Have you ever considered reading the whole Bible in one year? You are invited to join us in reading through the Bible in 2008. If you spend about 15 min. per day you can complete the whole Bible. The source for our readings is: One Year Bible Reading Plan - ChristianAnswers.Net

You can read it on-line at that web-site or you can read your own bible and follow the weekly guide we will post on the refrigerator page and I will send out with weekly prayer requests. Rather that reading straight through from Genesis to Revelation, this reading plan divides the readings into seven categories (one for each day of the week) so this will (hopefully) make it more interesting. Those topics include: The Law, History, Psalms, Poetry, Prophecy, Gospels and Epistles. I think you might enjoy this variety as it is really a challenge to stick with reading the Bible straight through!

If you would like to discuss what you are reading with others, please let the office know and we will set up a sharing time to talk over what we are reading. Hope this will encourage you to read the manual God has provided. This is how we really grow as a believer.

Prayer Partners and all interested to join us will meet Sunday, Jan. 13th at 6 p.m. in Fellowship Hall to share, pray and hear about the mission trip of Elizabeth Flickinger. She has been to Australia and Africa these past few months. Anyone interested is invited to attend this and you are invited to ask community friends. It will be a blessing to hear about what Elizabeth has experienced.

Come and enjoy the fellowship and light treats will be served by Mission Team.

Dates are filling up fast but, we do have a few left that need to be filled. If you would like to sponsor a radio broadcast please call the church office at 334-3689. At this time a single radio broadcast is $90.00. If you see a date that you might be interested in, please call early in the year. Sometimes if you wait too long the date may already be filled. The dates available for 2008 are:

The United Methodist Foundation has scholarships available for 2008-2009. Please check out the web site www.iumf.org for more information on how to apply.

The special offering in January is offered on the Sunday before the birthday observance of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. where United Methodist congregations observe Human Relations Day. The special offering supports Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Service and Youth Offender Rehabilitations programs. This Human Relations Day helps strengthen outreach to communities in the United States and Puerto Rico and encourage social justice and work with at-risk youth. If you would like to help support this special offering, please use the envelopes provided with this newsletter.

The new offering envelopes for 2008 will be mailed on January 2nd. You will receive them in time for the first Sunday of January. PLEASE Discard any unused 2007 envelopes. We assign new envelope numbers for 2008. If you use the old envelopes credit might go to the wrong person. This will keep our records accurate as we enter them into the computer. Thank you for your help.

ERIC BANTZ
(son of Kelley & Jerry Wells)
is being deployed to Iraq in January 2008.
Please join us for a send off at the Rowley Community Center
Saturday, January 5th 2008
4:00-10:00 p.m.

UMW and others,

Thank you to all of you for the wonderful luncheon and your time in preparing it and serving my father’s friends and family. It was delightful to see you again and discuss old times. It was also heart-warming to simply be in the environment of my childhood church. I enjoyed many potlucks and pancake suppers in that dining room.

With fond memories, Kay Ferris

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Thank you to the church and UMW for the gifts this Christmas. Thank you for thinking of us at Christmas time.

Melody, Linda and Marie

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Thank you for your dedication and service to those who have served on Committees in the past 3 years or more. We appreciate your support. Remember the new committees start in January, so those of you who were called in November to be on a committee will be receiving reminder cards soon to let you know when we will be meeting. Once again thanks for your service.

1-6-08 “Moving Into The Unknown”
Matthew 2:13-23
The beginning of the year brings us the Scripture of Jesus, as a little child, moving with his parents under great duress into the unknown. Yet in God was with Jesus & Mary & Joseph. Today we move into a new year of the unknown with the same faith in God’s care. Let us trust Him even in the face of great unknown

1-13-08 “The Baptizer is Baptized”
Matthew 3:13-17
Jesus, knowing that His mission was before Him, asks John the Baptist to baptize Him. This symbol of baptism was important to Jesus. It was an example to all that those who would give their lives to Jesus in trust and in following Him. It requires a letting go of the past and looking toward new life.

1-20-08 “The Lamb of God”
John 1:29-34
John the Baptist, once again helps to “point the way” to who Jesus really is. He comes as a the “Lamb whose blood takes away all sin.” This is the true meaning of the act of God in Jesus Christ. Let us rejoice on this Communion Sunday.

1-27-08 “Following Jesus”
Matthew 4:18-23
As Jesus calls...the disciples hear. What is God calling you to do in your life? Are you Listening and are you responding? Are you willing to leave behind all that you have or are to “follow” His call?

January Prayer Targets:

January 2008 Jr. High Youth Schedule:
Undecided - Will contact you with plans.

February 2008 Jr. High Youth Schedule:
2/15 - Waterloo Blackhawks Hockey game.

January 2008 Sunday Helpers Schedule:

January 2008 Acolytes: Josh Barske & Matthew Beebe
February 2008 Acolytes: Austin Rasmussen & Mitchell Cabalka

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