Does your church have an idea for and innovative ministry to address an unmet need in your community – especially one that would see you collaborate with one or more community partners? If the answer is yes, this week would be the perfect time to apply for a Catalyst Grant from the Wisconsin Conference. The next application deadline is Sept. 30. The Catalyst program was created to support risk-taking projects, especially those that further the Wisconsin Conference’s core initiatives in the areas of racial and immigration justice. Learn more and apply.

Pastors, if you serve a congregation whose members’ politics are a mix of red and blue, you won’t want to miss this fall’s Conference-wide retreat for authorized ministers.  Preaching in a “Plaid Parish” will take place Oct. 12-13 at Cedar Valley Retreat Center in West Bend. The retreat will be led by the Rev. Dr. Leah Schade, associate professor of preaching and worship at Lexington Theological Seminary. She will provide some tools for ministry that can open up opportunities to proclaim the gospel and build community in politically divided congregations.

Download the flyer for more details.

Register here

If you have remodeled a kitchen, you know it’s sometimes easier to go down to the studs and start from there. That’s what the Conference Racial Justice Team plans to do as it seeks 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.

Bright Stars of Bethlehem, a partner of the Wisconsin Conference that supports Dar al-Kalima University in Palestine, will host a virtual gala at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13. Dar al-Kalima is the only university in the region dedicated to the arts, culture and design. The gala will include student stories and a raffle of items created by students. Participate in the gala here. Learn more.

The 2025-2026 schedule of youth faith formation events is now available, and registration is open for them all. Download the flyer for more information and registration links. Questions about retreat programs? Email Lisa Hart, associate conference minister for faith formation and justice ministries.

The Love of Children project, funded by Lilly Endowment, seeks to inspire innovative approaches to children's ministry and facilitate a network of leaders so that the United Church of Christ can nurture children through worship and prayer. This 12- month cohort is designed to provide educational experiences, nurture a supportive community of practice, and create opportunities to apply shared learning directly to your ministry setting. Deadline to apply is Oct. 16.

Learn more and apply.

The 2026 Compensation Guidelines for all authorized ministers in the Wisconsin Conference are now available for download. There are two sets of guidelines, one for full-time ministers and one for part-time positions. The guidelines, which have been reviewed by the Executive Committee of the Wisconsin Conference Committee on Ministry and the Conference staff, are designed to ensure fair compensation for pastors.



Download the guidelines for full-time positions.

Download the guidelines for part-time positions.

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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