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Announcements Plus Devotional Aids

Let's Learn a Bible Verse!

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."
--Luke 2:10-11 NIV

 

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Contents

Announcements

Special Guests December 22nd

We invite you to our Sunday before Christmas service with our special singing guests, The Hickory Music Factory. Help us celebrate the coming Christmas day of remembering the birth of our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus.

We will also take up our annual special offering, Gifts for Christ. Give a little extra in this season of joy as we prepare to enter a new year of service in the Kingdom of God. We thank you for your support in the past year and into the future.

Church Office Closure

Our church office will be closed from Thursday, December 19, 2024 through Friday, January 3, 2025. You may leave a message on our phone, and someone will get back to you. We thank you for your patience.

Christmas Eve Service

We will have a candlelight service on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) at 6:00 p.m. We invite all to come and hear the scriptures about our Savior's birth and celebrate in song with many beloved carols.

Worship Information for Next 2 Weeks

Our website will not be updated while our office is closed. Below is the worship information for the next two weeks.

Sunday, December 29th: Speaker will be Lay Leader Bleaka Hollar. Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19; 4:3-6. Message Title: Stories of Hope.

Lectionary Readings: 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Psalm 148; Colosians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52.

Tuesday, December 31, Crossing Over from 2024 to 2025: At 6:00 p.m. we will have a service by Conference Call. Information will be provided to our members on Sunday, December 29th.

Sunday, January 5, 2025 (Epiphany Sunday): Rev. Simon returns. Scripture: Luke 22:31-34; Luke 21:15-19. Message Title: Begin Again.

Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthews 2:1-12.

India Crafts Sale and Soup and Toasted Cheese Bread Fundraiser, Dec. 14 - Report

Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy a bowl of delicious soup shopped through the unique crafts from India that we were selling. We raised over $2300. May God bless you for your support.

Ebenezer has received a donation of boxes and boxes and boxes of craft items from India. Find a truly unique gift or decorative item for your home and enjoy homemade soup and sandwiches on Saturday, December 14 from 9-1:00 p.m. Items for sale include small, large, and whimsically unique vases, candle holders, pottery, jewlery boxes, figurines, picture frames, lamps, clocks, and large and small wall decorations made of metal, wood, and pottery/glass. Below is a picture of some of the items that will be on sale at this event.

Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy your fine crafted, unique items in your home for years to come. Proceeds go toward our church budget and ministries. We thank you for your support!

 

 

 

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Quote to Ponder

“Life is pleasant, death is peaceful, it’s the transition that’s hard.” 

Author unknown

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For Meditation

JC Raines - an online comment

What is so interesting, Joes, is that God chose a murderer (Moses), an adulterer/murderer (David), a fire-breathing Roman Jewish citizen who killed Christians (Saul/Paul), a cheat (Jacob), a sexual profligate (Samson), a prostitute (Rahab) and other deeply immoral people, to work great things. These were not mere peccadilloes that most people have; these were BIG sins, by comparison. Yet God chose them almost as an object lesson to moralizers: You think you're just a little sinner? Well, your sins are too small for me to make great things from.

Who can understand the mind of God? He doesn't do things people expect. He does the unexpected, which is why His choice of DEEPLY flawed people is so energizing and so surprising. Yet, SO God.

 

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Mini-Bible Lesson #91: Jesus: The King

References: John 19:16-43; NIV Application Commentary: John by Gary M. Burge, pp. 540-544.

Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. (John 19:19-20 NIV)

Though Pilate acquiesced to the Jewish leaders wanting to have Jesus killed, he placed a sign on the cross that was his way of saying that he believed that Jesus had done nothing worthy of execution though the inscription in essence listed his “crime” as being “The King of the Jews.” Pilate refused to change the sign when the Jewish leaders complained.

John refers to Jesus as being “lifted up,” which is his way of implying that Jesus has been “elevated in glory.” (See John 3:14, 8:28, 12:32, 34.) (Burge, p. 541) With the title being written in the three languages of the Mediterranean area, John hints that Jesus is the King of Kings—King of all people, not just the Jews. The apostles Peter and Paul will both reach out to non-Jews in the future proving that Jesus is a “global King.” (Burge, p.541)

As a king, Jesus “deserves a king’s burial.” And royal burials tended to be expensive and filled with pomp and long processions with elaborate and costly accoutrements. The burial of Jesus, a condemned man is not that elaborate, but John signals his kingship by his burial—not in a pauper’s grave—but in a garden in a freshly hewn tomb, as if expressly for him with 75 lbs. of spices provided for his interment. The procession to the tomb is composed of only a couple of men, but those men, once afraid to show their support for Jesus, now boldly arrange and provide for his kingly burial. (“Note: King David’s tomb was considered a garden. See Nehemiah 3:16 LXX.”) (Burge, p. 542)

Jesus was not just a King; he was also the sacrificial lamb that will cause the “death angel” to Passover all the sinful people who accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Covered in the blood of Jesus, we who believe will not suffer the final death, but are able to look forward to new life—here and now—and eternal life with Jesus after we leave this “mortal coil.”

“In his most explicit teaching on his death Jesus speaks of this gift of his life as necessary for salvation (John 6:51-58). We cannot simply be enlightened by Jesus; we must see ourselves as saved, rescued from a crisis as terrible as slavery to the Egyptians. The pathos of the Passover story—its grim tale of slavery and the thrill of its redemption—must be recreated in our hearts if we are the appreciate the depth of what John saw then he witnessed Jesus dying on the cross that Passover season.” (Burge, p. 544)

Praise and honor and gratitude beyond measure to our King of kings, our Lord of lords, and our sacrificial Lamb of redemption from all our sins! 

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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