Weekly Virtual Worship Service – August 29, 2021
Welcome to our Weekly Virtual Worship Service
Sunday, August 29, 2021
11:00 a.m.
Meditation and Prayer
Micaiah: Speaking Truth to Power – (1 Kings 22:15-23, 26-28 – KJV) –Deacon George Hillman
Worship Music:
”Holy Spirit Reign Down” -LACOG Praise Team – (pre-recorded)
“For Your Glory” – Grace Church of God; (NACOG Mid Year Retreat); Brooklyn, NY – (pre-recorded)*
“I Have Decided To Follow Jesus/Follower of Christ/Yes, Lord Yes” –LACOG Praise Team – (pre-recorded)
Sermonette: “My Help!” Psalms 3.
Speaker: Pastor Cynthia Thomas
The Langley Prayer Line is staffed by Langley ministers and prayer team members.
Monday prayer 6:15 am – 6:45 am and 12:15 am – 12:45 pm
Wednesday prayer 6:15 am – 6:45 am and 11:15 am -12 noon
Friday prayer 6:15 am – 6:45 am
Call in with prayer requests, to connect, to pray together and for any other needs.
Let us shelter under the mighty wings of God.
Langley’s Prayer Line:
1-515-604-9094
Access code: 471-150-100
The prayer focus for the month of August is the following: 1. The opening of schools; 2. The elimination of COVID-19; and 3. A prayer against the violence in Chicago. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). Join us as we focus, together, on these requests.
Tithes & Offerings: At this time, we are asking that you give your tithes and offerings through Bill Pay only. Please do not mail or drop off your tithes and/or offering. Bill Pay can be set up through your bank (please call, go online, or visit your bank to establish this payment system). Thank you!
Announcement:
Illinois Extends the Eviction Moratorium*
Three weeks ago, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention extended the eviction moratorium throughout October 2021 for areas of the country within high transmissions of COVID-19 virus. For more information call the Renter’s Right Hotline at (312) 742-7368 or discuss your case with an attorney at Legal Aid Chicago. Free legal help is also available through Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt, and legal assistance for all Illinois residents can be found at Illinois Legal Aid.
While the future of the Eviction Moratorium is unclear, Illinois continues to provide rental assistance through the following organizations:
- Illinois Department of Human Services: offers rental assistance to tenants by connecting them to participating agencies who can assist with the application process.
- Connections for the Homeless: provides rental, mortgage, and utility payment assistance for suburban Cook County residents (based in Evanston, IL).
- Illinois Housing Development Authority: while tenant-led rental assistance applications are currently closed, current applicants can check their status, download additional documents, and review rental assistance guidelines. Homeowners’ assistance is expected to be available through the American Rescue Plan Act within the next few weeks.
Reflection: The Wonder of All Creation***
A butterfly emerges from its chrysalis in the garden where the iris is about to bloom. We rush right by.
A snowflake–unique in all the world- lands on our jacket sleeve. We brush it off.
An orbiting satellite captured the indescribable colors of a nebula as it exploded hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth. The photos pop up on our news feed, covering our laptop screen. And we click right by.
As God’s people, we have all the more reason to do this. The wonders around us are our heavenly Father’s artistry! We admire the power, the creativity, the wisdom that mark his creation. And as we pause, we worship:
O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of creatures. Psalm 104:24. Long before this current accent on mindfulness as a cure for the stress and strain of everyday life, the psalmist Issued this invitation:
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! Psalm 33:8
“Stop all this rushing!” the Bible urges us. “Stand still. Stand in awe of your Creator and of all that he has made, all that he has done, all that he is doing, still.” Mindful of the love Jesus showed for us on that cross, we worship. Attentive to the forgiveness’s and peace Jesus won for us there, we kneel in self-forgetful wonder.
Prayer: God, I need a break. I need to breathe deeply, if only for a moment, as I and in awe of you, my Creator and my Savior…
Stay prayerful and read the following daily:
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 (ESV) – “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;…”
Matthew 6:33-34 (ESV)– “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Credits:
*Grace Church of God; (NACOG Mid Year Retreat); Brooklyn, NY
**Illinois Extends the Eviction Moratorium…For Now. Chante Gamby, Contributing Writer. ***Woman of God: Wonderfully Made, Devotions for Women; CTA, Inc.(WOGXXSC), Fenton, MO.
Most photos are from UnSplash.