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Announcements Plus Devotional Aids

Let's Learn a Bible Verse!

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David..."
--Luke 1:68-69 (NIV)

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Click on calendar icon to link to Ebenezer's Google calendar.

 

 

Contents

Announcements

Special Service Jan. 30 at 5 PM

We are worshiping tonight at 5:00 p.m. for those who can get to Ebenezer Church. We hope to also stream the service on Facebook. All activities for Feb. 1 are cancelled because of incoming foul weather. Drive carefully in God's care.

Foul Weather Plans - January 25

Ebenezer Church will be closed on Sunday, January 25. All activities are cancelled. I assume that the Blood Drive on Monday is also candeled and will be rescheduled. We will send out an announcement to our members on our phone tree system on Saturday afternoon if we decide to cancel our in church worship and Sunday school classes. If we do not cancel the services, please do not come to church if you cannot get there safely.

If power and the internet are available, Pastor Simon's sermon will be on our Facebook page or you will be able to access it through your phone with Free Conference Call. More information will be sent in emails to our members.

Red Cross Blood Drive, 1-26-26

Our annual winter Blood Drive is on Monday, January 26 from 2:30-7:00 p.m. Hot soup and toasted cheese bread, plus homemade desserts will be served to donors and workers. Make your appointment online at RedCrossBlood.org and search with EbenezerUMC or zip code 28630 for our drive. We thank you for giving to this vital resource that helps save lives. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are honored first. Donors can receive a $20 e-card to the merchant of their choice.

 

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Quote to Ponder

"We do not need a revolution we need Revelation. We do not need to protest with a fist raised we need to be on our knees with our hands held together in prayer. We do not need to be complaining we need to be like the Pilgrims and give thanks and praise."

from www.americanthinker.com blog in comments

 

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For Meditation

"At the same time, refusing to speak truth is not neutral. It becomes a subtle form of harm—a spiritual harm. When a person sees what is real but remains silent, the conscience begins to rebel. And worse, silence leaves others trapped in illusions they might have escaped had truth been spoken. Silence in the face of lies does not preserve peace. It prolongs the harm."

from article at https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/ 2025/11/the_war_on_men_is_a_war_on_truth.html#:

 

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Mini-Bible Lesson #102: Prayer and Revival

References: Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-4; NIV Luke Commentary by Ajith Fernando.

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers...All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. --Acts 1:14, 2:4

Pentecost came after constant prayer. In the history of the church, revival comes after persistent prayer also.

In 1857 one man, Jeremiah Lamphier, began a weekly prayer time in New York City. On the first day at noon, Lamphier prayed alone for 30 minutes, and was joined after that by 6 men from 4 denominational backgrounds. The group grew from 6 to 20 to 40 to 100, then they began praying daily. Preachers who came to the meetings went back to their churches and began prayer groups at their own churches. This was the beginning of “The Great Awakening” in North America. From 1857-1859 two million people turned to Christ (out of a population of 30 million). (See Fernando, pp. 80-81)

Prayer is the key to great things happening in individual lives, in churches, in communities, and in countries. Persistent, passionate prayer can move mountains, remove obstacles, and lead to great revivals. All of which leads to big changes in the people’s lives and in the church, and then in the culture and society. (p. 82)

“Often in the case of an adult but rebellious child or an unconverted spouse, we can do little directly to change the person. Advice and rebuke may only worsen the situation. But we can persevere in prayer for them. History is replete with examples of answers to such prayers.” (Fernando, p. 82)

Locally, our community has a high level of drug and alcohol abuse. We are finding out that our government, state and federal, has a high level of fraud, waste, and misuse of taxpayer funds going on. We can and should work toward helping drug addicts fight their addictions with counseling, and medical interventions. We can and should work toward removing bad actors among our governing representatives, and from the bureaucracy. But these changes will not last unless these people turn to God, to Jesus for salvation, because only that will change their hearts and minds and move them towards righteousness and away from evil.

"What we need is Revival. That means a return to our Christian heritage, to heroes who bridge the gap between chaos and order, like our President and those who join us in this mission to restore our nation. America must turn back to God before God turns His back on us. Only then can we truly make America great again."  --American Thinker, Faith and a Moral Society, comments

Our revival services are coming up September 28-30. Please be in constant prayer that we will step up, invite people to come, that the Holy Spirit will compel them to come, and that all our hearts will be touched mightily during these services. Let us pray that true revival will come among us and lead to actions that will bring more people to Jesus for salvation and give us the will and strength to show his love to everyone in our families and our community, and beyond. Pray as if your life depends on it. Pray as if your family’s life depends on it. Pray as if your community’s life depends on it. Pray as if your nation’s existence depends on it. Because it does.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  --Matthew 7:7-8 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 - 8/5/2025

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

August is our month to help resupply the SCCM Food Pantry. Canned meats and vegetables, rice and cereral, canned beans, soups, canned fruits, Instant Variety Packs of oatmeal or grits, peanut butter, crackers, and other non-perishable items.

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