Winter coats. Shoes. Prayer mats. Soccer balls.

Those are just a few of the items donated to Afghan refugees currently awaiting resettlement at Fort McCoy, said the Rev. Bryan Simon, pastor of First Congregational UCC in Tomah, who has collaborated with other clergy to help shape a community-wide effort to make sure the refugees have what they need.

The influx of nearly 13,000 refugees, along with thousands of support staff, has essentially created a new city larger than Tomah, which has about 9,400 residents. Eventually, the refugees will be resettled in communities across the country. For now, people like Simon are trying to meet the Afghans’ basic needs.

The refugees arrived with little more than the clothes on their back.

“The hard part is figuring out what the need is,” Simon said. “It changes day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute.” One constant, however is the need for winter coats and shoes that can stand up to Wisconsin weather. Continue reading.

Join the Wisconsin Conference Immigration Working Group by Zoom from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 4 for “Scenes from Our Own Backyard: Supporting Afghan Refugees.” This interactive workshop will include a presentation from and conversation with the Rev. Irene Hassan, Minister for Refugee and Migration Services for the United Church of Christ. To participate in this workshop, register here. Please contact Lisa Hart with questions.

In a deeply moving ceremony, the former Pilgrim Center was renamed Daycholah Center, using the original Ho-Chunk name for Green Lake. The ceremony culminated a years-long initiative to honor the land and the people who first called it home. Read more.

ONA churches that are making a difference because of their visibility in their communities will share best practices during a webinar entitled "ONA NEXT." Participants will receive tips for marketing, communication, evangelism and advocacy. Open and Affirming Coalition Executive Director Andy Lang (he, him) will lead the discussion. The webinar will take place at 6 p.m. Central time on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Register here.

For churches that are not yet ONA, several webinars are available that can help you on your path to a more welcoming congregation. Check them out here.

The difficult decision was made to cancel both of our November youth retreats, Youth Faith Formation and Knock Knock. We have also decided to cancel Jesus Core in January. At this time, with some of our youth unable to receive the COVID vaccine, we are concerned about bringing together youth and adults from around the state to spend time in close proximity for a weekend. We do look forward to being able to gather for our Youth Faith Formation retreats in February and March.

We also encourage churches to consider holding their own youth retreats. The Daycholah Center staff has safety practices in place that allow individual groups of youths to gather safely. You can plan your own retreat program or take advantage of program options that are already available. To find out more and to schedule your retreat, contact Daycholah Center.

We look forward to seeing you all for Knock Knock in 2022 and Jesus Core in 2023!

Have questions? Contact Lisa Hart.

Join the Supportive Ministries Team on Zoom at noon on Nov. 3. This month’s topic: How WISE Can Support Congregational Wellness: A Continued Conversation on Mental Health and the Church. The hourlong conversation is an opportunity to learn more about how the WISE designation can help congregations offer support and address mental health challenges experienced in the church and the surrounding community. Participants will be invited to share the mental health issues they are seeing in their congregations and how the congregation is responding. For more info on WISE, see the most recent Tending the Soul newsletter.

To participate in the conversation, please register here.

Are you interested in exploring questions about God, Jesus and the Bible with fellow Christians? Or learning new tools for interpreting Scripture? What about gaining skills for building and leading in your faith community? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you would be at home in the Damascus Project’s 2022 Faith Foundations and Leadership Skills programs. Registration is open through Dec. 3. Click to learn more and to register. Wisconsin Conference applicants receive a 15% discount.

The Creation Care Team will award grants of $1,000 to Wisconsin Conference congregations to support initiatives designed to positively affect the environment and demonstrate love of creation. Initiatives could include new models for community-based cooperation and ministry, environmental and economic justice projects, or theological grounding for your congregation’s response to the climate crisis. And because the Creation Care Team has connected with Wisconsin’s Native American communities, consideration will be given to projects that tackle cultural literacy and multicultural cooperation. Click to apply by Oct. 31.

Please help the finance office by sending your special supports, association dues and other payments prior to the year-end deadline. Doing so will help us manage the volume of final payments that arrive in the last weeks of the year. Questions? Contact Tracy.

Send payments to: Wisconsin Conference UCC, 4459 Gray Road, DeForest, WI 53532

That’s why the Wisconsin Conference Task Force on Race is inviting white Christians to a conversation about the personal and institutional anti-racism work that belongs exclusively to white Americans. We’ll start by reflecting on our own life stories through the lens of race during a Zoom discussion at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 10. Register here to receive the Zoom link.

To receive a Zoom link to access this virtual program, please register by Nov. 1 at Lakeland.edu/interfaith or call 920-565-1021, ext. 2151. Fee: $25.

Join us at 1p.m. Central time on Friday, Oct. 29. Register here

The General Fund of the Wisconsin Conference helps us connect, support and resource pastors, leaders, and congregations. Your gift allows the Conference to provide relevant and timely help during the pandemic and beyond. Donate to the General Fund

To see all searching churches, click here.

The Conference Transitions feature appears monthly in the Wisconsin Conference Life. Please share your transition information, including church anniversaries, with the newsletter editor by emailing Nola.

The Kairos Call to Action Newsletter was created to support the efforts of congregations, families and individuals who want to be a part of the UCC’s Kairos Call to Action. Through this newsletter the Conference Creation Care Team will provide resources for study and worship, encourage advocacy on behalf of climate justice, and help congregations find and connect with partners who share this common concern and commitment.

Sign up for this newsletter here, and check out the latest issue here. 

The Wisconsin Conference UCC is an Open and Affirming Conference, and an Immigrant Welcoming Conference.