FROM RACHEL YATES, PRESBYTERY EXECUTIVE
WHAT STILLNESS REVEALED
This weekend, I locked myself in the bathroom.  Not on purpose.  And, not really in the bathroom itself, but in the tiny toilet room of my daughter and son-in-law's home.  Our remodeling projects continue, including the installation of a pocket door to the toilet room.  My primary role is painter, so I began painting the exterior of the door and trim while my husband worked around me, adjusting the door's slide mechanism.  Finishing the first coat on the exterior, I moved into the little room and slid the door closed behind me to paint the interior door.  That's when my troubles started.

My husband let me know he needed...(READ MORE)
PRESBYTERY PULSE
VIRUSES AND VACCINES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
January 7th recording now available
Trained immunocytochemist, Ruling Elder, and Executive Presbyter of Cincinnati Presbytery Lisa Allgood was welcomed back to the Wisconsin presbyteries last week to discuss the virus, the vaccine, and what our congregations and ministries need to know in this new phase.  If you were unable to attend the webinar, but would like to know what this frank, grounded, and trusted source of information about COVID-19 has to say about viruses and vaccines, the risks of different types of church ministry, and how we can plan for the coming year you can view the recording here.  This is the handout referenced during the recording.
MATTHEW 25: I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU INVITED ME IN...
MATTHEW 25 IN ACTION: HERITAGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Heritage Presbyterian Church in Muskego is so excited to be able to support our church Elder, Glenn Kozicki, in his calling to serve the homeless community in southeastern WI. Glenn heads Heritage Home Delivers (HHD), a ministry of Heritage Church, that provides furniture and other furnishings for people who were previously homeless. Heritage helps to support this mission by funding truck rentals and storage units so all is ready when referrals come in. 

HHD has picked up furnishings from over 50 donors in 2020 to keep a robust inventory of furniture. They have also delivered the requested furnishings to over 50 homes.  Since 2017 Heritage has been involved with 115 deliveries, 175 pickups and have joyfully driven almost 9000 miles! HHD has been especially busy since November when we started receiving client referrals directly from Milwaukee County.  

If you would like to donate simply email us at HeritageHomeDelivers@gmail.com. We are in need of dressers, love seats, lamps, armed chairs and beds. With a finite storage space we may have to schedule your donation pickup into the near future, usually not longer than two weeks out. Because of COVID-19, we spend limited time in houses for donations or deliveries, keeping social distancing, and always wearing a mask.

We do all this with a joyful spirit and thank God for the opportunity.
 
Respectfully submitted,
Heritage Presbyterian Church
CROSS CULTURAL LITERACY WITH JAY ENGLISH
Saturday January 30, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
The Zen Center welcomes Jay English, Milwaukee resident, inner-city pastor and cross-cultural coach to teach a foundational workshop on Cross-Cultural Literacy.

We invited him to help us understand the racial divide in our community and how to overcome it. This foundational course will begin preparing you mentally for the journey into real cultural diversity. In this session, you will learn how to recognize your own cultural bias and how to decide if you're looking for assimilation or true integration. You will gain a better understanding on why the history we have been taught plays a large role in the issues we are facing today, and you will leave with a list of resources to review to provide you with additional perspective on some of the differences that exist between the dominant and minority cultures.

Register by email at info@mkzen.org in order to receive the zoom invitation
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS IN REACH
Monday, February 1, 12:00 p.m.
Register now for an insightful and challenging webinar featuring Kimber Watson, a new homeowner in the Habitat for Humanity program, as well as program leaders with Habitat in several counties in the Presbytery's footprint.  They will reveal the poverty and race barriers to homeownership, the solutions offered by the Habitat model, and ways for congregations and members to become involved.  We'll also announce our Presbytery challenge for creative and crafty folks, with a cash prize! 
MORE ON MATTHEW 25
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES CONTINUE TO BE ADDED 
While the focus of our Presbytery-wide Matthew 25 initiative has shifted to housing, resources continue to be added to the Medical Care section of our Healing Through Action webpage.  Churches and individuals are encouraged to visit and revisit these pages, continuing to learn how we might be better neighbors in this broken world.
NEWS FROM THE DENOMINATION
REGARDING RULING ELDERS:
A MONTHLY SERIES FOR SPIRITUAL LEADERS
 
Rodger Nishioka has written the most recent installment of Regarding Ruling Elders, a monthly resource of the Office of the General Assembly.
COMPASSION, PEACE & JUSTICE TRAINING DAYS
CPJ Training Day will again be held virtually in 2021 and expanded into three days, April 7-9, offering attendees chances to hear from leaders and associates of the Compassion, Peace & Justice ministries.

Learn more
APCE ANNUAL EVENT REGISTRATION
The 2021 APCE (Association of Presbyterian Church Educators) annual event, themed "Anything but Ordinary Time," is set for February 4-6, but the deadline for accessing interpretation services is Friday, January 22. Hopeful participants can register for the three-day online event here and find out about the different levels of participation available.

HAVE SOME FUN IN '21!
A DAY AT THE MUSEUM
Forty-four years after Star Wars: A New Hope hit theatres, the force behind the blockbuster saga's fandom is still strong.  And as those who grew up during the release of the original trilogy know, the toys based on the movies may have caused more hysteria than the films themselves.  Revisit the magic at the Oshkosh Public Museum's new exhibit "Star Wars: The Nostalgia Awakens," where the largest collection of vintage Star Wars toys in Wisconsin is on display January 24-June 20.  Hundreds of action figures, vehicles and play sets manufactured between 1978 and 1985 include rare collectibles and popular favorites that transport fans young and old to a time long ago in a galaxy far, far away.
MILWAUKEE INDTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN HOLIDAY SALE
This year the sale is going virtual!  The sale will feature amazing creations by students in all media -- from paintings and sculptures to cards, jewelry and more.  Proceeds from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Holiday Sale support the participating students, artists, and designers, while also benefitting MIAD student scholarships.
INVITATIONS
YOU'RE INVITED -- A MESSAGE FROM NEXT CHURCH
The 2021 NEXT Church National Gathering is an opportunity for all church leaders (pastors, educators, church members, ruling elders-everyone!) to join together for an online conference. This year's gathering - Breaking, Blessing, Building - A Call for Common Good - is March 5-7. Given all that is going on in our wider world (pandemics of racism, coronavirus, economic distress), our call as people of faith persists to be a source of hope and growth and goodness. Despite the physical space that separates us, we know that our togetherness can make all the difference! This year, the conference is intentionally designed for all church leaders.

The entire conference will be free and live-streamed. If you want to access and use the content (and bonus resources) later, you can do so with special subscription/purchase options, and presbytery or synod-wide discounts are available. Learn more and register.
COMMON GROUND UNIVERSITY
As part of our presbytery level membership of Common Ground, all congregations are invited to attend the upcoming Common Ground University sessions centered around organizing and creating change.

Common Ground works to make a major impact on the critical social and economic issues facing Southeastern Wisconsin. Changing these realities requires new leaders with the energy and vision to make this happen.  Please plan to attend all three sessions.

DATES AND TIMES:
Monday, January 25, 6:00 - 8:30pm (arrive by 5:45pm)
Monday, February 1, 6:00 - 8:30pm (arrive by 5:45pm)
Monday, February 8, 6:00 - 8:30pm (arrive by 5:45pm)

Space is limited -- please RSVP by Wednesday, January 20th.
WCC RETURNING TO CHURCH 2.0: HOLDING OUR PLANS LOOSELY
The Wisconsin Council of Churches has issued an update of COVID-19 recommendations and safety guidelines.  If you were unable to attend the January 14 webinar Returning to Church 2.0 presented by the Wisconsin Council of Churches, you can find all of the information discussed here:
HOT LINKS
Grapevine - Presbyterian Women's Newsletter
Keeping In Touch - Newsletter from the Synod of Lakes and Prairies 
Life in the Labyrinth - Inspirational Website by Michelle Henrichs
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance - Current Information
The Sower -  August 2020 Newsletter for the Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies
UCCI Newsletter - December 2020 Newsletter from United Church Camps, Inc.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
FUTURE PRESBYTERY GATHERING DATES

Download the 2020-2021 Presbytery Gathering flyer 

  • TUESDAY, March 9, 2021
  • SATURDAY, May 22, 2021
  • WEDNESDAY, September 22, 2021
  • THURSDAY, November 18, 2021 

Presbytery of Milwaukee
414-292-2740
khopta@pbymilwaukee.org
http://www.pbymilwaukee.org