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Announcements Plus Devotional Aids

June 2023 Newsletter is now online.

Let's Learn a Bible Verse!

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
1 Peter 4:9-10 NIV

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Contents

Announcements

Day of Pentecost, May 28

We invite you to our Day of Pentecost service on Sunday, May 18 at 9:00 a.m. Wear red in memory of the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church. Or you can wear red, white, and blue as we remember those who have died to protect our freedoms or served in the military and now have passed on.

Graduation Sunday, May 21

Join us on Sunday, May 21 at 9:00 a.m. as we honor our graduates and celebrate their achievement of a high school or college degree.

Mother's Day Display & Celebration

We invite our members to provide us with small items or photos that remind them of their mothers. These will be used in a display honoring our mothers during our regular worship service on May 14th at 9:00 a.m. Please label and bring in your items for display by May 11th. All items will be returned.

 

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Quote to Ponder

"Just as politicians have replaced God's will with their own, Westerners have replaced respect for man's character with a celebration of his fleeting desires. However, just as God has not disappeared simply because politicians insist that He must, virtue has not disappeared simply because it goes largely unnoticed. Courage and honor and duty are as real as anything you can touch, and when you commit yourself to their pursuit, you make it impossible for your enemies to subdue you."
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/ 2022/10/win_with_wisdom.html#:

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For Meditation

Re: John 14: 26: But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

It was the resurrection—and its gift of the Spirit—that provided the meaning of Jesus’ works. The inspiration of the Spirit, therefore, does not bring forward new revelations about Jesus, but simply gives correct applications and meanings for what he did in history. Just as Jesus’ primary work was revealing the Father (John 1:18), so now the work of the Spirit-Paraclete is revealing the ‘Jesus of history’ to his followers.

(NIV Application Commentary: John by Gary M. Burge, p. 399)

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Mini-Bible Lesson #67: True Peace

References: John 14:27-31; Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 8, pp. 713-714; NIV Application Commentary: John by Gary M. Burge, p. 399.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. –John 14:27 NIV

My peace, he says. "Trust God wholeheartedly, as I have trusted and do trust him; accept unquestioningly his ordering of your life; lay your whole being at his absolute disposal, hold back nothing, make no reservations: and you will have a peace that passes understanding, garrisoning your heart, and you will come through with honor and in quietness of spirit—calm, steady, unafraid." (I.B. p. 713)

"Too many have an insane idea that the road to contentedness and peace runs through self-indulgence and the satisfying of one’s passions and desires." (I. B. p. 714) Jesus promised us peace in our hearts when we put our trust wholly in him, not peace in our world here and now. He promised to answer our prayers when prayed in “his name” and what we asked for glorifies him and his Father; not to give us everything our petty little hearts’ desire for our own indulgences.

True peace cannot be found in satisfying all our desires, achieving all our earthly goals, or in never losing a loved one prematurely, or in never failing at anything. It only comes to us when we bow before God and truly say, “Let Thy will be done.” Trusting that God has ordered our lives in a certain way for our benefit—if only we can wake up to his calling and obey. Jesus had peace while going to the cross, because he knew the Father loved him and he trusted the Father to bring him through. We can have that same peace when we truly and unreservedly trust God no matter what is going on in our lives or in this world.

Re: Verse 28, "…if you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father…" Jesus tells his disciples that they should rejoice at his impending death, because it is the Father’s will, and for the salvation of the world, including them. In Jesus, we see how to use our sorrows and pains for his glory and to aid in bringing more people to Jesus to be saved. Are we willing to suffer and let go of our things, desires, and goals if it will further his kingdom’s work here on earth? Or do we think down deep inside that if we don’t grab for all we can here and now, we will never have anything better?

Christ laid himself down on the cross with a will: not struggling, clamoring, cursing, as other victims did, but making it a voluntary sacrifice for a lost world. And we must learn to face the sorrows, disappointments, losses that life brings us with something of his magnanimity of spirit; not having what is taken from us wrenched away, but since it has to go, making it a free gift. (I.B. p. 714)

The peace Jesus offers "refers to the aim of his work on earth to restore the equilibrium and richness of humanity’s relationship with God" (see Romans 5:1; Burge, p. 399) as we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, so that we can face God in confidence of acceptance because our sins have been covered by the blood of Christ. So, let us rest in the true peace of God every day as we accept Christ’s great gift, and put our whole trust in God.

 

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Special Resources

In the slide show above (not seen in the mobile phone version of our website) there are pictures showing some current bulletin boards at Ebenezer put up by the Haas Family, Tasha, Emily, and Abby, and of our new Resource Room.

The picture below is our new Resource Room with books, dvds, videos, and a TV screen (not shown in photo). Individuals are encouraged to take resources home for Bible study or reading; and classes can use the room to show videos related to their studies. We would appreciate donations of books or dvds, especially for young children for this collection.

 

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Ongoing Collections - Updated - 11/11/22

CCC & TI Food Pantry Collection

Throughout the month of April, we will be collecting single serve, microwaveable or ready-to-eat items for students at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. Suggested items: single serve Ramen Noodles, macaroni and cheese, crackers with cheese or peanut butter, cookies, single serve canned meats, etc.

Oakhill Backpack Ministry

We are beginning to collect single serve, easy to microwave or use food items to send home with needy children, such as, fruit cups, mac and cheese, snacks, noodles, etc. The children will receive a backpack of these items to take home on the weekends, and use for themselves and their families. Put the items in the old fellowship hall. We thank you for helping.

Teacher's Closet Collection

We are collecting some items for our local teachers by helping fill up the Teacher's Closet. This ministry provides items for teachers and their students that they cannot obtain through the regular budget.

They include the following: Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, hand soap, paper towels, facial tissues, sharpies, dry board markers highlighters, black/blue/red ink pens. colored pencils, glue sticks, composition books and notebook paper (wide and college ruled), crayons, scissors (children's type), index cards, construction paper, pencil sharpeners, sheet protectors, file folders, large and small legal pads, white out, paper clips, staples, pencil pouches, markers, rulers, ring binders, card stock white/assorted, 3 ring note books, large and small pencil top erasers, and post it notes.

(NOTE: they have plenty of regular pencils at this time.)

South Caldwell Christian Ministries - Update 9/29

NOTE: We received a thank you note from SCCM this week thanking us for 49.5 pounds of food for their ministry. We continue to collect until the end of August. Thank you members and friends for your generous support.

We are collecting non-perishable food and clean used clothing in good condition that will be taken to South Caldwell Christian Ministries. You may leave the items at the church on Sundays or during normal office hours (8:30 to 1:00 p.m., Monday-Friday).

We thank you for helping us to minister to the needs of our community.

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"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5: 16)

Our vision is to let our light shine into the dark world so that the world may come to know The Light, which is Jesus Christ our Lord.

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Contact Information: 828-396-2214 or ebenezerumc@yahoo.com;
4948 Burns Rd., Granite Falls NC 28630