The Wisconsin Council of Churches is urging congregations across the state to encourage local law enforcement not to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In concrete terms, this means speaking out against the 287(g) program that encourages collaboration between ICE and local sheriffs. In addition to making life more difficult for our immigrant neighbors, these agreements divert local resources to immigration enforcement instead of community safety. Learn more by checking out the 287g Action Kit created by the Council of Churches.

Too often, our congregations lack the tools needed to share the church’s message of faith and hope in the digital age. If that describes your congregation, make up for lost time by attending a two-part, virtual and in-person Digital Media Training Course hosted by Middleton Community Church. Part 1 will take place by Zoom from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 1 and will introduce participants to course content. Part 2 will take place in person from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 18 at the church, 645 Schewe Road in Middleton. It will provide a deep dive into messaging, interview techniques, content creation, digital storytelling, and online safety. Learn more and register.

First Congregational UCC in Madison will host writer, pastor and activist John Pavlovitz next month for a talk on the threat posed by the rise of Christian Nationalism. Pavlovitz’s presentation, “Greatest Border Crisis: Separation of Church and State,” is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, in the sanctuary at 1609 University Ave. in Madison. Learn more about Pavlovitz. Tickets are $11 at the door and can be purchased online.

Members of the Wisconsin Conference Conflict Transformation Team will lead a two-day retreat next month at Daycholah Center aimed at helping congregations – not to mention parents and teens, bosses and workers, and everyone else – facing conflict. Among other topics, participants will study de-escalation techniques and learn how to deal with conflict and gain healing from a biblical perspective. The retreat will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, and conclude at 3 p.m. on Sat. Oct. 25. Facilitators will be the Revs. Jane Anderson, Beth Voigt, and Mike Southcombe. Learn more and register. Questions? Email Mike or call him at (715) 536-7322.

Donors care about what we do with their money, but congregations often struggle to find effective ways to tell the story about the impact of ministry. Go online at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24 for an online seminar called “Testimonies: How Do We Talk About Our Impact?” to learn how testimonies from members and friends of your congregation can be crucial for communicating the ways your congregation makes a different in the community. Register now.

“Decreasing Your Tax Burden and Increasing Your Impact” is the theme of a webinar co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Conference that will show attendees how to ease tax burdens through effective charitable giving, thereby ensuring their generosity goes further in support of the causes they care about. The webinar is scheduled for 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 15. Register now.

The Conference Racial Justice Team is looking for fresh ways to resource local congregations. Borrowing from the racial-justice dream of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the work will begin with a virtual Dream Planning Session that will start to shape racial justice work within the Conference in the years ahead. Interested? Mark your calendars for 3:30 to 5 p.m. Sept. 16. Register today for this Zoom event.

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