Make Yourself at Home in My Love
Share this idea:
This worship idea is designed to be used near the beginning of a service, perhaps after the first song and afterwards leading into a longer worship set. It is all about encouraging people to feel ‘at home’ and truly welcome in church and to spend time ‘at home’ with God during the rest of the week.
Set up:
Place one of the ‘Make yourself at home’ sheets and a teabag on every chair before the service.
Service/Worship leader script:
Welcome into the house of the Lord. Today’s worship is based on John chapter 15 and is about making ourselves at home with God.
Think about what ‘making yourself at home with God’ means to you.
Is it making a cup of tea and sitting down at the kitchen table to have a nice chat?
Is it kicking your shoes off and curling up on the sofa in front of the fire?
Is it going for a stroll in the garden or having a kick about on the lawn?
Is it opening a couple of beers and settling down to watch the football?
It says in the bible, in John chapter 15, that Jesus WANTS us to feel at home with him – these verses are from the Message version:
“I am the vine, you are the branches … if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.” (John 15:5,7)
He is waiting for us to spend time with him:
“Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you.” ( John 15:4)
“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love.”
( John 15:9)
On your chair is a tea bag and an invitation, with these verses on, to make yourself at home in God’s love. At some point during the week I’d encourage you to use the tea bag to make a cup of tea, take a break and sit down to spend some time with God.
In a moment we’re going to continue worshipping God through song, but first I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself ‘at home’ having a chat with God right now. Tell him about all the things that are on your mind right now – all the things that may be stopping you relaxing in his presence and concentrating on what he wants to say to you. [pause]
[prayer]
Lord I pray that you will release all of us right now from anything that is holding us back from making ourselves at home in your presence and praising you. Amen.
We’re going to sing again, make yourself at home as you do , feel free to stand or sit, dance or kneel, sing or just spend some time talking to God.
Chloe Axford lives in Devon with her husband Nick and their very new baby girl. They are volunteer worship leaders at their church and run an alternative worship stream in the evening service called Creative Space. Chloe spent two years working in creative arts ministry at a church in London and now works as a journalist (when not dreaming up imaginative uses for tea lights, post-it notes and stones).
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