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Watch the morning service (10:30 AM) here.
Watch the evening service (16:00 / 4PM) here.
Watch the Growth Class (17:45) here.

Order of Worship

2nd of February 2025 | 10:30 (Espoo) 

Song lyrics - Espoo

Song 1 – 10,000 Reasons

Psalm 103:8–12

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Song 2 – The Power of the Cross

Song 3 – Sovereign Over Us

Song 4 – At Your Feet (I Surrender) / Give Thanks

Our welcome team members will pass an offering basket during this song.

For information about giving online, please visit ucclife.fi/give or follow the QR code on the screen. You can also speak to our pastors or leaders for more information about giving and generosity. You can also ask the welcome team or any of our staff team members for more info on giving online.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen

A warm welcome to all, and especially to any visitors joining us today – if you’d like to get connected or find out more about UCC, please see our digital visitors card or speak to us after the service!

If you have children, they are welcome to join our Sunday school classes! 

Our Scripture reading today is 2 Corinthians 2:5–11 (ESV). Hear the Word of God:

5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

This is the Word of the Lord.

That’s Not Yours: Restoration Belongs to God

A church shaped by the gospel is not just a place of discipline but of forgiveness, comfort, and restoration
“You are never more like God than when you forgive” — Charles Spurgeon

I. Judgment Isn’t Yours vv 5-6
II. Forgiveness Is the Call vv 7-8
III. Restoration Is the Goal vv 9-11

Recommended Reading

For a deeper exploration of forgiveness, Forgive by Tim Keller is a highly recommended read. He writes, “Forgiveness is granted before it is felt—not felt before it is granted. It is a promise to not bring the sin up to the person, to others, or to yourself in order to punish.” Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 2 remind us that forgiveness is not just an internal feeling but a commitment to restoration. To withhold it is to take what belongs to God alone. As recipients of grace, we are called to be agents of grace.

If you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, you are welcome to receive the elements of communion.

The bread and the cup will be distributed as we sing together. You are welcome to join in singing or spend time in silent meditation or prayer.

Please hold the elements until all have received; we will all partake together as one body. 

Song 5 – Behold the Lamb

Song 6 – The Lord Almighty Reigns

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come;
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

“‘The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

– Numbers 6:24-26

For all church announcements, please see our digital announcements page: ucclife.fi/announcements

Opening Thought:
We live in a world that remembers failures but rarely restores people. Social media amplifies mistakes, turning them into permanent labels, while cancel culture offers no path to redemption. But the gospel moves in the opposite direction, it calls us to discipline sin but also to forgive and restore those who repent. In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul shows us that forgiveness is not just personal; it’s essential for the life of the church.
 
Intro Question:
• Have you ever seen someone “canceled” or permanently labeled for a mistake whether in culture, media, or your own life? How did people respond? Was there a way back for them?
 
Into the Text
1. Read 2 Corinthians 2:5-11. What does Paul say about how sin affects the whole church (v. 5)? How does this challenge the idea that our actions are purely personal?
 
2. Paul acknowledges that the church disciplined the offender (v. 6). What is biblical church discipline, and how is it different from worldly punishment? (See Matthew 18:15-17 and Galatians 6:1 for additional context.)
 
3. Verse 7 warns against excessive sorrow. How can a lack of forgiveness and restoration harm someone who has repented? Can you think of ways this happens in modern churches or in society?
 
4. Paul says in verse 10, “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive.” What does this teach us about the church’s responsibility in restoration? How does this contrast with how our culture handles failure?
 
5. Paul warns in verse 11 that Satan uses division and unforgiveness against the church. How does cancel culture, both inside and outside the church, reflect the enemy’s strategy of keeping people trapped in shame?
 
Applying the Text
1. In the sermon, we heard: “The world cancels; the gospel restores. The world demands endless repayment; the gospel says, ‘It is finished.’”How does embracing gospel-driven forgiveness change the way we interact with those who have wronged us?
2. What does it look like to bring someone back into full fellowship after they repent? Are there practical ways we as a church can be intentional about restoring people instead of keeping them at a distance?
3. Church discipline is meant to lead to repentance, not permanent exclusion. How do we ensure that discipline in the church serves its biblical purpose rather than becoming a means of judgment or control?
 
Prayer & Action Step:
• Ask God to show you if there’s anyone you need to forgive or welcome back into fellowship. Pray for the wisdom to balance both truth and grace, standing firm in holiness while being eager to restore.

Order of Worship

2nd of February 2025 | 16:00 / 4pm (Helsinki)

Song lyrics - Helsinki

Song 1 – His Mercy is More

Psalm 103:8–12

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
    nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

Song 2 – I Stand Amazed

Song 3 – Blessed Are the Merciful

Song 4 – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Our welcome team members will pass an offering basket during this song.

For information about giving online, please visit ucclife.fi/give or follow the QR code on the screen. You can also speak to our pastors or leaders for more information about giving and generosity. You can also ask the welcome team or any of our staff team members for more info on giving online.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen

A warm welcome to all, and especially to any visitors joining us today – if you’d like to get connected or find out more about UCC, please see our digital visitors card or speak to us after the service!

If you have children, they are welcome to join our Sunday school classes! 

Our Scripture reading today is 2 Corinthians 2:5–11 (ESV). Hear the Word of God:

5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

This is the Word of the Lord.

That’s Not Yours: Restoration Belongs to God

A church shaped by the gospel is not just a place of discipline but of forgiveness, comfort, and restoration
“You are never more like God than when you forgive” — Charles Spurgeon

I. Judgment Isn’t Yours vv 5-6
II. Forgiveness Is the Call vv 7-8
III. Restoration Is the Goal vv 9-11

Recommended Reading

For a deeper exploration of forgiveness, Forgive by Tim Keller is a highly recommended read. He writes, “Forgiveness is granted before it is felt—not felt before it is granted. It is a promise to not bring the sin up to the person, to others, or to yourself in order to punish.” Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 2 remind us that forgiveness is not just an internal feeling but a commitment to restoration. To withhold it is to take what belongs to God alone. As recipients of grace, we are called to be agents of grace.

If you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, you are welcome to receive the elements of communion.

The bread and the cup will be distributed as we sing together. You are welcome to join in singing or spend time in silent meditation or prayer.

Please hold the elements until all have received; we will all partake together as one body. 

Song 5 – Your Glory / Nothing But the Blood

Song 6 – Grace Alone 

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come;
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

“‘The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

– Numbers 6:24-26

For all church announcements, please see our digital announcements page: ucclife.fi/announcements

Opening Thought:
We live in a world that remembers failures but rarely restores people. Social media amplifies mistakes, turning them into permanent labels, while cancel culture offers no path to redemption. But the gospel moves in the opposite direction, it calls us to discipline sin but also to forgive and restore those who repent. In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul shows us that forgiveness is not just personal; it’s essential for the life of the church.
 
Intro Question:
• Have you ever seen someone “canceled” or permanently labeled for a mistake whether in culture, media, or your own life? How did people respond? Was there a way back for them?
 
Into the Text
1. Read 2 Corinthians 2:5-11. What does Paul say about how sin affects the whole church (v. 5)? How does this challenge the idea that our actions are purely personal?
 
2. Paul acknowledges that the church disciplined the offender (v. 6). What is biblical church discipline, and how is it different from worldly punishment? (See Matthew 18:15-17 and Galatians 6:1 for additional context.)
 
3. Verse 7 warns against excessive sorrow. How can a lack of forgiveness and restoration harm someone who has repented? Can you think of ways this happens in modern churches or in society?
 
4. Paul says in verse 10, “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive.” What does this teach us about the church’s responsibility in restoration? How does this contrast with how our culture handles failure?
 
5. Paul warns in verse 11 that Satan uses division and unforgiveness against the church. How does cancel culture, both inside and outside the church, reflect the enemy’s strategy of keeping people trapped in shame?
 
Applying the Text
1. In the sermon, we heard: “The world cancels; the gospel restores. The world demands endless repayment; the gospel says, ‘It is finished.’”How does embracing gospel-driven forgiveness change the way we interact with those who have wronged us?
2. What does it look like to bring someone back into full fellowship after they repent? Are there practical ways we as a church can be intentional about restoring people instead of keeping them at a distance?
3. Church discipline is meant to lead to repentance, not permanent exclusion. How do we ensure that discipline in the church serves its biblical purpose rather than becoming a means of judgment or control?
 
Prayer & Action Step:
• Ask God to show you if there’s anyone you need to forgive or welcome back into fellowship. Pray for the wisdom to balance both truth and grace, standing firm in holiness while being eager to restore.
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