REGISTER NOW FOR THE PRESBYTERY GATHERING SO WE HAVE AN ACCURATE MEAL COUNT

Registrations received after Thursday, May 8, cannot be guaranteed to be counted in the total meal number.

AN INTERVIEW WITH LANCE LOVEALL, PASTOR OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, KENOSHA

100 and Vital, an interview with Lance Loveall, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Kenosha. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the congregation, we discuss the ebbs and flows of vitality, coming back from the pandemic, cultivating Christian welcome, and what it means to celebrate where we are now.

ANNUAL PROOF OF ORDINATION CARDS AVAILABLE

PCUSA clergy cards are available and will be distributed with nametags at the Presbytery Gathering. If you are unable to attend the Presbytery Gathering and would like your card, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Presbytery Office, PO Box 1857, Waukesha, WI 53187.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE MAY 13 WORKING PAPERS

At the coming presbytery gathering, we're going old school low tech and following our commitment as a presbytery to embrace greener methods. This means there won't be slides during the business meeting or printed agendas. So how can you best prepare?

1. Read through all your papers so that you are up to speed on all the action items coming before us!
2. Bring what you need to stay best engaged with you -- ex: bring your own printed copy of the agenda or save a copy and access it on a mobile device like a phone or tablet. Note that if you access the link during the gathering, you'll be using your mobile data. (If you struggle with tech and aren't sure how to save and access the agenda or full papers on a mobile device and need assistance, please contact Kate or Ann -- we're happy to help!

Our apologies for the delay with the working papers. They will be emailed to all registrants and on the website as soon as they are available.

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR THE MAY 13

IN-PERSON ONLY PRESBYTERY GATHERING

4:00 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Kenosha (no Zoom)

Friends,

I pray that you experienced the light of Christ on Easter Sunday!   While coming off of what I know is a busy time in the life of a church, as always, the activity and the life of the church and the presbytery keeps moving! (In the early 2000s, I had a pastor friend say to me that he and his wife were still waiting for the “post-Easter let down of 1979!”) We are now just a few weeks away from our next Presbytery meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, May 13th at 4:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church of Kenosha. The business portion of our meeting will...(read more and register for the Presbytery Gathering)

**DEADLINE EXTENDED**

REGISTER FOR PRESBYTERIAN YOUTH TRIENNIUM!

July 28-31 in Louisville, Kentucky

Triennium is a triennial gathering of youth from across the PC(USA) open to rising high school freshmen through graduated seniors and their adult leaders. The cost is $650 per youth, which covers the entire cost of the event, including transportation, lodging, and registration. Fill out the registration form by following this link. Reach out to registrar Andy Holmes (rev.andrewholmes@gmail.com) for more information. The deadline to register has been extended.

CALLING ALL CAMPERS!

Did you know that camp funding is available through the Presbytery?  The Commission on Congregational Vitality is pleased to administer the Corbin Scholarship.  This fund offers scholarships for Presbytery children and youth going to church camp.

Scholarships may be awarded for half the cost of the camp, to a maximum of $500 per person. Friends of a church family/member may also be considered for a camp scholarship up to $300.

The application form can be found on the Milwaukee Presbytery website under the ‘Documents and Resources’ tab, Commission on Congregational Vitality. 

Now is the time to make your summer plans, and the Presbytery is fortunate to be able to support your camping dreams.  Whether it’s a day camp, a sleepover camp, a youth group event, or a family camp, let’s experience the wonders of God’s amazing creation with a camping adventure.

Summer Camp Ideas

• United Church Camps, Inc.
• Presbyterian Youth Triennium
• Synod School
• And more!

DOWNLOAD PENTECOST OFFERING RESOURCES

The PCUSA has some excellent Pentecost Offering resources to share with you this season, including a leader’s guide, social media images, a media tool kit, and Pentecost worship liturgy. View all of the Pentecost Offering resources offered by the PCUSA (scroll to the bottom). These resources can be used to help interpret the Pentecost offering in your congregation.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF KENOSHA MONTHLY 100TH COLLECTION

To celebrate their 100th anniversary as a congregation (March 17, 1925), each month this year First, Kenosh is collecting something. Collection began with 100 pillows for Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a national charity with local chapters that provide beds for children in need.

EASTER SUNDAY AT CROSSROADS

Crossroads Presbyterian Church held a Sunrise Easter service and decorated a flowering cross Easter morning!

WAUKESHA CHURCH MEMBERS EXPAND COMMUNITY GARDEN TO ADDRESS FOOD NEEDS

Next to Southminster Presbyterian Church in Waukesha, the Richard Street Community Garden continues to offer space for residents to grow fresh produce and connect with neighbors.

The garden, started in 2006, is open to anyone. Church members prepare the plots each spring, and provide tools and water.

Christian Boyd, a pastor at the church, said the garden started in 2006 as a...(read more or watch the news report) 

EASTER SUNDAY AT PARROQUIA SAN JOSE

WHAT IS YOUR CHURCH UP TO IN 2025?

Taking a break from the photo collages we've all grown to love, we want to share what your church is doing in 2025! No matter the size of the event, if it is coming up or has already happened, send Kate information about what's happening at your church! Have a great photo from the event? Please send it in, too! Just make sure to include a description to go along with the photo so everyone knows what's happening in the picture.



These events will be shared in Fresh Impressions on a rolling basis and can be sent to Kate at any point during the month.

JOINT CONFIRMATION OPPORTUNITY

Do you have just a few youth in your congregation and not enough to have a confirmation class? Pastor Jeannine Oakes Daugherty at North Shore Presbyterian hopes to create a joint confirmation class within the presbytery to start in the fall of 2025.

 Email jeannine@notrhshorepres.org if you're interested!!

HABITAT MILWAUKEE INTERFAITH COALITION BUILD DAYS

Milwaukee Habitat is a buzz with activity as spring slowly arrives. Five housed have had framing started since mid-March and five more are scheduled to start through May. The Family Services team is hard at work processing all the applications we receive each week, and Habitat Milwaukee is SO excited for all the new future homeowners starting their journeys this spring.

Interfaith Coalition house is scheduled to start at 2304 W Lloyd Street in the week of May 7, with the first Building on Faith volunteer opportunities on these dates:

Saturday, May 10 - Framing

Wednesday, May 28 - Siding

Saturday, May 31 - High Ladder Siding

CLICK HERE to REGISTER to volunteer on one of these dates and be sure to share with your congregation members who may be interested in volunteering. 

The Presbyterian Coalition house will start later this summer - dates and location still TBD!

OFFERING TESTIMONY AS A TOOL OF PUBLIC WITNESS

May 13, 6:30 p.m.

Many of us have heard the School House Rock song “I’m Just a Bill”, but do we actually understand how a bill becomes a law? And do we understand there are ways that we can engage in the process, especially for local and state laws?

Join Rev. Breanna Illéné, Director of Ecumenical Innovation and Justice Initiatives at the Wisconsin Council of Churches, to learn about advocacy and engaging in legislative hearings. 

This is part of the Taking a Faithful Stand webinar series and will be on Tuesday, May 13, at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom. Register here.

North Shore Presbyterian Church in Shorewood seeks DIRECTOR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

St. Matthias Episcopal Church / First Presbyterian Church in Waukesha seeks MUSIC DIRECTOR

Tippecanoe Presbyterian Church in Milwaukee seeks PART-TIME BOOKKEEPER