What is Solemn Assembly?
Each year we pause and hold a Solemn Assembly as a congregation. The theme for this year’s Solemn Assembly will be “Stability.” This will be a time when each member of our congregation will — through prayer, fasting, Bible study, and corporate worship — seek the stability available only from God. Guiding scriptures this year are Matthew 7:24-27 and Ephesians 4:11-14.
When is Solemn Assembly?
This year’s Solemn Assembly will take place from Monday, January 5th through Sunday, January 25th.
What do we do during Solemn Assembly?
During Solemn Assembly, we pray, fast, and gather.
Fast
- Fasting Windows
- Morning (12 am - 11 am)
- Midday (11 am - 3 pm)
- Evening (3 pm - 12 am)
- During your time of fasting, avoid television, YouTube, social media, and other distractions. Instead, focus on our Bible Reading Plan and prayer around how we are shifting the culture in key areas of our lives as individuals, families, and a church community.
Pray
- During the times you would normally eat, spend time in prayer.
- Focus in prayer on the areas in your life where you need to grow in stability
- Each week, we’ll send you scriptures you can read, meditate on, and use to inform your time of prayer
Gather
- Daily: Gather as a family at home for prayer, singing, and Bible reading
- Sundays: Gather as a congregation at the building for our weekly Worship Gathering (9:30 am & 11:30 am)
- Tuesdays: Gather in small groups across the region for prayer, singing, and Bible reading
- Your small group can be made up of friends, neighbors, people who serve in the same ministry as you, your SALT pod or NewManity squad, etc.
- We encourage you to aim for 4-6 people in your small group.
- Each week we’ll send you a devotional and some reflection questions to use as your group prays and reads scripture together
- Wednesdays: Gather as a congregation at the building for prayer, singing, and Bible reading (7 pm)
Week 3 Details
Check out these resources to help you navigate the final week of Solemn Assembly.
Devotional Reading
Check out this week's devotional reading, from Kevin Lockett titled "Stable Under Stress."
Reflection Questions
You can use these questions in your personal quiet time and during small group discussions.
- Based on Ephesians 4:11-14, why is having a clear, biblical understanding of who Jesus is important to our stability? What are the threats to this stability? What means has God provided for us to experience stability despite these threats?
- Are you actively doing the work of the ministry? In what ways have you seen God use you to build up His body? What victories can you praise Him for? In what ways may you be neglecting the responsibility?
- Think about your motivations in the ministry work you do. Are you driven by a desire to build Christ’s body into maturity, or to build your own pride or resume?
- How can you be praying this week for yourself and others who serve the body of Christ?
- Think about the pastors and teachers through whom God has blessed our local congregation. In what ways have you personally been equipped by their gifts? Pause and give God praise for His faithfulness through them.
- In what ways can you better avail yourself of the means of equipping God has provided to His body?
Reading Plan
Take time this week to read these passages and reflect on what they reveal about biblical stability.
- Monday: Hebrews 13:7-17
- Tuesday: Jude 4, 24-25
- Wednesday: Ephesians 5:15-21
- Thursday: John 17:3
- Friday: Philippians 3:10-15
- Saturday: 1 Timothy 4:16
- Sunday: Colossians 1:9-11
Worship Wednesday
Each Wednesday during Solemn Assembly, Psallō will share a simple resource to help our covenant community worship through song during the week.
This week, we’re excited to share a song from Psallō member Nile Gay. Check out the video, and allow the words and music to lead you into a time of earnestly seeking God through whom we can find stability.
This week, we’re excited to share a song from Psallō member Nile Gay. Check out the video, and allow the words and music to lead you into a time of earnestly seeking God through whom we can find stability.
Week 2 Details
Want to reference details from last week? You can check them out here.
Devotional Reading
Check out this week's devotional reading, from Sister Daarinah Henry titled "Built Different."
Reflection Questions
You can use these questions in your personal quiet time and during small group discussions.
- When pressure shows up in your life, what does it reveal about the foundation you're building on?
- Can you identify the sand that you sometimes build your life on? In what way is your life more sandy than firm in Christ?
- What area(s) in your life do you feel God calling you to deeper obedience?
- What is something you can begin to do during Solemn Assembly to cooperate with the Lord in making sure you’re building your life on Him?
- Take some time to listen to the song “Firm Foundation” and allow it to remind you of God’s stability as you obey, meditate on, and trust in His Word. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOP4s8fOEm0
Reading Plan
Take time this week to read these passages and reflect on what they reveal about biblical stability.
- Monday: Psalm 125:1
- Tuesday: Ephesians 2:11-22
- Wednesday: James 1:12
- Thursday: Colossians 1:21-23
- Friday: Psalm 62
- Saturday: 2 Samuel 22:31-37
- Sunday: Proverbs 10:25
Worship Wednesday
Each Wednesday during Solemn Assembly, Psallō will share a simple resource to help our covenant community worship through song during the week.
Our first resource is the Solemn Assembly Playlist. Use this playlist during your fasting window, family worship time, commute, or quiet moments at home. It’s available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.
Our first resource is the Solemn Assembly Playlist. Use this playlist during your fasting window, family worship time, commute, or quiet moments at home. It’s available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.
Week 1 Details
Want to reference details from week 1? You can check them out here.
Reflection Questions
You can use these questions in your personal quiet time and during small group discussions.
- As we lay the foundation for Solemn Assembly, what does giving your year to God look like for you?
- How would you define stability through a biblical lens?
- What areas do you see instability in your life? Identify the specific reasons you have remained unstable in those areas.
- One key idea in the parable of the foundations is that although storms form, we are to remain stable in Christ. What are some observations you can make about your foundation when storms come? In what ways does your response to trials display being rooted in Christ and his word? In what ways do you tend to experience instability?
Reading Plan
Take time this week to read these passages and reflect on what the reveal about biblical stability.
- Tuesday: Matthew 7:24-27
- Wednesday: Hebrews 12:1-3
- Thursday: Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23
- Friday: 2 Timothy 2:22
- Saturday: Proverbs 16:9
- Sunday: Ephesians 2:10