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Dear members & friends of the Dodgeville & Ridgeway: Grace UMCs, This Advent, we are getting back to the basics by remembering the incredible promises of this season, through the eyes of heaven. We are coming together with God and each other to remember God’s promises of hope, joy, peace, love and—of course—the greatest promise and gift we’ve ever been given, Jesus the Christ. Christmas is his birthday. And that’s what the celebration of this season is really all about. As we get back to the basics, revisiting those special themes of Advent, we will also be asking what they have to do with us. Is God really with us? Does God really care if we have hope, joy, peace, and love in our lives? Well, all of these promises are fulfilled as we place our faith in what God has done through his Son. And God sent Jesus to be with us, forever. Jane and I are so delighted to be with you for our 9th Christmas—continuing to do ministry by sharing the Good News together. And the story of this season never gets old, does it? Humanity has gotten itself into trouble, with no possible way out. But, we have the answer, don’t we? We

Merry Christmas

discover through the Christmas story that there is One who loves us more than any other, who can actually do something about the trouble we’re in (our fallen nature, unacceptable to God). As a matter of fact, God loves us so much that he sent the first Christmas present ever, his very best. It’s a gift that will allow us to connect with God again … and forever! The question we may need to be asking ourselves is this: Have we opened the gift? Have you ever watched, on Christmas morning, as someone opened up a gift you gave them—a gift that took a lot of thought and effort on your part to make happen … and the look on their face made you feel incredible? Do you remember how you felt in the giving? So, what kind of look is going to be on God’s face … as he watches to see what we do with his Gift to us this season? Folks, it matters to God that we have hope, joy, peace and love in our lives … in abundance. But the only way that will happen is if we open up our lives to receive God’s Son, Jesus. In other words, we need to open the gift God has sent us (with our name on it, I might add)! Join us for worship—for coming together with God through this season, would you? It will indeed be a blessed way to end 2012… With love & gratitude for each and every one of you,

Pastor Rom & Jane

UNITED METHODIST WOMEN

Christmas Pot-Luck The next meeting of our local unit will be our annual Christmas Pot-Luck to be held on Thursday, December 6 at 6:00 PM. We will meet in Fellowship Hall –please join us for good food and fellowship. No January Meeting Please note that we will not meet in January. February Meeting Rescheduled Our meeting originally scheduled on Thursday, February 7, has been moved due to a meeting with Bishop Jung to take place in fellowship hall. The February meeting will now be on Tuesday, February 5th at 7:00 PM The Grace Post Circle will meet for their annual Christmas Pot Luck at 12:00PM (noon) on Monday, December 17. They will meet at the home of Louise Price, please bring an item for “pot-luck” devotions as well as a dish to pass. The Evening Star Circle will not meet in December or January.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE TIMES:

5:00 PM

Ridgeway: Grace Service

7:00 PM

Contemporary Service

9:00 PM

Traditional

Service

CANDLE

LIGHTING CEREMONY

Compassionate Friends will be

holding a Candle Lighting

Ceremony on Sunday,

December 9th at 6:00 PM at

DUMC.

PLEASE PRAY: Ernie Aschliman, Lands’ End employees, Hurricane Victims,

Jan Roh & Family, Dorothy Leffler, Marilyn Liddle, 229th Military unit in Afghanistan

DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES 13 – Dean & Mary Terrill

29 – Dale & Nancy Mortimer 31 – Art & Margaret Humbert

CHOIR NEWS The choir will sing at the 9:00 AM services on the following

Sundays in December: December 2, 9, 16 and also at the 9:00 PM Candle Light

service on Christmas Eve. We will rehearse at 8:15 AM preceding the services and

we will also have a rehearsal after the December 2nd service.

New as well as “returning” members are always welcome.

DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS 3 - Scott Godfrey 17 – Ivy Wilson 4 - Keith Bowers 20 – Mary Wilson 5 - Ken Dobson 22 – Robin Digman 5 - Mylee Mulder 22 – Dawn Van Epps 8 - Mary Terrill 23 – Rosemary Edwards 9 - Kaitlin Strutt 25 – Quintin Puckett 12 - Denise Tolzman 28 – Elijah Jacobson 13 - Matt Schlueter 29 – Mary Lou Oxnem 13 - Earl Welsh 31 – Julie Colden 14 - Kevin Houck 31 – A.J. Smith 14 - James Short

COMING TO A BULLETIN NEAR YOU…

Beginning this Advent, our Connection Cards will have a new look! Instead of being a tear-off portion on the regular bulletin, the new Connection Cards will be a separate insert made of blue cardstock.

Originally, we did not intend to use the Connection Cards for attendance, but we’ve found that this is the best way for the staff to know the attendance patterns of our guests, regular attenders, and members which helps us to be more intentional about loving the people God has entrusted to us. We hope to continue to make progress in using the cards to care for those who walk through the doors at Dodgeville UMC.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when filling out the new cards…

Since the Connection Cards help the staff stay in touch with the congregation and to get to know our guests, we would like each person to fill out their own card. If you have children present with you that don’t fill out their own, please add their names on the appropriate line that’s been added.

We have separated out the area that previously said, “I decided to commit/recommit my life to Christ” into two separate choices because there is a difference in how we would like to respond to those who are making a first-time commitment and those who are recommitting to Christ as part of their faith journey.

There is still a place to check whether you are attending Dodgeville UMC as a guest, a regular attender, or a member. In the past, these choices have caused some confusion, so I’d like to clarify. While it is certainly our hope that members are attending worship regularly, our definition of a “regular attender” for purposes of the Connection Cards is one who regularly worships at Dodgeville UMC but has not yet made the commitment to be a member.

You will find new boxes on the back side of the card where you

Continued on next page…

CURRENT MONTH October, 2012 Monthly Income $ 11,201 Monthly Expenses Paid $ 18,057 Net Income for month $<6,856> Apportionments Paid 1,081 Unpaid Apportionments $1,081 YEAR TOTALS THROUGH CURRENT MONTH Years Income $121,179 Years Expenses Paid $139,576 Net Income for Year $ 18,397 Apportionments Paid $ 5,405 Unpaid Apportionments $ 15,134 TOTAL APPORTIONMENTS DUE FOR YEAR $25,944 APPORTIONMENTS DUE PER MONTH $ 2,162

can request information, make comments, submit prayer requests and/or ask questions. (Please note: prayer requests will not be printed in the bulletin unless you check that you would like them published. Unpublished prayer requests are prayed over by the staff and the prayer team only.) There will also be an area to share with us some “Next Steps” you may choose to take during the week. The suggested steps will vary from week to week and more information will be shared during worship celebrations as needed. On behalf of the staff, I want to thank you for your cooperation in filling out your Connection Card each week! We’re glad you’re on the journey with us as we all learn to Love God, Love People and Serve God by Serving Others! Beth Schlueter Connections Coordinator

December 2012 A STEWARDSHIP MESSAGE FOR YOUR CHURCH

#284 Give to Grow Spiritually – "For a child has been born -- for us! ... and there'll be no limits to the wholeness he brings." (Isaiah 9:6-7, The

Message.)

Jesus is counting on us – all of us – to care for all the children of the world this Christmas season. How do we as United Methodists do that best? A) By ringing bells in our community for the Salvation Army red pots. B) By providing items for the food pantry. C) By paying our apportionments in full this year… or, D) all of the above are great ways to live our faith this holiday season! When we place our holiday gifts in the church’s offering plates, 84.6 cents of every dollar, on average, will remain in our local church to provide for utilities, building maintenance, pastoral and staff salaries, children’s and youth ministries, etc.

Another 12.7 cents out of every dollar we give will provide signs of hope to children, youth and adults who participate in the ministries of Northcott Neighborhood House, United Methodist Children’s Services, Harbor House Crisis Shelters, our United Methodist camps, Jr. and Sr. High Youth CONVOs and campus ministries on ten different campuses.

Signs of hope are shared through over 1,000 mission personnel supported through the General Board of Global Ministries, in over 150 countries, for just 2.7 cents out of every dollar given.

As United Methodists we are connected. We are called to THINK GREATER! We see that vision come alive right now as people work together to respond to the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy throughout the Caribbean and the northeastern section of the United States. Even in the midst of such tragedy, UMCOR is there on our behalf sharing the love and hope that is ours in Christ. As United Methodists, let’s celebrate the many ways hope is shared through our connectional giving this holiday season.

Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation 750 Windsor Street Ste 305, P.O. Box 620

Sun Prairie, WI 53590-0620 1-888-903-9863 or wumf@wumf.org

_____________________________________________

COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER Saturday, December 25th, 12:00-1:30 PM at Culver’s.

Reservations: for a delivered meal, or to eat at Culver’s, call London at 574-0115. This dinner is made possible through

Dodgeville Churches and the generous contributions of United Fund of Iowa County, Culver’s, Salvation Army and other Iowa

County Businesses, individuals, and civic organizations. Monetary donations accepted at the door will be used for the cost

of the meal.

Community Thanksgiving Dinner A total of $526.25 was donated towards the Community

Thanksgiving Meal!

UMCOR Hurricane Sandy Relief A total of $320.00 was given to support those in the North

East who suffered from Hurricane Sandy.

Dodgeville United Methodist Church

March 2013 Mission:

“Goshen Blessings”

UGANDA

Bishop Nelson Wesamoyo (the short man in center back) and Agnes Wesamoyo (2

nd from left) with others from Uganda walking the land now

called “Goshen Blessings”

Bweyale in Kiryandongo District, near Misindi is in the North/Central West part of Uganda. Many of the people are refugees from Kenya, Sudan, Congo, Central African Republic, Rwanda, or transplants from other communities like Mbale, Teso (since 1990s civil war), or relocated like the people from Bududa District when Mt. Elgon had mudslides in 2010. They have unity or co-exist right now. Some of the people’s parents died during the war so they can’t go back “home.” They had no plans for future. Since they were strangers and poor they could not own land. Nelson told a local pastor that if he came across land, to tell him. So the pastor called Nelson and he came and stayed a month and finally decided on a piece of land equaling 30 acres. He bought it from a widow to create faith community of farmers to help feed the people year round. They need water to make this happen in the 2 dry seasons (lasting 2-3 months each). A well and a cistern will make this dream come true. Dodgeville UMC will be joining other churches from Wisconsin and elsewhere to go and supply money for the well, which will help dig the cistern for the Ugandans in March of 2013. A team of 9 will do worship and programs with the children & women as well as work with the men of the village on this water project…

Call the Office @ Dodgeville UMC – 608-935-5451 for more info…

Uganda Statistics – 2011

Population 35.8 Million (WI 5.7 Million)

Land Mass 77,100 sq mi. (size of Oregon)

Life Expectancy 58 years (US – 78+) Literacy Rates 79% (US –

99%)

School Enrollment 87% (US – 99%)

Safe Water Access 60% (US – 99%)

Annual Income $477/per capita income US – $38,000/per capita income

In Matthew 10:42 Jesus tells us, “anyone who gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple – I assure you: He will never lose his reward!” Only one cup! Wisconsin churches will be sending a mission team to Uganda in March of 2013 to dig a well for a community that does not have clean water to drink as well as do what we can in the name of Jesus for the least (Matthew 25:40). Jesus tells the followers how God will judge in the end, in a story. Then he said: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48b NIV) Please partner with us to do this small project for the Kingdom of God. ‘A small request for a great need; ‘just a “cup” for the children & refuges living in Uganda. Jesus told his followers, “no greater love than this, that some would lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Can you show the thirsty children and refuges in Uganda your love for God? Start setting aside your gift right now … and we will be receiving this special offering for the needy of Uganda on Christmas Eve 2012. Please pray about your part in this very special project…

Your gift of support will help the Refugee Community of Bweyale,

Uganda have clean water for drinking and a cistern to collect rain water

for the crops to provide food year round. Thank you – Matthew 25:40

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