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"Our heavenly Father wants our lives to be abundant with fruit of the Spirit..., (and) the fruit of the Spirit is love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...(Galatians 5:22).
"The word joy (and rejoice) is found over 150 times in our Bible. We see it in just about every book of the New Testament. Jesus and joy go hand in hand...
"'For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God' (Hebrews 12:2).
"...The more love we pass on to our brothers and sisters, the more joy we experience. Who can beat that?"
Rev. Robert Wilkins, pastor of Immanuel UCC, Darlington
| | CONGREGATIONS MOVE FROM THANKSGIVING INTO ADVENT | |
First Congregational UCC, Oconomowoc, will again prepare persons for Christmas by having their illuminated Live Nativity and Prayer Walk on the night of Friday, December 5.
| Salem UCC, Verona, invites members to host a table or reserve a space at their Advent By Candlelight on November 30. | Trinity UCC, Brookfield, invites their members to reflect on the Advent season by participating in Thursday afternoon sessions. | |
As a way to make Advent meaningful, First Congregational UCC, Madison, is providing an Advent Candle devotional kit for their members, one that includes a battery-powered candle.
| Middleton Community UCC will have seven Connection Groups to give their members a chance to go deeper during Advent | St. John's UCC, Merton, notes that they will have an ecumenical Christmas Lessons and Carols service with cooperating churches on December 3 at Christ Our Savior's Church in Sussex. | |
Again this year, First Congregational UCC, Madison, will pique their childen's curiosity during the Children's message to guess what symbol of God's love is in the box.
Their families will also receive an ADVENTure Clue to guide them to a spot in the building
| For their Advent series, Salem UCC, Verona, will again use the book, In the Absence of the Ordinary: Soul Work in Times of Uncertainty, by Francis Weller. | The chapel of First Congregaional UCC, Madison, will feature Liam's Laughter, mosaic and textile art, to highlight the anticipation of Advent. | |
Congregations that will have a Longest Night or Blue Christmas servcie in December include Zwingli UCC, Paoli; First Congregational UCC, Hartland; Middleton Community UCC; Orchard Rdige UCC, Madison and First Congregational UCC, Madison, to recognize that for some the Christmas season can be a time of sadness rather than joy.
| First Congregational UCC, Platteville; Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, and MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, observed Trans Day of Remembrance in November. In honor of the event, members were asked to write letters of support to trans persons. | |
The Wisconsin Council of Churches noted that October was Clergy Appreciation Month. Zwingli UCC, Paoli, and the Congregational UCC, Evansville, also called attention to that.
| St. John's UCC, Monroe, reminds us that rather than bagging the leaves on our lawn, they can be mowed and left to provide mulch. | |
To celebrate November's National Native American Heritage Month. McFarland UCC had Dances of Universal Peace and a poster display that featured items of Native American culture.
Zwingli UCC, Paoli, celebrated the event, noting that two of their members have been volunteering at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota for many years.
Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison, featured works by indigenous artists for their Fall Gallery Night.
First Congregational UCC, Madison, also highlighted this month in their newsletter and featured their books in thier Book Nook.
| MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, participate in collecting food scraps that are then composted. | McFarland UCC celebrated 40 years of being in their church building. MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, remembered their beginnings during the height of the ecumenical movement. Middleton Community UCC honored the 100th anniversary of their Camp Balsams with T-shirts. | Immanuel UCC, Darlington, Communty UCC, Fontana and Redeemer UCC, Sussex, were also hosts of Thanksgiving services. | |
Fair Trade sales are held by Middleton Community UCC and St. John's UCC, Monroe. MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, sells olive wood carvings from Palestine.
Rdeemer UCC, Sussex, helped a refugee family deal with a recent food emergency. St. John's UCC, Merton, helped a member by doing raking and moving patio furniture indoors.
| Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, and Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, provide their college students with care packages as they head into final exams. | |
Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, took advantage of their location by inviting members to take a walk behind their building.
| Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, began their presentation on disabilities by having two of their members share their experiences while advocating for their adult children, who have multiple disabilities. | |
Swiss UCC, New Glarus, offers medical equipment for residents.
St. John's UCC, Monroe. assembled care bags for patients at the oncology department of their local hospital.
MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, has naloxone available at their church for emergency opoid overdose.
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McFarland UCC is collecting items, such as tents and sleeping bags, for homeless persons in their area,
| St. John's UCC, Monroe, provides quality daycare in their building | Frst Congregational UCC, Lake Geneva, had a ukulele concert by Lil' Rev. | The Edgerton Congregational UCC enjoyed some live jazz music to help support a student in Kenya. | First Congregational UCC, Delavan, had a spaghetti dinner. Immanuel UCC, Walworth, had a turkey dinner. | | Michael Whiteley was ordained at the First Congregational UCC of Genesee on November 9. | |
CAMPUS MINISTRY
SEEKING BOARD MEMBERS
| The Wisconsin Conference alerts us the need for The Crossing, our progressive, interdenominational Christian ministry on the campus of UW-Madison, for board members. If you have a particular interest in campus ministry, get in touch with the co-chair, Rev Jen Petriccca Bloesch, at jenbloesch@gmail.com | |
From Trinity UCC, Brookfield:
"We shoud certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count."
(Our congregations make their blessings count in many ways, including providing for food pantries and flowers for worship.)
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the youth of Memorial UCC, Fiitchburg, will celebrate National Native American Heritage Month by having a Native American speak about her ancestors. She has turned her front porch into a Dia de Los Muentos altar.
When First Congregational UCC, Madison, observed World Kindness Day in November, it followed their Sunday School theme.
First Congregational UCC, Fort Atkinson, collected deodorant and feminine hygiene items for their school children.
Middleton Community UCC has invited members to provide new and like-new books for children served by the Scout group that meets in their building.
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Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, had a three-session series on Decolonizing Palestine: The Land, the People, the Bible, by Rev.Dr. Mitri Raheb.
The Seekers Book Club of First Congregational UCC, Janesville, will discuss Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christan, by Paul Knitter.
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The Parents Book Club of First Congregational UCC, Oconomowoc, is currently reading When Kids Ask Hard Questions, Volume II. The Hearts and Hands group of the church recently read Owl Babies in preparation for their Baby Own project. Their Book Club discussed The Shack, by Wm. Paul Young.
The Thursday Book Club of First Congregational UCC, Hartland, met at the Genesee UCC Community Building to discuss Falling Upward, by richard Rohr.
The Tuesday Night Fellowship of Middleton Community UCC will continue with the video series, The Bible with and without Jesus. Their Coffee and Conversation will discuss How Not to Be Afraid, by Gareth Higgins.
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CONTACTS
Associate Conference Minister:
Rev. Rachel Bauman
608-630-2992
Shalom Editor:
Rev. Roger Brooks
608-395-2390
swacommunications@gmail.com
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Southern Region of the Wisconsin. Conference; swacommunications@gmail.com
W1000 Spring Grove Rd., Ripon, WI 54971; 608-846-7880
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