Today is the Fourth Sunday of Easter.

Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “Devotion” Our Scripture passage comes from Acts 2:42-47 and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 66. We look forward to joining you in this time of Worship.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 66)
Leader: Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
People: Sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise.
Leader: Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
People: Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you.
Leader: All the earth worships you;
People: They sing praises to you, sing praises to your name.”
Leader: Come and see what God has done:
People: He is awesome in his deeds among mortals.
Leader: He turned the sea into dry land;
People: They passed through the river on foot.
Leader: There we rejoiced in him, who rules by his might forever,
People: Whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
Leader: Let the rebellious not exalt themselves.
People: Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard,
Leader: Who has kept us among the living,
People: And has not let our feet slip.

Questions for Further Reflection:
Luke casts a vision of what the early church looked like.
Which of the early church’s practices (v. 42) caught your attention?
How could you incorporate that practice into your daily life?

This past Sunday, April 19th, I mentioned the idea that becoming a Christian does not require us to forget who we are or where we came from. That point was prompted by Peter’s encouragement to Christians to remember they were “ransomed from the futile conduct inherited from your ancestors” (1 Peter 1:18) and I wanted to expand on it here.

I think the reason Peter says this to Christians is because he understands that if we fall back on old habits, old routines, or old ideas, and expect them to save us the same way God saves us, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. The things we’ve inherited from “our ancestors” cannot save us—only God can. But I want to make sure to emphasize that I don’t think God wants us to disown our histories — the people, the places that made us who we are. Rather, they need to be put in their proper place and understood through a Christian lens.

For example, I’ve told y’all this before, but I have been deeply formed by my hometown, Goldsboro, NC. A wonder-fully strange little city in Eastern North Carolina, I am who I am in part because of this odd place. It is a city filled with eccentricities and contradictions. I sat in classes with friends whose families would travel to New York City every year to see Broadway shows or go to the US Open. Right next to those kids were others who were given special absences when the Wayne County Agricultural Fair started because they needed to go and prep their tractor for the tractor race that night!

Goldsboro is a city that has always encouraged a sense of service and community. It’s easy to get plugged into volunteer opportunities in Goldsboro, helping build houses with Habitat for Humanity, serving at booths during the Relay for Life, or basically anything the Goldsboro YMCA gets up to. You know, positive things to bring people together. At the same time, when I was growing up, one of our most beloved traditions was a celebration of civic unrest. For years, Goldsboro celebrated something called, “The Derailebration.” Over a hundred years ago, a railroad company ran tracks through Center Street in downtown Goldsboro. Frustrated by the noise and inconvenience of the trains, the citizens of Goldsboro went out one night and took up all the tracks! For over a century we celebrated this act of collective vandalism. Those celebrations ended years ago when Amtrak—you know, the train company—started courting Goldsboro to put a station there! (Admittedly, it’s a connector bus stop four blocks over from Center Street, but my point stands!) My hometown is ridiculous; I’m so proud to be from there.

My point in all this is simple: I don’t believe God would want me to disavow Goldsboro. For better or for worse (I think better), I have been shaped by that strange little city. And I’d like to think God loves the weirdness that comes from a place like Goldsboro because God loves how wonderfully unique each person is. I’m sure each of you has a strange story from where you grew up. Or you have memories of wacky events in your life that make you chuckle. You’ve been shaped and molded by those things — and I don’t think God wants you to for-get them. Rather, I think God always wants us to understand that these wonderful, unique, weird stories are all part of God’s story. Let us place our faith in God’s story and bring our whole selves to it.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

Today is the Third Sunday of Easter.

Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “Building Faith and Community” Our Scripture passage comes from 1 Peter 1:17-23 and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 116. We look forward to joining you in this time of Worship.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 116)
Leader: What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?
People: I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord,
Leader: I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
People: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.
Leader: O Lord, I am your servant;
People: I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.
Leader: You have loosed my bonds.
People: I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice
Leader: And call on the name of the Lord.
People: I will pay my vows to the Lord
Leader: In the presence of all his people,
People: In the courts of the house of the Lord,
Leader: In your midst, O Jerusalem.
People: Praise the Lord!

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, Peter emphasizes the need for Christians to be in community together.
How does God’s character enable us to build lasting relationships? How can God’s character help us navigate challenges?

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter.

Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “The Outcome of Our Faith” Our Scripture passage comes from 1 Peter 1:3-9 and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 16. We look forward to joining you in this time of Worship.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 16)
Leader: Protect me, O God,
People: For in you I take refuge.
Leader: I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
People: I have no good apart from you.”
Leader: The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
People: You hold my lot.
Leader: I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
People: In the night also my heart instructs me.
Leader: I keep the Lord always before me;
People: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Leader: Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
People: My body also rests secure.
Leader: For you do not give me up to Sheol,
People: Or let your faithful one see the Pit.
Leader: You show me the path of life.
People: In your presence there is fullness of joy;
All: In your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Question for Further Reflection:
The author of 1 Peter wants to make it clear that our salvation has already been accomplished.
How should that fact inspire your actions in the present?

At the end of this month, we will be starting up one of my favorite traditions here at Hope Valley Baptist Church—Operation Inasmuch. For the last several years, we have dedicated a week at the end of April and into early May to missions. This year is no different. Operation Inasmuch will run from April 26th to May 3rd. The goal of this week is to find opportunities to do the work Christ has called us to in our communities, to serve others, and to let them know that they are loved by God and by this church.

I’m particularly excited about Operation Inasmuch this year since we were not able to have our Holy Wednesday Hand-Washing service again this year. (Truly, I am going to do everything I can to make sure I don’t get sick until after Easter next year!) On that night, we usually talk about the ways that Jesus calls us to be servants to others in the way that he came to be a servant. We model that servant attitude by washing and drying each other’s hands. It’s a service that asks us to take time out of our day, see our brothers and sisters, and do what we can to show them they are loved.

Operation Inasmuch works because of that same spirit. It works because we know that Christ has called us not only to serve him, but to serve our wider community. Each person is a beloved child of God and so it is always worthwhile to show them that. It is worthwhile to let them see the church in action, so they can say, “I have seen God’s people and they have seen me.”

In light of that, you’ll notice that there is a list of planned activities in another part of this Illuminator. I would encourage you to look over those activities and see if there’s one you’d like to participate in. If you’re not sure you can participate in any of them, see if there’s one you’d like to donate to. If you’re not sure you can do that either, that’s totally fine; pray for the church as we go out and do these things. Pray that we would lift up the hearts of those we help. Pray that they would hear a good word about a God who loves them.

I’m looking forward to the end of this month!

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

Today is Easter Sunday.
Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “From Fear to Faith” Our Scripture passage comes from Matthew 28:1-10 and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 118. We look forward to joining you in this time of Worship.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 118)
Leader: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
People: His steadfast love endures forever!
Leader: I thank you that you have answered me
People: And have become my salvation.
Leader: The stone that the builders rejected
People: Has become the chief cornerstone.
Leader: This is the Lord’s doing;
People: It is marvelous in our eyes.
Leader: This is the day that the Lord has made;
People: Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Leader: Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
People: O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
Leader: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
People: We bless you from the house of the Lord.
Leader: You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
People: You are my God, I will extol you.
Leader: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
People: For his steadfast love endures forever!

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, the women who approach the tomb are asked to move from fear to faith, quickly.
What role does fear play in the life of faith?
How does God help us move past fear and place our faith in Jesus?

This Sunday is Palm Sunday.
Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “Preparing the Way” Our Scripture passage comes from Matthew 21:1-11 and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 118. We look forward to joining you in this time of Worship.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 118)
Leader: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
People: His steadfast love endures forever!
Leader: I thank you that you have answered me
People: And have become my salvation.
Leader: The stone that the builders rejected
People: Has become the chief cornerstone.
Leader: This is the Lord’s doing;
People: It is marvelous in our eyes.
Leader: This is the day that the Lord has made;
People: Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Leader: Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
People: O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
Leader: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
People: We bless you from the house of the Lord.
Leader: You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
People: You are my God, I will extol you.
Leader: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
People: For his steadfast love endures forever!

Questions for Further Reflection:
On Palm Sunday, Jesus showed the world he would be a different kind of king.
How do God’s priorities differ from the rulers of our world?
How can our expectations of a king lead us into sin?

Easter is quickly approaching! In fact, by the time the next Illuminator comes out, Easter Sunday will have already come and gone! So, I wanted to write to you all this week and give you a breakdown of the services we have coming up during Holy Week.

First, this Sunday, March 29th, will be Palm Sunday. During worship we will celebrate the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into the holy city of Jerusalem. The children will process in during our first hymn and wave palms in recognition of that first Palm Sunday, when Jesus rode in on a donkey. Be sure to join us for worship at 11:00AM!

Then, on Wednesday, April 1st, we will have our yearly Hand-Washing Service in the sanctuary. That service will start at 6:30PM. For that particular service, we will meditate on the way that Jesus served his disciples by washing their feet, modeling for us the kind of service he calls all of us to. We will wash each other’s hand as a tangible part of our worship, reminding ourselves that we are called to serve others.

Our Good Friday Service will be on Friday, April 3rd at 7:00PM in the church sanctuary. In my opinion, this is one of the most meaningful services all year. Throughout the service, we well read about and meditate on the death of Jesus on the cross and what that means for us as Christians. The service ends in darkness and silence, reminding us that in the immediate wake of the cross, the light of the world seemed to have gone out.

Finally, on Easter Sunday, April 5th, we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus in our church sanctuary! Worship will begin at 11:00AM and we will spend the hour singing songs of joy and praise as we remember the truth that Christ is risen, sin’s power is broken, and death has lost its sting. Make plans to be here that day and celebrate the resurrection with our church family.

In addition to all those services, don’t forget that we are having our annual Easter Egg Hunt and Craft Fair on Saturday, April 4th from 10:00AM to 12:00PM. All children are invited to come make crafts, hunt for eggs, and hear the Easter story!

I’ll look forward to seeing you all throughout Holy Week!

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

This Sunday is The Fifth Sunday in Lent.
Rev. Benjamin Wines will bring the message, “Impossible” Our Scripture passage comes from Hebrews 10:4-10 and our Call to Worship comes from Psalm 130. We look forward to joining you in this time of Worship.

Call to Worship (from Psalm 130)
Leader: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,
People: Lord, hear my voice!
Leader: Let your ears be attentive
People: To the voice of my supplications!
Leader: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
People: Lord, who could stand?
Leader: But there is forgiveness with you,
People: So that you may be revered.
Leader: I wait for the Lord,
People: My soul waits,
Leader: And in his word I hope;
People: My soul waits for the Lord
Leader: More than those who watch for the morning,
People: More than those who watch for the morning.
Leader: O Israel, hope in the Lord!
People: For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
Leader: And with him is great power to redeem.
People: It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

Questions for Further Reflection:
In this passage, we are called to do more than just believe.
How can sin stop us from acting on our beliefs?
What can we do to make sure our actions match our words?

Planning for this month has been a challenge for me. It hasn’t been because of any particular kind of stress or worry or anything. Instead, I’ve been combining March 29th and April 5th in my head. The transition from March to April during Holy Week is throwing me off. And so I have to keep reminding myself that, outside of Palm Sunday, none of the Holy Week activities start till April—which is closer than I think, but also not that much closer. It’s this weird sense of almost rushing to Easter.

It does not help my sense of rush and hurry that we’ve had such beautiful spring days of late. The sunshine. The mild temperatures. The flowers blooming. It makes me yearn for spring and summer. I’m done with the cold and the wet and the grey of winter. I’m ready to move on to the good stuff!

Now according to the church calendar, by the time this article comes out we will be over halfway through Lent. We will finally be closer to Easter than Ash Wednesday. Lent is forty days (not counting Sundays), meaning Friday, March 13th will be the 21st day of the season. And there is a natural inclination to want to rush to the end. For three weeks we’ve reflected on sin and confession and repentance. Let’s get on to the resurrection and grace and hope! But there’s an issue with that impulse.

I had a theology professor who used to remind us that Christians often get too focused on one part of the Easter story. On the one hand, Christians can get too focused on the crucifixion, leaning into the idea of the pain and suffering of Jesus, on the sin and brokenness of humanity. They linger there too long and the resurrection becomes almost an after-thought. On the other hand, Christians can get too focused on the resurrection, rushing past the cross because it makes us uncomfortable and leaning into the fact that sin and death have no power over Jesus.

What my professor advocated for was simple: acknowledge the importance of each step along the way. Jesus’ life and ministry are important—it is good to spend time reading about them and dwelling there a while. But we must recognize that those miracles and those teachings led Jesus to the cross—it is good to spend time reading about that terrible event and dwelling there a while. But we must remember that the story does not end with the cross, that it leads to the first Easter Sunday—it is good to spend time reading those stories and dwelling there a while. We should not rush any of them.

So as we move through these final twenty days of Lent, let us not rush ahead to Easter Sunday. Let us spend some time contemplating our sins. Then, let us spend some time remembering the cross. Then, let us spend some time celebrating the resurrection! We should not try to combine March 29th and April 5th. We should not rush the end of winter because we’re ready for spring. Let us take these seasons as God intended, recognizing the value in each of them.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben