World Communion Sunday (or 'All Nations Heritage Sunday') as it is often called in the Christian Reformed Church) is held each year on the first Sunday of October. The day presents a wonderful opportunity to broaden the perspective of the local church and experience and celebrate "the Communion of the Saints," as is professed in the Apostles' Creed.
Between hymnals with a growing number of songs from around the globe and what is available on the internet, the church is blessed by the diversity of congregational song available for our worship. It is most fitting on Worldwide Communion/All Nations Heritage Sunday to expose ourselves to that variety and celebrate it.
This service turned into a "musical tour around the world." We proceeded from continent to continent, singing or hearing a few songs from each area of the world. You may want to project a map of the world and highlight the origin of the songs as they are sung. Our congregation has many children, and a number of them were chosen to read Scripture passages. To enhance the "international flavor" of the service, the readers wore costumes from the part of the
world they were introducing, and we were able to find flags from the various countries to decorate the worship area.
Keeping the service to our normal one hour was one of the greatest challenges we faced. The original manuscript of the service had over thirty songs. After careful review and selection, we cut the list to close to twenty. We'll try the service again next year, using some of the songs we missed.
The people gathered for worship responded well to a service with such musical variety. As a congregation, we truly achieved our goals of broadening our appreciation for the contributions of God's church around the world and praising our great, gathering God.
Introduction:
In today's service we will sing and hear music from all over the world. Together we will celebrate the worldwide scope of God's love and the richness we enjoy as a Christian church through the various heritages that are a part of the family of God.
Welcome and Announcements
Call to Worship:
Psalm 96:1-3
Opening Hymn:
"Alebaré" (verses 1 and 2)Alonzo
A song from Central and South America, a Spanish-speaking part of the world
God's Greeting
Greeting One Another
Songs from Africa
Introduction:
John 1:1-4,9
Hymn:
"Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love" Colvin
A song from Ghana
Solo:
"That Boy-Chid of Mary" Colvin
A song from Malawi
Songs from Enslaved Africans
Hymn:
"Kum Ba Yah"
African-American spiritual; Gullah Geechee
1 Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah!
O Lord, kum ba yah!
2. Someone's praying, Lord, kum ba yah....
3 Someone's singing, Lord, kum ba yah....
4. Someone's praising, Lord, kum ba yah....
Children's Message
Song by the Children:
"He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" Afro-American spiritual
An African-American song
Songs from Europe (Part 1)
Introduction:
Luke 2:10-14
Hymn:
"Angels We Have Heard on High," (verses 1 and 3)French, 18th cent.
A French carol
Hymn:
"Infant Holy, Infant Lowly," (verses 1 and 2) Reed
A Polish carol
Psalm 23:
"The Lords My Shepherd" Scottish Psalter, 1650
A Scottish psalm
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:14-21
Message:
"Is It a Small World?"
Prayers of the People
Songs from Europe (Part 2)
Introduction:
Psalm 67:1-5
A Medley of Hymns for Congregational Singing
"Hallelujah, Hallelujah," (verse 1) Psalter, 1887
A Dutch psalm
"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," (verse 1)
A German hymn
"Let All Things Now Living" (verse 1) Davis
A Welsh hymn
"How Great Thou Art" (verse 1) Hine
A Swedish hymn
Songs from Southeast Asia
Introduction:
Isaiah 43:5
Solo:
"Here, O Lord, Your Servants Gather" (verses 1 and 2) Yamaguchi
A song from Japan
Hymn:
"Christ, You Are the Fullness," (verses 1 and 2) Polman
A Korean tune
Songs from Eastern Europe and Asia
Offertory:
"The King of Glory Comes," (verses 12, and 3) Jabusch
Verses: Choir
Chorus: All
An Israeli hymn
Offertory Prayer
Choir:
"In Our Households, Heavenly Father" Post
A Latvian hymn
Hymn:
"Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above," (verse 1)Schütz
A Bohemian hymn
