Worship is the exchange between a follower of Jesus (creature) and the Triune God (Creator); involving the will, intellect and emotions; characterized by reverence, honor, and enthusiasm.  We can worship God individually and when we gather corporately.  Worship needs to be our priority at all times, not just when we are gathered for a formal worship service.

There can be a direct connection between worship and spiritual maturity.  When I gather with other followers of Jesus to worship I am encouraged to see beyond the day to day concerns of the temporal world to the eternal majesty of Jesus Christ.
The more I worship Jesus Christ, the more like Him I become.  The more like Jesus I become, the better I can worship Him.

This is what the Apostle Paul is talking about in Romans 12:1-2 (The Message).

So here’s what I want you to do,  God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering.  Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.  Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.  Instead, fix your attention on God.  You’ll be changed from the inside out.  Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it.  Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline, drives the message home.

Just as worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience.  If worship does not propel us into greater obedience, it has not been worship.  To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change…. It is not for the timid or comfortable.  It involves opening ourselves to the adventurous life of the Spirit.

Sally Morgenthaler (Worship Evangelism) sees worship as a powerful dimension to our lives.

Worship is the most powerful tool we have for satisfying the hunger of famished, injured souls, for breaking down spiritual strongholds of pride and unbelief, and for ushering in the gift of true joy.  How can we refuse to use it?

For specific objectives regarding worship at Faith Church, see the Worship Ministry Team charter.

Services

The 9:00 am and the 10:45 am services are essentially identical in content with a blend of contemporary and traditional style. Both worship services follow the same preaching schedule.

Sign language interpretation will now be provided at the 10:45 service on an as-requested basis. Please notify the church office at 847-223-6249 by noon on the Friday before the Sunday service if you would like sign language interpretation.

Each quarter both worship services are combined for a Faith Family Gathering at 10:45 am service on Sunday.  Children are included in this service throughout, and, in addition to regular singing, often includes baptisms, baby dedications, feature reviews of the last quarter and a look ahead at ministry opportunities.  Frequently these Family Gathering services are followed by a potluck in the recreation center.  Watch our home page or News For the Journey for Family Gathering dates.