Bless Ahaz’s Heart

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Stir up Your might, and come to save us!
Restore us, O God; let Your face shine, that we might be saved.
O Lord God of hosts,
How long will You be angry with Your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears,
And given them tears to drink in full measure.
Restore us, O God of hosts;
Let Your face shine, that we may be saved.
But let Your hand be upon the one at Your right hand,
The one whom you made strong for Yourself.
Then we will never turn back from You;
Give us life, and we will call on Your Name.
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
Let Your face shine, that we may be saved. – from Psalm 80:1-5, 7, 17-19

Today, we light the Candle of Love, as part of our Advent Celebration. We invite you to join us for Morning Worship, either in person, or via livestream, at 11:00AM. Pastor Benjamin Wines will bring the sermon, Bless Ahaz’s Heart, and we will be reading from Isaiah 7:10-17.

Turning It All Around

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the Lord their God,
Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the strangers; He upholds the orphan and the widow,
But the way of the wicked He brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 146:5-10

Our Scripture reading today comes from Isaiah 35:1-10. We will be lighting the Candle of Joy as part of our Advent Celebration. Pastor Benjamin Wines will bring the sermon entitled, “Turning It All Around“. We hope you will join us, either in person or via livestream!

Christmas Vegetables

Brothers and sisters,

You know the old saying, “You learn something new every day”? Well, over the last few weeks, I’ve learned a lot of new things about various Christmas traditions from around the world. Obviously, there are some pretty universal traditions associated with Christmas here in the United States. Families will also typically have specific Christmas traditions. But I recently learned of two Christmas traditions and, believe it or not, they both have to do with vegetables.

Now, how did I stumble upon these Christmas vegetables, you might ask. A few weeks ago, I was researching the origins of some of the Advent decorations in our sanctuary to help prepare for the Hanging of the Greens. As part of that, I went to the Wikipedia article for “Poinsettia” and noticed a suggested link for “Christmas plants.” I thought, “Wait. How many Christmas plants are there? Poinsettias, Christmas trees, and evergreens, right?” Wrong! I clicked the link and was transported to a page that informed me about various and sundry plants used around the world in Christmas celebrations. But there was one that caught my eye.

In Oaxaca City, Mexico, December 23rd is known as “The Night of the Radishes.” Every year, people will carve elaborate scenes and figures out of radishes to create competitive displays in the city’s Christmas Market. The competition dates back to December 23, 1897, but the night itself predates that. According to legend, there was a year in the mid-18th century when the radish crop was so huge, large swathes of land were covered in unharvested radishes. That December, two friars pulled up some of the radishes and were amused by their sizes and shapes. They brought them to the Christmas Market on the 23rd and, after the radishes garnered attention, the friars carved them into shapes and figures. And so, The Night of the Radishes was born!

The other tradition I recently learned of is known as “The Christmas Pickle.” I was texting with my friends the other day and we were talking about our family’s Christmas traditions. One of my best friends from back home in Goldsboro informed all of us that every year, his grandmother would, “hide a pickle in the Christmas tree.” Curious, I texted back, “Wait, what?” After assuring me it was an ornament and not a real pickle, one of our other friends, who is not from Goldsboro, chimed in and said, “Oh yeah! My family does that too!” Again, I responded, “Wait, what?” She then informed me that one of her housemates, who is from Sampson County, also hid a pickle in her Christmas tree. To which I finally responded, “Well, it sounds like the Mount Olive Pickle Company’s marketing arm has been working overtime!” (Mount Olive Pickles are made just one town over from where I grew up).

However, apparently, “The Christmas Pickle,” is a real thing! It is believed to have been started in the United States in the 1890s. Though typically attributed to German immigrants, it is probably actually related to the importation of glass ornaments from Germany by Woolworths. Vegetable ornaments became popular in France in 1892 and were then also imported to the United States. Regardless of where it came from, The Christmas Pickle comes with a little game attached to it. Parents will hide the pickle deep in the Christmas tree and then, on Christmas Eve, they will ask their children to find the pickle. The first child that does either receives an extra present from Santa Claus or good fortune for the rest of the year. All thanks to a pickle!

Why tell these two stories? First, cause they’re fun! And isn’t Christmas supposed to be fun? But second, because it is amazing to me to see the creativity of people all over the world as we find ways to bring joy into the Christmas season. What a wonderful time of year!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Ben

A New Vision

“A New Vision” – Rev. Benjamin Wines

Give your king your justice, O God,
And your righteousness to a king’s son.
May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.
May the mountains yield prosperity for the people.
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
Give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.
May he live while the sun endures,
And as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
Like showers that water the earth.
In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound,
Until the moon is no more.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
Who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name forever;
May his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and amen. Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

Today is the Second Sunday of Advent – Peace. We look forward to worshiping with you, starting at 11:00AM – either in person or via live-stream. We will be reading from Isaiah 11:1-10.

Questions for Further Reflection:
What does the word “peace” mean to you?
How does the prophet Isaiah describe peace?
What can you do to be a more peaceable person within your own life?

Advent is Upon Us

Brothers and sisters,

It is incredible to think that Advent is already upon us! This coming Sunday, November 27th is the first Sunday of Advent. It is the first Sunday that we begin to turn toward the manger and anticipate the arrival of the Christ child. And so, as this season begins, I wanted to take some time to describe the various services we will be having this year as part of our celebration and anticipation.

The first special service we will be having is this Sunday, November 27th during morning worship! This will be our annual Hanging of the Greens service. This is a service that is designed to formally finish up the decorating of the church for Advent and Christmas. Through readings, responses, and prayers we will meditate on all the various symbols we adorn the church with each year.

The second special service we’ll be having this year is our Service of Lament on Wednesday, December 14th at 6:30 PM. The Service of Lament is designed to be a time when we come together as a church family to acknowledge that some of us are carrying grief into the holidays. For some, this is their first Christmas without a loved one. For some, there may be a lot of strain on their relationships. Others may be feeling a sense of anxiety, depression, or both. At this service, we will carve out time and space to be with our brothers and sisters to remind them that they are always loved and that we, their church family, are willing to help them bear their burdens.

Then, on Sunday, December 18th at 5:00 PM, we will be having our special musical service, “God Bless Us, Everyone!” Kathryn, the choir, and all our wonderful musicians here at Hope Valley have been preparing and practicing for this service for weeks now and it promises to be a joyous service of singing and celebration! In addition to all the beautiful music, we will be having a reception after-ward as a time of fellowship as we enter the last week of Advent.

Next, we will be having our yearly Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion Service on Saturday, December 24th at 5:00 in our sanctuary. This is also a wonderful service as we come to perhaps the most exciting night of the year! It is a service where we come and declare our joy and gratitude for the message of Christmas—that God came and dwelt among us. Be sure to bring your family as we take communion together and light candles to celebrate the joy of Christmas.

Finally, the next morning—Christmas morning!—we will be having morning worship at 11:00 AM in our sanctuary. There will be no Sunday School that morning, but we will take time to come together and worship God as a church family. And, to the parents reading this, if your child needs/wants to bring their favorite present with them to worship that morning, they are more than welcome to do that!

I am looking forward to this next month of worship with you all! I’m looking forward to the time spent in fellowship as we anticipate, once again, the birth of Jesus and the reminder of God’s promise—that God will always be with us.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Ben

The King’s Judgment

“The King’s Judgment”
Rev. Benjamin Wines

God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
Though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
Though its waters roar and foam, though mountains tremble.
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
He utters His voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come, behold the works of the Lord;
See what desolations He has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!”
“I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.Psalm 46:1-3, 6-11

We hope you will join us in Worship on Sunday, November 20, starting at 11:00AM. We will be reading from Luke 22:32-43. Pastor Benjamin Wines will share the message, “The King’s Judgement”.

Questions for Further Reflection:
What kind of king is Jesus? How does he use his power?
Who might King Jesus be challenging you to reach out to today?

Saints in Our Lives

Brothers and sisters,
This past Sunday, November 6th, was All Saints Sunday. We took time to remember, honor, and celebrate the lives of those Christians who came before us. We took time to remember the things they taught us and the good times we had with them. If you were here on Sunday or you tuned in to the livestream, you heard me us that phrase, “those Christians who came before us” a lot. And you also heard me talk about those saints teaching us things. But as I thought about this past Sunday, I realized that I really didn’t share many of the things I had been taught over the years from the saints within my own life. So, if you’ll indulge me for a bit, I figured I’d share a few things that Sunday got me thinking about.

The first thing that hit me after the service was when I walked back into my office and saw my certificate of ordination. I was ordained by my home church, FBC Goldsboro, and so the names of the folks on my ordination council are people I have incredibly fond memories of. My youth Sunday School teacher’s name is there—she was, and still is, the definition of warmth, kindness, patience, and hospitality. She also makes, hands down, the best sausage biscuits!

Bob’s and Bill’s names are on there. I remember the steadiness of their faith and their dedication to serving the church however they could. I worked with them a lot building handicapped ramps for folks all around Goldsboro and Wayne County. They embodied James’ belief that faith without works is dead—and their faith was very much alive! I also remember that Bob has a sweet tooth and Bill liked to “pay” me for my volunteer work with a McDonald’s cheeseburger and a Diet Mountain Dew.

There were also three pastors on my ordination council, though only two signed. Scott and Glenn’s names are there, my youth pastor and senior pastor, respectively. To write what they have meant to be personally would take far too many Illuminators to be practical. The first pastor I ever interned for, Alan, also sat on the council—he is the unsigned pastor, simply because he called in from Georgia to be a part of it. Those three taught me more about my faith, myself, and what it means to be a pastor, than I will probably ever fully understand. And since there seems to be an unspoken food theme in my recollections—Scott never turns down Thai food, Glenn loves country cooking, and Alan is a sandwich connoisseur!

Most of the folks on my ordination council are still with us. Bill has gone on to glory, but I love that I have gotten to know all of them. I am grateful for the things they taught me and the good times I’ve had with each of them. And as I sit and think about all the wonderful things God has done for each of us, I really do believe that stitching Christians together as a family is one of God’s greatest ideas.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

Faithful Boasting

“Faithful Boasting” – Rev. Benjamin Wines

O sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things.
His right hand and His Holy Arm have gotten Him victory.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
With the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
Make a joyful noise before the Lord.
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
The world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
Let the hills sing together for joy
At the presence of the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. Psalm 98:1, 4-9

We hope you will join us for Worship, in-person or via livestream, starting at 11:00AM. We look forward to seeing you there! We will be reading from 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12, as Pastor Benjamin Wines brings the message, “Faithful Boasting”.

The Power at Work in Christ

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song,
His praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
Let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
Let them praise His Name with dancing,
Making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;
He adorns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
Let them sing for joy on their couches. Psalm 149:1-5

We hope you will join us today as Pastor Benjamin Wines brings the sermon, “The Power at Work in Christ.” We will be reading from Ephesians 1:11-23.