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Wisconsin Conference Life Newsletter
March 20, 2024
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Day camp option available during Annual Meeting | |
There’s good news for parents who will be among the clergy, lay delegates and visitors to Annual Meeting 2024, courtesy of our friends at Daycholah Center: Daycholah, one of the outdoor ministry sites operated by United Church Camps Inc. – and home to the headquarters of the Wisconsin Conference – will offer a drop-in day camp for kids ages 8 to 14 during the two-day Annual Meeting.
The day camp will offer age-appropriate activities that include hiking, nature exploration, music, arts and crafts, and devotional time. Camp sessions will be from 1 to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 7, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. Cost for the Friday session is $45; the Saturday session fee is $80. The fees include all activities, lunch and a snack.
You can reserve your child’s spot when you register for Annual Meeting. Please note: The day camp will be offered only if at least 14 people participate each day. Registration will be open after April 1.
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In this issue: scroll down to find these articles | |
- Northland College ampaign
- Older adult ministry
- Damascus Project hires registrar
- Festival of Homlietics retreat at Moon Beach
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- Youth event discount available
- Events
- Help others
- Conference transitions
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Conference voices concern over Northland financial crisis | |
The Wisconsin Conference is expressing its concern about the future of Northland College after Northland announced a campaign to raise $12 million by early April in order to keep the school’s doors open beyond the current academic year. The school was founded by spiritual predecessors of the United Church of Christ and for years was affiliated with the denomination.
“Many from our Conference benefited from Northland’s hands-on and in-the-field style of undergraduate education,” Conference Minister Franz Rigert said. “Numerous clergy have enjoyed rich relationships and educational connections with the faculty and staff of Northland over the years.” The liberal arts school, located in Ashland, is known for its inclusivity, concern for the environment, and advocacy for indigenous and immigrant populations. The college formerly hosted meetings of the Northwest Association.
Northland’s financial struggles aren’t unusual for a small liberal arts institution. St. Norbert College in De Pere earlier this month announced the layoff of 12 faculty members, following the layoff of more than 30 employees in the fall. Valparaiso University, a Lutheran institution in Indiana, this month told faculty members to be prepared to defend their programs as interest in the humanities declines.
“We share care and concern for Northland College faculty and students and for the wider Ashland community as they endure this anxious time and contemplate the impact closure would have on so many lives. We invite prayers for possible partnerships that might surface in coming weeks and months and offer deep gratitude for the role that Northland College has played in the ongoing witness and ministry of the United Church of Christ.”
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Have an idea for ministry with older adults? Let us know | |
The Wisconsin Conference Older Adult Ministries Working Group is looking for ideas: Yours.
The goal of the group – a dozen or so people with a passion for ministry with older adults – is to enhance the ministry of congregations across the Conference by providing educational materials focused on aging and the needs and gifts of older adults – both those who are healthy and those experiencing cognitive, physical or spiritual challenges. The group shares proven models for assessing congregational priorities for developing new ministry programs for older adults, and it has program guides to raise aging awareness, address biblical perspectives and prompt intergenerational conversations.
If you have an idea to share, want to learn more or need a resource, email working group coordinator Jan Aerie; Lisa Hart, associate conference minister for faith formation and justice ministries; or Conference Minister Franz Rigert.
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Damascus Project hires part-time registrar | |
Uriah Williams, pastor of Peace UCC in Shawano, has been hired as part-time registrar for the Damascus Project, the online educational ministry of the Minnesota and Wisconsin conferences. Uriah will start work April 1. As registrar, he will maintain a learner database, update content on the Damascus Project website, and assist learners with registration and orientation to the online learning platform. The registrar’s job is supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment.
Uriah has been settled pastor in Shawano since January 2022. In December, he completed the coursework for a master of divinity degree from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. He will be ordained April 14.
“Having completed the majority of both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees online, I deeply appreciate the work of the Damascus Project in creating an affordable space for online learning to occur both for lay leaders and as an alternative path to ordained ministry,” he said. “I also believe in lifelong learning and love that our two conferences are working together to provide an accessible opportunity for that to happen for anyone looking to grow in their faith through a variety of experiences.”
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Moon Beach to offer retreat during Festival of Homiletics | |
United Church Camps Inc. is inviting all clergy to participate in the live-streamed 2024 Festival of Homiletics during a retreat scheduled for May 13-16 at Moon Beach. Attendees will watch inspiring preachers on large screens and engage in stimulating discussions with fellow authorized clergy, surrounded by the natural beauty of the lakes and trails of Moon Beach.
Organizers say the festival – the in-person event will take place in Pittsburgh – “is an invitation to lean into a little self-love. Together, we will relearn ways to care for the craft of preaching and discover new habits to support the preaching life. We will listen to uplifting sermons and experience inspiring worship, but we will also have time for reflection and renewal and remembering – to recall once again the why for what we do.”
Retreat participants must sign up for digital access to the festival. Cost is $99. Register today. To learn more about lodging and meal packages available at Moon Beach, click here. To participate in the retreat, contact Moon Beach at 715-479-8255 or email [email protected] or [email protected].
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Conversation with the Supportive Ministries Team
The Supportive Ministries Team will host an hourlong Zoom conversation with ministry colleagues from around the Wisconsin Conference to explore questions that can “Nurture the Soul of the Beloved Community.”
Time: Noon
Date: Wednesday, April 3
Register now
Listening session on associations’ future
The Wisconsin Conference invites you to a Zoom session where you can weigh in on new ways congregations and ministry groups might collaborate across the Conference as we consider the future of our associations.
Time: 1 p.m.
Date: Thursday, April 11
Register now
Does your church want to plant a prairie?
The Creation Care Team will continue webinar offering tips for controlling invasive plants and replacing them with a prairie, led by Cindy Halfen of Plymouth UCC in Eau Claire.
Time: 7 p.m.
Date: Thursday, April 11
Register now
Celebrate the mess
Join fellow faith formation leaders at the 2024 Messy Church USA National Conference. Messy Church offers a fresh approach to faith formation, a new form of church for families that uses creativity, celebration and hospitality to engage the stories our faith. The conference will include workshops, large group sessions and Messy Church-style worship and music.
Date: April 18-20
Place: Northfield Community Church, Northfield, Illinois
Learn more and register
Learn what motivates donors to give
Once 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. Join Wisconsin Conference Development Director Andrew Warner for a Zoom discussion about five basic ways donors look to create change and how you can talk about your congregation’s impact in your community.
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Date: Wednesday, April 24
Register today.
Save the date
June 7-8: Wisconsin Conference Annual Meeting at Green Lake Conference Center. Registration available after April 1.
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Youth event discount available through March 31 | |
An early-bird rate of $200 per person is available for those who register by March 31 for the Great Lakes & West Central Regional Youth Event, scheduled for July 17-20 at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.
Young people who will complete sixth through 12th grade before the event are invited to attend with their pastors, youth leaders and adult chaperones. Programming will be designed around worship and liturgy created by The Many, a diverse music-making collective that invites people to sing together about peace and justice and a world where all belong. The event theme, “Love > Fear,” is taken from one of their songs. Register today.
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Association annual meetings |
NE Annual Meeting
April 20
Daycholah Center
W1010 Spring Grove Road, Ripon
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Register here
NW Annual Meeting
April 20
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
First Congregational UCC
310 Broadway St., Eau Claire
Register here
Joint SE/SW Annual Meeting
April 27
9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
815 S Concord Rd, Oconomowoc
Register here
A flyer about the meeting is here
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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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St. John's UCC in Elkhart Lake and St. Paul's UCC in Malone are searching for a pastor. Details.
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Union Grove Congregational UCC is searching for a pastor. Details
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Interim ministry openings: click here.
Wider church searches
Installations and ordinations
- The Rev. Kate Mackey was installed March 17 as associate pastor at Orchard Ridge UCC in Madison.
Of Note
- Church pews available. Call Rose Boardman of Nekoosa UCC at 715-886-3371
Congratulations
- Ebenezer UCC-Sheboygan, First Congregational UCC-Plymouth, and Pilgrim UCC-Fond du Lac have all earned WISE for Mental Health certifications.
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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Nurturing 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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This newsletter is made possible by contributions to Our Church's Wider Mission Basic Support.
The Wisconsin Conference UCC is an Open and Affirming Conference, an Immigrant Welcoming Conference, and a WISE for Mental Health Conference.
Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ
W1000 Spring Grove Road, Ripon, WI 54971
[email protected]
www.wcucc.org
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