October 20 - 27, 2023

Below are weekly programs. You can find brief descriptions of these weekly programs on our website:

SUNDAY Morning Worship, 10 am in person and via Zoom

https://zoom.us/j/97010988439 Password: betogether

SUNDAY , 11:30 a.m. Bible Study in person and on Zoom

https://zoom.us/j/262314649 No Bible Study on Oct 22 and 29 while pastor Bryan is on Continuing Ed and Vacation.

MONDAY - FRIDAY, 8 am Morning Devotion

https://zoom.us/j/94276813637

WEDNESDAY Eve., 6:30 pm Midweek Inhale Spiritual Practices

https://zoom.us/j/123020606 Cancelled Oct. 25-We will resume again on Wednesday, November 1st.

Below are the upcoming non-weekly events on the calendar happening at McFarland UCC for about the next month. All events are on the McFarland UCC calendar with Zoom links and additional information in the details/description area. Click the event on the McFarland UCC calendar to see the details.

Tuesday, October 24, 6:00 - 7:30 pm, TED Talk entitled "The truth behind 'We the People' - the three most misunderstood words in US history," Pizza and Discussion - Fellowship Aarea and Sanctuary

Sunday, November 5, 5:30 - 7:00 pm, Teen Youth Monthly Meeting

Tuesday, November 7, 6:30 – 8:00 pm, Racial Justice Team Monthly Meeting (In person & Online)- Multipurpose Room

Thursday, November 9, 6:00 – 8:00 pm, SaLT Monthly Meeting (In person & Online) - Multipurpose Room

Saturday, November 11, 10:00 am, Love Has the Final Word Group Meeting (In person only)- Multipurpose Room

Sunday, November 12, 5:30 - 6:45 pm, Younger Youth Monthly Meeting

Thursday, November 16, 6:30 – 8:00 pm, NION Monthly Meeting (In person and Online) - Multipurpose Room

Saturday, November 18, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Mark Charles Presentation sponsored by McFarland UCC Racial Justice and others at McFarland Municipal Center, 6001 Broadhead St, McFarland (Zoom access available)

Sunday, November 19, 10 am, Guest speaker Mark Charles at worship service

Tuesday, November 21, Ecojustice/Green Team Monthly Meeting (In person & Online) - Multipurpose Room

Let's Get Ready for

Mark Charles!

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

6-7:30 pm

Please join the Racial Justice Ministries group and others on Tuesday, October 24, 6-7:30 pm for an evening of pizza and discussion, as we prepare our hearts and minds for Mr. Mark Charles' events during the weekend of November 18 and 19.

We'll share a meal, watch Mr. Charles' TED Talk, and share in a discussion facilitated by Brian Ward, an area activist, author, and teacher of Indigenous studies.

The TED Talk, entitled "The truth behind 'We the People' - the three most misunderstood words in US history", will set the stage for additional learning opportunities in November.

RSVP is requested but not necessary (so we may have enough pizza)!

**Save the date - Saturday, November 18, 6:30 pm**

Mark Charles Presentation

McFarland Municipal Center, 6001 Broadhead Street (Zoom access available)

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the McFarland Police Department is working with Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS) to host a donation drive for domestic violence victims in McFarland for the first time. McFarland UCC has placed a bright purple collection bin in the Fellowship area for donation items, including toiletries, clothing, children's items, necessities, office supplies, and vouchers for bus, cab, and gas. DAIS requires all donations to be new, unused, and in original packaging. The drive will end on October 31.

Highlights from the October 12th SaLT Meeting:

-Reviewed Finances.

-Received Committee Updates.

-Discussed how the church teen youth group might be able to support the local giving tree efforts.

-Made decisions on local holiday event participation.

-Talked about 2024 Leadership and committee openings and the need to communicate with the congregation about upcoming opportunities to serve.

Want To Become an Official Member of McFarland UCC?

Next New Members Sunday Will be November 12th

A few folks have asked me if they could officially join our church sometime soon, and so we will receive some new members during worship on Sunday, November 12th. This is always a joy for us! If you would like to join our congregation with this next group please let me (Pastor Bryan) know. I'll get in touch with you after my vacation and explain what it means to be a member of our congregation and answer any questions you might have.

More than anything, joining the church is a way to publicly state that you feel at home at our congregation and that you want to fully join in and be a part of who we are and share the work and joy of being church together. There's no rush or urgency to join, and the only actual privileges members enjoy that non-members do not is having a vote at congregational meetings and being able to hold an office on our leadership team (SaLT--which stands for Servant and Leadership Team).

Pastor Bryan Will Be Gone...

October 16-31

Pastor Bryan left Monday, October 16th and plans to be back in the saddle in time for morning devotion on Tuesday, October 31st. The first portion of Pastor Bryan's time away is in Nashville, TN for a continuing education conference hosted by The Convergence Music Project called "Converging 2023." As Pastor Bryan put it, "I'll get to hang out with a bunch of musicians and friends like Brian McLaren, Diana Butler Bass, Otis Moss III, Noel Paul Stookey, Christopher Grundy, Andra Moran, Ken Medema, and lots more. I'm sure it will fill my soul and my heart in all kinds of ways." For The second portion of his time away, Pastor Bryan will go on a silent retreat for several days and just "be" for a while.

In his absence, our worship services will be led on October 22nd by Mike Bausch, and October 29th by Martha Olsen and Cameron Macdonald. Yay!! Don't miss these services! And pastoral care will be offered once again by our own very capable Care Team and Befrienders group. Contact Jean Duchrow (608-335-3772) or Levon Geasland (608-298-7094) for Care Team help. Pastor Kris Gorton of Memorial UCC in Fitchburg will be on call in case of extreme emergencies (608-438-6307).