Ben Hill Church family please keep our clergy and lay staff in your thoughts and prayers during this Holy Christmas Season! If you are so led, please make your check payable to the individual and mail it to Ben Hill UM Church, 2099 Fairburn Road, S.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30331. ATTN: SPRC.Thank you and blessings for this Holy Season as God moves us into 2021!
CLERGY TEAM
Rev Dr. Byron E. Thomas
Rev Brian Tillman
Rev Elizabeth Pollard
Rev Brenda Presha
Rev Paul Easley
Minister Brenda Bennefield
CHURCH STAFF
Dr. Anthony Alford - Director of Operations
Jean Brown - Administrative Assistant to Sr. Pastor
Beverly Register - Administrative Assistant to Associate Pastors
Chertina Joseph - Office Assistant
Janice Smith Landry - HR Director/Controller
Keith Wilson - Director of Music
Kristan Scales Jones-Director of Communications/Children’s Ministry Coordinator
Jeff Greene - Technical Director
Vicki Callaway - Food Bank Coordinator
Gail Bell - Staff Accountant
Rosalind Johnson- Security Officer
Murray Witherspoon- Security
Orlando Williams - Facility Porter
Willie Vincent - Director of Choirs
James Saintil - Band Director
Courtney Tatum - Musician
Jonathan Reid- Musician
Mark Polynice - Musician
Andrew Leandre -Musician
Sarkino Walker - Orchestra Director
Constance Williams - Bell Choir Director
Tarneshala Simmons - Youth Choir Director
May God continue to grant you Hope, Faith, Joy, Peace, and Love as we celebrate the Birth of the Messiah.
PLEASE DO NOT MAKE YOUR CHECK PAYABLE TO Ben Hill United Methodist Church.
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Calling All College and High School Students! |
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At Ben Hill UMC we value what God does in the lives of our college students. As we welcome our students home for the holidays, we invite all Ben Hill college students and current high school students to join us on December 20th as the Higher Education Ministry will host a virtual welcome back gathering for College and Grad students. We encourage high school students to join us to hear from our college students. Please register at the link below to receive the Zoom link for the event.
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Please be sure that we have the best e-mail address for you (or your student). Confirm your contact information by clicking the button below. |
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Join us Sunday for a short virtual Christmas program by the Ben Hill Children and Youth Sunday school. The program will take place during the normal Sunday School Zoom meeting at at 10:30am. Follow the link below to join the program on Sunday, December 20th.
We are so grateful for our amazing teachers that have done an excellent job teaching Sunday school each and every Sunday.
Gloria Dixon
Annette Fraizer
Carolyn Randall
Jackie Sims
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It is with a heart full of love and emotions that we are not able to host our yearly Angel Tree event due to Covid-19, but we trust God to restore all that has been lost during this season of unprecedented times. However, we will still be able to make a great impact. Ben Hill UMC has selected to join Fellowship of Prison Ministries and offer a Virtual Angel Tree. (VAT). When Christmas comes, prisoners' children often wonder.... does my mommy or daddy still love me? Do they even remember me anymore? Your generosity today will give a prisoner child a Christmas to remember.
And this year with a matching grant, $22 will be DOUBLED to serve TWO children this Christmas!
Angel Tree donations are still being accepted. You may make donations until the end of January. You may mail in your donations to the church.
On your check, please designate ‘Angel Tree’ in the Memo field. After Christmas, Fellowship of Prison Ministries will provide a list of the children Ben Hill UMC helped to serve. We thank you in advance for your support of Angel Tree and making the lives of children merrier and joyous during this Christmas season. Continue to be hopeful and spread the love you have to someone else, especially during such a season as this. If you have any questions, please contact Eden Mabry at edenjkz@yahoo.com.
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Test sites are subject to delays or early closures. Be sure to confirm times and dates the day of testing. |
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It's time again for ALL to participate in our Community Service Project for Martin Luther King Day here at Ben Hill. The pandemic has impacted our communities through job loss, and increased food insecurity. As a church community, we will work to stock the food pantry at Ben Hill. More information is forthcoming but we hope you will be a part of this effort. Food will be collected during normal Food Bank hours. If you have any questions, please call Eldridge Stephens at 404-542-1957. |
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The Prison Ministry would like to send cards, words of encouragement, to those who are currently incarcerated. Perhaps you have a loved one or know of someone who would appreciate receiving a card. The Prison Ministry offers a safe nonjudgmental space to seek prayers and support. Please contact Gloria Parker, gloriaparker3790@comcast.net or Cynthia Holland at cythinam@msn.com with the name and mailing information of your loved one.
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In an effort to support the growing need for food assistance during this difficult and unprecedented time, the Ben Hill Food Bank is reaching out to our church ministries. If your ministry budget permits, please consider purchasing items in the food donation list below. The highlighted items are needed most
The Food Bank is in URGENT need of canned goods and plastic bag donations.
FOOD DONATION LIST
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- Breakfast Food - cereal, grits, oatmeal
- Boxed or canned milk
- Canned Vegetables/peas/beans/corn
- Canned Fruits
- Canned Meat
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- Rice/mashed potatoes
- Pasta
- Tomato sauce
- Loaves of Bread
- Peanut butter and jelly
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Ministries should bring the food items to the Food Bank Drive-Up on Wed. (10:30am-12:30pm) or Saturday (10:30am-12:30pm). Donating is simple: 1) Place the food in the trunk of your car. 2) When you arrive, call the Food Bank at (404) 344-0618 X 1115 or (404) 314-2241, and someone will meet you to take the food from your car. All donations are touchless--keeping our donors and volunteers safe.
OTHER WAYS TO DONATE:
PLASTIC GROCERY STORE BAGS
Also, we need (lots of ) plastic bags, the type used at grocery stores.
MONETARY DONATION
In lieu of donating food items, please consider making a monetary donation by check or online as follows:
CHECK
Make payable to Ben Hill UMC and specify "Food Bank" in note area. Mail to
Ben Hill UMC, ATTN: Food Bank, 2099 Fairburn Road SW, Atlanta, GA 30331
ONLINE
We are thankful and grateful to ALL BHUMC Ministries, Families and Friends for your support. Your generosity and steadfast support of the Food Bank and the families who depend on the essential services it provides are appreciated. Please let us know if you are able to help by contacting Vicki Callaway at (404) 314-2241 or vcallaway@aol.com.
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The Prayer Ministry will host Corporate Prayer every Wednesday from 6:15 pm - 6:45 pm. We will have prayer on December 23rd,2020 AND on Christmas Day at 10am. We invite everyone to join us on Christmas.
Weekly Corporate Prayer will feature a prayer of thanksgiving, a reading from the Upper Room Daily Devotional, and intercessory prayer. We will be inviting Clergy and Laity to pray the intercessory prayer.
To attend Corporate Prayer, please call: (712) 770- 4936, Access Code: 627746. When calling in, please mute your cell phones. If you call in on a landline please turn the volume down on televisions, radios, etc. We look forward to everyone calling in and praying together. To submit Prayer Requests, please visit: benhillumc.org.
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During this season, we want to remind you of the benefits of Stephen Ministry. Stephen Ministry is a collection of specially trained lay people who are trained to listen and provide Christian care for people during the most challenging parts of their lives. It is confidential, one on one, and gender specific. Stephen Ministers are assigned to an individual for about an hour a week. This is especially meaningful for individuals who may be alone during the pandemic, who are grieving, who have a challenging health diagnosis, and who are finding it hard to deal with the challenges in their life.
If this sounds like you, please contact us via email: annex@benhillumc.org and we will be happy to walk along side you. You can also call the church office and ask to speak with Beverly Register or Rev. Tillman.
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Sympathy
May our Lord bless and comfort you and your family during this time of grief.
Please accept our sincere condolences.
LaTrenka and John Riley (M) on the loss of her father and his father-in-law
Jacob Redd, Jr. (R)
Patrick and Petra White (M) on the loss of his father and her father-in-law, and Patrice and Persephone White, on the loss of their grandfather
Rev. Bruce V. White, Jr. (R)
Tarneshala and Justin Simmons (M) on the loss of her grandfather
Lenton George Jenkins (R)
Willie Edward Hill, III (R) on the loss of his father
Willie Edward Hill, Jr. (M)
Bernadette & Fred Hartfield (M) on the loss of her father and his father-in-law
Clarence Weston (R) (97 years old)
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Community Events and Resources |
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The January 5th runoff elections for both of Georgia's U.S. Senate seats are fast approaching. If you would like to use a paper ballot to vote by mail or by putting it in an Elections Dropbox, request your absentee ballot now at https://ballotrequest.sos.ga.gov
Early In-Person Voting has begun and will go through December 31, 2020 for Georgia's January 5th U.S. Senate Elections. These elections will decide the balance of the U.S. Senate
Friends or love-ones who reside in Georgia but who serve in the U.S. Military outside of Georgia (even if stateside), can still vote. It is important for our military men and women to vote in Georgia's January 5th U.S. Senate elections. For more information how those serving in the U.S. military can vote, visit www.fvap.gov
You must VERIFY your voter registration BEFORE the January 5th election. Thousands of Georgians have been purged from Georgia's voting rolls and don't discover it until it is too late. Verify your voter registration status at https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do
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Senior Food Assistance Program |
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Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms launched the City of Atlanta Senior Food Assistance Program to support seniors with food insecurity during COVID-19 by partnering with meal and grocery delivery organizations. Seniors who reside in the City of Atlanta and are struggling to receive access to food during this time may apply to be a part of this program by completing this survey found here. You may also contact ATL311 for information or help with filling out the survey by dialing 311 within the city limits or (404) 546-0311.
Specific program eligibility requirements are listed below:
- Reside in the City of Atlanta;
- Age 60 or older;
- Low income (household income at or below 80% of the AMI);
- Not participating in any other senior food assistance program and meet one of the following criteria:
- Unable to leave home;
- Unable to prepare meals for themselves; or
- Unable to procure or utilize commercial home delivery services.
* Completion of the survey does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
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African Americans and the Vaccine
Health and Wellness Ministry, LOVE Vision Area, Ben Hill United Methodist Church
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Without a doubt, African Americans have been most impacted by COVID-19 in terms of the most positive cases, most mortalities, and the most economically devastated. Even still, our people continue to be essential workers in healthcare, grocery stores and other vital services that neighborhoods depend upon. We have persevered through 2020 continuing to reach out to others and to be undergirded by our faith in God. It is true. There is a history in this nation of disparities and unconscionable deception that supports our skepticism and mistrust. Yet, black and brown communities are urgently in need of relief.
We have a moral obligation to respond. “Making It Plain: A Conversation with Dr. Fauci”, is an important video that speaks directly to Black Americans about COVID and the vaccine. This presentation is in partnership with four Black Medical Schools: Howard University, Morehouse School of Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, and MeHarry Medical College.
Other partners include the National Institute of Health, the National Urban League, the Black Nurses Association, the Black Coalition Against COVID-19 and others. Please review this timely and relevant video that will address some of your questions. Also, “save the date” for an upcoming community forum: Wednesday, January 6th at 6:30 p.m. “Keeping it Real…Should I get this vaccine?” sponsored by the AMA “Ask a Black Doctor Series”, Frank K. Jones, MD, MPH, Moderator and President.
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What to do if you cannot view the stream
Here are some helpful tips if you should encounter any issues with accessing Ben Hill's Live Stream:
- Try a different Web browser. Most browsers should work but if your web browser is not showing the stream, try a different one.
- Try going to the Ben Hill UMC Facebook Page and view the Live Stream there.
- Try the phone app. If you do not have the Ben Hill app, download it from your app store and view the steam from there.
- Access StreamingFaith.com as another option to view the live stream.
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On Sunday mornings, live chat is available on the Ben Hill website if you should encounter issues and need additional help.
New! Tune into the sermon by using Sermon by Phone.
The Sunday service will be made available at 9:15am on Sundays by dialing in at:
Links to Connect on Sunday Mornings:
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