Give Thanks

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, ESV)

Mini Devotional

A mini message to take with you this week to help you in your devotion to God.

Give Thanks
Devotional by: Ray Bowman

We’ve all grown up with the stories of the pilgrims and native Americans gathering for “the first Thanksgiving” in November 1621. The pilgrims had just enjoyed their first successful corn harvest and Plymouth Colony’s Governor William Bradford organized a feast and invited the indigenous tribesmen who had taught them to grow the corn and survive the various challenges they had encountered as they tried to establish themselves in this new and hostile environment. Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow wrote of the event, reflecting on the difficult times the settlers had endured and expressing gratitude for the abundant fish and game that had been gathered as well as the produce they had grown by observing;

“...although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress designated one or more days of thanksgiving a year, and in 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the national government of the United States, noting;

“...it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

On October 20, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln sought to focus the collective mind of a war-torn nation on the blessings of God by signing Proclamation 118 to take steps to create a national holiday to

“...appoint and set apart the last Thursday in November next as a day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow-citizens, wherever they may then be, as a day of thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe.”

Notice a recurring theme in all this? A recognition that all blessings come from a benevolent God and that we need to recognize his love, graciousness and generosity and appropriately thank and praise and worship Him for it.

As we join with family and friends this week to enjoy the time-honored tradition of Thanksgiving, let us remember that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17 ESV

Happy Thanksgiving and God bless you all.

Missions

These are the challenges that the congregation is actively working on this month.

Our Missions For November

Equip | Encourage another church member to be thankful by inviting them to share in completing the thanksgiving themed Teach and Serve missions for the month.

Teach | Using the blank slips in the lobby, write out something you are thankful for, along with a Bible verse, and drop it in the thankfulness jar (put in at least 3). These will be shared with the congregation later.

Serve | Give notes of encouragement to 3 different church members, thanking them for something they do for the church.

News

This section is for any special announcements that are not upcoming events or prayer requests.

Christmas Eve Schedule | Sunday, December 24th
Our Sunday schedule for Christmas Eve (December 24th) will be as follows:
- Bible Class (10am)
- Worship (11am)
- NO Evening Service
Children’s Bible Class Teachers & Helpers Needed | New Quarter Begins February 2024
Our next quarter will begin in February 2024 and we’ll be needing to staff ALL of our Children’s Bible Classes. In today’s world our children, at very young ages, are exposed to a wealth of worldly influences seeking to seperate them from God. During these pivotal stages of developmental and spiritual growth, our children’s lives are forever shaped by all that they come in contact with. A foundation built with either, rock or sand. Only (2) possible paths of life to travel down, narrow or wide. God has graciously gifted us the opportunity to begin guiding our children down the only path worth taking. We’re called to be apart. Please take this opportunity to help our children stand apart. Show God’s love with your service and help teach our children His Word. Let’s make sure they get our very best!
Please contact Matthew Woodyard if you wish to volunteer for any of the follow:
- Current teachers wishing to continue for the upcoming Quarter (Feb-Apr).
- Anyone willing to teach, co-teach, or help out with a class.
- Anyone willing to be a substitute.
If you’re interested in learning more about our Children’s Ministry, please feel free to reach out by email (matthew.woodyard@yahoo.com) or call/text (502-234-8155). I will be placing a sign-up sheet in the lobby.
Thank you and God Bless,
Matthew Woodyard
Announcement From the Elders
Recently we have had a significant increase in spam and scam phone calls to the church’s office number. As a result, there is an increased likelihood the answering machine will pick up before one of the ministers. If this happens, please leave a message and someone will contact you as soon as possible. We expect this will subside after the Holidays and appreciate your patience.
Ann Pittman Update
Mom was able to return home. Thank you so much for all of your prayers. We greatly appreciate you all!
- Kimberly Whittaker
Church Records | Sunday, November 19th
Bible Class Attendance (75)
Worship Attendance (132)
Contribution ($4,355.00)

Just a friendly reminder to everyone regarding church announcements: If you wish to make an announcement, please contact Matthew Woodyard via email (office@hollyhillcoc.org). Announcements will be included in our daily email (5pm), our weekly Vine (Thursdays at 10am), and posted to Holly Hill’s Facebook page. Please submit your announcement by 4pm if you wish to have it shared day of. If you have any questions about this process, please do not hesitate to contact Matthew.

Prayers

Here are some individuals that especially need our prayers this week. Please keep them in mind every time you pray.

New Prayer Requests:
- Dwan McKnight & Family (friend of Matthew Woodyard, mourning the loss of a child)
- Ann Pittman (Off Vent & Improving)
- Steve Small
Ongoing Prayers For: Larry & Renita Clarke, Candi Early (Mike & Robin Mayes’ sister-in-law's sister), Abe Martha (Brenda Stone’s nephew-in-law), Rita Tackett (Alyson Woodyard’s aunt), The Stone & Morris Family, The Kerman & Chatham Family, The Parrott Family, Aundreya Rich & Holly Collins, Jerry Mayes, Phillip Bartley, Michael Morris, Mark McPherson, Charlotte & Tanner Henderson (Elijah’s sister and brother-in-law, who lost a child), Wilton Hudson, Scarlet Stumbo (aunt of Val Clark), James Robert (Val Clark’s uncle), Janis Friend, Pam Smith (foster parent of Robin Mayes niece, Lexi), Horn family, Butch Elliott (friend of Robin Mayes), Rhoda Jones, Betty Blanton, Bill & Mary Jo Marion (friends of Robin Mayes), Helen Hall, Penny Harland (Katie Bell’s mother), Alyssa Deaton, Pete & Jessie Tropoulos, Rusty Bell (friend of Robin Mayes), Gail Keith (Michele Blanton’s mother), Nikki Fenney (Johnny & Julie Widener’s niece), Bertha Young’s Family, Dorothy Trent, Polly Deaton, Sandra Haden (Tiffany Quarles’ mother), Valentine family, David Fair (prayers for his marriage & family situation), Phil & Suzanne Wilkins, prayers for Mission Control Challenges, Glenda Mitchum.

Please submit your prayer requests for inclusion at office@hollyhillcoc.org

Upcoming Events

Here are some events that are coming up that you need to make space on your calendar for.

Small Groups | Sunday Afternoon, November 26th (Check Schedule for Meeting Times)
In order to build relationships with our church family, instead of meeting at the church building, we will meet in each other's homes for a short devotional, guided discussion, prayer, and fellowship. More information on locations will be coming soon.
Men’s Bible Study & Breakfast | Saturday Morning, December 2nd at 8am
Join us on the 1st Saturday morning of each month, for the Men’s Bible Study & Breakfast. We will meet downstairs in the Fellowship Hall and be studying from the book of James. See you there!
Elders, Ministers, & Deacons Meeting | Sunday Afternoon, December 3rd at 4pm
Elders, Ministers, & Deacons will meet on the 1st Sunday of each month at 4pm, downstairs in the Fellowship Hall.
Mission Control | Sunday Night, December 3rd at 6pm
Everyone meets in small groups in the fellowship hall. Material is provided for group discussion of each question. Responses on how to better meet the month's challenges are shared with all groups. Attendance at the previous mission control meetings is not required.
Study Groups | Sunday Night, December 10th at 6pm
On this Sunday night, the men will meet in the auditorium for a group session, and the women will meet in room 12 downstairs. Some of the men will teach the children in a separate classroom downstairs in order to allow the mothers to participate in the women's study group. All are welcome! Please bring your family!
Singing Service | Sunday Night, December 17th at 6pm
We will meet downstairs in the fellowship area to sing together in worship to God, and to encourage each other. The chairs will be arranged in a circle to intentionally draw attention to the fact that we are a family and are singing to build each other up. For many, these singing events are very moving and powerful. We want you to be there!
Christmas Eve Schedule | Sunday, December 24th (NO Evening Service)
Our Sunday schedule for Christmas Eve (12/24) will be as follows:
- Bible Class (10am)
- Worship (11am)
- NO Evening Service

How You Can Serve

There are a lot of ways you can get involved and do the work of God in our community!

Limited-Time Opportunities:

Mission Control Challenges
We have 3 new challenges for the month of November that we need your help on. Please see the section above entitled “Missions” for more information.

Long-Term Opportunities:

Mission Launch Team
We are needing individuals to sign up for the Mission Launch Team. People on this team commit to working on the Mission Control challenges each month, and they also commit to encouraging at least one other person to work on the missions as well. We need you to sign up for this ministry so we can grow the Mission Control program organically from person to person. Sign up for the Mission Launch Team at the Mission Control Center in the lobby.

Tech Team Support
The Holly Hill Tech Team needs help. We would love to have a few more people trained and available to set up the livestreams and audio equipment. It’s a fairly simple task and you’ll be well trained before being thrown into the seat alone. If you’re interested, see Nick, David, or Brad.

Card Ministry
Every Sunday there are cards spread out on a table in the lobby that will be sent out to various church members and guests who need encouragement. You can help serve and encourage by making sure to sign these cards each week. If you know of someone the church should send a card, please give the name(s) and address to Joyce Best. We have “get-well” cards, “thinking of you” cards, “praying for you” cards, and sympathy cards. You can also text the information to (502) 593-5865.

Casey Blessing Box
The Casey’s are collecting items to give away to those in need in their Blessing Box. Currently, they are accepting donations of: Can goods of fruit and vegetables. Crackers, or cereal.

Shriners Children’s Hospital
Donna White is collecting soda can tabs to donate to the children’s hospital. Please leave your donations in the lobby.

Children’s Bible Class Teachers & Helpers
If you’d be willing to teach, sub, or help, please see Matthew Woodyard. We have a wonderful opportunity to teach God’s Word to our children. Let’s make sure they get our very best! Thank you!

For more information or for help signing up for any of these ministries, please call the church office at: (502) 227-7796