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"Why do we care for people not part of our church, our family, our community? Why do we look out for injustice among people we have no direct connection with?
Because, for one thing, we have been there ourselves. "The faith continually looks back to the time when God called forth Moses and delivered the people from slavery under Pharaoh. They were not simply foreigners, strangers, aliens in Egypt. They were trapped, they were enslaved, they were in forced labor. And God delivered them."
A second relates to what Jesus said iin John 13:34: "'I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.'"
"...All of this is at odds with our culture of 'Well, if it is not happening to me, why should I care?' ...(Jesus) is liberating us...from our 'Me First!' mentality...We are connected to one another regardless of how much we look alike or different. We are all children of the same God, whether we acknowledge it or not." The complete quote can be found here.r
Rev. Phil Hobson, pastor of Salem UCC, Verona
Used with his permission
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CONGREGATIONS WELCOME
THE LENTEN SEASON
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The Wisconsin Council of Churches encourages churches to use their resource--The Palm Sunday Path--to stand up to rising authoritarianism and white Christian nationalism. It notes that when Jesus entered Jerusalem, he placed before us a contrast with the domination and militarism of Herod's entrance. Contact the Council (wcoc@wichurches.org) for more information.
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On the Mondays leading up to Palm Sunday, St. John's UCC, Monroe, will have a Lenten book study on A Different Kind of Fast, by Christine Valters Paintner.
They will also have a Firepit Night to burn palms in preparation for Ash Wednesday and have a Baked Potato Supper on Ash Wednesday.
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First Congregational UCC, Hartland, will have a Lenten Forgiveness Study on Mondays, beginning February 23.
Members of Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, will prepare for Lent by participating in a Nighttime Walk in the Woods, lit with luminaria, next to their church.
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Middleton Community UCC will mark the beginning of Lent with a Mardi Gras Pancake Supper.
| Following the lead of Middleton Community UCC, Zwingli UCC, Paoli, Edgerton Congregational UCC and St. John's UCC, Monroe, encouraged their members to adopt star words during Epiphany, as way to recall the journey of the Magi and as a practice of reflection. | As a follow-up to the January Shalom headline article, Middleton Community UCC had an explanation of their transition to Ministry Teams. | MCC/Community UCC, Madison, alerted their members to a listening session on threats to the migrant community | |
Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, wrote that in view of UW-Health's decision to end their gender-affirming care for minors, members were encouraged to join a protest that was held on January 16 and to write letters of protest.
MCC/Community of Hope UCC. Madison, encouraged their members to attend a webinar of Fair Wisconsin on proposed federal rules threatening access to youth gender-affirming care.
Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison, celebrated their 30 years as an Open and Affirming Congregation.
| Zwingli UCC, Paoli, recognized January 25 as Health and Human Service Sunday, honoring the 400 member site locations of the UCC's Council for Health and Human Service Ministries. | |
In response to the ICE violence in Minneapolis, the youth of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, made origami cranes with messages and sent them to Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, site of a violent ICE raid. The church has ties to Roosevelt High School.
Members of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, joined a vigil in downtown Madison to mourn the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
Rev. Mary Jane Huber, pastor of St. John's UCC, Merton, made an urgent plea for Senators to deny funding to the federal Dept. of Homeland Security. Rev. Eldonna Hazen, pastor of First Congregational UCc, Madison, also highlighted this issue in the church's newsletter.
| The Wisconsin Conference, UCC, alerted high school sudents to an opportunity to pursue advocacy known as Youth Voices: Bold Faith, that is scheduled for July12-17. Email Lisa Hart (lhart@wcucc.org) for details. | |
The Dane County Sheriffs Department provided emergency preparedness training at the Windsor UCC church.
Immanuel UCC, Darlington, installed a defibrillator and plans to set up a training on how to use it.
Redeemer UCC, Sussex, will have a Narcan/Naloxone training in February.
| First Congregational UCC, Fort Atkinson, took a trip down memory lane with members sharing recipes and pictures of antique cars. | Redeemer UCC, Sussex, began a service of Valet Parking as a way to prevent accidental falls on slippery pavement. | |
First Congregational UCC, Madison, will have their annual Newlywed Game on Sunday, February 1. This youth-led activity will feature four couples who have kids in the church's youth program.
| McFarland UCC will have a Dances of Universal Peace event on Saturday, January 31. | When Rob Connoley presented his family-style feast on January 22, it is posssible that he used a recipe from the cookbook of Zwingli UCC, Paoli. | The Lunch and Learn of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, had a talk by Pam Oliver on Between Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter: Black Protests in the 1990s and 2000s. | |
Middleton Community UCC is displaying works of art by members of the congregation.
Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, called attention to the plight of children in Palestaine, featuring a picture, Children of Bethlehem.
The church also had a Heart Room update in their effort to help families with young children gain stable housing.
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St. John's UCC, Monroe, again is turning pillowcases into Little Dresses for Africa
First UCC, Belleville, had their annual Remembrance Sunday.
First Congregational UCC, Fort Atkinson, will have a Books, Magazine and Puzzle Exchange.
Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, is inviting their members to be a mystery friend to fellow members.
The Congregational UCC, Evansville, will have a Polka Music Sunday.
St. John's UCC, Merton, has set up a meal train to help with a member who recently had surgery.
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First Congregational UCC, Janesville, welcomed their new pastor, Rev. Benjamin J. Barlow.
Rev. Lois Buchholz will serve as a quarter-time minister fo the Congregational UCC, Genesee.
Rev. Robert Koepke began as full-time interim at McFarland UCC.
Rev. Laura Hawkins was called by Olivet UCC, Columbus, as part-time Designated Pastor.
Rev. Peter Strobel was called as full-time pastor for Zwingli UCC, Monticello.
Rev. Tisha Brown was called as part-time pastor for Zwingli UCC, Mount Vernon.
Lesley Buelow began as one-fourth time Licensed Interim at Raymond UCC, Franksville.
Rev. Howard Hunt continues as one-half time Interim at the Congregational UCC, Union Grove.
Ruith Schoenwetter, mother of Rev. Lisa Schoenwetter, retired UCC minister and member of Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, died on January 15.
| Zwingli UCC, Monticello, is seeking a part-time person to serve as their Caring Ministries Coordinator. They are seeking a compassionate and organized person to work collaboratively with staff and volunteers. One can apply by sending a cover letter and resume to zwinglira@gmail.com. | |
UCC WEBINAR DEALS WITH
U.S. ACTIONS IN VENEZUELA
| The UCC Webinar on Wednesday, February 11,12:00, will relate to U.S. actions in Venezuela, such as the effort to control its oil. Register here. | |
From Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison:
"We must acept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. (Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
"Whenever one person stands up and says, ''Wait a minute; this is wrong,' it helps other people to do the same." (Gloria Steinem)
"What are heavy? sea-sand and sorrow.
What are brief? today and tomorrow.
What are frail? Spring blossoms and
youth.
What are deep? the ocean and truth."
--Christina Rosetti
"Sometimes I think,
I need a spare heart to feel
all the thigs I feel."
--Edna O"Brien
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During Lent Zwiingli UCC, Paoli, and Windsor UCC are discussing The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage, by Richard Rohr. How do we live compassionately in a time of violence and despair?
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The Women's Book Study of First Congregational UCC, Madison, will discuss Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson.
The Seekers Book Club of First Congregational UCC, Janesville, is currently reading Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion, by Gregory Boyle.
At Trinity UCC, Brookfield, the author of Jim Crow, Hazel Jackson, will be present to discuss her book.
At MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, the First Nations group is looking at a book of meditations, Spirit Wheel.
The Book Group of Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, will be reading, Better Ways to Read the Bible: Transforming a Weapon of Harm into a Tool of Healing, by Zach W. Lambert.
The Women's Book Group of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, will discuss The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien.
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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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