Sun Prairie United Methodist Church

2019 Advent Devotional Book

Our Advent theme at Sun Prairie United Methodist Church for

these four weeks of Advent is A Thrill of Hope. The weeks of

the Advent season leading to Christmas are a time of waiting and

preparing for the coming of the Christ child as Emmanuel, which

means God with us. Just the thought of God with us can give us a

thrill of hope as we offer Christ to one another by living the hope,

peace, love and joy of God’s presence in the world.

The Advent and Christmas season is filled with gatherings, festive

lights, candles glowing in windows, holiday foods, and gift-giving

and receiving. In the midst of all the busyness, may we take daily

time to ponder the Advent gift of God coming into our midst.

God’s coming is not just something that happened long ago, but

becomes a reality every time we share the thrill of hope through

our prayers, our worship, our care of others, and our service in

God’s world.

May we use this devotional, created from the hearts of our Sun

Prairie United Methodist Church family, as a guide through your

own Advent journey. May God bless our journey through Advent

together and fill us with the thrill of hope that God’s coming

among us as the Christ child offers!

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new glorious morn Fall on your knees

O hear the angels' voices O night divine

O night when Christ was born…

(Word from O Holy Night)

Table of Contents

Worship this Advent Season……………………………………………….5

Celebrate the Season……………………………………………………….6-8

Advent Week 1: Hope……………………………………………………...9

Overcoming Tribulation………………………………………..10

Promises, Promises…………………………………………..11-12

Struggling with My Imperfect Self……………………………13

Confidence………………………………………………………14-15

The Hope of Saints…………………………………………..16-17

Mountain of the Lord………………………………………….…18

Keep Going …….……………………………………………….… 19

Advent Week 2: Peace……………………………………………………..20

Journey………………………………………………………………..21

Four Words………………………………………………………….22

Homeless Nativity………………………………………………...23

The Familiar…………………………………………………………24

Holy Waiting………………………………………………………..25

Milkweed Prayers 2……………………………………..……26-27

What Does It Mean to Have Courageous Confident

Patience? …………………………………………………………....28

Advent Week 3: Love………………………………………………………29

No Room for Jesus………………………………………………..30

Misplaced……………………………………………………………….31

Grace Café Lessons for Fierce Women…………………32-33

An Angel of God………………………………………….….….34-35

Change…………………………………………………………………...36

Hope is in Our Church…………………………………….….37-38

Advent Joy……..……………………………………………………….39

Advent Week 4: Joy…………………………………………………………...40

A Burst of Energy…………………………………………………....41

A Great Light………………………………………………………….42

Full of Wonder……………………………………………………….43

What are You Waiting For?............................................44

Hope in Change……………………………………………………...45

Light………………………………………………………………..…….46

The First Days of Christmas………………………………………………..47

Do Not Fear for I am With You……………………………….48

Journeying with the Magi………………………………………….49

Care for Others…..…………………………………………………..50

This Little Light of Mine………………………………………….51

Worship this Advent

Season at SPUMC

Our Advent Season Offers a wide variety of worship services for

you and your family. Join us at SPUMC for a wonderful Advent

season of worship.

November 30-December 22

Saturdays at 5pm (Contemporary Praise and Worship)

Sundays at 8:30 and 10:45am (Traditional Worship)

Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24th

3pm Worship with Families and Children

5pm Worship with the Christmas Eve Band

7pm Worship with Chancel Choir

9pm Worship with Heavenly Handbells, Special Music, and

Communion

One Weekend Worship Service on:

Sunday, December 29th at 9am

Celebrate the Season

The Giving Tree

Each year our church and many organizations in Sun Prairie work

with Sunshine Place to provide Christmas gifts to children in need

in our community. This year we are blessed to be able to provide

125 children with Christmas gifts. The giving tree will be up in our

Narthex the week of November 25th with gift tags for the children

please bring the gift back, unwrapped, and place it under the tree

with the tag attached. Gifts need to be returned to the church by

December 9th.

The Saint Nicholas Fund

In the spirit of gift giving to those in need, the SPUMC St.

Nicholas Fund is used to assist members and friends of our

congregation this Christmas season and throughout the year at the

discretion of the Pastor and Staff. Please watch the bulleting and

other publications for more information about giving to this fund.

The Angel Tree

Our Angel Tree is one of the most iconic pieces of our Advent

décor here at SPUMC. Please stop in the Narthex to admire the

angel ornaments which were given by members of our church

family to honor or in memory of loved ones in their own lives.

Poinsettias

Purchase a beautiful poinsettia plant this holiday season in

memory or honor of a special someone in your life. The

poinsettias are used to help decorate our sanctuary during the

Advent and Christmas season. Poinsettias are $20 and yours to

take home with you on Christmas Eve following the 9pm worship

service.

Food Pantry Concert

Friday, December 6, 7pm

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church

Come hear delightful holiday music from area churches and

choirs at this incredible concert.

Cookie Walk

Saturday, December 7, 8-9am

The holiday season just isn’t the same without a sweet treat or two

(dozen!). Come early for SPUMC’s Annual Cookie Walk held in

the church Fellowship Hall. Fill a box as full as you’d like, choos-

ing from a wide variety of delicious homemade holiday cookies

and candies priced at $8 per pound. This event is open to the

public so bring your friends, families, and neighbors!

All proceeds will support Shelter from the Storm Ministries.

Check holiday baking off your list of to do’s while helping local

families at the same time!

Children’s Christmas Program and Family Potluck

Saturday, December 14, 5pm

Our children in preschool through 5th grade will share the story

of the birth of Jesus through skit and song. Please join us for

worship that evening. A potluck for families will following our

time of worship together.

Stable Services

Friday, December 20, 5:30pm

Friday, December 20, 7pm

Join us as we worship in an outdoor setting to prepare our hearts

for the birth of Christ. This is a service of lessons and carols.

Location for services can be found on our church website.

The Longest Night

Sunday, December 22, 7pm

This service will be in our Chapel, an intimate and inviting space.

It will be a quiet, meditative worship service that will give us time

and opportunity to remember, share our hurting places with God

and move toward healing so that our hearts might be prepared for

the observance of Jesus’ birth. For many of us, Christmas is a bit-

tersweet time of year. It is especially so for those of us who are

grieving the loss of loved ones, who have difficult family relation-

ships, who struggle with addictions, physical and mental illness,

depression or stress, and who feel deeply the pain of those in our

world who suffer the effects of disaster and war.

In our Longest Night Service, we gather together as a community

to express and acknowledge these conflicting emotions and still

feel surrounded by the compassionate love of God. Our worship

will feature readings from scripture, the lighting of candles, special

music, and hymns, Holy Communion and Anointing.

Advent Week 1

Offering of Hope this Week:

Sunshine Place:

Feminine Hygiene Products

Sunday, December 1

Overcoming Tribulation John 16:33

“In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” This is John 16:33, perhaps one of

the most quoted scriptures in the Bible. It is used by all sorts of

people in all manner of conversation. But to me the most

important of these is how it discusses hope. Our theme of hope is

all the more pressing today than it has been ever. In a world full

of hatred and violence, of fear and distrust, hope must be our

church’s goal. And if there was ever a verse what would make

Hope seem most important today, it is this one. Let us hope for

peace. Let us hope for happiness. Let us hope together, for in

strength, we defeat our tribulations.

Thank you, God, for creating us as people of hope. Help us to show and share hope with the world around us. Amen.

John Banks George, Confirmation Student

Monday, December 2

Promises, Promises Deuteronomy 31:6

As I sat down to write this Advent devotional I struggled with a

bad case of writer’s block. Ideas scribbled every which way,

fragments jotted down, but nothing really coming together. I had

been working on it during Parent/Teacher conferences at our

school as I had some extra time between seeing families. As I was

about to call it a night one of our custodians popped in, she saw

me with my head in my hands and inquired about the problem. I

voiced the stress I was feeling over my inability to turn my

thoughts into anything substantial.

We spoke a bit longer and as she was leaving she said,

“Remember He only gives you what you can handle.” Those who

know me well know that this phrase makes my blood boil. I know

she meant it in the most loving of ways, but to be honest it was the

last thing I wanted to hear....or was it?

Thoughts and feelings surrounding that phrase came flooding in.

I was quickly taken back to situations where people said those

exact words in a time of need, which were meant to be comfort-

ing, but in fact made me more frustrated. The idea that I was go-

ing through these horrific times because God thought that I could

handle it was unfair. I think we’ve all gone through times in our

lives, when things can’t seem to get any worse: a cancer diagnosis,

loss of a loved one, or a change in our financial situation.

Continued on Next Page

“God only gives you what you can handle.” I thought perhaps if I

knew its origin I would feel better about it. I began exploring the

Bible to figure out where this phrase was talked about, what the

context was, how often, etc. So, how often do you think it is

mentioned? Well it isn’t...that’s right...zip, zero, zilch, nada. This

is NOT something God promised!

For the last few years every time someone said, “God only gives

you what you can handle,” I would respond with, “God doesn’t

give us only what we can handle, God just promises to be there for

us while we are going through it.” In fact, there are 365 verses in

the Bible reassuring us to have no fear that God is there and 65

times God promises, “I am with you.”

So the next time you’re going through hardship remember that

God doesn’t leave you. He doesn’t “give” you these trying time

and he certainly does not base them off of how much you are able

to actually endure.

Heavenly Father, please help us to feel your love. Help us to un-derstand that in difficult times you aren’t challenging us by seeing how much we can handle before we break. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Ali Armstrong, Confirmation Mentor

Tuesday, December 3

Struggling with My Imperfect Self Jerimiah 18:1-6

I have had a problem all my life with self-acceptance. I am very

critical and judgmental about my appearance, but also about the

way I am as a person in all the roles I play. This is wife, mother,

friend, boss, student, worker etc. When things are going well, I

am able to manage this. This awareness has an upside, in that it

has made me more aware and sensitive to behaviors and has really

helped me over the years to be a “better self “ with some of my

roles.

However, when stress occurs, this also takes a negative turn and

can really cause my patience, kindness factor, judgmental factor

and anger to flare up. This is not good for anyone around me,

undoes gains that have been made and causes me to feel worthless

and useless. I wonder how others handle this. From the outside,

it looks like everyone else does it better.

I turn to books, scripture and prayer to help me with this.

Recently, I came across an article that addresses this topic. It is

from “The Word Among Us.” In one of his most memorable

parables, the prophet Jeremiah spoke about a potter molding clay

to describe the way God works in our lives to form us and shape

us.

As we yield to God and let God mold us, he removes our blem-

ishes and makes us more and more like Jesus. We are all

“marred vessels.” But no matter how blemished we may be, God

still wants to rework us and make us into new vessels. Even if it

takes a lifetime, isn’t it reassuring to know that God never gives up

on us?

Loving God, thank you for never giving up on us and for molding us into your new creation. Amen.

Lorie Candelmo, Staff Parish Relations Committee member and

Usher

Wednesday, December 4

Confidence Romans 12:12

Where is God in your life? I heard this question over this past

summer and it struck me because I really wasn’t living a life that

included God. I was holding on to the past. The negativity of

those around me was influencing my behaviors. Anxiety over

other people’s judgements of me kept me away from church and

ultimately from my relationship with God. Advent has always

been a time to celebrate renewal. This holds especially true for

me this season as I have renewed my relationship with God and

have begun working toward removing the negativity and anxiety

from my life.

As a musician, songs are prayer for me. The lyrics from the song

“Confidence” by Sanctus Reel have been a repeated prayer for me

in the last few months. May you find strength in these words as

well.

I'm not a warrior

I'm too afraid to lose

I feel unqualified for what you're calling me to

But Lord with your strength

I've got no excuse

'Cause broken people are exactly who you use

Continue on the Next Page

You took a shepherd boy

And made him a King

So I'm gonna trust you and give you everything

I'll be a conquerer

'Cause you fight for me

I'll be a champion claiming your victory

So give me faith like Daniel in the lion's den

Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness

Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense

So I can face my giants with confidence.

Denise Utter, Senior High Youth Leader and Praise Team

Musician

Thursday, December 5

The Hope of Saints Romans 15:4-13

Have you ever been called a Saint? “You are a Saint for helping

me,” “You are a Saint for taking caring of that issue for us!”

Those statements and many others make our family and friends

saints in our eyes. A saint is defined as “a very patient, unselfish

person “in the Webster’s Pocket Dictionary.

For many years, Pete and I were confirmation mentors to ninth

graders learning about their faith and deciding how this would af-

fect their future lives. Each week we met and enjoyed the discus-

sions and questions these often eager, but somewhat reluctant

students had to offer. We tried to give them hope for the future

knowing that God would be there to guide them through the

tumultuous teenage years. Many of those same students still find

us when coming home to visit and share in our church services.

We know that we have given them a rock to stand on when need-

ed.

We have now been called upon to be the Saints in confirmation.

No longer a true mentor on a weekly basis, we arrive with words

of wisdom hopefully, for the confirmands during the week of All-

Saints Day. Questions are asked: how did we come to be United

Methodists? What was life like in the past? How did your faith

help you in times of trouble? and What is one thing you used to

use that students might not know about, such as a dial telephone?

In our case, we lived in a time of “Number Please” from a

telephone operator!

Continued on Next Page

The hope is that having fun with an intergenerational person of

faith, will give them hope in their future especially as they learn

what life is like in the real world. God will be with them

sometimes carrying them, sometimes walking along side, and

sometimes leading the way.

As faithful United Methodists we all try to offer patience and

unselfishness to the difficult world we live in today.

Dear Lord, please use the saints in our lives to bring hope and caring to those love, those we see, and those in need to help us understand that you are always with us. Amen.

Terry Twedell, SPUMC Scholarship Chair and Welcome Center

Host

Friday, December 6

Mountain of the Lord Isaiah 2:2

What is the place that shows the most hope on earth? Well I

believe it is the highest mountain on earth, Mount Everest. In

Isaiah 2:2 it says the “…mountain of the Lord's house shall be

established in the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised

above the hills; and all the nations shall stream to it.”

I think that this shows us that only the people with the most

perseverance and hope for the future really experience life and

beauty in the life around us. I believe that nature is God's beauty

that shows us hope for the future. For example, one of the most

beautiful places I’ve ever been was a couple years ago when I was

on the beach in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I believe that this was

the most hope from God I've felt ever, with the view of this amaz-

ing ocean.

Thank you, God, for your hope that surrounds us in your beautiful presence and creation. Amen.

Tyler Brose, Confirmation Student

Saturday, December 7

Keeping Going

Romans 13:11-14

How difficult it is to stay awake in the depths of the darkness!

When the inky blackness of agonizing pain surrounds us, it is

easy to forget that light still exists. Yet it does. God’s light is

always with us. The key to finding light again is to look up. To

be brave and vulnerable enough to hope, despite how it looks.

To believe, despite the shattering sound of the quiet that exists

only in the dark. To claw our way towards the faintest first light

of a new day, even if it is unrecognizable from the life we used to

know. To trust God while He transforms the darkness into the

brilliant colors of sunrise. To recognize God’s fingerprints as a

bright new life emerges and takes shape. To step boldly into the

gift of our personal dawn and embrace it fully. Life on the other

side of the darkness is amazing. The journey is worth it. God is

with you. Keep going!

God make your presence known when our steps falter and the darkness crushes in. Lift our spirits and help us catch our breath. Steady us and give us strength to keep trudging forward until our personal dawn breaks. Give us the wisdom to accept with grace the gift of a new life. Amen.

Deb Holland

Advent Week 2

Offering of Peace this Week:

Shelter from the Storm:

Healthy Snacks

Sunday, December 8

Journey Matthew 11:28

Earlier this year, we had an unexpected loss. At first, I did not

realize the full affect it had on me, but as months went by, the

evidence became apparent. My husband asked me a simple

question of why I was not interacting with people, including our

son, as I normally do.

I was burdening myself with the feelings of loss and guilt. I

needed to allow myself to have this moment of healing and rest,

but shouldn’t have tried to do it alone. Especially during the

holidays, we often get caught up in trying to be okay, that we forget

to let people, or even God, enter in. I finally turned to those who

could help me heal. Opening myself up to heal and letting God

back into my heart allowed my soul to rest again.

Heavenly Father, help me open my heart to you and those I love. Give me the strength to rest so that I can find hope and light every day. Amen.

Cassi Benedict, SPUMC Reconciling Team

Monday, December 9

Four Words Romans 15:13

Can you imagine creating a faith statement with only four words?

Crafting statements of faith, encouragement, and self-help with a

few, well-chosen words is a popular topic of books, blogs, and

websites. Years ago, I chose these four words to describe my faith

journey: “Dark Days, Some Light.”

They remain significant to me, especially poignant during Advent.

Writing a faith statement with only four words was harder. That

is, until Pastor Jenny actually wrote it for me. During Children’s

Time, someone said something about the Packers winning the

Super Bowl. Pastor Jenny replied, “I live in hope.”

While I love our four year project of Hospitality, Offering Christ,

Purposeful living, and Engaging community, I was not the biggest

fan of the word hope. It seemed too passive - as in “I hope

something good will happen. I’m not going to do anything, just sit

here and hope.”

“I live in hope” is anything but passive. It calls us to make an

intentional choice to turn toward hope, time and again. It calls us

to support this fierce and radical way of thinking with our actions.

It calls us to offer hope to this world.

Dear Lord, may we live in the hope that is you.

Sue Nonte, SPUMC Librarian and Fellowship Time Host

Tuesday, December 10

Homeless Nativity

José and Marie had traveled a long way and she was heavily

pregnant and exhausted. They were desperate to find someplace

soon. Friends had no space and no one had enough money to

help. The shelter had no room either. They got a tip from a lady

with a shopping cart that there might be someplace under the

highway. What they found there was a large cardboard shipping

container from a refrigerator. They had no choice. Marie’s time

was now and the place was here. An old woman and a young

veteran, warming themselves by a barrel fire, saw Marie’s distress

and came to help. Although not easy, the birth was

uncomplicated. The child, a boy, was healthy and strong.

Overhead a Channel 4 helicopter hovered and shone its search-

light. A white van pulled up and three women from Community

Services Organization got out. They had heard the news. They

were wearing practical clothing, sensible shoes and brought a

blanket, a bundle of Huggies, and clean underwear. The old

woman, the young veteran, an addict, (who suddenly lost his

craving) and the three women could not take their eyes from the

child nursing in Marie’s arms.

But the word on the street was that men with black boots and

truncheons were threatening. The group dispersed. José,

listening to an inner voice, took Marie and the child, and fled.

Loving God, open our hearts and our arms to make room for the traveler, the immigrant, the refugee. May your love for us spread throughout the world one person at a time, from each to another.

J. Harrison

Wednesday, December 11

The Familiar Luke 2:1-7

Christmas is a time of joyful celebration. The lights, snow, and

festivities light up eyes and brighten hearts. The story is familiar--

the virgin Mary gave birth to baby Jesus in a stable. The songs are

well-known--O Come All Ye Faithful, O Holy Night, What Child

is This?, Away in a Manger, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and Joy

to the World. The time is nostalgic--what memories are stirred up

within you during this time of year? For me, nothing is better

than to remember times singing Silent Night at 11pm Christmas

Eve service with my family.

So, we enter into Advent with anticipation, to be comforted by the

familiar, and to be generous in our giving and loving.

May this Advent and Christmas season be a time wrapped in the traditions of the past, bounteousness of the present, and the true gift of the future. Amen. Rev. Krystal Goodger

Thursday, December 12

Holy Waiting Isaiah 40:3-5

Once again we come to the holy days of waiting for a new

celebration of the birth of Jesus. Once again we listen to the

words of Isaiah from long ago: Every valley shall be exalted . . . and the crooked places made straight. Even in these holy days of

waiting there will be valleys: Quiet times of aloneness

remembering loved ones absent, hopes never quite fulfilled, grief

for the violence in our world, plans and promises broken. And

there will be crooked places, too, when the worst in us springs to

life again: There will be jealousy and greed and anger. There will

be deceit and corruption. Even in these holy days of waiting, we

are still ourselves, dreaming, hoping people who stumble and fall

and wander from The Way.

God, help us to make the crooked places straight. Lift up the valley of our lost-ness and loneliness with your love. And when we finally have sung the last of the Christmas carols, stay with us and hold us in your newborn, yet eternal arms forever. Amen.

Rev. Frank Gaylord, Usher and Greeter

Friday, December 13

Milkweed Prayers 2 Matthew 13:23

I watched, one warm and cloudy afternoon,

A pregnant milkweed pod

Peel back its shell in birthing pain

As if opening itself to God.

Each seed, each fluffy drop of hope

Released in gentle air,

Floating on a breeze of faith

Seemed lifted up in prayer.

Some rose high and disappeared

But some were dipping low,

Bouncing on grass, rocks and bricks

And piling up like snow.

Are these my prayers, the ones that crash,

And fail to make their way?

That’s not the way it’s supposed to work.

That’s not what they say.

Continued on Next Page

Then it dawns, the sun comes out,

An Advent light I see.

These seeds are not my prayers to God,

But God’s own prayers to me.

Dear God, I pray my heart is receptive ground for your love to sprout and send down roots so in your sight, I grow. Amen

J. Harrison

Saturday, December 14

What does it mean to have

Courageous Confident Patience?

James 5:7-10

Whether you are running a race, singing a song, playing an instru-

ment or just plain breathing, you need endurance, especially

during advent. There is so much going on, so much anticipation

and sometimes so much anxiety around the coming holidays that

we need to take time to stop, reflect, and prepare ourselves for

the journey.

It takes a lot of bravery and confidence to continue to hope that

Christmas is still coming. Things going on in our world

sometimes have us filled with doubt. It’s hard to be patient with

the people around us and trust that there is change possible in

our world. The news sometimes doesn’t show us the hope in our

world. Our faith helps us push through. We feel like we should

show kindness to others, create our own world, and help to

reignite hope in the people around us and in the season that is

upon us.

Dear God, as we push through this endurance race toward Christ-mas, help us stop and think about how to infuse hope into our world, into our holiday celebrations, into each other. Be with us and help us have courageous confident patience this Advent sea-son. Amen.

LOGOS Middle School Worship Skills

Advent Week 3

Offering of Love this Week:

Boys and Girls Club:

School Supplies Suggested School Supplies for Boys and Girls Club

Spiral & Composition Notebooks

Loose Leaf Paper

Pocket Folders

3 Ring Binders & Dividers

Writing Utensils & Erasers

Coloring Utensils

Scissors

Tape & Glue

Antibacterial Wipes

Sunday, December 15

No Room for Jesus

Luke 2:1-7

No room in the inn?! Are you kidding me? Don’t they know

who is coming?

The answer of course was no. So, Mary gave birth to baby Jesus

in a stable.

We can sit and criticize, berate, and belittle the poor innkeeper

for not having enough room and kindness for a poor pregnant girl

--the mother of our Savior! But do we pay such attention to

ourselves? Do we have room for Jesus in our busy lives? Are we

just like the innkeeper with no time, no patience, and no space?

How might we make room for Jesus this year? Listen to Christ-

mas music, set out a nativity, go to church. Or start a new

tradition. A great one is to read one chapter of Luke each day

from December 1st through December 24th. By Christmas Eve,

you will have read all 24 chapters in Luke. You will have read

about Jesus’ birth, ministry, sacrifice on the cross, and

resurrection. You will wake up on Christmas day knowing who

and why we celebrate!

May this Advent and Christmas prove open to Jesus Christ and the true meaning of Christmas. Amen. Rev. Krystal Goodger

Monday, December 16

Misplaced

Luke 2:7

Each year, we display a Nativity on our fireplace mantel shelf.

Our family tradition entails removing baby Jesus from the

Nativity’s manger and hiding him until Christmas morning. Sever-

al years ago, I misplaced baby Jesus. The manger lay empty that

Christmas.

A few Christmas seasons later, I discovered baby Jesus lying in a

bowl of potpourri, nearby where we display the Nativity. Baby

Jesus had been misplaced but he wasn’t missing -- he was right

there in that bowl the entire time.

In the midst of a hectic and cluttered life, have you misplaced

Jesus? During Advent, take time to prepare your heart and mind

to experience the presence of Jesus -- Emmanuel, “God with us.”

Take heart. You may have misplaced Jesus, but he isn’t missing.

Dear God, thank you for your everlasting and steadfast love. Restore our ability to fully experience your presence in our lives. Amen.

Eric Guelker, Sunday School & Logos Teacher

Tuesday December 17

Grace Café Lessons

for Fierce Women Matthew 1:18-25

This fall we have been reading in Grace Café a book entitled

Fierce: Women of the Bible. I love the Friday morning

gatherings and the interaction of the women who attend this small

group. We come from various walks of life and varying ages and

the discussions are always lively and interesting.

I assumed that when we chose this book that we were again going

to read about the famous fierce women of the Bible, like the three

Marys, Martha, and others. I was so wrong and at first wondered

if it was going to make sense to read about lesser known females.

The chapters held various women from both the Old and New

Testament that I had not known. My hope was that these women

would inspire me to dig deeper into my faith as these women had.

Here is the list of these brave women:

Shiphrah and Puah (Exodus 1)

Deborah (Judges 4-5)

Naaman’s Slave Girl (2 Kings 5)

The Samaritan Woman (John 4)

Dorcas (Acts 9)

Lois and Eunice (Act 16 and 2 Timothy1)

Continued on Next Page

While women in the Bible did not play major roles except for a

chosen few, the scenes in which these women were highlighted

became lessons of how fierce (strong, independent, determined)

women full of hope and caring may bring out the love that Jesus

offered to all of us.

In this season of Advent, may each of us find the strength to reach

out becoming fierce and give hope and hospitality to someone

searching for the Christ in Christmas.

Dear Lord, as we enter this busy season of Advent, help me to be ever mindful of all the good that can be given when we remember that you are Lord to even the least of these and that all of can be-come fierce carrying out your word. Amen

Terry Twedell, SPUMC Scholarship Chair and Welcome Center

Host

Wednesday, December 18

An Angel of God

Luke 1:39-45

Every year when I return to the readings that fill the seasons of

Advent and Christmas, there’s a part of me that sighs and says,

“Here we go again.” After all, Christmas is Christmas and even

the greatest story ever told pays the price of repetition. But then I

read the stories again and I’m reminded not only of their amazing

depth and richness but also of the insight and wisdom they offer

as well.

For example, in rereading the Gospel accounts this year,

I’m struck with the role that one “angel” in particular plays in the

story. And no, I’m not talking about the angel that visits Mary and

Joseph. Nor am I talking about the army of angels that sings to

the shepherds as they watch over the sheep in the hills above

Bethlehem. In fact, the angel I’m thinking about isn’t even of the

heavenly variety. The angel I’m thinking about is Elizabeth,

Mary’s aunt. Do you remember her story?

The Bible says that Elizabeth was “barren” and “well along

in years” when she learned that soon she would be a parent after

all. Good news? You bet. But think of the complications it

would bring to her life. Being pregnant and getting ready for a

child is enough to turn life upside down at any age. And yet, who

does Mary turn to when she learns of her own news? She turns to

that one person she knows she can trust; the one person she

knows who will be there despite issues of her own. It’s Elizabeth

who helps Mary prepare to be God’s handmaiden.

Continued on Next Page

And what about you? Is there an “Elizabeth” in your life? Is

there an “angel” you can turn to when life throws you a curve–

perhaps an aunt, or an uncle, or a parent, or a friend? But also

how about the other side of the coin. Are you ready to be an

“angel” for God as Elizabeth was for Mary?

In Christmas, we celebrate the gift of a special child who

grew to be an adult and said, “I have come not to be served but to

serve.” In Christmas, we are called to be the gift to others as

God’s care-givers.

Loving God, thank you for the ‘angels’ in our life that show us who you are and share your love. Amen.

Pastor Brad Mather, Director of Caring Ministries

Thursday, December 19

Change

Psalm 96

Our lives are always changing. The things that one day seem

common to our lives may not be there the next day. The

transition between stages in our life can often be difficult.

Whether it’s beginning high school, beginning college, beginning

your first job, or ending your last job, each change holds its own

challenge. Sometimes the challenges you face are frightening and

it feels as though you are going through the change alone. But

that is when it is best to remember that God is with you. Through

every up and down that happens in life God is there, hearing our

prayers. The mighty, all powerful Lord is on our side!

Dear Lord, thank you for being with us through the many changes we experience throughout our life. We pray for everyone out there who is facing new frontiers in their life. Please guide your

children through each and every day. Amen!

Richie Gilles, College Student

Friday, December 20

Hope is in Our Church

Jeremiah 29:11

I used to love coming to church. When I was younger, I would

come to LOGOS every Wednesday, even though I lived in

Reedsburg. I had so many friends and family at the church and it

was so much fun. I loved God and I knew that God loved me.

As I grew older, and went into middle school, my family got busy

and started to go to church less and less. Then, we just stopped

coming. I didn't think much of it for a few years and I distanced

myself from my faith. Honestly, I became anxious about going to

church and got out of it any way I could, because I felt guilty. But,

that is where my hope story starts.

This summer, I volunteered as a mentor at VBS. I was so scared

to come back to the church, but I instantly felt at home again. I

loved singing and dancing to songs, seeing my cousins, and seeing

all of the young children enjoy being at Church as much as I did.

It reminded me of my younger self. I started to gain back my

hope and trust in God again.

Now that I am in confirmation, my eyes have completely opened,

and my hope in God has returned. Every time I step foot in the

chapel, I know I don't have to worry about the stresses or struggles

in my life. I put my trust in God to take those struggles away, even

if it is just for a few hours. Also, when I'm in the church, I know I

am loved by my church family. I know I am accepted and that

people care about me.

Continued on Next Page

One of the most powerful times that I see hope in our church is

during Saturday night services. You can just feel God's energy

flowing through the pews as we join in song and as Pastor Jenny

speaks the sermon. During the service, I may not physically feel

God's presence, but I know that He is there. I can put my hope

and trust in Him. He does love me, and God has a path and a

plan for me in life. "For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope."

I thank you God for bringing me back to my church and home, The United Methodist Church. I thank you for leading me back onto the path that will lead me in my faith journey, and I thank you for guiding me through my life even when I distanced myself from you. Amen

Josie Langhans, Confirmation Student

Saturday, December 21

Advent Joy

Romans 15:13

The Advent season is a time for hope, peace, joy, and love as we

celebrate the birth of our Savior. But for some it is not a time of

peace and joy. We are well aware that life is a journey. On this

journey we have to deal with constant change and loss. This

journey can bring hidden beauty: It is that human care and

concern, the power of faithful love, generous help and compas-

sion for one another. The gift of hope, joy, and love comes when

we let others enter into our heart and lives. In Matthew 6:34 it

reads, “So, don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care

of your tomorrow, too. Live one day at a time.”

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of joy. What a blessing

that even in our trials we may find and share joy with one another. Thank you for your precious son who brings joy to the world. Amen Velma Hockenberry, Stephen Minister

Advent Week 4

Offering of Joy this Week:

Northside Elementary:

Child and Youth Sized

Gloves

Sunday, December 23

A Burst of Energy

Hebrews 10:36

Hope. Endurance. These words go with both running and

Advent. In Advent, we hope for good to come. In running we

hope for a win or at least a good place in the race.

Advent is a lot like a race, but it sure is a long one. That is where

endurance fits in. It takes endurance to get to the end of the race.

In my races, I start slow; I am almost in the back. But by the end

of the race, I am in the front. How? Endurance. People use all

of their energy early on in the race, but then by the end, not even

the middle, they are panting. That is when I catch them in the

race.

Advent isn’t about winning the race or even being in the front. It

is about sticking it out to the end. We all need to help each other

get there. In the beginning of the Advent season we are filled with

hope for Christmas, knowing it is coming soon. As the season

goes on, we start to lose hope that it is even coming at all. At the

end of my races, I feel a burst of energy, like when Christmas

break is coming and all I want to do is get to the end of the week.

The Bible says in Hebrews 10:36, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” God has promised Christmas. We just need to stick it

out and get there…Together.

Dear God, you have promised Christmas like you have promised it all these years before. Give us the endurance and patience to get there. Let us see your Son giving us new hope and giving us the endurance to see that he is coming. Amen.

Catie Hinthorn, 7th grade

Monday, December 24

A Great Light

Isaiah 9:2

Psalm 96:1

It has been a cold, grey fall with drizzle nearly every day. During

my quiet time each morning I sit looking out through our grove of

very old gnarly trees with their dry, brown leaves floating to the

ground. Too often these trees bring to my peaceful time a re-

minder of the darkness in the world today.

Recently as I sat nursing these gloomy reflections I became aware

that our young Maple had overnight become clothed in scarlet

and yellow—a holy moment for me! A promise of hope and light

in our gnarly world. Advent coming early.

Gracious God, thank you for the surprising moments when we realize your coming into our lives and into our world. Amen.

Ruth Churchill

Wednesday, December 25

Full of Wonder

Luke 2:18-19

Each year, one of my Advent and Christmas prayers is that I will

not lose my sense of wonder and that I will experience the wonder

of Christmas anew each year. Yet, at times, the familiarity of the

Christmas story, the repetition of the carols, and the busyness and

pressures of the season keep us from that sense of awe and won-

der over Christ’s birth.

The stories of the birth of Christ are filled with wonder, and it was

wonder that surrounded Jesus’ entire life and ministry. I have

heard it said that humbleness precedes wonder, and praise and

gratitude follow close behind.

Wonder always opens us up to the thrill of hope. As Christmas

approaches, let’s try to get past all the anxiousness of last minute

Christmas preparations and allow the wonder of the season to

thrill us with hope.

Loving God, help us to quiet our anxious minds and open our hearts to the wonder of the Advent season that leads to the hope that Christmas brings. Amen.

Pastor Jenny Arneson

The First Days of

Christmas

Thursday, December 26

What are You Waiting For?

Isaiah 40:31

We spend a lot of time waiting and most of the time we would

rather not. Why is that? Do we think it’s a waste of precious

time? Does waiting magnify our fears and worries? Do we

believe that we will be happy when the waiting is finally over?

Let’s change our mindset about waiting. Let’s see it as an

opportunity to draw closer to God. Isaiah reminds us that waiting

like this renews our strength.

Some Bible translations use the word ‘trust’ rather than wait:

“Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.” How

interesting that trusting is so closely related to waiting. When we

trust in the Lord, we place our faith in the One who is truly in

control and whose timing is perfect. We trust in God’s promises.

Eternal God, thank you for allowing us to wait. May we do so with joyful hope, for in Christ is a hope that will not disappoint. Be born anew in us, O God, so we may be your light in this world. Amen.

Bill Anciaux, LOGOS Volunteer

Friday, December 27

Hope in Change

Philippians 4: 6-7

In June of 2018, due to a new job opportunity, we made a choice

to move from South Bend, IN where we had lived for more than

30 years, to the Madison area. It was a time of uncertainty for us;

we had never taken a risk like this before. We would be leaving

our United Methodist church, family and many friends and start-

ing over in an unfamiliar place. We decided to view this oppor-

tunity as an adventure; to take a risk and hope for the best!

There have definitely been stressful times during this change, but

we have felt God’s presence with us often…during evening walks

in our neighborhood; in meaningful church services as we sing

and worship in a familiar way; and through the fellowship and

warmth of new friends.

This move has helped us see that no matter where we go, God is

with us.

Dear God, during this Advent Season help us to be open to change and to maintain hope in new situations.

Sally and Russ Abarr, Greeters and Fellowship Time Host

Saturday, December 28

Light

John 1:5

When I think the hope, I think of a light that pierces

through the darkness of doubt. Being in college has a lot of

darkness that tests your ability to see the light. For me, the light

comes in many different forms. I was up late studying one night,

and the light was seeing my bookends. They were made by my

sister and reminded me of my supporting family back home.

When I do well on an exam, I see the light as God reminding me,

I can succeed. The Bible says, “The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). These

moments of light give me the hope I need to keep persevering

through the stresses of college to eventually be free from it. No

matter how overwhelming the darkness of doubt may seem in

your life, remember that it can never overcome the light of hope.

Lord be with us as we go through life trying to figure out how we can be disciples of your word. Show us the light that breaks through the darkness in our daily lives. Amen.

Alex Bandli, College Student and Usher

Sunday, December 29

Do Not Fear for I am With You

Isaiah 41:10

This past July we were on our way home from vacation and

decided to take a break along the Ohio Turnpike. While my

husband was filling the car up with gas, I ran inside to purchase a

snack. On my way out, I discovered a couple in the middle of a

medical emergency. I stopped to help and we were back on the

road 30 minutes later. After passing the first toll, traffic began to

slow and then stopped completely in both directions. We knew

something bad must have happened up ahead. After a 100-

minute delay, traffic finally started to move again. About five

miles ahead we came upon the scene of the accident and it was

terrible. We headed for our hotel. On the road again the next

morning, we heard on the radio that an elderly couple had been

killed and several others were taken to the hospital. I said a short

prayer for that couple and their family and asked God if the delay

the previous day was His way of protecting us from being involved

in that accident. Immediately the song “The Little Girl” came on

the radio where the little girl was hiding behind the couch with

Jesus by her side while her parents fought and died. I posted the

experience on Facebook and within a few minutes, a high school

friend posted that she had recently been forced onto the shoulder

of the road but was able to safely re-enter the highway with the

song “Jesus Take the Wheel” playing on her radio. Coincidences

one might say? I think not.

Thank you, God, for always watching over us. Keep us open to the little miracles in our lives this Christmas season and throughout the year. Amen

Bonnie Kott, Stephen Ministry Leader, Welcome Center Host

and Greeter

Monday, December 30

Journeying with the Magi

Isaiah 60:3

An excellent poem to read during Advent is “Journey of the

Magi” by T.S. Elliot. The poem depicts the story in Matthew 2 of

the expedition of “wise men from the East,” the Magi, to pay

homage to the Christ child. The poem is from the point of view

of one of kings. The speaker describes an arduous and frustrating

journey over mountains in the “dead of winter” with complaining

camels, grumbling servants, unfriendly towns, and their whispering

doubts. The travelers descend into a “temperate” valley with

images of dawn, water, vegetation, vines, but also “three trees,” a

white horse, “dicing for pieces of silver.” These are confusing and

even contradictory images of hope, but also a foreshadowing of

defeat, humiliation, and death. The poem is perplexing, puzzling,

and paradoxical, much like the spiritual journey. It is about the

birth of Jesus, but neither Jesus nor Christ are mentioned. The

speaker wonders out loud if he has seen birth (of something new)

or death (of something old).

Give us strength, God, to persevere through the “dead of winter” of our own faith journey and to accept the puzzles and paradoxes until we come to see for ourselves the “…brightness of your dawn.”

J. Harrison

Tuesday, December 31

Care for Others

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

I love serving the needy in times when they need love and sup-

port. It warms my heart to see people's eyes light up when I talk

to them. Serving people is more important than serving yourself,

because Jesus served people. We repay him by serving others.

Jesus tells us to love our neighbors and treat people how we want

to be treated. I believe that by serving people how you would like

to be served could have a big impact later in life. Serving the

needy is very inspiring to me because it shows that people deserve

warmth and comfort. Also, it shows that people love each other

and care for each other even if they don't know them. God is our

overseer.

Dear God, spread your love and kindness to people in need and spread awareness to your welcoming arms. Thank you for show-

ing people that serving others is more important than serving yourself because we need more selflessness in our lives. Amen and Amen.

Keaton Monthie, Confirmation Student

Wednesday, January 1

This Little Light of Mine

John 1:5

“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine……” Remember

singing that?

It is a promise to be a light shining in the darkness. We have

magnificent ways of expressing our faith: songs, music, Scripture,

and quotes. This Advent, I wanted to combine all of that in a

fresh way. Oh, I also wanted to add in the themes of light and

hope. Also to make room every day for the Christ Child - in a

month that lasts about two minutes.

Yet, it all came together in the form of a jar I filled with 25 quotes,

Bible verses, and songs about light and hope. In a perfect world,

we’ll sip our hot beverage; pull a paper from the Advent jar, then

sing or read; gaze at a glowing candle; and reflect on our blessings.

This isn’t a perfect world. More likely, we’ll be bleary eyed and

exhausted, near midnight, when we remember the jar.

Or we’ll be driving home in the dark from an event, I’ll pull the

container out of my tote (did I pack it?); and I’ll read the words by

the glow of my flashlight or sing the song in the dark, forgetting

half the words. Yet, even in those imperfect moments, we will be

reminded of the love offered by Christ, the light of the world.

And it will be good.

Dear Lord, thank you for being our light in this imperfect world. Please help us share your love and light with others. Sue Nonte, SPUMC Librarian and Fellowship Time Host