Read this Parish Paper article for tips on focusing on caring and leadership, personal renewal, and loving your neighbor.

How can congregations successfully navigate through re-opening our churches? The Conflict Transformation Team is here to help your church with this potentially divisive issue. The workshop will briefly discuss causes and levels of conflict, and how grief and conflict intersect. The workshop will move on to discussing church conflict amidst COVID-19 and how to navigate through Being the Church and the many conflict touch points it represents. There will also be time for participants to bring up their concerns for discussion. The workshop costs $50 per church.

Registration and how to register is available here.

Greetings from the Wisconsin Conference Creation Care Team! Earlier this year we launched a survey of Wisconsin UCC churches inquiring about current creation care practices and awareness in local churches. Please continue reading to learn what congregations around the state are doing to care for the earth. For example, nearly three quarters of congregations responding have installed energy efficient LED lighting. Almost one half of responding congregations have pollinator gardens. Read more

Creating a communications strategy to inspire engagement and generosity is often a daunting task for faith communities. That’s why two expert communications teams are collaborating in a series of webinars to provide the tools that church leaders can use and adapt to their individual settings.

The Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the national UCC’s OPTIC* team are joining forces to present these four webinars, with the first scheduled for October 7. The webinars provide knowledge and skills for congregational leaders in key areas of organizational and mission effectiveness and nonprofit administration. The series emphasizes strategic communications for development and explores related planning, management, and leadership skills.

Orion Family Services is launching the “Orion Family Services Emergency Assistance Fund” and would appreciate your support! Orion Family Services is a CHHSM agency that serves children, youth, and families throughout southern Wisconsin by providing mental health and other related supportive services. The staff at Orion see the challenges people face every day and often feel helpless to assist with financial issues. However, now staff members can apply for grants up to $500 on behalf of their consumers experiencing financial emergencies or barriers. The money may be used for car repairs, rent assistance, moving costs, food, clothing for job interviews or whatever else is required to resolve the emergent need.

Orion hopes to grow this fund to further meet the unexpected and challenging financial and concrete needs individuals and families experience. Donations to this fund give you the opportunity to provide hope and stability, and to impact the lives of those in your community. Donations are tax deductible. Please contact Stacey Parke via email or (608) 270-2511 ext. 15, 6333 Odana Road, Suite 20, Madison, WI 53719 if you have any questions or if you would like to contribute to this important and meaningful fund.

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.

Subscribe to the

Generosity Forward e-newsletter

This month's Parish Paper is "Hospitality: Offering a Third Place to Gather." Access this issue and archived issues here!

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