An Anthem Played on Broken Strings

July 14, 2024
An Anthem Played on Broken Strings
Rev. Benjamin Wines
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. You can also find our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel. Today’s sermon is titled, “An Anthem Played on Broken Strings”. We will be reading from Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 33.

Call to Worship Psalm 33:1-5, 20-22
Leader: Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous.
People: Praise befits the upright.
Leader: Praise the Lord with the lyre;
People: Make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
Leader: Sing to him a new song;
People: Play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
Leader: For the word of the Lord is upright,
People: And all his work is done in faithfulness.
Leader: He loves righteousness and justice;
People: The earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.
Leader: Our soul waits for the Lord;
People: He is our help and shield.
Leader: Our heart is glad in him
People: Because we trust in his holy name.
Leader: Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
People: Even as we hope in you.

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, hope is not a quick fix; it’s a process.
How does hope help us grow through difficult times?
How does God’s presence affect that process?

Yet – never – in Extremity

July 7, 2024
Yet – never – in Extremity
Rev. Benjamin Wines
1 Kings 19:1-10

Call to Worship Psalm 62:5-12

Leader: For God alone my soul waits in silence,

People: For my hope is from him.

Leader: He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress;

People: I shall not be shaken.

Leader: On God rests my deliverance and my honor;

People: My mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

Leader: Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him;

People: God is a refuge for us.

Leader: Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion;

People: In the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.

Leader: Put no confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery;

People: If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

Leader: Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this;

People: That power belongs to God,

Leader: And steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.

People: For you repay to all according to their work.

Questions for Further Reflection:

In this story, Elijah’s emotions are all over the place.

How does God approach Elijah?

How can that give us hope in the face of uncertain times?

Never Give Up

June 30, 2024
Never Give Up
Rev. Benjamin Wines
Matthew 15:21-28

Call to Worship Psalm 67
Leader: May God be gracious to us and bless us
People: And make his face to shine upon us,
Leader: That your way may be known upon earth,
People: Your saving power among all nations.
Leader: Let the peoples praise you, O God;
People: Let all the peoples praise you.
Leader: Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
People: For you judge the peoples with equity.
Leader: Let the peoples praise you, O God;
People: Let all the peoples praise you.
Leader: The earth has yielded its increase;
People: God, our God, has blessed us.
Leader: May God continue to bless us;
People: Let all the ends of the earth revere him.

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. You can also find our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel. Today’s sermon is titled, “Never Give Up”. We will be reading from Matthew 15:21-28, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 67.

Pandora’s Box

June 23, 2024
Pandora’s Box
Rev. Benjamin Wines
Romans 5:1-11

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. You can also find our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel. Today’s sermon is titled, “Pandora’s Box”. We will be reading from Romans 5:1-11, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 95.

Call to Worship Psalm 95:1-7
Leader: O come, let us sing to the Lord;
People: Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Leader: Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
People: Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
Leader: For the Lord is a great God,
People: And a great King above all gods.
Leader: In his hand are the depths of the earth;
People: The heights of the mountains are his also.
Leader: The sea is his, for he made it,
People: And the dry land, which his hands have formed.
Leader: O come, let us worship and bow down,
People: Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
Leader: For his is our God, and we are the people of his pasture,
People: And the sheep of his hand.

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, Paul says that Christians have hope in part because of the Holy Spirit.
How does that reality push back against those who say hope is an evil that causes us to disengage from the world?

A Prism of the Mind

June 16, 2024
A Prism of the Mind
Rev. Benjamin Wines
Genesis 18:1-15

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. You can also find our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel. Today’s sermon is titled, “A Prism of the Mind”. We will be reading from Genesis 18:1-15, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 100.

Call to Worship Psalm 100
Leader: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
People: Worship the Lord with gladness;
Leader: Come into his presence with singing.
People: Know that the Lord is God.
Leader: It is he that made us, and we are his;
People: We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Leader: Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
People: And his courts with praise.
Leader: Give thanks to him, bless his name.
People: For the Lord is good;
Leader: His steadfast love endures forever,
People: And his faithfulness to all generations.

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, Abraham makes a choice about how he will respond to the three strangers.
How does hope change the way we make decisions?
How does the hope that comes from God change our decisions?

Wear Sunscreen

June 9, 2024
Wear Sunscreen
Rev. Benjamin Wines
Romans 12:9-17

Call to Worship Psalm 19:7-10, 14
Leader: The law of the Lord is perfect,
People: Reviving the soul;
Leader: The decrees of the Lord are sure,
People: Making wise the simple;
Leader: The precepts of the Lord are right,
People: Rejoicing the heart;
Leader: The commandment of the Lord is clear,
People: Enlightening the eyes;
Leader: The fear of the Lord is pure,
People: Enduring forever;
Leader: The ordinances of the Lord are true
People: And righteous altogether.
Leader: More to be desired are they than gold,
People: Even much fine gold;
Leader: Sweeter also than honey,
People: And drippings of the honeycomb.
Leader: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
People: Be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. You can also find our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel. Today’s sermon is titled, “Wear Sunscreen”. We will be reading from Romans 12:9-17, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 19.

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, Paul gives a lot of advice to the Roman Christians.
Which bit of advice connected most with you?
What bit of advice would you give to other Christians?
Why?

The Birds of the Air

June 2, 2024
The Birds of the Air
Rev. Benjamin Wines
Mark 4:26-34

Call to Worship (Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15)
Leader: It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
People: To sing praises to your name, O Most High;
Leader: To declare your steadfast love in the morning,
People: And your faithfulness by night,
Leader: To the music of the lute and the harp,
People: To the melody of the lyre.
Leader: For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
People: At the works of your hands I sing for joy.
Leader: The righteous flourish like the palm tree,
People: And grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Leader: They are planted in the house of the Lord;
People: They flourish in the courts of our God.
Leader: In old age they still produce fruit;
People: They are always green and full of sap,
Leader: Showing that the Lord is upright;
People: He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. You can also find our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel. Today’s sermon is titled, “The Birds of the Air”. We will be reading from Mark 4:26-34, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 92.

Questions for Further Reflection:
Allen Verhey once referred to the gospel as, “The Great Reversal.”
How does the Parable of the Mustard Seed affirm that idea?
How does it challenge you to reach out to others?

An Interwoven Story

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. You can also find our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel. Today’s sermon is titled, “An Interwoven Story”. We will be reading from Mark 1:1-13, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 85.

Call to Worship (Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13)
Leader: Lord, you were favorable to your land;
People: You restored the fortunes of Jacob.
Leader: You forgave the iniquity of your people;
People: You pardoned all their sin.
Leader: Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
People: For he will speak peace to his people,
Leader: To his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
People: Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
Leader: That his glory may dwell in our land.
People: Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
Leader: Righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
People: Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
Leader: And righteousness will look down from the sky.
People: The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
Leader: Righteousness will go before him,
People: And will make a path for his steps.

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, we see the three members of the Trinity loving each other well.
How does the love God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit inspire you to love others?

Deep Breaths

May 26, 2024
An Interwoven Story
Rev. Benjamin Wines
Mark 1:1-13

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. You can also find our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel. Today’s sermon is titled, “Deep Breaths”. We will be reading from Romans 8:22-27, and our Call to Worship comes from Acts 2.

Call to Worship (Acts 2:1-4, 17-18, 21)
Leader: When the day of Pentecost had come,
People: [The disciples] were all together in one place.
Leader: And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind,
People: And it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
Leader: Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them,
People: And a tongue rested on each of them.
Leader: All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
People: And began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Leader: “In the last days it will be, God declares,
People: “That I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
Leader: “And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
People: “And your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
Leader: “Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
People: “In those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
All: “Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Questions for Further Reflection:
When we think of Pentecost, we usually think of the Holy Spirit as a mighty, rushing wind.
What do you think of Paul’s image of the Holy Spirit — a deep breath or a sigh too deep for words?

The Rest of the Story

May 12, 2024
The Rest of the Story
Rev. Benjamin Wines
Mark 16:9-20

We look forward to joining you in Worship this Sunday, starting at 11:00AM in the Sanctuary. You can also find our services online at the HVBC YouTube Channel. Today’s sermon is titled, “The Rest of the Story”. We will be reading from Mark 16:9-20, and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 47.

Call to Worship
Leader: Clap your hands, all you peoples;
People: Shout to God with loud songs of joy.
Leader: For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome,
People: A great king over all the earth.
Leader: God has gone up with a shout,
People: The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Leader: Sing praises to God, sing praises;
People: Sing praises to our King, sing praises.
Leader: For God is king of all the earth;
People: Sing praises with a psalm.
Leader: God is king over the nations;
People: God sits on his holy throne.
Leader: The princes of the people gather
People: As the people of the God of Abraham.
Leader: For the shields of the earth belong to God;
People: He is highly exalted.
from Psalm 47

Questions for Further Reflection:
This passage is as much about the community of faith as it is about Jesus’ resurrection.
What does it mean to be part of a community of faith?
What can we learn from others in our church family?