methodist church name and logo color placeholder

Announcements Plus Devotional Aids

Let's Learn a Bible Verse!

"Restore us, O LORD God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved."
--Psalm 80:19 (NIV)

calendar icon Link to Ebenezer UMC's Calendar of Events

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

 

 

Contents

Announcements

The Country Store - November 1st

Our Women's Group will have their annual Country Store fundraiser on Saturday, November 1, 2025 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Breakfast biscuits will be on sale in the morning and hamburgers and hot dogs later in the day for lunch.

Shop for bargains from our collection of gently used items, crafts, home decorations, furniture, small appliances, books and more. Pick up a gift for yourself or a friend, and enjoy a good hot meal, too.

Proceeds will fund the women's ministries. We thank you for your support.

Trunk R Treat - October 25

Halloween comes early to Ebenezer this year. Our annual Trunk R Treat will be on Saturday, October 25th, 5-7:00 p.m. Our members will be distributing free candy from their cars and trucks decorated with spooky scenes. We will be serving free hotdogs, chips, brownies, cupcakes and more. Come and have a safe Halloween party with us.

Homecoming/$10,000 Sunday - Report

We had at least 80 people to join us in worship for our Homecoming service, including some members we had not seen in a long time. The food available at the pot-luck lunch was extensive and delicious. Although we only received around $5,000 that can go to the Retire Debt (Action-MISC or disaffiliation loan debt) fund. We also collected enough to cover our average regular offering. We praise God for keeping us going in the past year, and thank him for continuing to lead us and bless us in the coming months and year. We thank God for everyone who gave extra this day and supports us throughout the year with their gifts, time, and prayers.

It's time to come home to Ebenezer. Join us for worship at 10:30 a.m. as we proclaim the Good News about Jesus our Savior and how God has continued to bless Ebenezer throughout the year. This is our $10,000 Sunday in which we hope to raise $10,000 over our regular weekly offering of $3,131. Anything over that regular amount will go towards paying down our Disaffilation Loan.

After the service we invite you to join us for a covered-dish lunch in the Christian Life Center. Bring a favorite dish of food or dessert to share if you can. Sunday school classes will not meet. We return to a 9:00 a.m. worship time next week.

God bless you for you regular support and your generosity on this Sunday. See you there!

Supper Fundraiser, Oct. 4 - Report

We had a good turn-out again and raised over $1,800 from the meal (after expenses) to pay on our loan. Thank you for your support and generosity.

We are serving country style steak, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cheese, roll, and choice of homemade dessert on Saturday, October 4, 4-7:00 p.m. Eat in or take out for a donation to help us pay off our disaffiliation loan. We thank you for your continuing generosity and support.

Revival Coming, September 28-30

See the October 2025 Newsletter article under "Something to Pray About" for a report on the revival.

Ebenezer will have revival services every night starting at 7:00 p.m. September 28-30, Sunday through Tuesday. Pastor Simons' wife and fellow minister, Rev. Eunice Chigumira will be bringing the messages each evening. There will also be special singing: on Sunday, The Barnes Family; on Monday, Jill Morrison, and on Tuesday, Kristen Baker. Come and be blessed. Invite everyone you know to join us and learn about how good God is, and how much we all need Jesus in our lives today.

 

up circleUp to Contents

Quote to Ponder

"Determining who we were made to be requires learning about the God we were made to reflect. We can be thankful that God gave us the information we need in his Word so we can discover more about who he is and which of his qualities we are capable of reflecting."  –Valerie Lang, AiG newsletter.

up circleUp to Contents

For Meditation

O TO BE UP AND DOING

O to be up and doing, O
Unfearing and unshamed to go
In all the uproar and the press
About my human business! ...
For still the Lord is Lord of might:
In deeds, in deeds he takes delight;
The plough, the spear, the laden barks,
The field, the founded city, marks;
He marks the smiler of the streets,
The singers upon garden seats; ...
Those he approves that ply the trade,
That rock the child, that wed the maid,
That with weak virtues, weaker hands,
Sow gladness on the peopled lands,
And still with laughter, song and shout,
Spin the great wheel of earth about.

--Robert Louis Stevenson

 

up circleUp to Contents

 

Mini-Bible Lesson #101: Making Decisions

References: Acts 1:15-26; NIV Luke Commentary by Ajith Fernando.

“Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us…”  …Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.”  Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.  --Acts 1:21, 24-26

We no longer cast lots to make decisions in the church, but this was not a “gamble” per se. First, they noticed a need (the replacement of Judas); second, they listed the necessary qualifications; third, they nominated two equally qualified men. At that point (note that the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out on the people), they had no good way to choose between the two because only God knows a person’s heart (or true faith, character and abilities); so they prayed for God to determine how the cast lots fell to help them make their final choice. (Fernando, pp.78-80)

Looking at other aspects of this decision-making event, we find 1) there was theological reflection and the use of Scripture, 2) the whole community helped choose the two applicants with Peter as leader, 3) Peter directed the people to God’s Word to help with the decision because “God is the real leader of the church, the human leader’s task is to direct people to God’s will, which is most clearly recorded in the Scriptures” (Fernando, p. 79), and 4) “shows that prayer should play a critical part in our strategy of appointing leaders.” (Fernando, p. 79) “[P]rayer preceded every major decision or crisis in the life of Jesus and the early church” (Robert Stein); 5) “the prayer in verse 24 implies that the disciples needed to have confirmed for them the inner nature of the person’s heart, which only God knows. Christian ministry is essentially spiritual in nature, and external qualifications are useless if a person’s heart is not right with God.” (Fernando, p. 80)

Have we become too complacent about how we choose people to serve in the church, not just as the pastor or lay leader, but in such positions as Sunday School teacher, administrative assistant, janitor, or heads of committees and the church council? Do we just accept the first one who volunteers or is volunteered by someone (easy to do in such a small church with limited choices)? Even if we feel that we must take what we can get, shouldn’t we spend some time praying that God will support and strengthen each person for the task they have been assigned to do? How about a prayer over each person (individually and by name) who chairs a committee, teaches or leads a Bible study class and other workers/volunteers at the beginning of each year asking God to accept their service and guide them, strengthen them, and provide them with all they need to be successful in their service to our church and to the work of God’s kingdom here on earth? Then, we can also pray that all the members of our church will be open to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit to help each person perform their service, and that we will be able to provide whatever they need to do the job well. (Suggestion: This could be done during a special worship service as a way of commissioning them for their service in the year to come.) I believe this could be empowering to these servants of the Lord and our church and lead us to more powerful and passionate service and outcomes. Lord, teach us to pray!

up circleUp to Contents

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.

 

up circleUp to Contents

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.

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