 

I have been thinking about how we can’t all gather together physically. I would like to do something a little different next week to remember His death and celebrate His resurrection until He returns for us (which doesn’t seem far off from the way I see it).
I’d ask everybody to use whatever safe way they have to get food this week to get some matzah, bread or crackers, and some grape juice or wine and meet me on the live stream next Sunday. If you have these things at home that’s even better.

We will talk about the last supper/ about where “two or three are gathered together”/ about “breaking bread from house to house”/ about the fellowship we have with our savior and our fellow believers which can’t be destroyed by a virus, and about our need to examine ourselves in our walk with God.
I hope you can join us as together we lift our hearts in prayer to the great physician praying for the world, our country, our neighbors and our families. 

One note: if the Lord should return before next Sunday, forget about the social distancing and give me a hug because we’ll all be safe in the arms of Jesus.

– Daryl

So we are all sheltering in place for another 30 days. What a waste!

Hey, what about this? How would you like it if at the end of that 30 days you had acquired more WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING. It can really happen!

Here is how it works: Attached you will find the Devotional Bible Study Reading Sheets for the book of Proverbs. I wrote these sheets in such a way in an effort to cause you to draw the lifechanging concepts out of the passage. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs. You work through a chapter a day, and by the time this over, you will have exposed yourself, not to the virus, but to the life changing power of the BOOK of WISDOM written by God Himself. Just think of how your life could change if you prayerfully seek to apply the principles you will find there. Wouldn’t it be incredible is we all received more wisdom, knowledge and understanding during this time of uncertainty?

“ For the Lord gives WISDOM, from His mouth come KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING”    Proverbs 2:6

Worship music comes in all shapes and sizes – sometimes fast and loud, and sometimes slower and contemplative. 
This week Kimberly Lynn shares a video and thoughts on a beautiful contemplative worship song. If you are looking for something to calm your spirit and point you to the Lord, I think you will find this video just what you are looking for…

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I recently heard a song called Is He Worthy? by Andrew Peterson. This beautifully written song brings up such a power subject that I hope encourages you as much as it does for me.


Andrew Peterson – Is He Worthy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIahc83Kvp4
The beginning of this song describes our current state:

Do you feel the world is broken? (We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen? (We do)
But do you know that all the dark won’t stop the light from getting through? (We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new? (We do)

Is all creation groaning? (It is)
Is a new creation coming? (It is)

Our world is broken and darkness reigns, but the he follows this with a comforting reminder–a new creation is coming. 

I recently was studying God’s renewal plan (by Randy Alcorn). There are many words in the Biblical vocabulary that speak of His great renewal plan. The words begin with the re– prefix: Reconcile, Redeem, Restore, Return, Recover, Renew, Resurrect, Reclaim. The prefix suggests “a return to an original condition that was ruined or lost.” God’s renewal plan is to buy back that which was lost and bring it to its original design. 

Right now we see a broken world ruled by a dark kingdom. But take heart! All things will be made new. This includes mankind, the earth, and the universe all for His glory. 
Professor Albert Wolters writes “God hangs on to his fallen original creation and salvages it. He refuses to abandon the work of His hands–in fact, He sacrifices His own Son to save His original project. Humankind, which has botched its original mandate and the whole creation along with it, is given another chance in Christ. The original good creation is restored.”

All the way back in Genesis after sin entered the world God spoke of our Rescuer, Jesus Christ, who would restore all things!

In Matthew 19 Jesus says “At the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne…”
The word “renewal” in Matthew translates “new genesis” or “coming back from death to life.” 

 It is because of Christ and His sacrifice that all will be made new! A new genesis is coming. Our world is coming back from death to life. This is so comforting for us as believers because we live in a world that is not intended for us. The renewed world is in our future because of Christ’s great sacrifice. 

 Not only that, but as the song says “Does our God intend to dwell again with us? (He does)” Not only does He reclaim us, He also wants to dwell with us!  “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.” Rev. 21:3. 

Is He worthy of all glory and honor? Absolutely. His death and resurrection gives us hope of a reclaimed future where He will dwell with us. “Hallelujah! What a Savior!!”

 “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:’To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!'” Rev. 5:13

Terry Pabst is going to be coordinating communication with elderly folks that are alone and/or in nursing homes.

And we’re going to do this in a safe way. You can write a letter, take a picture or scan it in. And we’re going to get these to residents in these facilities. We have two nursing facilities participating already! You can contact Terry (tpabst@webpabstlaw.com) to find out how to get involved.

E-mail is ok. A text message is nice. But sometimes we just need to hear each other’s voices.
This week we’re asking each person at Valley Park Chapel to reach out and call 4 others at VPC on the phone or video chat.
Connection is critical. And voice and/or video, thought not as good as in-person, is the second-best thing. 
It takes extra effort to maintain community in these difficult times… but we all need it. Fellowship is a critical part of what we do as a church. Right now we can’t extend “the right hand of fellowship” – but we can make a call.
So use that phone app on your mobile device and call 4 people you wouldn’t have called this week.
If we each commit to Connect 4 – it can make a huge difference.