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Holy Extravagance

“Holy Extravagance” – Rev. Benjamin Wines

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with shouts of joy;
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
And we rejoiced.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
Like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears
Reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
Bearing the seed for sowing,
Shall come home with shouts of joy,
Carrying their sheaves. -from Psalm 126

We invite you to join us at 10:45AM – either in person or via YouTube – for our Morning Worship Service. Rev. Benjamin Wines bring the sermon, “Holy Extravagance”. We will be reading from John 12:1-8.

April 3, 2022 BulletinDownload
Children’s Ministry Resources April 3, 2022Download

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Everything Made New

“Everything Made New” – Rev. Benjamin Wines

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to You;
At a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with glad cries of deliverance. from Psalm 32

We invite you to join us on this 4th Sunday of Lent. Our scripture passage is 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Rev. Benjamin Wines brings the message, “Everything Made New”.

Bulletin March 27, 2022Download
Children’s Ministry Resources March 27, 2022Download

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Operation InAsMuch

Brothers and sisters,

I am excited for us to be participating in Operation Inasmuch this year for two reasons. The first is simply that it is nice to do something that feels like “normal” after the last two years. It feels good to be able to take part in a big mission project together. It feels good to work with each other and pull together toward a common goal. It especially feels good to know that we can reach out to people who are in need — whether it is the healthcare workers over at UNC who need to hear how much we appreciate them, those folks experiencing homelessness who need basic supplies to survive, or the children over at Lenox Baker Children’s Hospital.

The other reason I am excited for us to be doing Operation Inasmuch this year is because of some of the memories I have of participating in it as a youth at my home church. I think I have mentioned this before, but I grew up in Goldsboro and was raised at First Baptist, Goldsboro. My home church is a very missions-minded group, always looking for opportunities to help others. So when we first heard about Operation Inasmuch twenty-some years ago, we jumped at the chance to get out and help people! Each year I was inspired by how many people at First Baptist came out to help other people and I was shocked at how many different ways people had thought of to help! Some of us went and did yard work for homebound Goldsboro residents. Some went and built ramps onto houses for people who used wheelchairs. Some stayed at the church and baked cookies for local first responders and wrote them notes. Others sorted through all kinds of donations made to the church that were going to local shelters. And I am sure there were other things we did that I just did not see!

Typically, whenever we did Operation Inasmuch, I would invite my friends to come and participate as well. There was one year in particular that I remember one of them saying, “This is great! I like how everyone is working at different sites, but you’re all working together to help people! It makes it feel like everyone is a team just trying to help.” At its best, that’s what Operation Inasmuch pushes us to do. It pushes us to work together, even if we are separated, in order to accomplish a common goal — helping others. Christ tells us that we are to help our neighbors, to love them as we love ourselves. Operation Inasmuch is such a wonderful expression of that belief. It is a week in which we put actions behind our words.

So, to everyone that is participating in any way, shape, or form, thank you! If you would like to get involved, the most pressing needs we have right now are for new packs of socks and under-wear of all sizes. These will be delivered to Urban Ministries. We will be collecting those through-out the next week, from March 27 through April 3. If you would like to make a blanket for the children over at Lenox Baker, please be sure to contact Barbara Sanders for a kit to get started! And to those of you that have volunteered to bake cookies or write cards for the healthcare workers at UNC, remember that those are due to the church this Sunday, March 27. Again, regardless of how you want to get involved, thank you! This is a wonderful way for all of us to use our time and our talents to provide a blessing to our neighbors here in Durham!

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

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Hunger and Thirst

“Hunger and Thirst” – Rev. Benjamin Wines

O God, you are my God,
I seek You, my soul thirsts for You;
My flesh faints for You,
As in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary,
Beholding Your power and glory.
Because Your steadfast love is better than life,
My lips will praise You.
So I will bless You as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on Your Name.
My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
And my mouth praises You with joyful lips
When I think of You on my bed,
And meditate on You in the watches of the night;
For You have been my help,
And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me. from Psalm 63

Today’s scripture reading comes from Isaiah 55:1-9.


Children’s Ministry Resources – March 20 2022Download
Bulletin – March 20, 2022Download

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Transformation

“Transformation” – Rev. Benjamin Wines

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh
They shall stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war rise up against me,
Yet I will be confident.
One thing I asked of the Lord,
That will I seek after:
To live in the House of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple. – from Psalm 27

Today’s scripture passage comes from Philippians 3:17-4:1.

Bulletin March 13, 2022Download
Children’s Ministry Resources for March 13, 2022Download
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Devil’s in the Details

Message – Devil’s in the Details – Rev. Benjamin Wines

You who live in the shelter of the Most High
Who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God in whom I trust.”
For He will deliver you from the deadly pestilence;
He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
Or the arrow that flies by day,
Or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or the destruction that wastes at noonday.
Those who love Me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know My Name.
When they call to Me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
And show them My Salvation.
From Psalm 91

Today’s Scripture Passage is from Luke 4:1-13.

Children’s Ministry Resources – March 6, 2022Download
Bulletin – March 6, 2022Download
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From One Glory to Another – Transfiguration Sunday

The Lord is great in Zion;
He is exalted over all the peoples.
Let them praise Your great and awesome Name.
Holy is He!
Mighty King, lover of justice, You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
Moses and Aaron were among His priests, Samuel also called on His name.
They cried to the Lord, and He answered them.
He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
They kept His decrees, and the statutes that He gave them.
O Lord our God, You answered them; You were a forgiving God to them,
But an avenger of their wrongdoings.
Extol the Lord our God, and worship at His holy mountain;
For the Lord our God is holy. – from Psalm 99

We welcome you to Morning Worship today. Our Call to Worship is from Psalm 99, and our Scripture passage is 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2. Pastor Benjamin Wines brings the message, “From One Glory to Another”.

February 27, 2022 Bulletin Download
February 27, 2022 Children’s Ministry Resources Download
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The Most Wonderful Time of the Year …

Brothers and sisters,

We are nearly upon the most wonderful time of the year. Most folks hear that phrase and immediately think, “Is he talking about Christmas?” But us North Carolinians know what’s coming up soon—the ACC tournament! My fondest memories of the ACC tournament are simple. Every year I was in grade school, from elementary to high school, literally every teacher with a TV bolted to a wall in their classroom would tune it to the ACC tournament. It would constantly be on in the background—muted—but still on. And teachers that didn’t have a TV set already in their classroom would check one out from the library and hook it up to the school’s cable so we could have the tournament on! It has always been the most wonderful time of the year!

This year, we wanted to tap into the energy and excitement of the tournament to do something good for our neighbors. As most of you know, we were unable to have our Souper Bowl of Caring on Super Bowl Sunday this year due to the pandemic. So, instead of having one Sunday where we bring canned goods in to the church, we’re going to collect cans throughout the week of the ACC tournament. This canned food drive will start on Sunday, March 6th and end on Sunday, March 13th, but all during the week you can bring canned goods up to the church. However, there is going to be a twist this year.

Starting on March 6th, there will be five boxes in the vestibule: one for Carolina, one for NC State, one for Duke, one for the other twelve schools (Wake Forest, Boston College, Miami, etc.), and one for those who don’t care about the tournament at all (I’m calling it the “I just hope both teams have fun” box). We’ll have a little friendly competition! When you bring your canned goods in, be sure to place them in the box/area of the team you’re supporting. Each unit of whatever you bring in will count for one point. In other words, if you bring in a flat of 24 cans, that’s 24 points! We’ll count them all up after the 13th and announce the winner in morning worship the following week.

I’m excited for this! It’s a chance to have some fun. It’s a chance for a little friendly competition. It’s a chance to show a little pride in what teams we pull for. But, most importantly, it’s a chance for us to push each other to give as much as we can to help our neighbors. Part of the call the gospel places on our lives is to reach out to those who are hurting, those who do not have enough, and help lift them up. This ACC Tournament Food Drive is a chance to do just that. So, starting March 6th, may the best team win!

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

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Imperishable

“Imperishable” – Rev. Benjamin Wines

Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers,
For they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
So you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.
He will make your vindication shine like the light,
And the justice of your cause like the noonday.
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret over those who prosper in their way, who carry out evil devices.
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
Do not fret — it leads only to evil.
For the wicked shall be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their refuge in the time of trouble. Psalm 37:1-9, 39

Please join us for our livestreamed service, starting at 10:50AM, Sunday, February 20, 2022. We will be reading from 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50. The service will also be archived at the HVBC YouTube Channel for later viewing.

A big thank you to the HVBC Ensemble for sharing their gifts of music with us this morning.

Children’s Ministry Resources for February 20, 2022Download
Bulletin for online services, February 20, 2022Download
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All in All

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
Or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
But their delight is in the law of the Lord,
And on His law they meditate day and night.
They are like trees planted by streams of water,
Which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish. – from Psalm 1

“All in All” – Rev. Benjamin Wines

We invite you to join us on Sunday, February 13th, starting at 10:45AM for our Sunday Morning Worship service – livestreamed. We will be reading from 1 Corinthians 15:12-28.

Services are currently held online and can be viewed by clicking on the video above, or by visiting the HVBC YouTube channel.

Bulletin February 13, 2022Download
Children’s Ministry Resources Valentines 2022Download