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Announcements Plus Devotional Aids

Let's Learn a Bible Verse!

Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
--Psalm 37:16 (NIV)

 

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Contents

Announcements

July Newsletter is now online

Sunday, June 29th, Celebrate Independence Day Service

We will celebrate the beginning of the United States of America on Sunday June 29th as we remember and praise God for our liberties in this country, and honor those who worked to free us from tyranny the first time around. Wear red, white, and blue or any combination of them as we say Happy Birthday to the USA!

Alert: Blood Drive July 21st

Our summer blood drive for the Red Cross is coming up Monday, July 21st, 2:30-7:00 p.m. Please consider signing up now or in the near future. The theme for this year is "Kindness is in your blood." Visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter the Sponsor code "Ebenezer UMC" to sign up. We will have more information as the day approaches. We thank you for helping with this worthy and vital service.

 

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Quote to Ponder

"Some see open borders as humanitarian, whereas others see them as creating security risks.  Those who willingly embrace ideas without questioning their impact reveal themselves as unable to think critically.

Soren Kierkegaard once said, “There are two ways to be fooled.  One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”  Peo"

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2025/05/ finding_clarity_in_a_polarized_age.html#:
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For Meditation

"Treasures are always found by searching. The design in nature hides from us on purpose because it’s a treasure to be found. If the designer made everything about himself obvious, everyone would be responsible for that truth. But as it is, he reveals himself to the seeking heart — a disposition that prepares us to value and act on the truth, not just question it. To paraphrase another author, God doesn’t hide things from us, but for us.

We see hints of this in the way the natural world has opened up its treasure to those who believed that it existed and that the effort to search for it would not be in vain. George Washington Carver’s belief in hidden treasures is best expressed in his own words:
"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting system, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."
https://evolutionnews.org/2025/03/in-search-of-natures-hidden-design-treasures/#:

 

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Mini-Bible Lesson #97: Missions Power

References: Acts 1:4-5; NIV Application Commentary by Ajith Fernando: Acts, pp. 63-65

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1 shows us that the Holy Spirit’s presence and guidance and POWER is very important to missions. But are most Christians able to access that power? We should avoid unbalanced emphasis of the Holy Spirit at the time of conversion, because we can forget to let new Christians know that the same Power of the Spirit at their conversion is available all the time. A Christian can become more holy in the Spirit’s power, but too much emphasis on the ‘perfecting’ of a Christian’s life can lead to inaction or unnecessary guilt or concentration on the letter of the law over the Spirit of the law. The Holy Spirit’s power is there to be used for sanctification and for mission work and for witnessing.

If a missionary or minister or other Christian worker neglects his or her relationship with the Spirit, it can lead to attempting to do missions, evangelism, or ministry “in the flesh” instead of in the Spirit. Sometimes we need to withdraw for a time daily or longer to renew our relationship with the Holy Spirit, so that we can come back to our Kingdom’s work in the Holy Spirit’s power and not our own.

People can be drawn into the church by excellent and exciting or entertaining programming, advanced technology, and beautiful buildings and comfortable seating, etc. They can get a weekly dose of religion. “But Christian ministry is ministry in the Spirit. Without the Spirit’s power our excellent programs are ultimately futile.” (p. 65)

“So whoever we are and whatever we do for God, our great desire should be to be filled with God’s Spirit so that our work will spring from his resulting power.” (p. 65)

Pray, pray, pray and expect the power of the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon you and your work. When the Spirit’s power is present, you know you are doing God’s will and moving in the right direction. Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

 

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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