Susan McFadden, a member of First Congregational UCC in Appleton, is a retired University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh psychology professor and founder of the Fox Valley Memory Project. She is one of the organizers of a gathering called “Creating Hope: Confronting Dementia with Meaningful Action,” scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Jacob’s Well Church in Chippewa Falls. The event will provide the statewide kickoff of a push to bring to Wisconsin Respite for All, a church-based program that offers care both for individuals with dementia and for their caregivers. In an interview with Wisconsin Conference Life, she discussed ministry to people with dementia – and what the church can do better. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

How do you assess the status of ministry to people living with dementia?

A lot of educating needs to be done. I interviewed pastors for a research project and remember one UCC pastor who understood who in the congregation had dementia and made a conscious, deliberate effort to keep them engaged.

Other pastors I spoke to had no clue. They didn’t think anyone had it because nobody said anything. Nobody says anything because of the stigma. Only about 50 percent of people ever get a thorough diagnostic workup. Many live with symptoms without getting a diagnosis. It could be that a pastor would be in position to encourage somebody to get a full diagnosis, but if nobody talks about it because of stigma, that’s not going to happen.

The Leadership Matters Lecture Series will present a virtual conversation from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, called “Church Post-Doom: the future of Spirituality and Congregational Life.” Presenter will be the Rev. Cameron Trimble, a UCC pastor, author and futurist. The choice of topic acknowledges that many of us grapple today with a sense of foreboding stemming from the climate crisis, the rise of authoritarian movements around the world, and other threats to human well-being. Cameron will offer practical strategies for congregations seeking to find the Good News beyond these threats as they imagine their role in building a more just and generous world. Cost to attend is $10. The Leadership Matters Series supports the Leadership Forward Campaign of the Wisconsin Foundation UCC. Register now.

There’s also an excellent continuing education opportunity for authorized ministers who need to complete required diversity, equity and inclusion training. Exploring Implicit Bias, which will run from Oct. 12-Nov. 16, blends asynchronous learning with Zoom reflection sessions on Oct. 19 and Nov. 2 and 16. Participants will learn how to recognize their own implicit biases and transform them in ways that promote healthy relationships and understanding of people with diverse life experiences. Course fee is $75. Register today.

There’s still time to register for one of the retreats to be hosted this fall by the Wisconsin Conference Creation Care Team. The cost of each retreat is $150 for a one-night stay and an additional $100 for an optional second night. These are great opportunities for congregational green teams and others to network, learn, swap ideas and worship while discerning the church’s role in confronting the climate crisis.



The first gathering is scheduled for Friday and Saturday Sept. 29-30 at Moon Beach, one of the outdoor ministry sites operated by United Church Camps Inc. Click for more details and to register for the Sept. 29-30 retreat at Moon Beach. Registration deadline is Sept. 21. The second retreat, planned for Friday and Saturday Oct. 13-14, will be at UCCI’s Daycholah Center on Green Lake. Click for more details and to register for the Oct. 13-14 retreat at Daycholah. Registration deadline is Oct. 5.

Does your church yearn for growth, renewal, revival? If so, consider applying for a Catalyst Grant. The Wisconsin Conference Catalyst Team is offering grants of up to $5,000 to support innovative ministries that address unmet community needs. The idea is to encourage experimentation – the team understands that not every good idea will take root.  



Catalyst has supported community feeding programs, public dialogues, racial healing projects and more. Learn more about Catalyst, the kinds of projects likely to receive funding, and what makes a strong application. Deadline to apply for the next round of grants is Sept. 30. Apply now. Questions? Email Mary Kuenning Gross, grants and scholarship coordinator for the Wisconsin Conference.

The unique demands of ministry make it essential for our pastors to take advantage of opportunities for rest and renewal. One option is the Clergy Respite Program offered by United Church Camps Inc., which provides pastors a few days away for spiritual reflection and focus time at any one of UCCI’s outdoor ministry sites: Cedar Valley, Daycholah Center or Moon Beach. Fall is a particularly beautiful time to explore these sacred spaces and carve out some time to plan your Advent season. Click for more information.

To make a reservation, please email the managing director of the site where you would like to stay: Missy Miller at Moon Beach; Amanda Edwards at Daycholah Center; or Michelle Spettel at Cedar Valley. The Clergy Respite Program is offered at a reasonable cost thanks to a grant from the Brown Endowment of United Church Funds.

Palestine Justice Work Group

The Wisconsin Conference work group formed to educate UCC members about the state of Israeli-Palestinian relations and advocate for justice for all Palestinians will meet by Zoom. The meeting is open to clergy and laypeople. Click to see the list of resources compiled by the work group’s facilitator, the Rev. Steve Davis.

Time: 7 p.m.

Date: Sept. 25

Register here

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.

Date: Sept. 27

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Register here

Fair Trade workshop

The Wisconsin Conference Immigration Working Group will host a workshop on the connections between climate change, the plight of immigrants, and why buying fairly traded and ethically produced items matters. “Why Fair Trade? Connecting the Dots . . .” will take place on Zoom.

Date: Thurs., Sept. 28

Time: 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Register here

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 two retreats are co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Conference UCC and Daycholah Center. The details:

Faith Formation Youth Retreat, Nov. 10-12 FULL. Look for this retreat again next year

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.

Knock Knock Middle School Retreat, Nov. 17-19

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:

Download the flyer

Download the bulletin insert

Download the digital ad

Autumn Labyrinth Retreat, Oct. 6-8

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.

Save these 2024 dates for more youth retreats:

Youth Faith Formation retreats, Feb. 16-18 and March 1-3

Winter Soulstice, a retreat for high schoolers, Jan. 26-28



The recordkeeping service transition for the UCC Pension Plan is underway and will be complete this month. Current annuitants will not be affected by this change. However, those who are still contributing must designate beneficiaries once the transition to Fidelity is complete. Everything else transfers automatically.



Monthly statements will be available online, and if you want to receive a copy in the mail you will need to request that. You should have received the “Fidelity Recordkeeping Transition Guide,” which contains details about the transition, key dates, and information on upcoming webinars that will help you get to know Fidelity and its many services. You can also access the guide online here.

The Conference office, all four Associations and the Wisconsin Foundation UCC all have a new address. The automatic forwarding period has passed, so all incorrectly addressed mail will be returned to sender. The new address for each of these is: W1000 Spring Grove Road, Ripon, Wisconsin 54971.

Searching Churches

• Community Church of Fontana is searching for a pastor. Details
• To see all searching churches, click here.
• Interim Ministry openings

Wider Church Searches

• National United Church of Christ openings: Details

Installations and Ordinations

• The Rev. Steve Savides was insalled at First Congregational UCC in New London on Sept. 10.

New Calls

• The Rev. Nathan Holst has been called as pastor at St. John's UCC in La Pointe, effective Aug. 18.
• The Rev. Robert Wilkins has been called as pastor at Immanuel UCC in Darlington, effective Sept. 1.
• Mike Whiteley has been called as interim pastor at First Congregational UCC in East Troy, effective Sept. 10.
• The Rev. Steve Davis has been called as interim pastor at First Congregational UCC in Tomah, effective Sept. 12.

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.