The Disciples

February 9, 2025
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Luke 5:1-11
“The Disciples”
Rev. Benjamin J. Wines

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “The Disciples”. We will be reading from Luke 5:1-11, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 138.

Call to Worship, from Psalm 138
Leader: I give you thanks O Lord, with my whole heart;
People: Before the gods I sing your praise;
Leader: I bow down towards your holy temple
People: And give thanks for your steadfast love and faithfulness;
Leader: For you have exalted your name and word above everything.
People: On the day I called, you answered me, you strengthened by soul.
Leader: All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord,
People: For they have heard the words of your mouth.
Leader: They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
People: For great is the glory of the Lord.
Leader: For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly;
People: But the haughty he perceives from far away.
Leader: Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
People: You preserve me against the wrath of my enemies.
Leader: The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
People: Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, Jesus’ words have a lot of power.
How does he change the lives of Simon, James, and John?
How can his words change your life and the life of your community?

The Resistance

February 2, 2025
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Luke 4:21-30
“The Resistance”
Rev. Benjamin J. Wines

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “The Resistance”. We will be reading from Luke 4:21-30, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 71.

Call to Worship, from Psalm 71

Leader: In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.
People: In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
Leader: Incline your ear to me and save me.
People: Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me,
Leader: For you are my rock and my fortress.
People: Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
Leader: From the grasp of the unjust and cruel.
People: For you, O Lord, are my hope,
Leader: My trust, O Lord, from my youth.
People: Upon you I have leaned from my birth;
Leader: It was you who took me from my mother’s womb.
People: My praise is continually of you.

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, Jesus draws a wide circle for God’s love.
Why might people be nervous when Jesus starts drawing such a wide circle?
What does it mean to worship a God of wide circles?

Souper Bowl of Caring 2025

Brothers and sisters,

It’s that time of year again. Super Bowl Sunday is quickly approaching! When I watch stuff on YouTube, I’m getting ads that say, “See the full version February 9th during the Super Bowl!” So, understand, that means I’m getting a commercial that advertises an upcoming commercial! And, of course, the matchup for the Big Game has been set—a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Kansas City Chiefs with the Chiefs chasing three Super Bowl wins in a row, a feat never accomplished in NFL history.

However, earlier that day, our church will be pursuing its own kind of repeat. On Sunday, February 9th, immediately following worship, we will be hosting our second consecutive Souper Bowl of Caring luncheon! Kathryn and others in our church have been planning this event for a while now and it sounds like it’s going to be a wonderful time! We’ve already got lots of different kinds of soups coming—chilis, chowders, and even a vegetarian option! We’ve got sandwiches coming, too, as well as a variety of desserts. All this will be happening in our Fellowship Hall. Everyone is invited—if you come to worship, if you don’t come to worship, if you brought something, if you didn’t bring something, family, friends—again, everyone!

We are not charging anything for lunch, but we will be accepting monetary donations (cash, check, or card) and all donations will be split between two organizations we’ve partnered with in the past: Urban Ministries of Durham and Baptists on Mission. Just in case you’re not familiar with what all they’re doing, let me tell you a little bit about each one.

Urban Ministries has a mission statement on their website that reads, “Urban Ministries of Durham connects with the community to end homelessness and fight poverty by offering food, shelter and a future to neighbors in need.” The list of ways they help our community is impressive. They provide shelter. They have a clothing closet. They have a food pantry. They provide three meals a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to folks in need. And, having gone with volunteers to deliver food for our ACC Tournament Food Drive (more details on that in the weeks to come), I can honestly tell you that they do connect with the people they serve. They are a wonderful resource for our neighbors in need and a great partner in ministry.

Baptists on Mission continues to do good, long, difficult work in the western part of our state. Hurricane Helene may have hit four months ago, but the recovery effort is still ongoing. There are still folks out in western North Carolina who are without the basics—water, shelter, electricity. Volunteers have poured in from all over the state, but the geography of the mountains makes it such that everything is just a little bit more difficult than you’d think. That being said, Baptists on Mission is committed to staying and helping the people for as long as it takes. So, it makes sense to do what we can to continue to support their efforts.

So, on February 9th, come eat soup, sandwiches, and desserts. Fellowship with your brothers and sisters here at Hope Valley. And consider making a donation to help our neighbors here in Durham and in western North Carolina! Also, go Eagles!

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

The First of His Signs

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “The First of His Signs”. We will be reading from John 2:1-11, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 36.

Call to Worship Psalm 36:5-10
Leader: Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
People: Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Leader: Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
People: You save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
Leader: How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
People: All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Leader: They feast on the abundance of your house,
People: And you give them drink from the river of your delights.
Leader: For with you is the fountain of life;
People: In your light we see light.
Leader: O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
People: And your salvation to the upright of heart!

Questions for Further Reflection:

This is a story about presence.

What does it mean that Jesus was present at a normal, human wedding?

How does his presence affect the world around him, then and now?

As a reminder, you can also find an archive of our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel.

Who Is Jesus?

Brothers and sisters,

It’s hard to believe, but we are nearly three weeks into January! It feels like Christmas was a week ago! Regardless, I wanted us to start out the new year with a new sermon series—one that asks a simple question. Now, you may see the title of this article and think, “Shouldn’t the pastor already know the answer to that question?” And, yes, I do know who Jesus is! But I wanted us to take some time here at the beginning of the year to look at passages from early on in Jesus’ ministry. These moments, mostly from Luke’s gospel, are keys to understanding the overarching point of Jesus’ ministry. They set up Jesus’ identity and give us some insight into how he viewed his own mission.

In many ways, this will be a “back-to-the-basics” type of series, but I think it’s good from time to time to reexamine those basics, to understand the principles so much of our faith is built on. I’m re- minded of when I was in middle school and high school math classes. I was fortunate enough to have math teachers that would take the time to break down why certain formulas or equations worked. So, we did exercises where we broke down why the area of a triangle is ½ base times height or why the Pythagorean Theorem works. Because those teachers took the time to break those things down, we had a much better understanding of why the math was working out, how the math was working out, and how we could use it in creative ways to solve problems.

By reexamining some of the basics of Jesus’ ministry, my hope is that we can come to a better understanding of why he did the things he did, how his ministry was able to build others up, why it is still relevant to us today, and how we can apply the principles of his ministry to our everyday lives. I’m looking forward to going through these passages together and seeing what we can discover!

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

Memories

January 12, 2025
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
Isaiah 43:1-7
“Memories”
Rev. Benjamin J. Wines

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “Memories”. We will be reading from Isaiah 43:1-7, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 29.

Call to Worship, Psalm 29:1-4, 7-8a, 10-11
Leader: Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
People: Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Leader: Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
People: Worship the Lord in holy splendor.
Leader: The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
People: The God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.
Leader: The voice of the Lord is powerful;
People: The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
Leader: The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
People: The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness.
Leader: The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
People: The Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
Leader: May the Lord give strength to his people!
People: May the Lord bless his people with peace!

As a reminder, you can also find an archive of our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel.

A New Year’s Resolution

January 5, 2025
Second Sunday After Christmas
Matthew 25:31-46
A New Year’s Resolution
Rev. Benjamin J. Wines

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “A New Year’s Resolution”. We will be reading from Matthew 25:31-46, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 8.

Call to Worship, Psalm 8
Leader: O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
People: You have set your glory above the heavens.
Leader: Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark,
People: To silence the enemy and the avenger.
Leader: When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
People: The moon and the stars that you have established;
Leader: What are human beings that you are mindful of them,
People: Mortals that you care for them?
Leader: Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
People: And crowned them with glory and honor.
Leader: You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
People: You have put all things under their feet,
Leader: All sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,
People: The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
Leader: Whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
People: O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Question for Further Reflection:
In 2025, how will you step out of your comfort zone to do something good for God and God’s people?

2024 Recap

Brothers and sisters,

By the time y’all read this, 2024 will be a thing of the past! I know this is cliché to say, but, depending on when you ask me, Thanksgiving feels like it was either just yesterday or six months ago! In a similar way, as I sit here writing this on Tuesday, there is a part of me that thinks, “Wait—2024 is already over?!” and there is a part of me that thinks, “Oh, thank goodness! 2024 has lasted forever!” Regardless, we’ve done a lot over the last year, so I want to take this space in the Illuminator to recap some of the stuff we’ve done together.
Throughout this year, we have taken on a bunch of different missions projects, doing our best to live out the call God has placed on us as a church—to be the hands and feet of Jesus. This year, we’ve participated in Operation Inasmuch—cleaning yards, making goodie bags for teachers, and supply bags for our homeless neighbors. We’ve collected new and gently used clothing items for the clothes closet over at Parkwood Elementary. We’ve partnered with Scarlette Jasper and Olive Branch Ministries to help provide Christmas to poor children in rural Appalachia. And we’ve collected money, winter clothes, and other basic supplies for folks out west devastated by Hurricane Helene, including putting together 16 Disaster Relief Cleanup Buckets.

We’ve also reached out to our local community this year to remind them that we see them, we love them, and God loves them too. We put on our annual Easter Egg Hunt and Crafting Fair, inviting local families to come and learn more about the resurrection of Jesus and the depths of God’s love for them. We had another summer of Super Saturday Adventures, teaching local kids about the parables of Jesus, showing them how church comes together as a community, and helping them participate in missions projects to help people here in Durham. We had our annual Fall Festival with Trunk-or-Treat, another reminder to our community that we love them, but also a reminder that our God is a joyful God—that means we ought to celebrate whenever we can!

We’ve also had wonderful times of fellowship this year. February saw our Souper Bowl of Caring, when we all brought pots of chili and/or fixings and/or desserts to raise money for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC. We had our Summer Send-Off Ice Cream Social this year around Labor Day. And, more recently, we had our Advent/Christmas Craft Workshop where folks were able to come and make crafts for themselves and others in our community.

Finally, we had special services throughout the year. Leena Levanya came and spoke to our church about her ministry in India. World Relief Durham came and told us more about the work they do with refugees here in the Triangle. We had our Hanging of the Greens and “The Candles of Christmas” during Advent, in addition to our Christmas Eve service. Best of all, we celebrated three baptisms this year—Gary and Victoria Finch, and Ron Parker.
Believe it or not, that is not all we did—I just ran out of space! 2024 has been a busy year, but a very good year too. May we enter 2025 with as much passion for God’s call on our church. May we seek God faithfully as a church family.

Happy New Year,
Pastor Ben

Why Are You Searching?

December 29, 2024
First Sunday After Christmas
“Why Are You Searching?”
Luke 2:41-52
Rev. Benjamin J. Wines

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “Why Are You Searching?”.  We will be reading from Luke 2:41-52, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 148.   

Call to Worship, Psalm 148:1-6, 13

Leader: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens;

People: Praise him in the heights!

Leader: Praise him, all his angels;

People: Praise him, all his host!

Leader: Praise him, sun and moon;

People: Praise him, all you shining stars!

Leader: Praise him, you highest heavens,

People: And you waters above the heavens! Leader: Let them praise the name of the Lord,

People: For he commanded and they were created.

Leader: He established them forever and ever;

People: He fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Leader: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted;

People: His glory is above earth and heaven.

Name Above All Names

Christmas Eve Service 2024
“Name Above All Names”
Philippians 2:5-11
Rev. Benjamin J. Wines

Christmas Eve Service, 2024

Lighting the Christ Candle
Leader: It was on this night, two thousand years ago,
People: That the world changed forever.
Leader: A young couple arrived in Bethlehem.
People: They were looking for a place to stay.
Leader: The time was coming for their child to be born.
People: But no one had room for them.
Leader: Finally, they were led to a cave.
People: A night spent among the animals.
Leader: And Mary gave birth to her first-born son.
People: She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger.
Leader: The Light of the World came and dwelled among us.
People: We had no room for him, but he has always made room for us.
Leader: That first Christmas changed everything.
People: Thanks be to God!

May God bless each and every one of you with a joyous and very Merry Christmas!!!