Wisconsin Conference Life Newsletter
August 16, 2023
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Conference accepting donations to Maui wildfire relief |
The Wisconsin Conference is now accepting donations to relief efforts on the Hawaiian island of Maui, where wildfires have killed more than 100 people and devastated the landscape. Checks may be sent to the Wisconsin Conference Disaster Ministry Fund, c/o Wisconsin Conference UCC, W1000 Spring Grove Road, Ripon, Wisconsin 54971. Write “Maui relief” in the memo line. Click to donate online.
Donations to the Conference fund will be routed through Church World Service to ensure the funds reach the disaster area as quickly as possible.
The tragedy hit close to home for Bret Bicoy, chair of the Wisconsin Conference board of directors, who grew up on Oahu and has deep family ties to the hard-hit region around Lahaina on Maui. In a message to the Conference staff, he wrote:
“While the Conference has a tradition of connecting our friends to charities outside of our community during times of extraordinary disasters, this tragedy is also personal to me. I grew up in Hawai’i. My late father Bernaldo D. Bicoy was born in Lahaina. I’ve crossed the Moloka’i Channel many times on the way to Lahaina. Several of my nephews are firefighters in Hawai’i. While my wife, Cari, and I are deeply thankful that everyone in our extended family has survived the wildfires, homes, cars, and pets in the Bicoy family have been lost, not to mention countless jobs and prospects for a better future.
“Lahaina may be 4,000 miles from Wisconsin, but we are still one country. Our brothers and sisters in the Pacific are facing a horrific tragedy and have years of struggles ahead as they rebuild. Please join Cari and me, along with countless others, in reminding them that they are not alone.”
The Lahaina fire also destroyed the historic Waioloa Church, a UCC congregation in Lahaina that recently celebrated its 200th anniversary. Waioloa was the first Christian church established on Maui, and the church cemetery is the resting place for early members of the royal family of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
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In this issue: scroll down to find these articles |
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Congregation honors history by ‘practicing’ for milestone anniversary |
How does a small Wisconsin congregation prepare to celebrate its 135th anniversary? By celebrating its 133rd, of course.
That’s what Trinity UCC in Endeavor did last week with a worship service that drew around 30 people to the village park and even more to the celebration that followed. Pastor Kay Hallanger said the congregation was “practicing for 135.” The church took root in 1890 in an area of Marquette County then known as Merritt’s Landing.
The event provided an opportunity to honor the perseverance of generations of Trinity members. Acknowledging the closings of many legacy churches, Kay said “it is remarkable that Trinity is open, vibrant and relevant. Relevant not just in the lives of those who attend, but also to the larger community.” She also offered a challenge: “The continued existence of small rural churches has always been historically challenged, just as today. But, Jesus has commissioned us and sent us into the world with a mission. The question for every church, large, small and tiny has been and still is: How will you fulfill your mission?”
Does your congregation have a milestone anniversary coming up? Let us know your plans by emailing [email protected].
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Help us plan Annual Meeting 2024 |
Planning for the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Conference will ramp up soon, and we want you to be part of it. We’re looking for lay and clergy volunteers who are excited to helping to plan an event that's all about fellowship, connections and community building. If you can commit to a one-hour meeting the second Thursday of each month from September to May, you can be a part of crafting a memorable and rewarding experience for all Annual Meeting attendees. And there’s a good chance you’ll have fun in the process. Interested? Email Annual Meeting Coordinator Jaime Craig to learn more and sign up.
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Save the date for workshop on fair trade |
The Wisconsin Conference Immigration Working Group next month will host a workshop on the connections among climate change, the plight of immigrants, and our buying decisions. “Why Fair Trade? Connecting the Dots . . .” will take place on Zoom from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28.
The program will feature Nikki Anderson, owner of Change Boutique in Madison, which offers ethically produced clothing, jewelry and other items, and Adrian Gonzalez of Café Justo in southern Chiapas, Mexico. Café Justo is a grower-owned coffee cooperative whose mission is to deliver high-quality, organic, environmentally conscious coffee to customers at a price that is fair and just and thereby provide incentives for people to remain on their family lands.
Lisa Hart, associate conference minister for faith formation and justice ministries, who visited the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year, learned firsthand the connection between the coffee trade and immigration: Many growers in Mexico are not paid a fair price for their coffee. “They can make in three to five weeks (in the U.S.) what they would make in a year growing coffee in Mexico," Lisa says.
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Daycholah to host fall retreats |
Daycholah Center in Green Lake will host two youth retreats and a labyrinth retreat this fall. Each will provide an opportunity to deepen your faith and, perhaps, have some fun in the process. The details:
Faith Formation is a weekend of faith and team building for individuals in grades six through 12. We will explore what it means to be the church and how that commitment continues to evolve. This weekend is appropriate for confirmation classes but is open to all youths who want to explore their faith with other youth and supportive adults.
Youngsters in the sixth through eighth grades will discover that love and acceptance are the true experience of church. At Knock, Knock, your group will connect faith to their pressing concerns, do hands-on workshops and Bible study, and learn how they can keep opening doors back at home.
Chaperones and group leaders should contact Daycholah Center for your Reservation Code. Call 920-745-4647 or email [email protected].
Parents and guardians can register youth participants using the Reservation Code provided by the chaperone or group leader.
For questions about the program, call Lisa Hart 608-438-1571, or email her at [email protected].
More resources:
Immerse yourself in the ancient practice of the labyrinth and the season of autumn on Daycholah Center’s sacred grounds. Walking outside and inside on Daycholah’s seven-circuit classical labyrinth and on an 11-circuit Chartres (Medieval) labyrinth, you will dwell at the intersection of Earth wisdom and contemplative practice. The retreat will be led by the Rev. Martha Dr. Brunell, a UCC pastor, labyrinth facilitator, and contemplative and Earth wisdom practitioner.
Click for more information and to register.
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5 Ways to Make an Impact: Understanding the Hopes of Our Donors to Create Change
Once a upon a time, donors gave out of a sense of obligation and loyalty. Today, most donors care about the impact they make in the world. How do we understand the motivations of our donors? What kind of change do they want to make in the world? Andrew Warner will talk about five basic ways donors look to create change. We will discuss ways to discuss your congregation’s impact on your community.
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Date: Sept. 27
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Church educators conference set for Oct. 10-12 |
“Widening the Welcome” is the theme of this fall’s annual conference of the Great Lakes Association of United Church Educators, scheduled for Oct. 10-12 at Starved Rock State Park in Oglesby, Illinois. The conference will offer workshops on topics including neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ youth mental health, and WISE – the acronym refers to congregations that have taken steps to become Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged for Mental Health. The conference theme alludes GLAUCE members’ desire to be the educators who create space for all to learn, grow and experience God in their own way.
The annual conference is for clergy and lay people who work or volunteer in faith formation or youth ministry programs. Register today.
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Confrontation at Pride in the Park prompts reflection on Christian witness |
The Rev. Dr. Christopher Ross, pastor of First Congregational UCC in Watertown, was present last month when armed neo-Nazis disrupted the community’s Pride in the Park event. The experience prompted him to reflect on the meaning of Christian public witness.
Dear siblings in the Wisconsin Conference:
Let me tell you about the day Nazis came to town, and those who call themselves Christians stood with them, and how it’s been going since.
Less than a week after I was installed as pastor of First Congregational UCC in Watertown, a major event occurred in the local community. The event itself was understandably disturbing to many on its own. What I have found remarkable is the continuous ramifications felt by the community since that day.
On Saturday, July 29, I attended my first Watertown Pride in the Park event. My spouse, the Rev. Laura Yurs, and I volunteered to help with the local clergy’s Blessing Booth throughout the day. It was a great event with high attendance. Anyone could come—and did.
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Interim minister openings on website |
Opportunities for authorized ministers seeking to serve as interim pastors now appear on the Wisconsin Conference website. With many churches across the Wisconsin Conference experiencing pastoral transitions, the website offers a single place to look for opportunities. The webpage will be updated monthly. Check it out here.
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COP registrations continue |
Registration for Communities of Practice for Clergy and for Christian Education/Faith Formation staff continues.
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Help others by donating now |
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
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Searching churches
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No churches recently began a new settled search. To see all searching churches, click here.
- Interim minister opportunities: click here.
Wider church searches
- National United Church of Christ openings: Details
Installations and ordinations
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The Rev. James Langreder was ordained at Emmanuel UCC in Dousman on Aug. 6.
Of note
- The St. John's Players, from St. John's UCC in Manitowoc, are performing a play on Aug. 19 and 20. More information
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.
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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.
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Renewing the Soul of the Beloved Community is a communication dedicated to sharing resources and tools, wisdom and insight for congregations and individuals navigating these challenging days. Created by the Conference Supportive Ministries Team, this publication will highlight resources to aid in steering your path forward.
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Ignite Your Fire, Feed Your Soul,
Build Your Faith... In Nature's Sanctuary
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Join the Conference-wide Creation Care Team!
Are you passionate about Creation Care? Want to connect with others who are taking action to care for the earth? The Creation Care Team's primary focus is to encourage, support and provide resources to congregations in the Wisconsin Conference as they do what they can to care for creation. If you would like to be a part of this team, or for more information on the Creation Care Team, contact John Helt. You can also go to the Creation Care webpage to learn more.
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Is your church considering an Open and Affirming Process? The Wisconsin Conference has a committee to help! Please feel free to use us as resources for your discussions and preparations. Contact Jan Doleschal or Micah Schlobohm of the Wisconsin Conference UCC Committee on Ministry with LGBTQ Persons.
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Get Involved! A Conference-wide Racial Justice Task Force gathers resources and encourages congregations to engage in conversations around race. If you and your congregation are interested in participating in this group, you are welcome. Contact Lisa Hart get involved.
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Maui fire photo: US Civil Air Patrol, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
This newsletter is made possible by contributions to Our Church's Wider Mission Basic Support.
Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ
W1000 Spring Grove Road, Ripon, WI 54971
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