YELLOWSTONE – ARGYLE/APPLE GROVE
   PARISH NEWSLETTER
Office Phone: 608-543-3088
Web Site: www.YellowstoneArgyleAppleGrove.com

Our Ministry Focus: "Sharing God's grace from a hopeful place​

 

Pastor's Letter

    If you have met with me for a pre-baptismal meeting, you’ll  have heard me tell the story of “The Bear.” “The Bear” is a movie about a tiny bear cub whose mother dies. The cub survives, but the viewer knows that his long-term chances are nil. Then, the unexpected happens. The little cub gets more or less adopted by an enormous, male Kodiak bear. This giant is always watching over the cub. He protects it from a mountain lion that has been stalking him. He teaches the cub how to be a bear. Everything the father bear does, the cub imitates. He waddles in a stream and stabs at fish like the daddy bear; he stands on two legs and scratches his back against a tree as he’s seen his father do. As you watch this, you begin to feel some hope that this cub really does have a future. He’s going to survive.
   But, one day the bear and Kodiak get separated. The little bear looks around but cannot see his father anywhere. The mountain lion who has never forgotten the cub, now sees his opportunity. He comes swiftly, silently, face-to-face with the cub; he is about to spring. The little bear does what he has seen his father do; he rears up on his hind legs, lifts his paws, and tries to growl fiercely, but the best he can manage is a frightened squeak. The mountain lion is not convinced. And neither are we, the viewer, and we know that our hope was misplaced.  We had hoped against hope that this poor, vulnerable, little cub stood a chance against the fierce world he lived in.
   The camera then focuses in on the mountain lion; his muscles twitch, and he is ready to pounce. The cub makes one last attempt at frightening the lion by imitating his father; he stands on his back legs, his front feet paw at the air as fiercely as he can. He growls as best he can ... one last time ... and at that moment, the face of the mountain lion shows fear. It stops snarling, turns, and slinks away. 
   The camera returns to the cub. He is as surprised as anyone watching the movie. Did his growl worked that well? The camera then pans back and we see what we did not know was there; we see what the little bear cannot see. Behind him stands the great Kodiak, on his hind legs, his massive body poised to save his son with a single swipe.
   At that moment, we know that the little bear is going to make it. He has nothing to fear. The forest is a dangerous place, but he is going to be safe. His father is going to be with him all the time. Therefore, that forest is a perfectly safe place for the little cub to be. 
   John Ortberg writes: “You will take risks in life, and you will face problems. This is a part of life and growth, and I would not spare you from it if I could. But I do want to spare you from one thing. Sometimes, when you are afraid, you may be tempted to think you’re all alone. You may think no one sees or cares, that you are on your own. When that happens, I want you to remember the bear. Remember that Someone is watching over you. You may not be able to see or hear him. But you are never out of his sight. You are never out of his care.              

                                                                                                                                                     ~ God bless, Dan

Community Bible study continues – FEAR AND FAITH. 
   This study will look at Bible passages where fear and faith collided. I believe this study will give us a stronger foundation as we find ourselves navigating through confusing times and fears about the future. This study will take place at “The Corner Pub and Deli” on Wednesdays May 21st, 28th and June 4th. We will meet from 6:45-7:45 p.m. Please come and invite friends!

 

Our second summer joint outdoor worship services will take place at Apple Grove on Sunday, June 29th at 9:30 a.m. Please bring a lawn chair and join in this wonderful service. Don’t forget to bring friends and family! We will have a coffee time before and after the service, so join in the fellowship. A sign-up to bring goodies for the coffee time will take place later in May. Coffee time will be from 9:00 - 9:30  a.m. before the service and will continue following the service. 

​

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.    
 

Quilters will meet on Tuesday, June 24th at 9:00 a.m. Location to be determined.

 

Yellowstone building update: Work has begun on opening up the back Sunday school rooms to make it possible to have our coffee hours and other events upstairs, so people will not have to navigate the steps going downstairs.

​

Argyle-Apple Grove Update: 
   1. Insurance – We have insurance. After looking over a half dozen possible carriers, we have decided, for the time being, to return to Church Mutual. They give us the best coverage for the church and rebuild. 
   2. Building Update: The building committee continues to meet every two weeks and is getting a lot of groundwork accomplished. They have met twice with the architect, Bob Davis (who has connections to Apple Grove and Argyle churches). 

 

Cookies Needed for InterVarsity: Shannon and Scott Marion will be helping to host three InterVarsity meetings in June: June 6-7 is the Board of Trustees Meeting; June 12 is Orientation for New Campus Ministers; and June 25-26 is the National Leadership Team Meeting.
    “We’re wondering if people would be willing to bake cookies for these meetings. The previous times our churches baked cookies, it was a huge hit! People keep asking us, ‘Where do you go to church?!’
   We can pick up the cookies on Sunday, June 1st  at both services, or anytime up to Wednesday, June 4th   if you want to drop them off at the parsonage. We’ll have a sign-up sheet earlier in mid-May. We will freeze the cookies and bring them out for each meeting. Thank you!”

 

A Request from the Yellowstone WELCA – help with the Lutheran Relief Project: As summer garage sale season has begun, please keep our Lutheran World Relief projects in mind. For our Baby Care Kits, we can need sleepers, onesies or tops and pants for sizes 6 mo - 24 mo. We are also looking for receiving blankets, sweaters or sweatshirts in the same sizes. Have questions? Contact Maryellyne at 608-558-1491.

 

April Treasurers’ and Pastor’s reports:
                Yellowstone                                Argyle-Apple Grove 
  Beginning balance:   $8,467.79             Beginning Balance:  $10,082.39
                      Income:  $6,740.28                                  Income:    $8,570.00                      

                  Expenses:   $6,805.95                                Expenses:  $5,685.60
      Ending Balance     $8,402.12                    Ending Balance:  $12,966.79 
 

Committal Service
   Emma Wenger – May 2nd at Adams Lutheran

 

Yellowstone Council Hi-Lites:
*The work on the back rooms will begin. A special thank you to all those who have pitched in on this project. 
*The church direction sign in Blanchardville was down and has been fixed. It was decided to invest in new signs, with backgrounds that highlight the beautiful natural setting of the church. 
*Pastor Dan’s insurance has changed and he is now enrolled in Medicare part A and B, which works with the Portico insurance plan. 
*A new tree and new plants have been put in at the parsonage.
 

Arygle-Apple Grove Council Hi-Lites:
*Most of the meeting was given over to discussing six proposals from different insurance agencies. It was decided to remain with Church Mutual at this time. 
*Electrical work was done and the steps in the back of Argyle were fixed to meet insurance requirements 
*The Defibulator will be placed in the narthex. The mail-boxes in the narthex will be removed. 
 

Mutual Council Items:
*Our first outdoor worship service – Saturday May 24th
*The Lent/Easter worship services went well. The attendance on Maundy Thursday was much higher than normal, and lower for Good Friday services. We had 180 worshipers for Easter Sunday!
*A community Bible study will begin in May titled “Fear and Faith.” Those wanting to look at the “Critical Journey” will meet individually with Pastor Dan.
*We need to get a group to discuss using more of the technology at hand to reach out to more people. 
*Confirmation classes have finished. Confirmation Sunday will be August 24th. 

​