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

    Once upon a time, there was a man who was told he had an incurable illness. The news filled him with great sadness for he had dreamed dreams and hoped hopes, and now it seemed that they would never come true. One day, he heard that there was a wizard who could do wonderful things for people, so he decided to visit him. 
   “What is it you want?” asked the wizard. 
   “I have dreamed dreams and hoped hopes,” replied the man. 
   “What have you dreamed?” 
   “I have dreamed of a home, a home of my own to live in; a big home with man rooms and fine furniture.” 
   “You have but to ask,” said the wizard. With that, he snapped his fingers and at once, in the twinkling of an eye, there stood a beautiful home. Not a home, a palace, a castle! The castle was far bigger, far more beautiful than any he had ever dreamed of. There were almost too many rooms to count, and each one was filled with exquisite furniture. The man was happy as he walked its halls and explored its rooms.
   But then, in time, he remembered his illness and again was filled with sadness. He returned to the wizard. “What is it you want of me?” asked the wizard. 
   “I have dreamed drams and I have hoped hopes,” the man replied. 
   “What have you dreamed?” 
   “I have dreamed of food, food fit for a king. Food that would fill all my cravings, food as I have never eaten before.” 
   “You have but to ask,” said the wizard. And he snapped his fingers. At once, in the twinkling of an eye, the castle table was covered with fine and delicious food. Never had the man seen such food. It was food fit for a hundred kings. He was happy as he sat at the banquet table 
   But then, in time, he remembered the sickness and the sadness came over him again. He returned to the wizard. “What is it you want of me?” asked the wizard. 
   “I have dreamed dreams and I have hoped hopes,” said the man. 
   “Tell me, what have you dreamed?”
   “I have dreamed of clothes; fine, rich and beautiful clothes.” 
   “You have but to ask,” said the wizard. Once again, he snapped his fingers, and at once, the man was clothed in the finest clothes he had ever seen. So the man walked his castle in his exquisite clothes, and sat at the table to the finest of foods, and he was filled with happiness. 
   But then, in time, he remembered the incurable sickness, and great sorrow overcame him. “Why are you still sad?” asked the wizard when the man appeared again. “Have I not fulfilled your dreams and hopes? Do you not have a castle, clothes and food just as you wished? Why then are you still sad?”    
   “Because I have an incurable illness!” the man cried out in deep pain.
   “I can cure that,” said the wizard. 
   The man’s face quickly changed to hope. “You can cure that! Why, if you can cure that, it would be worth everything. What do I care about the rest? If you can cure the sickness, I don’t care where I live, or what I eat, or what I wear. None of that really matters if you can cure my illness.”
   “You have but to ask,” replied the wizard. He then snapped his fingers, and in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, the man was cured of his illness. And so the man walked away that day, away from the fine castle, away from the delicious food, away from the exquisite clothes. He walked away from all of it, filled with joy, happier than he had ever been in his entire life. 
   I believe this is a parable of modern humanity – we spend so much time on the things that do not last and aren’t of truest value. 
   The man walked away from all that we so strive for. Why? Because he found that true life is found somewhere else. 
   May all of us take that journey – and in so doing, I know you will find it leads you to Christ – where true life is found. 
              ~ God bless, Dan

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The Lutheran World Relief project is continuing through August 29.  If you would like to donate, we are planning to send 12 school kits and 12 health kits. A list of items needed to complete these kits will be on the bulletin board.  If you would like to donate a kit or items, a list will be in the back of the church. We will be putting kits together at Yellowstone on September 1st at 9:00 a.m. Thank you for continued support of those in need.   Maryellyne Rear (608-558-1491)

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Yellowstone Yard Signs: Will you put one in your lawn? As an outreach project, we have designed a yard sign. It has a wonderful picture of the church along with our church mission statement: “Finding grace in a hopeful place.” It also has the address of the church and the church website. We will place an order for these signs at the end of August, but we will only order signs for those who sign up for one (you can have more than one if you desire). A copy of the sign-up along with a sample sign can be found in the narthex. Thank you in advance! 

 

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.

 

July Treasurers’ and Pastor’s reports:                 
                Yellowstone                                       Argyle-Apple Grove 
  Beginning balance: $13,852.65        Beginning Balance:    $8,989.70
                 Income:        $5,560.73                        Income:        $6,870.00
                Expenses:   $11,101.18*                     Expenses:     $5,532.57
       Ending Balance:   $8,312.20                Ending Balance: $10,327.13

    *Expenses at Yellowstone were high due to paying the gas/heating annual contract in advance.
 

Funeral: David Skattum – August 10th at Yellowstone

 

Sermon series in September: For the next four to six Sundays, we’ll look at what grace is and what grace truly means – Amazing Grace! 

 

Quilters will meet at Yellowstone on September 22nd at 9:00 a.m. All are welcome. No experience necessary.               Their quilts will be displayed at church on Sunday, September 6th and packed following the late service. 

 

Yellowstone is in charge of the Argyle Food pantry on September 3rd and 17th from 3:45-5:30 p.m. If you can help out, please contact Kristine O’Connor at 608-214-3363. Thank you.

 

Council meetings in September: Yellowstone council will meet following worship on Sunday, September 6th. Argyle-Apple Grove council will meet on Sunday, September 13th following worship. 

 

GAP youth education begins next month! GAP stands for “God Always Present.” GAP night will help fill in the gap between the child’s everyday life and their faith life. Rather than having the traditional Sunday School, we have moved the classes to Wednesday evening at Argyle Lutheran on the first and third Wednesday of each month (so it coincides with Confirmation) from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Each class will be filled with sound Biblical teaching, lively activities, and a break for juice and treats. The classes will have more of a Vacation Bible School feel to it, which we think will appeal to the kids.
   Our group grew to 20 kids last year and we are excited about having them back and gaining more kids.
   We also want to emphasize that now the hour spent on Sunday can be used to worship together as a family, and therefore increase youth participation on Sunday mornings.

 

Confirmation will begin on Wednesday, September 9th from 5:30-7:10 at the parsonage. 

 

Thanks to everyone who was praying for our youth at our youth retreat last month. We focused on Jesus’ presence with us every day. We shared our lives, laughed, played, prayed and learned. It was a wonderful event! Thank you, again!

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A/Applestone Youth meeting: Sunday, September 13th at Argyle following the late service. We’ll welcome new members, plan the fall activities and sign-up for the National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis which will be June 28th – July 2nd. Expect a letter with details!

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In October, Argyle Lutheran will be celebrating its 150th anniversary. We’d like to get a choir together to sing a hymn that the church used in past years. If you’d to sing in the choir, please speak to Beth Fransen or Pastor Dan.

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