My Church! my Church!

My Church! my Church! my dear old Church!
I love her glorious name;
And God forbid, a child of hers
Should ever do her shame!
Her mother-care, I’ll ever share;
Her child I am alone,
Till He who gave me to her arms
Shall call me to His own.

My Church! my Church! I love my Church,
For she exalts my Lord!
She speaks, she breathes, she teaches not
But from His written Word;
And if her voice bids me rejoice,
From all my sins released,
‘Tis through the atoning sacrifice,
And Jesus is the Priest.

My Church! my Church! I love my Church,
For she doth lead me on
To Zion’s Palace Beautiful,
Where Christ, my Lord, hath gone.
From all below, she bids me go
To Him, the Life, the Way,
The Truth to guide my erring feet
From darkness into day.

Then here, my Church, any dear old Church,
Thy child would add a vow
To that whose token once was signed
Upon his infant brow:
Assault who may, kiss and betray,
Dishonor and disown,
My Church shall yet be dear to me,
My fathers’ and my own!

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
Our feet have been standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Psalm 122:1-2

O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.
Psalm 26:8

Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:25

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Luke 11:28

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Acts 2:42

“Choose this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15

My Church Privileges

My church is the place where—

1. I have an appointment with God.
2. God reveals to me His will and proclaims His love in His blessed Word and the Sacraments.
3. I can enjoy the thrill of the unity of spirit by joining with my fellow redeemed in public worship and prayer.
4. I can be assured of the forgiveness of my sins, commune most intimately with my risen and glorified Redeemer, and experience an unparalleled spiritual oneness with my fellow communicants at the Lord’s Table.
5. I can worship, grow, and work together with others in Christ.
6. I can find counsel for my problems, comfort in sorrow, and companionship in loneliness.
7. I can associate with people who will stimulate and inspire me.
8. I can work harmoniously with fellow Christians in building my Lord’s Kingdom at home and abroad.
9. I can share through faith the joy of the blessed, and find in this joy a foretaste of heaven.

My Church Responsibilities

By uniting with my church, I shall endeavor—

1. To attend church regularly, and to take full part in the worship services.
2. To commune faithfully at the Lord’s Table.
3. To give evidence of my faith in my daily life.
4. To witness for Christ by word and example at every opportunity, and to invite the unchurched to share the privileges of my church with me.
5. To pray for my church and its work.
6. To read my Bible in private and to hold devotions regularly.
7. To offer my personal services for such tasks as I can perform for God and my church.
8. To support my church’s local and world-wide work cheerfully with a liberal portion of my income.
9. To make use of my church’s spiritual and educational services.