News

The American Red Cross has issued an emergency appeal, that means that they have less than 2 days of blood supply on hand. The Red Cross has been distributing about 12% more blood products to hospitals across the U.S. compared to this time last year. The Red Cross needs to collect more than 1,000 additional blood donations each day to meet the current hospital demand and end the severe blood shortage. Donors of all blood types are needed, especially type O, which stands at just a one-day supply right now. We are less than 2 weeks out until our upcoming blood drive. Right now, we have 5 schedule appointments for next Thursday, September 23rd. We have room for at least 10 more appointments. Please consider donating the life-giving power of blood. If you're eligible, please make an appointment to give at our upcoming blood drive on September 23rd at Ephesus Baptist Church, sign up to donate at https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=EBC   * There is NO deferral if you have received the COVID vaccine. * All donors must wear a face mask. * All donors will receive an American Red Cross t-shirt. ebcspringhope.com

Good Afternoon Ephesus Family, A couple of months ago, we were all hopeful that the COVID Pandemic was coming under control and that we would be able to get back to life as normal. These past few weeks have changed all of our misconceptions. COVID has hit home in a major way. Yesterday, we laid to rest a dear brother who, in God's timing, succumbed to the effects of the COVID virus. Many of us personally know someone with COVID at this very moment. As hard as it is to say this, we are going to cancel our in-person services for the next two weeks and go virtual. Why? Because yesterday, as we celebrated Brother Dennis' life, we had a person in attendance who later in the day went to the hospital and tested positive for COVID. My family and a few others have been working closely with this individual for 3 out of the last 4 days leading up to the funeral and are at a high risk of having been infected as well. The few others have been notified in person. Seeing how several of us could have been carriers during the service yesterday, we don't know how much potential spread could have occurred. If you attended the service yesterday, then you may have been at risk, vaccinated or not. Please take the necessary precautions to protect yourselves and others. As for our family, we are entering into quarantine beginning today. We will be tested on Tuesday to see if we have been infected or not. We would appreciate your prayers for our family and for all who were at the funeral yesterday. The individual who is sick is terribly heartbroken that they may have infected others, please pray for this dear saint as well. Therefore after consulting Dr. Tom May, and discussing this issue with our deacons, we have decided that the best course of action at this point is to cancel in-person services for the next two weeks and go virtual. Lord willing, if I am well and able, we will have a virtual message sent out the next two weeks, and hopefully if there is no further spread or infections, we will be able to gather together again in three weeks. Pray for each other, love each other, and stay safe. Please take the necessary precautions. Stand Firm in Scripture and Trust God! With love and concern, Pastor Wayne

Good Afternoon Ephesus Family,  We are cancelling tonight's ZOOM Prayer Gathering, but we are not cancelling prayer. We would ask that you would take some time this evening for a dedicated time of prayer with your spouse and/or family concerning the following requests.  Sue Staton and family (Grief) Our Church family (Grief) Dennis Staton's Celebration of Life Service Diane Stallings (Health) David Harper (Health) Judy Murray's Son-in-Law (Safety for Brian and his crew in Louisiana helping to get power back on) Ken & Jill Olson (Ken's Health) August, the baby of Debbie Peace's friends Alex & Ky (COVID - on a ventilator) Gordon & Betsy Bailes (Betsy's Health) Our Deacon Body as they begin their service together (David Harper, Donn Liles, & Phil Peele) Stephen's Aunt Diane (COVID) Scott & Connie Skinner as they prepare for baptism on September 12th Elizabeth Sullivan as she prepares for baptism (date & time TBD) Bahia Baylari (COVID) Samantha Gaskins (Missionary to India) Abbie Dixon (COVID) Dennis Staton's weekly requests for the past few months Pray we (Ephesus) could see our discipleship movement spread within our church. Pray we (Ephesus) would have a lot of support and success with our Pray and Go Ministry.  There is much more that we can add to this list, but tonight I ask that you focus on this list and ask the Lord of Hosts to bring healing, peace, comfort, discipleship, and ministry success to all mentioned on this list. Please spend some time this evening in your prayer closet or with your family intimately approaching Jesus and petitioning Him on the behalf of each of these requests.  Until Christ Returns, Pastor Wayne