Trinity United Parish

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1 P. O. Box 36 Briggsville UMC, Moundville UMC, Trinity Endeavor UCC Note from Below is a copy of my report for charge conference next week. This is my recap of the joys I have experienced as your pastor this year and the opportunities I see for Thank you all for your wonderful gifts to our continued ministry together. This Sunday we lit the first candle on our advent wreath. It was fun to have the children participate this year and to help them understand what advent is all about. There is something so beautiful about the candles on the advent wreath and watching the light grow each week as we get closer and closer to the true light of Christ s birth. I love this physical reminder of how even a small amount of light can make a big difference. Our congregations are blessed by many small lights that have become beacons of hope and joy for our parish. This past year I have been so excited at the new leadership coming forward in all three churches and the way the churches have grown in their joint ministry to our communities. The sharing supper we started last January has exceeded all of our expectations. We have served well over 100 people most months (one month I believe it was only 93). Several months the total has been close to 150! We have heard stories of neighbors getting to know one another, and helping each other in times of need because of the connections made at the sharing supper. Groups such as ADRC and UW Extension are always pleased at the amount of people they are able to connect with each month. In addition, the joint missions committee has been working hard on the Imagine No Malaria Campaign. I believe as a parish we have raised $1, so far towards our goal of $2, As a reminder, each $10.00 has the potential to save one child s life from this preventable illness. The joint missions committee has also coordinated gift giving to the Marquette County giving tree. As a parish we are helping 35 children in need this Christmas. The Walking Bible Study and Women s Retreat continue to be great sources of spiritual renewal and growth for many. In addition, the study at the Percolator Coffee House has been fun and challenging as we explore some tough theological questions. In Moundville the Treble Maker s music night has been a lot of fun and the music is of course beautiful. Both the Briggsville and Endeavor churches hosted a back to school coffee this year. And Briggsville has started an afterschool program. I m not sure who is having more fun, the children or the adult helpers, but it has truly been a blessing to see the joy and laughter fill our church each Wednesday. It is also a joy to see our sanctuaries filling up on Sunday mornings. This week I am leading a membership class, and I believe we will have at least 11 new members joining our churches soon. Looking forward to 2015, we have a wonderful group of Confirmation students that will be confirmed in The Endeavor church is working with a representative from the UMC on church growth and revitalization that I believe will be fruitful for all three churches. God has been doing many remarkable things in and through these three congregations. I feel so blessed to be your pastor and I can t wait to see what God has in store for our future! God s Blessing, December 2014 Inside this issue: Parish news 2,3, 4, Greeters, liturgists 3 Prayer Circle, birthdays, anniversaries 4 Calendar 5 Deadline to submit articles for the January newsletter is Dec. 30 How to Contact the Church Staff Wilson Office (608) Cell (608) julsumc@gmail.com Office hours Monday noon 4 Tues 9 3 Thurs 9 2:30 tuparish@gmail.com P.O. Box 36

2 Page 2 Will this be your last newsletter? Starting in January, we will be mailing or ing the newsletter only to members of the church, or to regular participants in the life of the church, or to people who request the newsletter. We make this change primarily to reduce the cost of paper, copying and postage, and the time necessary to prepare the mailing. Additionally, reduction in hours at the Briggsville post office mean there will be fewer hours when bulk mail can be received by the post office. We don t want to remove from the mailing list names of individuals or families who enjoy reading the newsletter and keeping current with news in the parish. If you are a member of one of the three churches in the parish, or if you participate regularly, you will continue to receive the newsletter, but if you are able to have the newsletter ed to you, please complete the form below and place in the offering basket or mail it to the church. If you are NOT a member of the church but want to continue to receive the newsletter, please complete the form below and mail to the church, or call the church at , or the church office Yes, I want to receive the newsletter from. Please the newsletter to me. My address is : Name Address City, State, ZIP Return to, PO Box 36, by Dec. 29, 2014 Questions? Call the church office at: NEW schedule for Christmas Eve service at all parish churches 4 pm Children s Service at Moundville UMC 6 pm Candlelight Service at Trinity EUCC 7:30 pm Candlelight Service at Briggsville UMC Next time you re in the fellowship hall at Moundville UMC you ll see the new stained glass window that was dedicated during the Nov. 16 worship service. The window was a memorial gift in honor of Betty Lou Wade from her family. All-Church Conference & potluck Dec 7 All Church Conference will be held on Sunday, Dec. 7 at Briggsville UMC Church starting with a potluck dinner at noon, followed by the meeting at 1 pm. Conference is the annual meeting of the churches in which all members can come, speak their voice, and vote. Reports from various groups in the churches are presented and voted on, and it is a time of review and reflection that presents a backdrop from which to move forward in the new year.

3 Page 3 November Greeters & Liturgists Dec. 7 Dec. 14 Dec. 21 Dec. 24 Dec. 28 Dec. 7 Briggsville (G) Jeff & Lori Sveum (L) Brooklyn Miller (G) Holly& Erik Backhaus & family (L) Kristen Skolarz G) (L) Greg Lindner (G) (L) (G) Katie & Patti Pulver (L) Greg Lindner Moundville (G) (L) Linda Krueger Dec. 14 (G) (L) Natalie Bretsch Dec. 21 (G) (L) Cheri Gibeaut Dec. 24 (G) Dec. 28 (G) Cathy Christensen & Amanda Klawitter (L) Paul Wade Dec. 7 Endeavor (G) Gary & Darlene Mills Dec. 14 (G) Lynette Rataczak Dec. 21 (G) Lynette & Jeremy Schehr Dec. 24 (G) Bev & Joe Mueller Dec. 28 (G) Josh & Jennifer Wade The mission of is to be a loving community of faith. Our faith in Jesus Christ is expressed through learning, growing and caring together. Come celebrate Eldon Parrott s 90th birthday on Sunday, Dec. 28 during an open house from 1-3 pm at Tivoli in Portage. Turn left at the front entrance and take the elevator to the lower level gathering room. No gifts, please. Save wool sweaters to help Ethiopian orphans Bonnie Wolff will give new life to your old wool sweaters by making felted wool mittens which are then sold, with proceeds going to the Global Team for Local Initiatives to support their orphanage in Ethiopia and other efforts with the Hamar tribe. Bring your wool sweaters to Briggsville UMC or call Bonnie at Live Nativity needs volunteers Tis the Season! The Live Nativity is on Saturday, December 13, and we need a Mary, Joseph, and 3 shepherds for each hour long shift, from 4-6pm and from 5-6pm. We also need voices to help sing carols throughout the evening. Please contact Jennifer Loveland at or jeg029@juno.com, or the church office, to volunteer. Stock up on cookies, crafts at Saturday bazaar Homemade cookies for $10 a box will be tempting you at the parish bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 6 at Endeavor UCC from noon to 4 pm. There will also be craft items and other baked items, and proceeds will go to the Endeavor food pantry and the Imagine No Malaria campaign. A delegation of Santa s elves from Moundville UMC will be at the bazaar to wrap gifts, including gifts you have already purchased or gifts you buy at the bazaar. The elves will supply the ribbon, paper and bows and your donation for the wrapping service will also go to the INM campaign. If you have extra wrapping supplies at home to donate, contact Linda Krueger at Caroling party Dec. 14 in Briggsville St. Mary s Catholic Church and Briggsville UMC will be caroling together on Dec. 14. Gather at the Catholic Church by 1 pm to load cars, then go on a pre-planned route before returning to the church about 4 pm for a meal provided by the church. Those unable to go caroling are invited to the meal at 4 pm. Sign up at church so the organizers will have an accurate count for the meal.

4 Page 4 Prayer Circle Please send us the names of those whom you d like included in the Prayer Circle. Gail Brancel 12/1 Ken Johnson 12/2 Eleanor Russell 12/3 Alexandra Trachsler 12/4 Remington Edwards 12/6 Pat Patefield 12/8 Rose Babcock 12/9 Gary Skolarz 12/9 Ronna Pate 12/11 Lana Edwards 12/12 Penny Lindner 12/12 Mert Russell 12/12 Tiffanie Timme 12/12 Dale Cottine 12/13 Brandy Pulver 12/13 Men and women in the military. College students as they begin finals, those traveling this holiday season, those in pain or lonely this season. Those with health concerns: Jack Alexander, Brian Loveland, Betty Brancel, Joyce Schutz, Tom Roll, Ken Johnson, Chuck Aylsworth, Herb Lapp, Roberta Johnston, Bob Weiler, Leslie Evert, Linda Kutina s sisters Maggie and Sharon, and Richard Merry, Sondra Brancel s father. Those mourning a loss: Sweeney family, Halverson family, Ron & Paul Wade on the loss of brother Neil; family of Art Trimble, Dr. Martin Salia chief medical officer and surgeon at United Methodist Kissy Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone, who died from advanced Ebola. Joys: Successful hunter s breakfast, confirmation students leadership of Thanksgiving Eve Service, Sharing Supper. December Birthdays Jayme Roller 12/14 Shirley Corning 12/18 Sharon Johnson 12/19 Sonny Barron 12/21 Zach Bretsch 12/23 Herb Lapp 12/23 Payton Lindner 12/23 Elt Scherbert 12/23 Jacob Thome 12/23 Connie Hillison 12/24 Jan Andres 12/25 Robert Kampen 12/25 Steve Pulver 12/25 Marion Durheim 12/29 Larry Radtke 12/30 December Anniversaries John & Marci Walker 12/6 Joel & Jan Andres 12/7 Connie & Delbert Hillison 12/14 Mert & Eleanor Russell 12/15 Ben & Gail Brancel 12/16 Jack & Roberta Johnston 12/22 Dean & Jennifer Peterson 12/22 Doris & Dean Walker 12/22 Larry & Linda Krueger 12/29 Invite your friends, neighbors to Dec 13 live Nativity in Endeavor The live Nativity presented by the parish from 4-6 pm on Dec. 13 at Trinity Endeavor UCC will be a reminder of the reason for the season for those who take a few minutes to drive through the parking lot at the church. Adults and children from the parish will be joined by live animals to stage the Nativity for all to see. Turn into the parking lot from County CX/Church Street, drive slowly past the scene, and then exit the parking lot on the other side. What a great way to remember the Reason for the Season! Invite your friends and neighbors too.

5 Page 5 December 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 EUCC education 6 pm 2 New member Class BUMC, 6:30 3 After School program 3:30 5:30, BUMC Confirmation class 6:30, BUMC 4 All I Really Want Percolator Coffee House, Portage, 12: TUP bazaar noon 4 EUCC Circuit 2.0 Launch, 10-3, Madison Asbury 7 Helping Hands Guild, EUCC, 9:30 Church conference noon followed by meeting 8 Sharing Supper Planning, 9 am, Endeavor School MUMC Evangelism, 6: After School program 12:30 5:30, BUMC Youth Group 7 pm BUMC 11 All I Really Want Percolator Coffee House, Portage, 12:45 Treble Makers Music Night 6:30 MUMC 12 Confirmation Class to Temple Beth El 13 Live Nativity, EUCC 4-6 pm 14 Briggsville Christmas caroling 1-4, meal following at Catholic Church After School program 3:30 5:30, BUMC Sharing Supper Endeavor School 5 6:30 pm 18 All I Really Want Percolator Coffee House, Portage, 12:45 Heritage House, 1 pm Treble Makers Music Night 6:30 MUMC Children s Service MUMC, 4 pm Christmas Eve Service EUCC, 6 pm 25 Christmas 26 Youth Group serving at Madison shelter 27 vacation Christmas Eve Service BUMC, 7:30 pm Worship 31 with us on Sunday! Briggsville United Methodist Church, 8:30 Moundville United Methodist Church, 9:30 Endeavor Trinity United Church of Christ, vacation

6 These hunters were among those who enjoyed a hearty breakfast at Moundville UMC on 11/22 before heading out to the woods. Thanks to all who donated food items, helped serve or came to eat. Thanks also to the youth and adults who set up the dining room and prepared the food. Trinity United Parish has now raised $1,500 of the $2,000 pledge to the Imagine No Malaria campaign. United Methodist Church of Briggsville P. O. Box 36 Non-Profit Organization Permit #1 Sharing Supper Dec :30 Endeavor School Address Service Requested