Brothers and sisters,
This week’s article is pretty simply summed up by saying, “Thank you.”
First of all, thank you to everyone who participated in Operation Inasmuch. Because of your support we were able to put together over a dozen “Thinking of You” bags for those church members who cannot come to the church as often as they’d like. Those bags included some freshly baked cookies from our congregation!
In addition to those, we were able to put together one hundred “Community Bags” to give out to our friends and neighbors here in Durham who are struggling. As I write this article, there are still plenty of bags that need to be distributed. So, when you come to church on Sunday, be sure to stop by the vestibule and take a couple to keep in your car. When you see someone on the corner, on the median —wherever — who needs some help, you can offer them that bag and let them know they are loved.
Also, thank you to the volunteers who went to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC on April 28th! That group of volunteers continues to represent our church well by reaching out to folks in need.
Thank you as well to the children, the children’s ministry, and the music ministry here at Hope Valley for taking a trip to Carolina Reserve to sing for the residents there. I know you all brightened their day.
Finally, on behalf of myself and my family, thank you all for the celebration this past Sunday. The luncheon itself was a wonderful time of fellowship together. It is hard to believe it has already been five years since I came to Hope Valley Baptist Church. We’ve had plenty of wonderful times together reaching out to our community, helping those in need, celebrating the goodness of God, and lifting one another up. We’ve also endured plenty of difficult moments in the life of the church, the wider world, and in my own personal life. I’m grateful for all of you and the ways God has continued to bring us together. Thank you for Sunday. May we continue to seek God together and live faithfully according to our call as Christians.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben