Animal Crackers is our theme, Heifer International is our mission focus.

Times: 9:30-12:30

Place: The Fellowship Hall

Food: We will provide a snack and lunch

Registration is required.

Youth Fellowship YF!
The Youth had a GREAT time at the WINTERJAM concert in early November.
10 kids participated in the multiple band extravaganza. For some it was their FIRST concert experience and what a memorable one it was!

Our Fundraiser is off to a great start. Please use the envelopes attached to the bulletin board with numbers marked on them. Please feel free to grab a # and fill it with that amount of money. Then put it in the offering plate or Jen Swing’s box. If there is a number too high you can always go in with another person to create a higher amount. These donations allow the kids to experience God and his purpose in FUN and EXCITING ways. Like the Winterjam concert. Like Bowling. Like Christian theatre plays etc.….

Coming Events for YF!

The Christmas Pageant is BACK this year!
Operation Baby King is the storyline, kind of a James Bond spy theme.
Practices start Nov. 29th at 10:00-11:00am and continue every Sunday at 10:00am until the 20th. We will have practice at 10 then participate in the opening during the church service at 11:15.
On Wednesday the 23rd we will have a 6:30pm-7:30pm practice to perfect the lighting and such.
Then for the Grand Finale on Christmas EVE! Be at the church at 6:15pm. The play will start at 7:00. They are usually only 30-45 minutes long.

Friday-December 11th 3:30pm
Meet at the United Methodist Church, the kids are planning a “Random Acts of Kindness” adventure through Middleton. Any adult is welcome to join in on the fun.
Items needed per kid:
$5 in divided bills and quarters
1 bag of un-popped popcorn
2 cans of food

Wednesday-December 16th 6:30pm
we are gathering at the church to go caroling to select locations in downtown Middleton. After the chilly singing there will be delicious steamy HOT CHOCOLATE to warm our bones.

Pastor’s Column

The Bible is a big book. On Sunday, we read two or sometimes three portions aloud; but even so, there are lots of stories, poetry, and teaching that we never get to.

What to do, what to do?

One solution is called the Revised Common Lectionary. It’s a chart of Bible lessons, four each Sunday (Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, Gospel – so two from the Old Testament, two from the New). And then it lays out each Sunday for three years before it begins repeating. I’m a fan of the lectionary and usually preach from one of the four lessons. Over the course of three years, it has us read something from every book in the Bible (if we read all four lessons).

I am going for another solution this September. Rather than cover the entire Bible over the course of three years, I’ll do it in one. Obviously that means I’ll leave a bunch of stuff out. But what I will do is read in worship, and preach from, a selection of texts I’m calling “God’s Top Forty.” The forty stories that most impact people.

The advantages, I think, are these: for newer Christians, it will afford a basic overview of the sweep of the Bible. For those more familiar with the Bible, this fast scan should allow important themes to emerge. For instance, God’s using the flood in Noah’s time to try to wipe away sin, making many other efforts, and then settling on another solution — the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One advantage peculiar, perhaps, to me: because we’ll have only one reading each Sunday, it forces me to preach on the Old Testament! And finally, these are incredibly impactful stories, even life-changing for some.

So here’s an example of what’s coming up in September.

9/6/15 An Introduction to the Bible: why take an old book like this seriously?

Text: 2 Kings 22:1-10; 23:1-3 (Josiah’s recovery of Scripture, reform and renewal)

(This one’s out of order)

9/13/15 Creation: Our science is so much more advanced than this; what can we learn?

The Story: Genesis 1:1–2:4a (Two creation stories)

9/20/15 Temptation: If it’s delightful and desirable, why not?

The Story: Genesis 2:15–17; 3:1–7 (Adam, Eve, the Serpent, and God)

9/27/15 The Flood: God reboots a broken world.

The Story: selections from Genesis chapters 7-9

(Genesis 7:1–5, 11–18; 8:6–18; 9:8–13)

I’m looking forward to this! And I think it will be useful. This year, spend Sunday morning with the people of God, and enjoy magnificent stories!

We’ve started a new ministry in keeping with our slogan, “We Feed People Body And Soul”.

Come by “Tank Park” Wednesday nights at 6pm, thru September 16th  for free food!

We, at Middleton United Methodist Church invite you to come join us for our Christmas Eve Services.

Services begin at 7:00pm and all are welcome!

The Annual Holiday Craft Bazaar is almost here – Saturday, November 21, 9 am-4 pm. There is no admission fee, but we suggest a donation of 2 items for the Middleton Food Pantry. This is a wonderful opportunity to do some early holiday shopping, support local crafters, and participate in MUMC’s biggest fund-raiser!
We will have a special table of homemade or baked goods and more, to satisfy every “sweet tooth” you know. You may find everything from fudge, jams and jellies, pickles and other delicious offerings.
Our traditional Baked Potato Lunch will take place from 11:30 to 1:30 during the bazaar. The price is  only $6 for a meal-sized Idaho potato with your choice of toppings, plus slaw, a beverage, and a slice of delicious home-baked pie.
Interested vendors should speak with Karla (869-5641) right away. The sign-up sheets for the Bazaar are now available, and we do appreciate each one of you who helps.

Thanks to all who helped to make last year’s Bazaar a great success!  We hope you all enjoyed your time with us and that you will come back to see us next year.

Thanks from the Folks at Middleton United Methodist Church!