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Announcements Plus Devotional Aids

Let's Learn a Bible Verse!

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."
--Hebrews 13:15-16 (NIV)

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Contents

Announcements

December Newsletter is now online

Evangelist Andy Lambert Coming -Report

We had a good turnout for Rev. Lambert with an attendance of 68 compared to our average of 48. If you missed this service, you missed a wonderful presentation of the gossip using humor and new insights to a well-known gospel passage. Afterwards we enjoyed multiple kinds of homemade soups with some delicious desserts, too. Yum! Yum! We thank God for the guests who came and hope that they will return to learn more about Jesus and his message of forgiveness and hope.

We invite you to join us for a special First Sunday of Advent this year with guest speaker Evangelist Any Lambert of Isaac Ministries. On November 30th our service will begin at 10:00 a.m. (please note time change) and we will do the "Hanging of the Greens" (decorating the church for the Advent season) at the beginning of the service. Along with our regular offering and Thank Bank offerings, we are asking for a special offering that will go towards our disaffiliation loan debt.

"Andy...is dedicated to helping communities of faith discover and deepen the joy of living for Jesus. Andy has had a long and varied ministry, which has included writing, traveling evangelism, pastoring, teaching college and seminary courses. He has pastored United Methodist and Quaker Churches and developed Youth ministries in both and is a past recipient of the Harry Denman Award for Evangelism. He is on the North Carolina Global Methodist Church's Leadership team serving as the chair of the task force on evangelism."

Andy Lambert is the founder of Isaac Ministries, named after Abraham and Sarah's son, Isaac, whose name means "laughter." Andy has used "comedy, storytelling, and drama to offer Christ and to help people grow in Christ." He emphasizes helping Christians and churches "rediscover a passion to reach young adults" for Christ. Come and be blessed. Bring a young adult or two with you. They will be blessed also.

Soup and sandwiches, provided by our members, will be served after the service in the Christian Life Center. (Sunday school classes will not meet this Sunday.)

Butts and Birds Fundraiser - Report

We thank everyone who participated in this fundraiser. We raised approximately $1800 to help pay down our disaffiliation loan debt. May God bless you for your generosity. He has already blessed all who bought the butts or turkeys with some really fine eating. Amen!

Don't slave over a hot stove or deep fryer this coming holiday. Let us cook a Boston Butt or turkey for you. The turkey can be smoked or deep fried, the pork will be smoked. The cost is $40 each. See one our members for an order form or call our office at (828) 396-2214, Monday-Friday, 8:30 - 12:30 p.m. Payment can be mailed to Ebenezer Methodist Church, 4948 Burns Rd., Granite Falls, NC 28630. The pick date and time is Wednesday, November 26, 4-8:00 p.m. Meat will be cooked on our premises by our renowned cooks! Please place your order by November 23rd.

Proceeds will be used to pay down our disaffiliation loan debt. We are closing in on getting it paid off this year with your help. Thank you!

 

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Quote to Ponder

"compassion without courage is not maturity—it is compliance. A culture that demands silence in the name of kindness does not become gentler; it becomes dishonest."

from www.americanthinker.com article "The War on Men Is a War on Truth."

 

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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