YELLOWSTONE – ARGYLE/APPLE GROVE
   PARISH NEWSLETTER
Office Phone: 608-543-3088
Website: www.YellowstoneArgyleAppleGrove.com
   October 2024
   Our Ministry Focus: 
   “Sharing God’s grace from a hopeful place”
 

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Dear friends in Christ, 
    I remember as a child, saying to my parents, “Why do we have to go to church on Christmas?” For me, at the time, it was delaying the opening and playing with our new presents. My parents were unbending; they told me that “Jesus was the reason for the season.” 
   I wrestled with that statement for a few years, but now I have come to see that Jesus is not only the reason for the season, but the ONLY reason for the season; for without Jesus’ entry into the world, we would all be left in hopelessness. 
   The truth of the above statement can be found in a story told years ago. It tells of a pastor who fell asleep in his study on Christmas morning. He dreamt about a world where the Savior had never come. In his dream, he found himself looking through his home, but there were no stockings, no wreaths, no tree. He walked out to the street, no church with spires pointing heavenward could be seen. Back in his library every book about Christ had disappeared from the shelves.
   A knock at the door brought a request in his dream, to come to a dying mother. At her bedside, he said, “I have something here that will comfort you.” He opened his Bible to look for a familiar verse, but now his Bible ended at Malachi. There was no Gospel, no promise of life beyond the grave. He could only bow his head and weep in hopeless desperation. Two days later, he stood beside the grave to conduct this mother's funeral. But he had no words of comfort, nor message of a glorious resurrection. He found all he could say was “ashes to ashes and dust to dust.” After one long, last, final farewell in his dream, he burst into sobbing.
   Suddenly, nearby music woke this pastor from his sleep. When he realized what he was hearing, he gave out a great shout of joy. The choir was practicing in the next room, singing, “O come all ye faithful, Come and behold Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!”
   Had Christ not come we would have no New Testament, no Gospel, no way of knowing God’s way for our lives, no forgiveness of sin, no hope of resurrection. 
   But Christ did come! Christ is the one who brings light in the darkness, and restores life out of the jaws of death. So, with that in mind, I hope to see all of you for our Advent and Christmas season, where we prepare for and then celebrate the moment that changed our history and all history. 
                                                                                                                                 ~ God bless, Dan

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Support InterVarsity Ministry: Our Christmas Offering will again go to the ministry of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for the financial support of Yellowstone members Shannon Marion and Scott Marion. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is a nationwide ministry that reaches college students and faculty with the gospel. Please give generously. Envelopes can be found by the offering plates at church or you can send a check and put “InterVarsity ministry” in the memo. 

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Decorate the Church for Christmas: We’d like to decorate our churches on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Poinsettias. There is a sign-up in the narthex or you can call Pastor Dan (543-3088). The cost is $12. Please place your order by Monday, December 16th. You may take them home following the worship service. Thank you!

 

Advent Worship Theme: Advent is a time of waiting. We wait for the coming of the Christ child. “Waiting” will be the theme this coming Advent. The season will culminate with the cry “The waiting is over!” on Christmas. 

 

Joint Sunday School Christmas programs – December 24th: This year, our Christmas Eve service will be a bit different. Besides the usual Christmas songs, lighting of the candles, special music and liturgies, our Sunday School will be leading us through the story of Jesus’ birth. The kids will find themselves at the stable and will be participates as the story of Jesus unfolds before our eyes. 

 

 

The joint Yellowstone/Argyle-Apple Grove WELCA cookie walk is around the corner -- December 7th. Your donation of holiday baked goods is appreciated, as this is the only fund-raiser of the year and a wonderful joint effort between the Argyle/Apple Grove and Yellowstone WELCAs.  
   An addition this year will be a “Craft Corner”.  If you have one or two craft items you would like to donate (space will be limited), it will add to the festivities.
   Items may be dropped off at the Argyle EMS building any time between 3:00 and 6:00 PM on December 6th.  Craft items should have a "suggested" retail purchase price.   
   Volunteers are needed for both Dec. 6th and 7th. Please contact
Kristine O’Connor (608-214-3363) for questions and volunteering.

 

Yellowstone WELCA will pack cheer pails Sunday, Dec. 8th at 8:00 a.m. (Worship is at 9:00 a.m. that day). Donated items and donated time are both appreciated.

 

Argyle-Apple Grove Congregational Meeting to further our discussion on whether or not to rebuild at the site, will take place on Sunday, December 8th following the late service. 
   We will begin the meeting with some comments by Pastor Dan and then at that time, if they are available, we will look at some architectural options on a possible rebuild.
   We will then move downstairs and break off into small groups, like we have in the past. We will be asking some detailed questions to get a more defined understanding of what the congregation wants to do.
   Before the meeting on December 8th, you will be receiving at least one other email with much more information about the theme and scope of our meeting. 
   Please continue to pray that God’s Spirit will guide us in our discerning process. Pray for patience and an openness to others’ opinions as consensus and unity is a must as we move forward. 

 

Stewardship: We thank everyone for your generous support of the ministries of our congregations. If you are unable make it to church to give your offering, you may mail it to the following address: Yellowstone/Argyle-Apple Grove; Box 217; Argyle, WI 53504.
 

Winter Book Club: Do you want to read a good book about moving deeper into one’s spiritual journey? Sue Monk Kidd, wrote a wonderful book titled “When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s sacred questions.” In it, she tells the story of her spiritual journey. The book cover says, “Blending her own experience with an intimate grasp of spirituality, Sue Monk Kidd relates the passionate and moving tale of her spiritual crisis, when life seemed to have lost meaning and her longing for a hasty escape form the pain yielded to a discipleship of ‘active waiting.’ Full of wisdom, story, and grace, Kidd’s words will encourage us along our spiritual journey, toward becoming who we truly are meant to be.” 
   We’ll meet once each month in January, February and March (so approximately 65 pages a month); the time and location will be announced once we know who will be attending. 
   The cost of the book is $11. There will be a sign up in the narthex or you can call Pastor Dan or Ann. 
   Even if you choose not to come to the discussions, I encourage you to purchase the book. It’s a great read and will challenge you to draw deeper into your life and faith. 

 

October Treasurers’ and Pastor’s reports:
                Yellowstone                                Argyle-Apple Grove 
  Beginning balance:   $3,543.44      Beginning Balance:  $12,313.84
                   Income:     $8,404.36                           Income:  $10,915.00

Additional to avoid fee: $10,000                        Expenses:   $5,037.10
                Expenses:     $9,258.44            Ending Balance: $ 18,191.74      

     Ending Balance:   $12,689.36          
 

*Income at Yellowstone was high because the bank now requires a minimum of $5,000, or a fee is added each month. So, money was added to the account.
 

Marriage:
     Kaitlyn Sweeney/Jared Johnson – Argyle Lutheran, October 26th 
 

Baptisms:
     Ensley and Ivey Pittz – November 10th at Yellowstone.

 

Quilters will meet on Tuesday, December 17th at 9:00 a.m. All are welcome. Quilting takes place at Argyle Lutheran. 

Coffee hour returns! On the first early service of each month, we will have coffee hour. We need people to sign up to bring goodies.

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Our FINANCIAL BOOKS FOR 2024 WILL CLOSE ON SUNDAY,  DECEMBER 29th Any offering you want to count towards the 2024 calendar year must be received by this time. Thank you for your continued support of the ongoing ministry to one another, to the community, and the world.

 

Pastor Dan will be on vacation from Wednesday evening, November 27th through Sunday, December 1st. In case of a pastoral emergency during that time, please contact Pastor Kate Kieckhafer at (608) 732-9688. 

 

SNOW ON SUNDAY If we cancel church due to bad weather, Pastor Dan will send out an email (if you aren’t on the church email list, please let Dan know and he’ll get you on it). There will also be a posting on our church website (www.YellowstoneArgyleAppleGrove.com). 
     If you aren’t using any of that technology and you are in doubt about worship, please call the parsonage at 608-543-3088. If church is cancelled, there will be a message on the phone. If there is church, Dan or Ann will give an update on what the road conditions are like. 
   We will not be calling any radio stations this year.

 

FIRST COMMUNION CLASSES will be held in January. Our constitution does not have a required age. If you believe that your child understands what Communion is about and is ready to partake in His meal, please sign up in the narthex. 
   We will meet on January 15th and 29th from 5:30-7:15 p.m. at the parsonage (508 Monroe St., Argyle). One parent is required to attend the first 20 minutes of the first class and a parent needs to be present at 7:00 p.m. at the end of the second meeting. If you have questions, talk to Pastor Dan.

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A/APplestone Youth News
       
   Youth Quake: February 14th–16th in WI Dells! It’s not too late to sign up. The standard program fee is $129 per youth, along with the cost of housing that is determined once we have a final count (approximately $80). The deadline to sign-up is Sunday, December 29th; call Ann for questions or to register at 608-214-1531. This is for youth in grades 6 – 12; friends are welcome. We have a great group going and you don’t want to miss out on an awesome weekend!!

All things A/Applestone:
   *All youth in grades 7–12 are welcome to be a part of our youth group. We strongly encourage youth from Yellowstone and Argyle/Apple Grove to be active in the group. And we welcome your friends, whether or not they are from other churches or who don’t have a church home.
   *Communication: We use the newsletter, Sunday bulletins, and the website as sources of communication, but SnapChat has been our main go-to for up-dates, reminders, last minute changes, and fun shares. Parents are welcome to be on our group chat as well!  
   *Follow us on FaceBook and Instagram!

 

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