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Announcements Plus Devotional Aids

Let's Learn a Bible Verse!

Show a gentle attitude toward everyone. The Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God's peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.
--Philippians 4:5-7 GNT

 

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Contents

Announcements

EMW Country Store, Nov. 2nd

It 's that time again! The Country Store opens on Saturday, November 2nd, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Hunt for a bargain from gently used items, baked goods, and other stuff. Stay for a breakfast biscuit or hamburger or hot dog later in the day.

Proceeds will be used to fund Ebenezer's Methodist Women's group ministries for the coming year. We thank you for your support.

Trunk 'R Treat! Saturday, Oct. 26

Bring all the children you can find and come to our annual Trunk 'R Treat on Saturday, October 26, 5-7:00 p.m. Dress up in scary costumes and come get some candy, enjoy a hot dog, chips, and brownies, cupcakes, or cookies--all for free. Our members will be decorating their car trunks and truck beds with spooky things, and give out lots of delicious candy. Come, enjoy the fun, eat, and have a safe Halloween.

Homecoming/$10K Sunday - Report

We had a wonderful time at Homecoming even though our pianist was out sick. The choir's rendition of This Ole House acapella with lots of clapping from the choir and the congregation was inspiring. Food after the service was plentiful and delicious. We raised $6,720 to pay on our disaffilation! Thank you for all our generous givers.

Come home to Ebenezer this Sunday, October 13th at 10:30 a.m. as we worship our Lord and celebrate another year of multiple blessings from God and service to our members and our community. Invite your friends and family and co-workers to join us, and any previous members you know, and we will feed them a delicious and varied covered-dish lunch after the service.

We also hope and pray that you will give generously this day, so that we can reach our goal of $10,000 over our normal giving. This extra money will go towards paying off our disaffliation loan. May God bless you for your generosity.

Sunday school classes will not meet, but resume next Sunday.

Hurricane Relief Efforts

On Saturday, October 5th, members of the Global Methodist Churches in Caldwell County met at Grace Chapel Global Methodist Church and put together over 400 plates of food and transported them to three places for distribution to flood victims in the mountains. We cut and bagged 687 desserts, and prepared beans to go with slaw and barbecue purchased locally. We thank everyone who participated in the work and made or bought the desserts for this effort.

This Saturday we are meeting at Ebenezer to put small health kits together and prepare more desserts and grilled chicken, etc. for another 250 plates for flood victims. We thank you for all the support you are giving these efforts, and pray that you will continue to help. We are in it for the long haul, because it will take months for things to get back to a semblance of normal in the Western NC/Tennessee areas hit by the flooding and wind damage.

We will be requesting more help, including monetary donations in the future. You may also consider giving to Samaritan's Purse which is very active in the areas damaged by the storms in all the states affected.

Laity Sunday, September 29

Members of the Laity will be speaking this Sunday during the worship service at 9:00 a.m. as we celebrate Laity Sunday. Our guest speakers are Kirk and Irene Austin. Please come and support them as they bring their personal witness to us.

Healing Service, September 22

On Sunday, September 22nd at 9:00 a.m. we will have a special worship service of prayer for healing and wholeness. This service is for healing of every kind, whether physical, spiritual, or emotional. As Christians, we believe God is the source of wholeness in our lives. Therefore, it is appropriate for us to conduct prayers for wholeness and healing. Some of us need healing from broken relationships; some of us need healing from psychological distress; some of us need the gift of physical healing. None of us is exempt from needing God's healing presence in our lives.

Anointing and/or prayer will be offered to all at the end of the service.

Global Methodist Church Combined Worship Service

The Caldwell County Global Methodist Churches invite you to their cooperative worship service to be held at Grace Chapel Global Methodist Church, 4336 Grace Chapel Rd., Granite Falls, NC on Sunday, September 15th at 6:00 p.m. Pastors from the five GMC churches in the county will be participating in the service, and there will be a combination choir, too. Let's show our support for oneanother and give glory to God for helping us to remain to his Word.

New Sermon Series by Pastor Simon

Pastor Simon begins a new series of sermons on August 25 called SUMMER STORIES: Testimonies of Radical Change.

"This four-week sermon series explores the lives of four people who had profound, life-changing encounters with Jesus. We will connect their stories to people we know in our own congregation here at Ebenezer Methodist Church and other modern-day individuals who have had similar experiences."

 

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Quote to Ponder

"Life is what you do while you are waiting to die, so you might as well do a good job."  --Donald J. Trump

 

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For Meditation

"There is no love of God without patience, and no patience without lowliness and sweetness of spirit."

--John Wesley

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Mini-Bible Lesson #90: Waiting for Jesus

References: Acts 1:1-11; Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 9, Acts/Romans p. 27.

After he said this, [Jesus] was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. –Acts 1:9 NIV

The disciples and followers of Jesus thought they had lost him forever when he was crucified, dead, and buried. Then with shock, disbelief, and trepidation they heard he had risen from the grave. Over 40 days, he proved that he was alive and not a ghost or mirage. (vv. 1-3) Now, Jesus has departed again, and their joy has turned to apprehension and bewilderment. Why has he left us alone again?

The Jews of Jesus time had been waiting for centuries for the glory of King David’s Israel to return. They thought Jesus was the one who would set up a new Kingdom of Israel as an independent and glorious nation. After his resurrection, they remain fixated on that earthly based kingdom, but Jesus has something more far reaching and glorious planned. He preached on the Kingdom of God, not of Israel. He calls for his disciples to “be his witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (v. 8b)

But first they must wait some more.

“There are times when the hardest thing in the world is to do nothing, yet there are times when that is the only thing to do.” (I.B., p.27)

For instance, “we can work for a living, we can only wait for the spring.”

Religion involves active and passive work. Sometimes we concentrate so much on being busy that we avoid being passive long enough to hear God’s “still, small voice.”

During our times of waiting, God does not want us to be hanging on to the past or our previous “glory days” or speculating about the future. He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” (v. 7) He wants us to be witnesses here and now, transforming the world one person at a time—to remove the evil, corruption, envy, pridefulness, vanity, hate, and selfishness out of the systems of our world by leading people to Christ where they can be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into good and godly people. Then their transformation will lead to transformation of the larger groupings of mankind—medical, political, religious, interrelationships of people and nations, business world, churches, etc.

The disciples waiting time in this instance would be complete when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them on Pentecost. Yet, they had to wait for that to happen before they could begin their new mission. Should we not take the time to pray and wait patiently for God’s guidance through his Spirit?

The angels told the disciples that Jesus would return. We have waited for centuries now for Christ to return. The hope remains, but waiting can be boring—unless we are doing the work Jesus set for us to do.

Christ was raised up into the sky and obscured by a cloud when he physically left the earth last time, but he has not left us alone. He is here, not just in Jerusalem or Galilee or Samaria—but to the ends of the earth.

Though we cannot see Jesus in a physical body anymore, we do see him when we allow the Spirit to open our eyes to his presence. We do not have to travel any long or short distances to find him or wait in line for hours, days, or weeks to get a glimpse of him. He is here, now, with you, with me, with everyone who wants his attention, because his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is present in us who believe today. We only need to be still long enough to hear his call.  “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14 NIV)

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Special Resources

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 - 10/09/2023

CCC & TI Food Pantry Collection - Yearly in April

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.

Local Schools Supply Closet

We continue to collect items for our local teachers.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.

South Caldwell Christian Ministries

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