The latest news for you

From Rachel Yates, Presbytery Executive

THE GOOD BOOK, PART 2

Fair warning: it’s the second week in a row that I’m writing about Presbyterian polity. ‘Tis the season, it seems. This week, I’m flying home, or at least, to one of my former homes. I’m headed to Denver, where I spent almost half of my life. I won’t see much of it on this trip though.

The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is holding a consultation with presbytery leaders from across the denomination. We’re flying in and meeting for two days at the airport hotel. It’s not glamourous travel, but I’m still looking forward to it. In part, I look forward to joining presbytery colleagues whom I’ve met over the years. I will also get to be with two...(read more)

Presbytery Pulse

Join us for the May 23 Presbytery Gathering featuring Rev. Dr. Melanie Harris as we celebrate the vital mark of Spirit Inspired Worship

Melanie L. Harris is Director of Food, Health and Ecological Well Being and Professor of Black Feminist and Womanist Theologies jointly appointed with African American Studies and the School of Wake Forest Divinity at Wake Forest University. Formerly Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with AddRan College at Texas Christian University, her leadership, teaching, research, and scholarship focus on the areas of Religious Social Ethics, Environmental Justice, Womanist Ethics, and African American Religion. Dr. Harris is the author of Ecowomanism: African American Women and Earth Honoring Faiths, Gifts of Virtue: Alice Walker and Womanist Ethics and co-editor of the volume Faith, Feminism, and Scholarship: The Next Generation. She has published widely in the field of leadership ethics, access in higher education, diversity, equity and inclusion and ecowomanism, a fresh and emerging discourse in ecology and religion. Dr. Harris is currently writing two books engaging Black Interfaith Contemplative Thought Activism and Climate Justice and the proto womanist activism of Harriet Tubman and Fannie Lou Hamer. Dr. Harris is an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and has offered leadership on a number of boards including the board of directors of the American Academy of Religion and co facilitates teaching and pedagogy workshops with The Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion incorporated with the Lilly Foundation.

WITH CHRISTIAN CONDOLENCES

The Rev. Dr. Garret J. Kamerling (Gary) who was heavily involved in the Presbytery, formerly serving in Beaver Dam and at Waukesha Memorial Hospital, passed away on April 22, 2003 at the age of 96. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at Krause Funeral Home, located at 9000 W. Capitol Drive in Milwaukee. A time to visit with friends and family will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Read Rev. Dr. Kamerling's obituary.

CONGRATULATIONS TO REV. NIKKI BLANKS

After receiving word from Father's House Orphanage in Kiev, Ukraine about a necessary $10,000 to repair their facility from war damage, Rev. Nikki Blanks (Delafield) jumped into action. Rev. Blanks organized more than a dozen baskets to be raffled and several 50/50 drawings, created glassware and pins unique to this cause, held an online auction, and hosted an evening at an establishment in Milwaukee. Not only did Rev. Blanks raise the full $10,000 needed for Father's House to safely continue their ministry, she surpassed that goal.

Thank you to everyone in the Presbytery who participated in these efforts and especially to Rev. Blanks for all of her organization and hard work.

REV. DAN GONZALEZ'S WORK OF THE GLOBAL ADVISORY PANEL

Several weeks ago we shared that Evangelista del Presbiterio Dan Gonzalez was chosen to be part of the Global Advisory Panel for the PC(USA). You can read more about what the panel discussed regarding bringing ministry efforts around the world here.

Building Ministry Vitality

Through Matthew 25

Ecclesial Health:

"So far as it depends on you,

live peaceably with all"

SPIRIT INSPIRED WORSHIP

We need you! We are celebrating the vital mark of Spirit Inspired Worship at our coming Presbytery gathering.

Please video yourself responding to one of the following prompts, which will be put together into a Spirit Inspired video.

I feel the Spirit of God move in worship when...

The hymn/song ____________ means a lot to me because...

My most in inspired moment in worship was...

Send the video to agibbs@pbymilwaukee.org. Videos should not exceed 30 secs. Those chosen will be put together and a copy provided to each person/congregation selected.

Thank you!!

QUICK AND SIMPLE ASSET-MAPPING EXPERIENCE

Continue your Ecclesial Health Check-up with Asset-Mapping. The Quick and Simple Asset-Mapping Experience is a great resource from the Alban Institute. Often congregations focus on the things that are missing, meaning we reflect on our ministry from a deficit mindset. Asset mapping flips this so that instead we begin with what we have. Focusing on God's grace and provision through assessing our resources allows congregations to move forward with more confidence and joy.

News From The Denomination

TUNE IN! THE PC(USA) WILL BE ON PBS!

The PC(USA) partnered with the Viewpoint project — viewpointproject.com— producer of high-quality social and educational documentaries for public television with the mission of positively impacting our communities and the world to produce and share a short video documentary. Our educational segment focuses on the denomination’s Matthew 25 commitment to creating healthy, just communities and a radically inclusive world.

In May, households across the U.S. can view this segment via their local public broadcasting station. Your local PBS station will have the opportunity to show this documentary between broadcasts. A shorter version of the segment will also air across a myriad of cable networks like CNN and HLN.

Click here to check out the videos, learn more about the program and get some tips on how to prepare your congregation.

REV. DR. J. HERBERT NELSON TO STEP DOWN AS STATED CLERK

Last week at a meeting of the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson announced that he would not seek a third term as Stated Clerk of the PC(USA). On April 25, 2023 he made known his intention to resign from the position, effective June 30.

Invitations

INSIDE PUNISHED FOR DREAMING

a message from Bettina L. Love

I am starting to prepare for the release of my next book, Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, and I need your help. Punished for Dreaming serves as the prequel to The New Jim Crow. It offers a blistering account of the last four decades of educational reform through the lens of the people who lived it. I interviewed 25 Black Americans to expose the devastating effects of school reform. I argue that when Black folx dream and believe in school integration, school reform, crime reform, and democracy, we are punished. So, with input from leading U.S. economists, I offer a roadmap for repair, arguing for educational reparations with transformation for all children at its core.

My goal–my freedom dream–is that Punished for Dreaming places education and educational reparations in the national spotlight. As I promote Punished for Dreaming, I would love your voice. Read more about how to help Bettina L. Love on this journey.

HONING YOUR PREACHING (FOR MINISTERS AND ELDERS ALIKE)

For the preacher in all of us, the Synod of the Covenant invites you to preaching workshops to help you with seasons and themes for preaching and wisdom from renowned preachers. The Synod of the Covenant’s Preaching Workshop at 10:00 am Eastern on May 3 is Craig Barnes, President Emeritus of Princeton Seminary, who will be leading a workshop called “Caring for the Preacher’s Soul.” You can learn more and register here: Caring for the Preacher’s Soul - Synod of the Covenant.

On June 7, Wes Avram, pastor of Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Ph.D. in rhetoric from Northwestern University, will lead a workshop called “Acceleration, Amplification, Accumulation, Alienation: Preaching in Times Like These.” If you want to get ahead of the curve, learn more and register now here: Acceleration, Amplification, Accumulation, Alienation: Preaching in Times Like These - Synod of the Covenant.

To see the schedule for the whole year, visit Explore these Opportunities to Train and Strengthen Preachers - Synod of the Covenant

PROVIDE LUNCH AT HEPHATHA CHURCH

Hephatha Church (ELCA) in Milwaukee's central city is looking for churches to provide lunch after their weekly service and Sunday school. This involves serving lunch to approximately 50 people. They appreciate any meal (there are A LOT of kids). Lunches could also be bagged for take home. Lunch providers would arrive before 11:00 to set up. They have several dates in 2023 still available. Pastor Mary Martha can be reached through the Hephatha website or contact Michelle Henrichs for more information.

INVITE WCC STAFF TO YOUR CONGREGATION THIS SPRING AND SUMMER!

Did you know the Wisconsin Council of Churches has staff all over the state who would love to visit your church? They are available to preach, lead classes, or help support your ministry and can focus on a variety of topics. They can offer support during pastoral vacation Sundays or just bring a new perspective on issues your congregation is passionate about. Click here to learn more about our staff and the topics they are available to cover.

USE THE WCC'S STUDY-ACTION GUIDE ON IMMIGRATION AND RECEIVE A FREE BOOK

Be one of the first churches to use the Wisconsin Council of Churches new study guide on immigration!

The WCC recently announced the release of the second, expanded edition of the WCC's study-action guide, Becoming Welcoming Communities: Immigration in Light of Biblical Faith. Whether or not your congregation used the first edition, please download the resource and consider how it can enhance your understanding of the issue and how your church and community can be more welcoming to your neighbors from outside the US.

The first six congregations to use the study-action guide and submit an evaluation form will receive a copy of Separated: Inside an American Tragedy, by Jacob Soboroff, about the US Government's systematic separation of migrant families at the US-Mexico border (a study guide for group discussions of the book is available on the Becoming Welcoming Communities resource page which you can access by downloading the study-action guide).

What You See in '23

APRIL 2023

A special thank you to Ann Gibbs, Erin Hittle, Meagan Ludwig, Cathy Manthei, Rose Mary Muller, Fiona Nicolaisen, Alice Schmitz, Melanie Stevens, Carol Taylor, and Rachel Yates for sharing excellent pictures from April with us!

Let us see What You See in '23! Send Kate photos of what you see in May!