Global Worship Service: Celebrating the Power and Presence of God Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 9 a.m. ET [:09] Multiple Singers: When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say, "It is well, it is well with my soul!" It is well, it is well, with my soul, with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul! Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control: that Christ has regarded my helpless estate and hath shed his own blood for my soul. It is well, it is well, with my soul, with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul! My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh, my soul. It is well, it is well, with my soul, with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul! [3:40] Rebecca Ochong: Greetings to each of you. For those of you who got up very early or those who are joining us at the end of a long day, thank you for making time to come together in worship. We are really glad you’re here. During this service, at several points you will be invited to enter responses in the chat box. Please note that we may experience a bit of a delay, but Paul Hamalian, our steward of cultural and spiritual services, will voice as many of those as possible. Now as we start, please greet others in the chat box. Let us know from what part of the world you are joining us. Please feel free to share, introduce yourself, and also let us know where you are joining us from, and Paul will read these out. [4:37] Paul Hamalian: Welcome to friends from Toronto, Canada; Manila, Philippines; Americus, Georgia; Bratislava, Slovakia; Washington, D.C. Bienvenidos a nuestros amigos de San Jose, Costa Rica; friends from Habitat Forsyth County in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; to North St. Louis County, Minnesota; Blairsville, Georgia. Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Metro Atlanta, welcome. Friends from West Plains, Missouri; from Alexandria, Minnesota; from Los Angeles, California, thank you for getting up at 6 o’clock in the morning; from Cologne, Germany; from West Plains — I said that one already — Habitat of Orange County, North Carolina. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL 1 Wow, lots of other people joining us: St. Lucie County, Florida; Mexico, bienvenido; Ithaca, New York; Dallas, Texas; Paraguay, South America. We have people joining us from all over: Michigan; Alexandria, Minnesota; Stuart, Florida. [6:38] Rebecca Ochong: OK, thank you, Paul, and welcome, everyone. I see that we have people from across the world, from different places, from different Habitat offices. Thank you very much, all of you, for joining. Now since the beginning, the Habitat for Humanity family has always come together to worship and offer thanks for the many blessings bestowed on this ministry. Our CEO Jonathan Reckford often says, “Habitat’s success cannot be explained without God.” We are a Christian organization, and this service will reflect our first mission principle, which is to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ. Looking to Jesus as our example, we seek to be loving and inclusive of all faiths. So if you are joining us today and profess a different faith, we hope you will find your own inspiration in acknowledging the power and presence of God. I believe you will receive great blessings in the coming hour as more than 20 people from around the world will be contributing to this service. Allow yourself this uninterrupted time to drink in all that God has in store for us. Now let us worship together. [7:56] Scott Engmann: Greetings, friends. This is Scott Engmann, executive director of Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity in Rapid City, South Dakota. What a privilege and an honor to join you from around the world as we celebrate God’s presence with us. All of us have suffered in different ways in this season, and it’s time we come together and worship the Lord. Alone we can often feel helpless, but together we are strong in Christ’s power at work in us. And I wanted to encourage you with words from the prophet Zephaniah who writes in chapter 3, verse 17: “Don’t be afraid. Don't despair. Your God is present among you, a strong warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.” I love the fact that God is among us today, assisting and strengthening with his gracious presence. Indeed, God is pleased that we are here, and he’s here to heal and to guide as we worship together. Allow yourself to go deeper with the Lord and connect. He’s willing to carry our burdens. [9:04] Fungai Mukorah: I’m Fungai Mukorah. Please join me in worship. Father, we come before you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you, Father, for honoring us with your presence. Peace. Be still. And know that I’m the Lord your God. Jehovah is your name, the mighty warrior, the creator majestic. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL 2 We thank you, Father, for your provision of food and shelter and for meeting us at our point of need. We thank you, Father, for under the shadows of your wings, we find protection. We are privileged to call you Abba Father for there was victory at Calvary. We bring you a living sacrifice of praise. Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb. Your grace is sufficient for us. Amen. [10:12] Jenny Williams: My name is Jenny Williams, and it’s a privilege to call you to stillness, to invite you to rest in the presence of God. Psalm 46, verse 10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” As we gather together, one Habitat family, many cultures and languages united in mission, may we wait for your still, small voice. In the stillness, may each of us bring our joys and our sadness, our hopes and our fears, and ask that God will bless everything that we are. In our stillness, may we feel your love and know your power and your peace. Amen. [11:12] Zachary Brown: Hi there. My name is Zachary Brown, and I’d like to sing a hymn for you today, “Be Still, My Soul.” Be still, my soul. The Lord God is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide. In every change, he faithful will remain. Be still, my soul. Thy best, thy heavenly friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Be still, my soul. Thy God doth undertake to guide the future as he has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake. All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul. The waves and winds still know his voice who ruled them while he dwelt below. In you, I rest. In you, I find my hope. In you, I trust. You never let me go. I place my life within your hands alone. Be still, my soul. Be still, my soul. The hour is hastening on when we shall be forever with the Lord, when disappointment, grief and fear are gone, sorrow forgot, love’s purest joy restored. Be still, my soul. When change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last. In you, I rest. In you, I find my hope. In you, I trust. You never let me go. I place my life within your hands alone. Be still, my soul. In you, I rest. In you, I find my hope. In you, I trust. You never let me go. I place my life within your hands alone. Be still, my soul. Be still, my soul. Be still, my soul. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL 3 [16:20] Patrick Canagasingham: Hi, everyone. My name is Patrick Canagasingham, and it’s my privilege to invite us to recognize God’s power. I hope these opening moments have helped you to still your soul. As we move forward in the service, I would invite you to take a moment to consider how you have experienced the power and presence of God in your life. The events of the past few months have brought many of us to our knees. We have finally paused in our hectic lives to be still and to welcome the spirit of God to work in us and through us. I invite you to consider the ways you have felt the abiding love of Jesus in your heart, and I invite you to think about how you have experienced God in ways that are big and small. We won’t be sharing any of those yet, but that time is coming later in the service. Right now, let’s focus on this psalm of praise. [17:35] Mary Lechenuk: I am Mary Lechenuk, national director of Habitat for Humanity Paraguay. I am going to read Psalm 100, which is about exaltation and gratitude. A Psalm of Praise. Make a glad sound to the Lord, all the earth. Give worship to the Lord with joy; come before him with a song.