Hurricane harvey
Update as of: September 6, 2017
POST-DISASTER RELIEF
If you need relief over the next few days, please let your parish leader know or email us. Whether it’s manpower or finances, we will do what we can.
We are shifting from providing immediate relief to offering help to those who have been displaced from their homes. The information is below.
PARTNERHSIP:
CHRIST EVANGELICAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church is housing and hosting 100 or so Samaritan's Purse volunteers for the next several months.
Starting Monday morning, September 4, local volunteers can show up to CEPC (8300 Katy Freeway Houston 77024) at either 7:30am or 12:30pm (for folks who can only work half day) for orientation with Samaritan's Purse and to go out with their teams to muck out houses. The local Samaritan's Purse contact number is 713-851-5493.
THE SOJOURN HOUSTON BENEVOLENCE FUND
We will utilize the Sojourn Houston Benevolence fund to give financial resources to people in need. If you want to donate money, you can do so here:
The Christian God is a just and merciful God, and we get the joy of manifesting His character for the sake of those in need. The gospel reveals that God has acted graciously, generously, and sacrificially on behalf of the spiritually poor and powerless, so we're passionate about mobilizing Sojourn members and resources to do the same.
Posted on August 27, 2017
As you know, our city is getting slammed with rain and flooding. We hope you are safe this weekend! Check with your neighbors and friends and help them if they need assistance. If you yourself need anything, please contact your parish leaders. It is moments like these that we continue being the church and serve those in need around us.
This Sunday, we are doing something different. Due to Hurricane Harvey and the heavy rain and flooding, we are encouraging people to stay with their families in a safe place instead of meeting together for our regular Sunday Gathering.
We recognize that nothing can replace the "meeting together" to worship our God and the "addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart" (Ephesians 5:19). No podcast, online service, or emailed liturgy can replace that. This is only an exception due to the weather conditions we are experiencing.
So, we encourage you to take 30 minutes of your Sunday or over the next couple of days, individually or with your family, and go through this written liturgy. Read the prayers, sing along with the linked videos (it includes lyrics) or download the playlist on Spotify, reflect, and respond to God's grace in your life. If you have small children, feel free to include them in your family worship. This is a great way to lead yourself and/or your family. We look forward to worshiping together next Sunday. For now, know that the Lord is with you.
Tony Villatoro
Pastor
CALL TO WORSHIP
LEADER: O, magnify the Lord with me!
ALL: Let us exalt God’s name together!
LEADER: Let us sing and celebrate his grace and loving kindness!
ALL: Praise be to our sovereign King!
SONG 1: "OH, GREAT IS OUR GOD!"
(You can also listen to full playlist on Spotify)
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
ALL: Father, we are sorry for the many times we have chosen to satisfy our own selfish desires. For the times we were unkind and impatient with those who needed our time and concern. For the times we were too weak to stand up for what is right and holy in Your eyes. For the times we refused to forgive others. Lord, we have sinned. Forgive us. Teach us to trust the leading of Your Spirit in our lives, that we may run from sin and seek Your righteousness. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
LEADER: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
ALL: For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.
LEADER: And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us,
ALL: who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
SONG 2: "BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE"
(You can also listen to full playlist on Spotify)
DEVOTIONAL
Galatians 3:2-3
“Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”
Read Devotional Guide, Reflect & Pray
SONG 3: "WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS"
(You can also listen to full playlist on Spotify)
BENEDICTION
Family, “may the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” in the middle of all we go through. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
LET THE CHILDREN COME
A Free Seminar on Abortion, Contraception, and The Priority of Adoption
Saturday, September 9, 8am-12pm
Hosted at Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church
Speakers: Dr. Megan Best & Jason Johnson
Registration ends Sept. 4
SOJOURN ACADEMY: WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY
8-week Study beginning September 11 | 7pm-8:30pm
Location: (Register for address)
Facilitators: Amy Cavanaugh & Kaci Kimbrough
Registration ends Sept. 4
ABOVE AND BEYOND GIVING CAMPAIGN
Scripture calls every follower of Jesus to give of their finances to support the ministry of the Gospel. Thank you for giving!
If you're new to Sojourn, we're eager to get you connected with a gospel family within the church that aims to love one another and serve the people in their neighborhood. This is what we call a Neighborhood Parish. As of now, we have 3 Neighborhood Parishes. This is the best way to become a part of what’s going on at Sojourn.
On Sundays at 5pm, our church comes together to worship Jesus and proclaim the gospel through song, scripture, and sacrament. Corporate worship is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that awaits us in eternity and is a powerful display of God’s glory to our city.