Your Weekly News & Updates |
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From Rachel Yates, Presbytery Executive |
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I grew up watching Doan’s commercials. Each began with actors bending over, then wincing as they grabbed their back. Downing a couple of Doan’s pills, they would instantly be shown doing some crazy maneuver, like felling a tree or hoisting the davenport (as it was called then). To me, these pills seemed like a very bad idea. The person was obviously injured. The pain was saying, “Take it easy, and let your back heal.” Instead, the actor popped two pills to mask the pain and immediately resumed strenuous activities that would aggravate the injury.
Perhaps because those commercials came at a formative stage, I don’t take...(read more)
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JOSHUA GLOVER JUSTICE FUND PANEL DISCUSSION |
Join members of the Joshua Glover Justice Fund team, in a panel discussion with the Rev. Jenny Gleichauf. Learn more about the cash bail system, the disproportionate impacts of cash bail on people with lower incomes and People of Color, and how we, as people of faith, can take action to address the specific injustices in criminal justice around this issue. There will also be time set aside for Q&A. Saturday, March 20, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. All are welcome! Register for this Zoom event here.
The Racine, Wisconsin, based Joshua Glover Justice Fund was established in 2021 and exists to provide bail support, primarily for those incarcerated at the Racine County Jail. For the past two months, the JGJF has been in its initial fundraising phase and has been raising enough funds to effectively operate. This month, March of 2021, it will go live with accepting requests for bail support and will begin the work of releasing people from the Racine County Jail who otherwise simply can't afford to get out.
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BECOME A COMMUNITY COVID-19 VACCINE SITE |
If your faith community is interested in supporting vaccination efforts, the Department of Health Services wants to hear from you! It's time to connect faith leaders to their local health officers. DHS has built a survey to help make these connections, particularly to hear from faith communities which might be interested in hosting a community-based vaccination clinic.
Please note that this survey does not guarantee commitment nor partnership.
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AGAIN AND AGAIN A LENTEN REFRAIN |
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WITH CHRISTIAN SYMPATHIES |
Donald Leslie Bell, Honorably Retired minister member of Milwaukee Presbytery who relocated to Northern Wisconsin with his wife Dianna, also HR, entered the Church Triumphant on March 11. He served with Dianna at North Lima Presbyterian Church, and he also served on our Commission on Ministry. His daughter Kathryn Craven is a minister member of our presbytery. Our prayers go out to Dianna, Kathryn, and their family.
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CDC RELEASES NEW GUIDELINES FOR THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED |
Last week, the CDC released new recommendations for adults who are fully vaccinated. This CDC graphic illustrates who can more safely gather at this time. Please note that these are small gatherings, of people from two households. This opens some safer choices for parish care visits in the home when the spiritual caregiver has been vaccinated. We celebrate this good news!
While this represents progress, use caution as COVID-19 still presents a risk in our communities. Continue to practice diligence to protect those who are vulnerable. When considering multiple households, unvaccinated people, and/or people who are high risk, it is essential to continue to practice masking, social distancing, and excellent hygiene.
These recommendations are focused on small gatherings, such as we might have for pastoral care and home visits. Medium and large gatherings - such as we would have for Bible studies, classes, small groups and worship, are public settings. Everyone, even those who are vaccinated, should continue to follow masking, distancing, ventilation, and hygiene recommendations in public settings.
As congregations begin to think about gathering together, the WCC encourages you to continue to care for the most vulnerable in our communities. Children under 16 and many adults are not yet eligible for the vaccine. How can we make sure our ministry does not exclude those who are not yet eligible?
If you have questions about vaccine ethics, consider joining WCC Wednesdays on the WCC Facebook page on March 31 at 2 pm, when the Rev. Kerri Allen, manager of Mission and Spiritual Care and a clinical ethicist for Advocate Aurora Healthcare will join the conversation.
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We encourage everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine when eligible. As a nation, we can defeat this virus by taking individual and collective responsibility for our health, so that people can return to work, can reconnect with family, and can return to activities that had been off-limits. As the church, we can show our love for one another by seeking the welfare of all through a comprehensive vaccination program. These Ad Council COVID-19 vaccine education toolkits can help faith leaders promote the use of this vaccine:
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NEW COVID-19 NEWS FROM THE CDC |
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Matthew 25: I was in prison and you came to visit me... |
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IN WISCONSIN |
We welcomed Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul at our March 9 Presbytery Gathering and learned more about Attorney General Kaul's feelings regarding criminal justice reform in Wisconsin. You can view this portion of the Presbytery Gathering here: https://vimeo.com/522486172
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR RESTORE CHALLENGE WINNER: NICOLE FARLEY! |
Nicole purchased a beat-up secretary from the Habitat Restore and gave it some TLC. As the winner of the Habitat ReStore Challenge, Nicole has designated Hebron House in Waukesha as the recipient of $250. Congratulations Nicole and Hebron House!
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IFCGM TUESDAY LECTURE: MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER WITH HOPE AFTER INCARCERATION |
March 30th, 12:00-1:30 p.m. join IFCGM for "Moving Forward Together with Hope after Incarceration." The role of hope for those who have been through, and may be going through, the legal system with Jeanne Geraci, Terri Strodthoff, and John Serrano.
Cost for the virtual program: $25.00 the Series of 5, or $10.00 per lecture
Once you register, a receipt will emailed, and an event link will also be emailed before the program dates.
All registrants will receive a link to watch programs again on our Interfaith Conference Youtube channel. These programs will be captioned for the hearing impaired.
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ENGAGING MATTHEW 25 THOROUGH FILM |
Engaging Matthew 25 Through Film is a new video discussion series that will address each of the three areas of the Matthew 25 vision — building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty. The author of this video discussion series is Dr. Edward McNulty, a Presbyterian minister who for many years was the film reviewer for Presbyterians Today. This first installment of the video series was edited by the Rev. Denise Anderson, Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly (2016) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and coordinator for racial and intercultural justice for the Presbyterian Mission Agency. The series leads the members of the discussion group through five films that can help them see and understand concrete examples of racism and its effects. “The films force us to see racism as the ugly, concrete evil that affects all of us. Each film tells us a story that draws us in, helping us to feel how racism affects people and, in all too many cases, destroys lives,” McNulty writes. This study is set up as six sessions, though it could easily be 10 or 12, however the leader(s) choose to frame it. This new resource is available for free digital download here.
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NOT READY TO SWITCH YOUR FOCUS FROM HOUSING? |
The Presbyterian Mission Agency’s first online Matthew 25 event for 2021 is scheduled for March 24, at 1 pm (Central) and relates to how all three areas of the Matthew 25 focus intersect around the subject of housing. The program will include conversations with pastors on how their congregations are engaging with the issue of affordable housing in their communities. Register here to join this conversation.
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WISCONSIN'S INSTAGRAM-WORTHY MURALS |
Local artists are bringing Wisconsin’s buildings to life through their colorful, vibrant mural work. Each unique piece shows off the character and personality of its city – and they make for pretty great selfie backgrounds, too. Do some urban exploring through Wisconsin’s largest cities to snap a pic at these Instagrammable murals!
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BAARACK FROM THE BRINK: WILD SHEEP RESCUED IN AUSTRALIA SHORN OF 35 KG FLEECE |
A wild and ailing sheep found in a forest in Australia, named Baarack by rescuers, has yielded a fleece weighing more than 35 kilogrammes - nearly half the weight of an adult kangaroo - after being shorn for the first time in many a year.
The sheep was found by a member of the public who contacted the Edgar’s Mission Farm Sanctuary near Lancefield, Victoria, about 60 kilometres north of Melbourne, according to the Mission’s Kyle Behrend.
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FAITH SPRINGS ONLINE AUCTION |
Faith Springs Presbyterian Church will hold an online auction to benefit two local Matthew 25-related charities:
Family Promise of Waukesha County, which helps homeless families with children regain and retain their independence, and the Lake Area Free Clinic, which provides high-quality comprehensive health care to those in need.
This is a low-key auction with a goal of raising money for worthy causes and having fun doing it. Bidders' names are not displayed: Instead, every bidder receives a bidder number and a famous persona, which is displayed in place of the real name. Items range from watercolor paintings by children in the congregation to a cherry curio cabinet valued at $5000.
Bidding on auction items will be open from March 26 - March 28. If you would like to take part, you can browse items any time and register to get your bidder number and your persona any time at GoldenRuleMusic.com/Auction
Many items can be shipped anywhere in the US, but some are limited to the Pewaukee/Waukesha/Milwaukee area. Be sure to check each listing for details. We ask that winners please pay for the cost of shipping.
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VOLUNTEER WITH THE RED CROSS |
The Red Cross is looking for more Disaster Spiritual Care Volunteers. If you are interested in giving back to your community (and beyond) and supporting people dealing with the aftermath of disaster the Red Cross could use your expertise! The Red Cross now asks clients if they would like Spiritual Care support and they need more volunteers (especially Spanish speakers). Currently, work is preformed virtually.
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The Sower - February 2021 Newsletter for the Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies
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Future Presbytery Gathering Dates |
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- SATURDAY, May 22, 2021
- WEDNESDAY, September 22, 2021
- THURSDAY, November 18, 2021
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Presbytery of Milwaukee
414-292-2740
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