WHAT RURAL CHURCHES PROVIDE | |
"A recemt Thursdays for the Soul video focused on the special joys and challenges for rural chrrches. Rev. Barbara Howlett of Dille Parish, PA says that her joy is that everyone in her small rural congregation participates with their whole heart, mind, and soul. For her, the joy happens when her church models itself after the early church described in Acts, where all the believers were together and held everythibg in conmon
"She says this is the best description of rural communities. In other congregations Howlett has served, getting to know each oher is the biggest challenge. But in a rural communty, the church is very visible and personal. Howlett says she appreicates the stability of a community where people are deeply rooted, not moving in and out. Because of that stability, she believes that ministry in a rural area is more aligned with the ministry of Jesus, who was able to deeply know and understand those he ministered with. 'We may be small,' Howlett adds wih her infectious laugh 'but we serve a BIG GOD!'
"In South Dakota, Becky Leonard is the office administrator at First Congregational UCC in Redfield, a small community of just about 2,000 residents. In spite of being a small congregation of 45 or so worshippers, this small community is able to serve the community in a number of ways. Together with another UCC church 10 miles away, the congregation runs a nonprofit apartment building that provides housing for the elderly and disabled of the community. They also have a food bank, which is important as their rural community is considered a food desert. They also support local schools with a backpack program."
Source unknown
| | JUNE IN OUR CONGREGATIONS | |  | | |
In addition to those mentioned in the May Shalom, The Community Church of Fontana UCC provides a monthly free community friendshp meal.
Zwingli UCC, Monticello, in conjunction with Reformation UCC, Monticello, will have a Vacation Bible School. First UCC, Belleville, is again partnering with Grace United Methodist Church to provide one
Rev. Phil Hobson, pastor of Salem UCC, Verona, reflected on the roots of Memorial Day observances by recalling his own forebears.
| MCC/Community of Hope UCC. Madison, will also be a venue for Make Music Madison. | |
First UCC, Belleville, celebrated their becoming an Open and Affirming congregation with a Kickoff Dinner.
Salem UCC, Verona, hosted a table at their community's celebration of LGBTQ1A2S+ identities and allies.
First Congregational UCC, Hartland, hosted their community's 3rd Annual Inclusive Prom.
Middleton Community UCC will celebrate their community's Pride Saturday., June 13. They have created T-shirts for the occasion..
Then they will celebrate Pride Sunday the next day.
Ffirst Congregainal UCC, Lake Geneva, called attention to their community's Rainbow Community Worship.
First Congregational UCC, Platteville, called attention to their community's Pride in the Park.
| Trinity UCC. Brookfield, will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of {ndependence by hanging quilts and wallhangings from Memorial Day weekend through the 4th of July. | |
A member of McFarland UCC has displayed her quilts in the church. She has quilted since she was a child.
| Windsor UCC shared their music with Oakwood Assisted Living Prairie Ridge Campus. | Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, observed a Day Without Immigrants, a national day of action. Zwingli UCC, Paoli, also called attention to this day. | |
Listening from the Heart is an interactive program of the Parents Circle--Family Forum that brings together Palestinian and Israeli families who have lost loved ones as a result of the ongoing war. Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, co-hosted a zoom event, which was sponsored by the Wisconsin Conference Palestine Justice Working Group. McFarland UCC also called attention to this event.
In a worship service,the Edgerton Congregational UCC remembered The Nakba, the mass displacement, ethnic cleansing and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
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The Wisconsin Conference calls attention to Madison's Big Ride for Palestine will take place on July 19, from 10:00 to 12:00, leaving from Olin Park. Bikers are asked to wear their kufiya. a cultural garment worn by people of various faiths across the Middle East. It is a symbol of solidarity with the Palestine cause and resistance against oppression.
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They also encourage us to support the Al-Ahli Hospital, one of the few remaining medical facilities in Gaza.
A member of McFarland UCC explained that their church has a historical connection with Palestine, as they have supported the hospital.
| First Congregational UCC, Janesville, will have an Art Day in which they will make origami birds | First Congregational UCC, Fort Atkinson, has put out the call for volunteers to help build a Habitat for Humanity house | |
Zwingli UCC, Paoli, has encouraged members to reflect on their Star Words, including the use of songs, imagery and qotes.
| As a part of the celebration of the church's 90th anniversary, Middleton Community UCC invited their members to a storytelling event. | The Women's Fellowship of Redeemer UCC, Sussex, featured a professor speaking on Move for You: Building a Strong Body and; Mind at Every Stage of Life. | Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, has again offered their summer Pen Pal program | |
Emily Brooks, a member of First Congregational UCC, Madison, and the wife of Roger Brooks, is pictured here, as she is a member of the Drum Choir in which she helped produce a piece.
| The Director of Children and Youth Ministries will provide a History/Mystery Tour of the building of First Congregational UCC, Madison. | MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, will again welcome the children of Lussier Community Center to walk in the church's garden and learn about gardening. | First UCC, Belleville, alerted their members to be aware that local high school students were taking their AP exams in the church building. | First Congregational UCC, Madison, will have a Bike Blessing in thir June 14 worship. | McFarland UCC honored members who are 70+ years of age. St. John's UCC, Monroe, honored members who are 80+ years of age. | | | |
The Committee on Ministry of the Wisconsin Conference, UCC
Invite all members, friends and clergy of the Wisconsin Conference and the Southern Region to the
Ordination of Valerie S Behrens
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Sunday, June 28th , 2:00
Hosted by
Middleton Community UCC
645 Schewe Rd
Middleton, WI 53562
(608) 831-4694
Clergy are invited to robe
and wear their favorite stole.
The service will be live streamed here.
Rev. Tisha Brown has been called as pastor at Zwingli UCC in Mount Vernon, effective January 15.
Rev. Peter Strobel has been called as Pastor at Zwingli UCC, Monticello, effective January19.
Rev. Laura Hawkins has been called as pastor at Olivet Congregational UCC, Columbus, effective February1.
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The Wisconsin Council of Churches is encouraging us to wear orange on the weekend of June 5-7 to observe the deaths from gun violence.
| PREPARING TO RESIST CHRISTIAN NATIONISM | |
The Wisconsin Council of Churches will have a 90-minute workshop to help clergy and congregational leaders prepare faithful, grounded worship and preaching for the July 4th weekend.
It will be part of an effort to resist Christian nationalism.
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In preparation of their summer mission trip, the youth of Salem UCC, Verona, will watch Lakota Nation vs. The United States.
First Congregational UCC, Oconomowoc, will send 13 youth and five chaperones to Costa Rica on a mission trip
| BOOK AND MOVIE DISCUSSIONS | |
Several of our congregations are joining in an effort by the Wisconsin Conference to read Nice Racism; How Progressive White People Perpetuate Racial.Harm, by Robin DiAngelo. They include First Congregational UCC, Fort Atkinson; First Congregational UCC, Platteville; Zwingli UCC, Paoli; First Congregational UCC, Madison; First Congregational UCC, Hartland; Salem UCC, Verona, First Congregational UCC, Mineral Point and Memorial UCC, Fitchburg.
| The Book Club of Swiss UCC, New Glarus, is featuring the book, Fascinating Bible Studies on Every Parable, by Dr. William H. Marty. | The Book Club of First Congregational UCC, Oconomowoc, has read or will read Before the Coffee Gets Cold, by Toshi Kawaguchi, and Gone before Goodbye, by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben. | |
The Book Club of First Congregational UCC, Hartland, discussed If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk, by John Pavlovitz.
The church also showed the movie, Remarkably Bright Creatures.
| The Seekers Book Club of First Congregational UCC, Janesville, is reading Redeeming Eden, by Ingred Faro. | One of the pastors of Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, is promoting the book and podcast, The Bible for Normal People. by Peter Enns and Jared Byas. | |
Community of Hope UCC, Madison, is exploring the question posed by Diana Butler Bass in Christianity After Religion.
The Women's Book Study of First Congregational UCC, Madison, will discuss The Measure, by Nikki
Erlick, a novel that helps readers explore the meaning of life.
First Congregational UCC, Brookfield, will study Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson, and Dead Man Walking, by Sister Helen Prejean. as a part of the launch of their justice learning project in which they will prepare individuals and congregations to provide accompaniment to those engaged in the criminal justice system.
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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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