STREAMLINIING THE CONSISTORY/COUNCIL | |
Since January is often a time of church annual meetings, this seems timely: And many churches are streamlining their committee structure:
"...Lengthy agendas and meetings that seemed to drag on forever, going over the tedious and repetitive monthly tasks of running a small rural church. A byproduct of the experience was often to see, or more accurately, no longer see some of our Consistory members in church after their 3-year 'sentence' was completed. They were exhausted by the experience.
"...Why would Consistory members, who spend just a fraction of the time thinking about those issues that the Cojmmittee does, then go on to second guess them? ...(Therefore) the role of Consistory is streamlined, to include just a review of the Committee work... And most importantly, we generally will achieve better outcomes because we've followed the advice of the 'experts' within our Congregation."
Kim Bright, Consistory Presdient, Swiss UCC, New Glarus
Used with her permission
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CONGREGATIONS
WELCOME THE NEW YEAR
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Congregations that support the Just Bakery of Just Dane, a ministry that helps formerly-incarcerated persons, include Middleton Community UCC; Memorial UCC, Fitchburg; First Congregational UCC, Madison; Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison and MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison. These congregations have the Just Bakery products for sale in their churches.
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The Congregational UCC of Edgerton provided a bit of calm during the Christmas sesson with an interfaith celebration of music from around the world, "The Sound of Peace."
The Congregational UCC of Evansville provided an ecumenical choir concert on December 7.
MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, had a Broadway Tunes concert by the Second Wind Band.
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One of the members who deals with constant pain and other members provide items for the Mittten Tree of Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison. Trinity UCC, Brookfield, and Middleton Community UCC also have Mitten Trees
| MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, noted the timeliness, given Kind Herod's killing of children, of a march and prayer servcie in the Capitol in solidarity with young transgender lives on December 28. | St. John's UCC, Monroe, offered an opportunity to hear how Agrace provides Dementia Care Consultations | |
Middleton Communty UCC invites the public to The Many, a free worship service featuring music about peace and justice on Friday, January 30, at 7:00. A workshop from 3:00 to 5:00 will provide an opportunity to learn new music and join in conversation about the music and rituals needed by God's people..A community dinner will follow the workshop. Register here.
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Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, and Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, will have an opportunity to see a traveling art exhibit, Children of Bethlehem. It presents the experiences of 12-13 year-old Palestinian Muslim and Christian youth who live under military occupation.. It has been created in partnership with the Dar Al-Kalima School in Bethlehem.
The Wisconsin Conference also offers an opportunity to check out liturgical resources related to the people of Gaza and the West Bank.
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On January 4, the Prison Ministry of First Congregational UCC, Madison, will celebrrate 20 years of providing encouragement and being agents of change to inmates of our correctional institutions. It has involved hundreds of volunteers and thousands of visits.
| Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, invited members to write Christmas notes for immigrants in the Dodgeville Detention Center. | |
A CPR training that will include use of an automated external defribulator (AED) will be offered in January at First Congregational UCC, Madison,
| St. John's UCC, Monroe, will provide persons with the opportunity to walk inside in their building during the winter months. | Each year MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, provides a calendar that highlights racial injustice history. | |
Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, was another congregation that held Fair Trade sales.
| Trinity UCC, Brookfield, helps their members with recycling by providing an area for items, | First Congregational UCC, Madison, is inviting all artists, both youth and old, to create a new mural for their building. | | |
Rev. Robert Koepcke will begin as interim minister at McFarland UCC on January1.
Rev. Jim Langreder of First Congregational UCC, Hartland, is moving from part-time ministry to full-time ministry.
Rev. Tiff Bates concluded his interim ministry at First Congregational UCC, Edgerton.
| Emmanel UCC. Dousman, is seeking a keyboard/musician to lead worship music on Sunday mornings and special services. Experience is preferred. Contact the church for a job description and salary. To apply contact Rev. Leanne Rose pastor@seeyouonsunday.org | UCC WEBINAR: CLIMATE ACTION COMMISSIONING SERVICE | Rev. Jim Antal will lead a Climate Action Commissioning Service on Wednesday, January 14, 12:00 noon. | |
From First Congregational UCC, Hartland::
"When fear tells us to pull away, love invites us to reach out. When you're afraid, give me your hand."
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The youth of Trinity UCC. Brookfield,.presented Christian symbols and their meaning.
An Escape Room adventure for the youth of First Congregational UCC, Madison, will happen in late January.
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The book group of Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, will read 54 Miles, by Leonard Pitts.
The Women's Book Group of Orchard Ridge UCC,. Madison, will discuss West with Giraffes, by Lynda Rutledge.
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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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