The Rev. Rachel Bauman has joined the Wisconsin Conference staff as associate conference minister for the Southwest and half of the Southeast Association. She previously served as pastor of St. John’s UCC on Madeline Island. She and her partner, Joe Scarry, a leader of the Conference’s creation care efforts, live in Madison.

Check out this video for answers to frequently asked questions. Ready to apply for a grant? Click here.

Are you active in the teaching ministry of your congregation? Sign up for two days of learning and fellowship with your peers organized by the Great Lakes Association of United Church Educators. The event is set for Oct. 4-6 at Pokagon State Park near Angola, Indiana. Click for details and to register.

The highlight of the event will be a virtual keynote by U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and one of two Native American women ever to serve in Congress. Daycholah sits on land originally inhabited by the Ho-Chunk, and the name itself is the original Ho-Chunk word for Green Lake. Click here to register for the event. Cost is $300 for those age 12 and up. For scholarship information, check with your local congregation and the UCCI scholarship application. You can share this event on your bulletin boards by using this flyer.

This training will be adapted from NAMI's 12-hour program which can be found here. Please note, this virtual training is only available for the first 30 people registered. All materials will be sent out after your registration is confirmed. If we have more than 30 people we will find a second training date with NAMI-Greater Cleveland Chapter. Please complete this Google Form which will serve as your initial registration so we can identify the groups of 30 and how many additional trainings may be needed. Additional information to follow based on your registration number. 

Date: Sept. 20 and 22

Time: 3- 6 p.m. Central

One of the most significant events in UCC history was a six-week nonviolent action campaign that gave birth to the environmental justice movement with its pioneering focus on environmental racism. The impetus for the campaign was the dumping of toxic waste in Warren County, North Carolina, a largely poor area where 60 percent of the population was black. To mark the 40^th anniversary of the campaign, three leaders of the effort will participate in a UCC webinar: Dollie Burwell, the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Chavis Jr. and the Rev. William Kearney. Can’t make the scheduled time? Sign up anyway to receive a recording.

Date: Sept. 14

Time: Noon Central

A narrative budget translates the line items of a traditional budget into a story of how your congregation makes a difference in the world. It can be a helpful tool for a stewardship campaign or annual meeting. By telling the story of our congregations’ impact, we can inspire generosity in our donors.

Date: Sept. 28

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Is your congregation exploring what it means to be WISE for Mental Health? One step in the right direction is to learn more about the work of the National Alliance on Mental Illness by participating in one of four NAMI walks on Oct. 8. The walks will take place in four regions of the state: Appleton-Fox Valley, Beloit-Rock County, Wauwatosa-Southeast Wisconsin  and Madison-Dane County.

The training is free, but reservations are required. Click to register today. For more information, contact MHA Lakeshore at 920-458-3951 ext. 1001. To learn more about QPR training, visit qprinstitute.com.

If you’re a pastor or youth minister, part of a faith formation team or a volunteer in your congregation’s family ministry, plan now to attend a one-day workshop offered by the Wisconsin and Minnesota conferences where you’ll learn how to implement a new resource to help parents and caregivers explore their roles as primary sexuality educators of their children. The workshop is set for 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Carondelet Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. Download the free resource and click to register now. The $25 fee includes continental breakfast and lunch. Questions? Contact Contact the Rev. Kevin Brown, associate conference minister for faith formation for the Minnesota Conference, or Lisa Hart, associate conference minister for faith formation and justice ministries for the Wisconsin Conference.

Check out our fall courses for lay leaders, seekers in faith and clergy. Last chance to register for these two courses.

If you answered yes to any of those questions, check out “A Taste of Heavenly Meetings,” a 90-minute workshop that introduces three activities to help people connect, review progress and make decisions quickly. The workshop will be offered twice on Zoom, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Central on Aug. 29 and from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 13. Cost is $10 per session, and you can attend one or both. Register by Sept. 12.

To register for “A Taste of Heavenly Meetings, visit the Damascus Project Network.

Butler Bass is the author of 11 books. Her byline has appeared in outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN.com, Atlantic.com, USA Today, Huffington Post, Christian Century and Sojourners. Learn more about her online at dianabutlerbass.com. Cost of the Oct. 11 event is $10 a person. Watch for registration details in future issues of Wisconsin Conference Life.

Additional information about registration will be available soon. To reserve space for your group, please contact Chris Kocos at Daycholah Center for more information. Questions about the retreat program? Contact Lisa Hart, associate conference minister for faith formation and justice ministries.

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