From Brian’s Desk

I have a couple of stories for you:

Story #1: I was recently able to attend HVCC-Richland Center on a Sunday morning for the first time since their Grand Opening. As Jamie Johnson (site director for RC) reminded me, it’s been too long. I was not prepared for what I saw and experienced. I was greeted many times, heard moving music, and got wrapped up in watching the message on the screen. It was an amazing experience! Plus, 141 people were in the room with me. It was the third-highest attendance day ever in Richland Center. After the service, I met a woman who couldn’t thank us enough for starting the video venue. She was growing so much and loved coming every week. Many of her family members are now attending. It was so cool!

Story #2: I met a man a few weeks ago on Sunday morning in Dodgeville. It was his first Sunday in our church. After the service was over, he came forward to talk to me. When he got up to me, he reached over to shake hands. I had a bad cold and warned him that he probably shouldn’t, but he said he would risk it. With tears in his eyes, he told me that he was so glad he had come. He loved the laid-back environment and loved the relevance of it all. He told me he would be back.

I don’t know about you, but I love stories like that. I love to meet people who are excited about coming to church. Plus, it reminds me how many people there are in our world who are looking for something more in their lives. It’s fun to help people experience God for the first time in a long time.

Thanks again for all you do at both sites. Your invites are working! Maybe you have a friend you need to invite to come with you this weekend. Maybe it’s time to be bold and take the risk. The worst they will do is say no. They may even say yes! You never know.

Let’s continue to pray that God will use our church in both locations as people come to know Him.

In Christ,

Brian

Summer Suppers Return June 11

Summer Suppers, our semiweekly potluck get-togethers at Harris Park in Dodgeville, will be Wednesday nights, June 11 and June 25. Bring a dish to pass to the picnic shelter next to Bennett Road at 6:00 p.m. and be ready for a great time of food and good conversation. The theme for June 11 is Food on a Stick; for June 25, it’s Salads. If it rains, we will move the supper into the church building. Contact Travis Clark, tclark@hiddenv.com, if you can help with setup.

Attention Volleyball Players!

Hidden Valley will host a six-week summer volleyball league on Monday nights in Dodgeville. Competition begins Monday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the sand volleyball courts at Harris Park. Participation is open to all. Each team will include six people, ages from ninth grade and older. To sign up, contact Staci Driscoll at 935-5188 or staci.driscoll@gmail.com.

HV-RC End-of-Year Picnic, Concert Planned

Hidden Valley-Richland Center is having an end-of-the-school-year picnic on Sunday, June 8, at Krouskop Park following our morning service. This will be a potluck style, and Hidden Valley will provide plates, utensils, and beverage. Our other announcement is one of our big events of the summer: We are hosting a concert to provide a positive activity for youth in the Richland Center area, and if things go well, it will be a fundraiser for our middle school group missions trip. The concert will be Friday night, July 18, at the Richland Center Auditorium. Remedy Drive will follow up the HV-RC band.  More Information.

HVCC Middle School Youth Gearing Up for Fun Summer

HVCC will host a Middle School Youth Lock-In on Friday, June 6 at Dodgeville. Permission slips are needed before parents leave for the night. Registration is from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. Fliers and permission slips will be available at the back of the church beginning June 1. Pickup times after the lock-in will be from 7:30 to 8:00 after breakfast on Saturday, June 7. Bring your friends and be prepared to have a great time....all night! If you have questions, contact Leah Reidmiller, agirlwithamission@gmail.com or Greta Byers, gretabcg@hotmail.com.

On June 30, the Middle School Youth will have the opportunity to serve our Dodgeville Food Pantry by picking fresh strawberries for them! We will meet at church by 10:00 a.m. (or meet at Bures Berry Patch near Barneveld) for a ride to Bures Berry Patch for strawberry picking with a purpose. We will pick for about an hour and donate our efforts to the Dodgeville Food Pantry. CSI is collecting food for the pantry during all of June, so we will have had a big hand in the June project as a youth group! An e-mail will be sent out to middle school youth for more info closer to the end of June.

No regular Sunday youth group meetings are scheduled in June. However, a cookout at Leah's house is in the works for July. Be watching for further details. And mark Aug. 24 on your calendars for Middle School Kick-Off! All new fifth graders are invited to check us out that day for lunch, games, and great fun with other middle schoolers, and we will host an informational meeting for parents.

Women’s Fun Activities Set for June

On Tuesday, June 17 at 6:00 p.m., we’ll visit Governor Dodge State Park’s very own tropical paradise with a guided naturalist hike to Stephens Falls and the Old Springhouse. Time to reflect and journal by the flowing, babbling spring water. Supper provided. Watch the Sunday program or the website for details and dates about future women’s activities.

CSI Food Drive, Rummage Sale in June

June 1 through June 30 are the dates for our Annual Food Drive for the Iowa County Food Pantry. We do this in June because the pantry does not receive any supplies in July due to the delivery companies doing inventory. CSI (Christian Service Ignited) will be collecting nonperishable food items. You can bring your donations to HVCC in Dodgeville and place them in the plastic tote box under the CSI bulletin board in the entryway. We will deliver the items each Sunday after the second service.

Cash donations are also welcome. These will be given to the food pantry to purchase items they feel are badly needed. Contact Rae Ann Butteris (timnrae@hotmail.com) about donating cash.

Saturday, June 21, at 8:00 a.m., CSI will host a rummage sale for needy families in the church parking lot. In case of rain, it will be held in the auditorium. All items will be 25 cents, with proceeds going to WeCare, a local charity serving low-income families. This sale will only be advertised at Iowa County Social Services, the Iowa County Food Pantry, the Dodgeville Free Clinic, WeCare, and Southwest CAP. Our goal is to attract the people who will benefit most.

You can drop off donated items in the church entryway starting on June 6. No furniture, please. If you would like to help set up the sale, write CSI on your welcome card this Sunday or contact us at the website, and a member of the team will contact you.

How We’re Doing – May 2008

Following are some numbers that we track on a regular basis to help us to gauge our church’s health and progress.

First-time visitors: 14
Second-time visitors: 5
Third-time visitors: 7

Asked Jesus to forgive me: 5
Recommitted my life to Jesus: 6

Monthly Giving
Tithe $25,390 (budgeted $30,276)
2nd Mile (building) $2,562 (budgeted $4,000)
Benevolence $343 (not budgeted)
Other income, fees, and reimbursements $485 (budgeted $500)
Total $28,296 (budgeted $34,776)