The Bible App is completely free, with no advertising and no in-app purchases. Get the app

The City Worship Experience

Inner Circle: Who's Your Zacchaeus?

Welcome to The City! We are a people, a place, and a movement helping each other to live like Jesus and impact the city of Columbia. Our vision is to form community, uncover purpose, and create heaven on earth.

Locations & Times

204 S 9th St, Columbia, MO 65201, USA

Sunday 10:45 AM

Welcome to The City!!!!
Where the spirit of the lord is there is freedom. You are welcome to worship freely in this space however you feel led. Stand up, sit down, kneel - whatever is meaningful to you - you’re free to do it. You’re also welcome to try something new you’ve never done before.

We’re honored and grateful that you are here to worship God and to worship God with us today.

Shout - Passion, Chris Tomlin

I hear the sound of an army waking I feel the ground under my feet shaking Let justice roll like a river... Let justice roll like a river... We're your hands, we're your feet, your people Love good and hate what's evil Let justice roll like a river, let justice roll... We shout, shout for Your kingdom come Shout, shout and the walls fall down Our God be praised, whoa oh oh oh We shout, shout to the ends of the earth Shout, shout until You return Our God be praised, whoa oh oh oh You're the friend of the ones forgotten You fight the cause of the weak and broken Let justice roll like a river Let justice roll like a river, let justice roll... We shout, shout for Your kingdom come Shout, shout and the walls fall down Our God be praised, whoa oh oh oh We shout, shout to the ends of the earth Shout, shout until You return Our God be praised, whoa oh oh oh Someone's gonna dance for the first time Hear the music, hear the music Someone's gonna find their healing Hear the music, hear the music Someone's gonna dance for the first time Hear the music, hear the music Someone's gonna run to freedom Hear the music, here it comes Whoa oh oh oh Whoa oh oh oh Whoa oh oh oh Whoa oh oh oh

Children at The City
Children are welcome in worship. We value their presence. For all children (big and small) we have 3 metal baskets on the tables with fun stuff in them.

Children can also attend Children’s Worship. If you’re interested in that, a First Impressions Team member will meet you in the back and escort you and your child to the Children’s Worship area.

Stay Connected!
We've established a handful of ways for you to stay connected with The City Worship Movement throughout the week.

First: Head over to www.ComoCreatesHeaven.com and join our email list! You'll receive updates on all news and events happening within The City.

Second: Like us on Facebook to stay plugged into the ongoing conversation. https://www.facebook.com/TheCityMVMT/

Third: Check in, share posts, or tag us (#TheCityMVMT) on Facebook.

Fourth: Add @TheCityMVMT on Instagram for active updates on all City happenings! https://www.instagram.com/thecitymvmt/

Fifth: Complete the connect card on the clipboards. It’s a great way to indicate your next step, your desire to serve, and more

YouVersion

The YouVersion Bible App is one resource The City utilizes to help you engage with the Sunday morning message. Here, you’ll have access to the worship music, scripture, main message points, and more. Follow the link below or go to your App store to download YouVersion - it’s a little brown Bible. Once downloaded, open the app and go to More > Events > Search 'Missouri United Methodist Church' to find us. Make sure to save the event to be able to reference it in the future.

https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/

Echo, Elevation Worship and Tauren Wells

When night has fallen When fear is common Still You're calling me When faith is lost And my hope exhausted You will be my strength When my mind says I'm not good enough God, You're enough for me I've decided I'm not giving up 'Cause You won't give up on me You won't give up on me Your love is holding on And it won't let go I feel it breaking out like an echo Your love is holding on And it won't let go I feel it breaking out like an echo Echo in my so-o-o-o-oul So-o-o-o-oul In every season You keep repeating promises to me Now there's no stopping What You have started Until it is complete When my mind says I'm not good enough God, You're enough for me I've decided I'm not giving up You won't give up on me You won't give up on me Your love is holding on And it won't let go I feel it breaking out like an echo Your love is holding on And it won't let go I feel it breaking out like an echo Echo in my so-o-o-o-oul So-o-o-o-oul So-o-o-o-oul So-o-o-o-oul When my mind says I'm not good enough God, You're enough for me I've decided I'm not giving up You won't give up on me You won't give up on me Your love is holding on And it won't let go I feel it breaking out like an echo Your love is holding on And it won't let go I feel it breaking out, breaking out (hey!) Your love is holding on And it won't let go I feel it breaking out like an echo Your love is holding on And it won't let go I feel it breaking out like an echo Echo in my so-o-o-o-oul So-o-o-o-oul In my so-o-o-o-oul So-o-o-o-oul

If We're Honest, Francesca Battistelli

Truth is harder than a lie The dark seems safer than the light And everyone has a heart that loves to hide I'm a mess and so are you We've built walls nobody can get through Yeah, it may be hard, but the best thing we could ever do, ever do Bring your brokenness, and I'll bring mine 'Cause love can heal what hurt divides And mercy's waiting on the other side If we're honest If we're honest Don't pretend to be something that you're not Living life afraid of getting caught There is freedom found when we lay Our secrets down at the cross, at the cross So bring your brokenness, and I'll bring mine 'Cause love can heal what hurt divides And mercy's waiting on the other side If we're honest If we're honest It would change our lives It would set us free It's what we need to be So bring your brokenness and I'll bring mine 'Cause love can heal what hurt divides And mercy's waiting on the other side If we're honest If we're honest If we're honest

I am Not Alone, Kari Jobe

When I walk through deep waters I know that you will be with me When I'm standing in the fire I will not be overcome Through the valley of the shadow Oh I will not fear I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me In the midst of deep sorrow I see your light is breaking through The dark night will not over take me I am pressing into you Lord you fight my every battle And I will not fear I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me You amaze me Redeem me You call me as your own You amaze me Redeem me You call me as your own You amaze me Redeem me You call me as your own You amaze me Redeem me You call me as your own You're my strength You're my defender You're my refuge in the storm Through these trials You have always been faithful You bring healing to my soul I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me I am not alone I am not alone You will go before me You will never leave me

We have a rotation of about 4 rituals for our children at bedtime. Beyond teaching different prayers, there is one simple set of phrases I say in a variety of ways. “Be open to God. ..God is preparing you for something important. ...How can you be kind to others?”

A few days ago, our family went to the indoor walking track of the mall.
On a lap of the mall and my son asks what his super power is. (I am not sure I connected at that moment.) I said, the ability to make me smile. And you know what a 5 yo boy responded: “That’s not a super power.” As he walked beside me he grasped his bracelet and offered what I would call magic spell mantras… and nothing happened. Once he called for a forcefield of cookies to surround us. Nothing happened. “I knew it. This bracelet doesn’t have super power,” he said.

I realized that my simple phrase that perhaps the bracelet had super powers had some staying power. So, I remined him that he did have some super powers of kindness inside him. “Kindness isn’t a super power!” he said. “I know it doesn’t make your fly or glow,” I said. (Maybe out of frustration I offered my final hope for this sliver of blue plastic.) “The bracelet doesn’t make you kind. But maybe it can remind you of kindness and one day when you are President of the United States you can use that kindness for ‘the greater good.’” (Quoting Frozone!) I expected a “humph” from my son. I got nothing and we continued on home. But he went to bed that night with his blue bracelet. Maybe, just maybe, it will serve as a reminder of the greater good he has to offer.

I share that “simple” family story asking you to recall your stories.
As a mentor/parent/teacher, I wonder how my words are heard and nestled within. Things I mean to say and those I never mean to say.

And what about the stories Jesus heard as a child. I imagine one famous story of Mary and Joseph was Jesus’ birthday story. And 9 yo Jesus saying, “Yes, I know. There was no room. I had to sleep by the animals. You had to put me in a manger.”

I know Jesus was the Son of God with innate love and generosity at his core being, but did that story of there being no room shape him, help prepare him for those on the edges for which the world pushed back?
I consider the One for whom there was no room, made room for all.

Zacchaeus. The guy who was reduced by society. The social outcast. The one who doesn’t “give” us as much as the others in our inner circle, but requires something of us. The friend in our life that gives us a different perspective!

Let us hear the story of Zacchaeus as told from Luke who is often fond of telling about those on the outside.

Luke 19:1-10

Inner circle: Relationships that matter
Jim Rohn, american entreprenuer and motivational speaker, said this: “We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.”

The series is based on the book "11: Indispensable Relationships You Can’t Do Without" by Leonard Sweet.

Each Sunday we’ll be looking at biblical characters who possess qualities that we desperately need in our own circle of friends and influence. Hopefully, you’ll also begin to see who you are to others - what characteristics you are bringing to other people’s inner circle

Who’s Your Zacchaeus?

Zacchaeus was the social outcast. Shamed and mocked by his community as one of the most despised professions - tax collector. And he was the chief one! The baddest of the bad. The community offered him no place among them. So much so that he had to climb a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus passing by as he went through Jericho on the way to Jerusalem. (Incidentally, this trek to Jerusalem was his last. You might say that Jesus was focused on his own mission as he passed through Jericho, but his compassion led him to see others.)

Actually, Jesus did not see “others.” Jesus did not relate to men as men, women as women, rejects as rejects, but to everyone he encountered as a person of God in need of love. “ If Jesus is to be believed, and followed, there is not other. There is only ‘one another.’ There are no ‘outsiders’ because no one is outside the reach of God’s love. Jesus taught us to see other not as others, but one of us, as one anothers.”

And for Jesus to claim Zaccheaus’ was not a sacrifice, put a pleasure. It was Jesus’ passion! You cannot overlook the reality that a friendship with Zacchaeus is inefficient or embarrassing. I recall standing in line at the bank one day to get a money order for someone we cared about in prison. There comes to point when you have say “make the check out to the Dept of Corrections.” And you have to say that through the glass window at the bank. You cannot whisper that. I had to get over how it made me look to offer support to my Zacchaeus.

The Zacchaeus in your life may be considered deplorable or messed up to those around you. I said earlier that Zacchaeus offers us a different perspective. They do more than offer you a different perspective. Their inefficiency can shape you in the image of Christ! They might be messed up. But you know what, “I am a mess and so are you.” Our Zacchaeus’ messes illuminate our own messes. This is one of their gifts to us. And they will bestow gifts on us, but our hearts and arms must be open first.

I think Mary, Joseph, and others in Scripture use our family and traditional stories to remind us of our vulnerabilities right alongside the others. Which tells me that we ought to gather again and again to tell more stories and encourage one another.

Where was it that Jesus aimed to encourage Zacchaeus his day? He wanted to go home and eat with him. You may recall there are many examples of Jesus eating with others in Scripture. If we take on the risk of naming today's sinners/outsiders/messed up and then welcoming them, words alone do not suffice. There is the matter of setting a table -- literally, not figuratively. Table fellowship reveals the boundaries of human relationships.

Our church as a whole is trying to live that out in the company of Room at the Inn. It is here for another week and in Columbia until March. There are plenty of ways you can connect to offer space and hospitality if you desire.

Where is The City encouraging us to come together? The diners! (Listen for more details as we explore the places we can eat and grow in good company.) We could all use the blessing found in table fellowship!

Today our Scripture asks us to examine the friendship circle we have. Has our faith become so sanitized that we look upon others as others?
I’d remind you that God thinks you are important. You are a gift. God calls us to look out for another through kindness. There is a Zaccahues out thhre for each of us. They probably are not regulars in the church culture. They have been pushed up trees, or to the gutters. They are sitting alone in the lunchroom, found without a place to live, the loud obnoxious one we try to drown out. But they are out there. Where might you love a Zacchaeus this week?

Offering & Faith in Action
We believe the offering is holistic and includes our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.

Pull out your connect card on the clipboards. This is your way to stay connected if you so choose. Place the cards in the offering as it comes around. Check out comocreatesheaven.com/events for a complete list of happenings at The City. You can also complete a connect card online there.

Prayers:

We'd be honored to pray for you this week. Go to the website (comocreatesheaven.com) and scroll to the bottom. There you will find a link to submit your prayer requests to The City.

Presence:

We are in the process of registering individuals and families for our church directory! We would love it if you’d consider signing up to be a part! We consider each of you a part of our church family, and would love to have you participate in this church-wide initiative. To register you and your family, head over to MOUMC.org/Smile.

Financial Gifts:

There are three ways to give at The City. 1) You can give by texting “MOUMC” to 73256 2) Go to the website (https://tinyurl.com/GiveAtTheCity) 3) Place your gifts in the bowls that will be passed around. Over spring break, The Neighborhood is taking 5 students to Puerto Rico to serve. They’ll be spending the week on the island of Vieques, aiding in the continued rebuilding after Hurricane Maria. It’s about $1,000 a person to go, so we’re moving full steam ahead in our fundraising and support raising efforts. If you’d be interested in making a one-time donation towards our trip, we would be so grateful! Just make sure to label the offering, either in the memo or note space if you give online, as Puerto Rico Mission Trip. Also, we ask that you’d give us your name and some kind of contact info. We’d love to not only personally thank you, but connect with you after the trip to invite you to a social!

Service:

Room At The Inn Room at the Inn (RATI), a traveling shelter at local churches, is going on now. There are a number of ways to serve. 1. Donate: On your way out today, you’ll be given a grocery bag with a list attached. When we asked RATI what we could focus on donating they said Perishables. The list of perishable will be attached to the bag. Make a trip this week and add a few extra things to donate. More than 50 people are fed everyday during the shelter. 2. Sign up to work a shift at the shelter: https://roomattheinncomo.org/volunteer

Witness:

Invite someone to come with you to this series. Share the message with them from our website comocreatesheaven.com on Tuesday when it’s uploaded.

Rescue, Lauren Daigle

You are not hidden There's never been a moment You were forgotten You are not hopeless Though you have been broken Your innocence stolen I hear you whisper underneath your breath I hear your SOS Your SOS I will send out an army To find You in the middle of the darkest night It's true, I will rescue you There is no distance That cannot be covered Over and over You're not defenseless I'll be your shelter I'll be your armor I hear you whisper underneath your breath I hear your SOS, your SOS I will send out an army To find You in the middle of the darkest night It's true, I will rescue you I will never stop marching To reach you in the middle of the hardest fight It's true, I will rescue you I hear the whisper underneath Your breath I hear you whisper you have nothing left I will send out an army To find you in the middle of the darkest night It's true, I will rescue you I will never stop marching To reach you in the middle of the hardest fight It's true, I will rescue you Oh, I will rescue you

Group Benediction

You are blessed in The City.
You are blessed in the fields.
You are blessed when you come and when you go.
Go in love and peace.

Look up Child, Lauren Daigle

Where are You now When darkness seems to win? Where are You now When the world is crumbling? Oh I, I-I-I, I hear You say I hear You say Look up child, hey Look up child, hey Where are You now (where are You?) When all I feel is doubt? Oh, where are You now When I can't figure it out? Oh I, I-I-I, I hear You say I hear You say Look up child, hey Look up child, hey Look up child, hey Look up child, hey Look up… You're not threatened by the war You're not shaken by the storm I know You're in control Even in our suffering Even when it can't be seen I know You're in control Oh I, I-I-I, I hear You say I hear You say Look up child, hey Look up child, hey Look up child, oh-oh-oooh I hear You say, You say, You say Look up child, hey I hear You say, You say, You say Look up, look up, look up, look up Look up child, oh-ooh, ooh, oh-oooh… I hear You say, You say, You say Look up child, hey I hear You say, You say, You say Look up, look up, look up, look up Look up child I hear You say, You say, You say I hear You, I hear You calling my name, oh Look up child, hey I hear You say, You say, You say Look up, look up Look up child, hey Look up child, hey ook up

The City Spotify Playlist

Want to hear more music from The City? Here is the link for the Spotify playlist. It’s collaborative – so feel free to go in on any account and add songs!

https://tinyurl.com/MusicAtTheCity