Loving, Serving, and Reaching Out in Christ's Name | Durham, North Carolina
We look forward to sharing in Worship with you, starting at 11:00AM. We will be reading from 3 John 1:1-15, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 119:129-136. Rev. Benjamin Wines will share the sermon, “Though None Go With Me”.
Questions for Further Reflection:
This letter alludes to Christian hospitality in the face of disagreement.
How should we treat people we disagree with?
How do we cultivate hospitality in our church and in our lives?
Brothers and sisters,
A couple of friends of mine and I have an interesting hobby. We don’t get to take part in it very often together, but when we do we always have a blast. We enjoy going to minor league baseball games together. Just about every year for the last three years, we have gone to a minor league game to celebrate my birthday. The first two years we went to see the Durham Bulls and had a wonderful time. Both years they played and beat the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp! We enjoy going to see them, but there’s another layer to our new hobby that the Bulls don’t quite measure up to.
My friends and I love to go to minor league baseball games, but specifically if the team has a funny/ridiculous mascot. Where they live, my friends go to see the Frederick Keys (named after Francis Scott Key) or the Spire City Ghost Hounds. But did you know that right here in North Carolina, we have teams like the Burlington Sock Puppets? Look them up—their mascot is amazing! Or, even better, Winston-Salem hosts a summer collegiate team known as the Carolina Disco Turkeys—I will be spending far too much money on their merch!
Last week, my friends and I made the trip over to see my hometown team, the Down East Wood Ducks, whose mascot is a wood duck carrying a gnarled tree branch like a baseball bat—I love it! Only, we didn’t see the Wood Ducks that night. We saw Los Avocadoes Luchadores de Down East—the team’s alternate mascot, which is half an avocado wearing a luchador mask and flexing his biceps. But in the store at Grainger Stadium, you could buy merch for their other alternate mascot, the Kinston Collard Greens—an old-timey baseball player with collard green leaves for a beard. Now, the game was mostly good. Heading into the top of the 8th, it was tied 3-3, but after a disastrous top of the 8th involving four errors, the Avocadoes were down 8-3 to the Salem Red Sox (what a lame mascot!) and never recovered. But my friends and I had a great time catching up, watching the ball game, eating surprisingly good stadium food, and en-joying the people-watching that goes along with baseball. It was a wonderful night, perfectly timed.
Now, why write about this in a church newsletter? Is it just to send web traffic toward the Disco Turkeys or the Wood Ducks? No. This week reminded me of all the many different identities all of us have. We are sons or daughters, brothers or sisters, wives, husbands, friends, colleagues, customers, fans, etc. We all have unique ways that we interact with the world around us, unique ways we speak to one another. But I also wanted to remind us all that we have specific, unique ways we care for one another and show each other love. Some of us cook amazing food and offer it freely. Some of us are quick to hop in the car and carry folks from place to place. Some of us send cards or emails, make phone calls or house visits.
Regardless of who God has made you to be—and God has made you to be uniquely you—God has given you a unique, special way to show your love and appreciation for others. You have been loved by God in your own unique, special way. So, embrace the gifts and talents God has given to you.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben
We look forward to sharing in Worship with you this morning. Our guest speaker, Mackenzie Smith, will share the sermon, “Knowing Your ‘Why’ in Worship”. We will be reading from Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 12, 23-25; and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 139:1-4, 7-12.
O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall lead me,
And your right hand shall hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
And the light around me become night,”
Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day,
For darkness is as light to you.
I will extol You, my God and King,
And bless Your Name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And praise Your Name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall laud Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of Your Majesty,
And on Your wondrous works, I will meditate.
The might of Your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall celebrate the fame of Your abundant goodness,
And shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:1-7
We look forward to joining you in Worship – either in person or via livestream – starting at 11:00AM. Rev. Benjamin Wines brings today’s message, “Expected Grace”, as part of our continued study of Jonah. We will be reading from Jonah 3:10-4:11.
Questions for Further Reflection:
What is God’s grace?
How does it comfort you?
How does it challenge you?
Brothers and sisters,
At this week’s Super Saturday Adventure, we’re going to be talking with the children about the story of Mary and Martha. It’s a pretty simple story on its face. Jesus and his disciples make their way to a village where they are first welcomed by Martha. She brings the disciples into her home and there they meet Mary, who sits at the feet of Jesus and listens to him. Martha, however, was engaged with the many different tasks involved with hosting people in the ancient world — food, drink, overnight accommodations, etc. Frustrated, she came to Jesus and asked him to tell Mary to come and help her. But Jesus replied that Mary had chosen “the better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).
Based on that passage, Martha tends to get a bad rap. The more traditional interpretation tends to go something along the lines of, “Mary was right and Martha was wrong. Mary loved Jesus more than Martha. Mary was wiser than Martha, thus Martha needed to be corrected. Don’t be like Martha.” And that interpretation doesn’t sit well with me. Jesus and his disciples depended on people bringing them into their homes in order for them to offer their ministry to folks. And right there at the beginning of this passage, Luke says that Martha “welcomed him.” She believed in his ministry enough to be willing to open her home to him and provide for his disciples. And, yes, she does have her moment of frustration, but the tone of Jesus’ response implies something more along the lines of, “Martha, the things you’re doing are not wrong. But more than anything else, I want to be able to spend time with you.”
At this Saturday’s adventure, we’re going to teach the kids more about that second interpretation. We’re going to talk to them about the different ways that Mary and Martha showed their love for Jesus. And we’re going to remind them that each and every one of us has unique gifts and talents that have been given to us by God. Those talents help us reach out to others, help us care for other people, help us connect with God, and help us become better disciples.
So, if you have not signed up to help on Saturday morning, you can still come by and offer your gifts and talents to help care for these children. You can help teach them about the love God has for each of them. You can come and teach them that the folks at Hope Valley Baptist Church love and care about them too. Or, if you can’t come by, you can still pray for the kids, their parents, our volunteers, and this ministry in general.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben
P.S. Martha appears in John’s gospel as well and reminds us of her faith in Jesus. After Lazarus died, she met Jesus on his way into Bethany and they had a conversation about resurrection. In that conversation, Martha identified Jesus as “the Son of God.” The only other person to say that so plainly in John’s gospel was John the Baptist.
For God alone my soul waits in silence,
For my hope is from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress;
I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
My mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.
Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion;
In the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.
Put no confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery;
If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this;
That power belongs to God,
And steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all according to their work.
We invite you to join us for Morning Worship, starting at 11:00AM. Rev. Benjamin Wines continues our study of Jonah and will be bringing the message, “Wait, What?”. We will be reading from Jonah 3:1-10, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 65.
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
And my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
My foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
But I trusted in your steadfast love;
My heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
Because he has dealt bountifully with me. from Psalm 13
We invite you to join us for Morning Worship, starting at 10:00AM – both online and in-person. Today’s Call to Worship comes from Psalm 13. Our sermon text comes from Jonah 1:1-17. Rev. Benjamin Wines brings the sermon entitled, “Doing the Right Thing”.
Questions for Further Reflection:
The story of Jonah is about how we respond to a difficult call from God.
How does Jonah respond when faced with adversity?
How do the sailors respond? How can we meet difficult calls faithfully?
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
For I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;
Save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; be gracious to me, O Lord,
For to you do I cry all day long.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
For to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
Abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth;
Give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
And I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your steadfast love toward me. – From Psalm 86
We invite you to join us for Morning Worship, starting at 10:00AM – both online and in-person. Today’s Call to Worship comes from Psalm 86. Our sermon text comes from 2 John 1:1-13.
Questions for Further Reflection:
Augustine, one of the earliest and most influential Christian theologians, once asked, “What kind of face hath love?” Ponder that question considering what John says. What kind of “face” does love have? Do others see the love of God through your actions?
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion;
And to you shall vows be performed,
O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
You forgive our transgressions.
Happy are those whom you choose
And bring near to live in your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
Your holy temple.
By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
O God of our salvation;
You are the hope of all the ends of the earth
And of the farthest seas. from Psalm 65
We look forward to sharing in Worship with you – either in person or via livestream. Our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 65, and we will be reading from Joel 2:21-32.
Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, all of Creation is restored and the spirit of God is poured out on all people.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
According to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
And done what is evil in your sight.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
And do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
And sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
And sinners will return to you.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
We hope that you will join us for Worship at 11:00AM, either in-person or via livestream. Today, Rev. Benjamin Wines brings the message entitled, “A Call to Worship”. We will be reading from Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, with our Call to Worship coming from Psalm 51.
Questions for Further Reflection:
The prophet Joel is calling the people of Judah back to their source of life, God.