I’m Proud

by Brian Rudesill

My oldest son has a job. It’s his first real job. He’s learning a lot about the people in this world. He has angry parents, disgruntled customers and peers pushing him to make wrong decisions. It’s been fun to watch what is emerging in the heart of my son.

Recently he came home and told me about something that was happening at the pool. A boy he works with decided it would be fun to spread a rumor about a girl. So he called her on his cell phone and told her that he heard she had AIDS. Then he handed it to his friends and had them make the same call. Then they handed it to my son. He hung up the phone. They said something very cruel about his malehood. He told them at least he has a soul and he would not be pressured into doing what was wrong.

I’m PROUD! There’s nothing like the pride you feel in your heart as a parent when you watch one your kids stand up for what’s right. Wow. I’m still flying high from that one.

But that’s not the only thing making me feel proud right now. I’m so proud to be a part of a church like Hidden Valley. I’m proud for a lot of reasons:

• I’m proud that just by making one request after church a few weeks ago, more than $3000 was given to help people suffering in Avoca from the flood.
• I’m proud of the fact we sent two truckloads of food and water up to help people in need.
• I’m so proud of all the people traveling up there to help people in need. So many have gone.
• I’m proud of the fact that our church was able to feed everyone who needed food for one night.

There are so many things I love about HVCC in both locations. I love how generous people are. I love how excited people are about serving and inviting their friends. I love the stories of changed lives. Like the woman in Richland Center who recently became a Christian and is now reading her Bible 20 minutes a day. Or the person in Dodgeville who, up until recently, fit our church’s slogan perfectly: “For people who have given up on church, but not on God.” As she told me, “I was that person.” I love the fact that people are weekly finding their way back to God here.

Thank you all for what you do. I’m very happy to be the pastor of this church and I look forward to seeing all that God does through us together in the months ahead.

Your friend,
Brian

No 11:00 a.m. Service July 13; CSI to Serve at Parade

Because of the Farmer Appreciation Days celebration in Dodgeville, there will be no second service on Sunday, July 13. Again this year, our CSI team volunteers will be handing out bottles of water to the parade participants. This year our goal is to hand out over 48 cases of water, double the amount of last year. Please bring in a case of water for this amazing community service. We also need additional people to help hand out water the day of the parade. If you would like to help hand out water, contact the church office at 930-4822 or hvcc@hiddenv.com

HV-RC to Host Rock Show July 18

The indie rock band Remedy Drive is touring in to put on an-all ages rock show at the Richland Center Auditorium on Friday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m. Ticket sales will raise funds for Hidden Valley's Richland Center youth group to participate in a missions trip to Costa Rica next summer. HV-RC's own worship and praise band will provide a heavy-hitting opening set for the show, so come early to enjoy a night of exciting music and encouragement!

Tickets are $10 each in advance, $12 the day of the show. Check the announcements section of the Hidden Valley website (hiddenv.com) for ticket outlets. Questions? Contact Russ Frame at 438-3101, russellcframe@hiddenv.com.

Summer Suppers Continue

Our next Summer Supper will be Wednesday, July 23.  The theme will be Pizza. Summer Suppers are semiweekly potluck get-togethers at Harris Park in Dodgeville. We meet at the picnic shelter next to Bennett Road at 6:00 p.m. If it rains, we will move the supper into the church building.

Church Picnic August 10

Hidden Valley’s annual church picnic will be August 10 following the 11:00 a.m. service. Please join us for lunch and a fun-filled afternoon at the Dick and Dixie Bender farm near Ridgeway. Hidden Valley will provide the hot dogs, hamburgers, drinks, and table service. Please bring your favorite dish to pass. We hope to see you there.

Upcoming Women’s Fun Activity:

Join us for a home-cooked breakfast and visiting on the deck of an HVCC member. After breakfast we will carpool to Olbrich Gardens in Madison to see their live butterfly exhibit. Breakfast and admission will be covered for this event. To sign up to attend this fun event, contact Sherry Van Haren at 924-2412 or the church office at 930-4822.

HV-Richland Center Notes:

Vacation Bible School

HVRC is participating with five other churches in a community-wide Vacation Bible School. The coordinator is from HVRC, and we are helping provide materials and worship for the week.  It is titled: "God's Big Backyard."  It will run July 13-17 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at St John's Lutheran Church.

GRACE Walk Coming Next Month

HV-RC is beginning to raise funds for Richland Center's GRACE Walk, an annual event that has raised over $400,000 in the last two years to battle cancer. The money goes to help local families and to support cancer research at La Crosse and Madison. This year HV-RC will enter a team; our goal is to raise $1,000. 

This year one of the ambassadors is Shari Johnson (formerly Shari Fisher and the wife of HV-RC Site Director Jamie Johnson).  Shari is going on her fifth year of battling cancer. With surgery and radiation treatments upcoming, she hopes to have a clean bill of health in time for the GRACE Walk in early August.

Water Bottle Outreach

The HV-RC CSI team just completed a successful outreach, as we gave out over 800 bottles of water to participants in the June Dairy Rodeo Parade. We had over 20 volunteers to make this event possible. Congratulations to those who represented HVCC so well!

Middle School Get-Together July 27

Dodgeville Middle School Youth Group meets next on Sunday, July 27 at 5:00 p.m. for a bonfire at Leah Riedmiller’s house. We will roast hot dogs, play lots of games, and sing campfire songs. The address is 3565 Rowe Road Dodgeville. If there are any questions, please call 341-8175.

Leadership Conference Coming in August

On Thursday and Friday, August 7 and 8, we will be heading to the Willow Creek Leadership Conference in Madison. If you attend, you will grow, learn, and expand your leadership skills. We drive up in the morning to the conference and then drive home at 5:00 that night when it's over. There's no hotel expense, and there is no Saturday session this year. We usually have about 20 people go with us every year and they love it.  Why not start to plan ahead now?  Here's the website where you can get more info:

www.willowcreek.com/summit

Financial Peace University Changing Lives

Here are just a few comments we have received from participants in the recently concluded Financial Peace University groups:

“. . . [A]n answer to our prayer.”
“Our spending is now a very thoughtful decision.”
“We enjoy spending less! And look forward to giving more.”
“Car and second mortgage paid off by December; home mortgage paid off in 5 years.”
“Goal by September of this year, put 12% into my 401k.”
“This class has opened our eyes and hearts to the power of working towards a common goal. We are communicating much more about our finances and are in a good place.”

Financial Peace University is a 13-week small group study program that helps you to find financial freedom according to biblical principles. We plan to start a new round of groups in the fall; watch for announcements.

CSI Rummage Sale Results

A group serving low-income families received $176.00 from the proceeds of a rummage sale held recently by Hidden Valley’s CSI ministry. The sale was held June 21 at HVCC, and the money went to WeCare, a local charity. WeCare also received one truckload of donated goods that were left from the sale. Another truckload of donated clothing went to help flood victims in Avoca.

How We’re Doing – June 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: 23
Second-time visitors: 10
Third-time visitors: 6

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

Monthly Giving
Tithe $37,732 (budgeted $30,276)
2nd Mile (building) $3,108 (budgeted $4,000)
Benevolence $254 (not budgeted)
Other income, fees, and reimbursements $2478 (budgeted $500)
Total $43,572 (budgeted $34,776)