Wisconsin Conference This Week | | |
Tending the vineyard
In his State of the Conference Address, Conference Minister Franz Rigert compared the UCC in Wisconsin to a vineyard where the plants must be placed far enough apart to thrive. Spacing matters in the church, too. “Remember years ago, there were mainline churches on every block in a little town, a stone’s throw from any intersection,” Franz said. Not so today, he said. That’s why, for example, Peace UCC in Shawano is merging with a Presbyterian church to become Fellowship Federated Church, and why several Sheboygan County congregations are imagining new ways to organize themselves for maximum impact in their community.
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Pruning matters, too
In the tool sheds at most churches, you’ll find the tools for pruning trees and bushes, Franz said. But we’re not so good about pruning ministries that have run their course. “Even though we are Resurrection people who know that in every ending is a new beginning,” Franz said, “we resist endings because they feel more like failure than renewal." He cited the example of a church that sold its building and moved worship to a funeral home. “Lo and behold, they are growing. Pruning makes way for some new dynamic to bud.”
Four more years for Franz
In a unanimous vote, delegates elected Franz to a fourth four-year term as conference minister.
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Why are we so white?
That’s the question put to Annual Meeting attendees by keynoter Edith Guffey, president of the board of PFLAG and former conference minister for Oklahoma and Kansas. The answer, she said, lies in the white supremacy that is in the country's DNA. The antidote “is for members of our churches to be leaders equipped to build strong bridges outside the walls of the church. We must cultivate community inside our congregations and build bridges outside, where trust has been broken and betrayed, where wounds are deep, and people have lost faith in the church. We have work to do; it’s hard work, but it’s also holy work.”
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We’re in this together
In her sermon at Annual Meeting’s closing worship service, the Rev. Nicole Herda drew on the passage from the Gospel of John -- “I am the vine; you are the branches” -- that inspired the meeting’s theme, “Creating Community.” “Over and over, Jesus reminds us that life and success are not about us as individuals; it’s about us as a community that lives in Jesus. Being a Christian is not an individual activity, just me and Jesus. It’s about Jesus living in all of us, and all of us living in Jesus.”
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Looking for an innovative idea? Here’s one.
Wherever you turn at Annual Meeting, someone is sharing an idea for a fresh way to do church and ministry. One favorite: the monthly Dinner Church hosted by Grace Congregational UCC in Two Rivers. Dinner Church typically draws around 65 people, many of whom don’t often attend Sunday worship. The dinner is “open to anyone Jesus would dine with,” Pastor Colie Bettivia said during a workshop. Worship is at the core of Dinner Church. “I want people to know it’s the church,” she said. “It’s not a community meal. This is a worship service, too.”
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Virtual meeting planned for fall
Delegates approved a plan to move the election of Conference officers and adoption of the 2027 budget to later in the year at a virtual gathering to be held by the end of November. The change became necessary when Annual Meeting was moved to April.
| Join the all-Conference read of 'Nice Racism' | |
Annual Meeting also marked the formal launch of the Conference-wide read of "Nice Racism," Robin DiAngelo’s examination of how well-meaning progressive white people perpetuate racial harm. A three-session virtual book study will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays May 5, 12 and 19. You can purchase "Nice Racism" on Amazon or wherever books are sold. Register for the book study.
| Yearbook reporting deadline extended | The national UCC has extended the deadline for Yearbook report submissions to April 17. Contact Nola for help. | Here's a reminder that no one from the Wisconsin Conference will ever ask you to send gift cards. We've been made aware of a recent "spoof" scam where emails were sent out under Franz's name. But a close look at the sender indicates it's not really Franz -- all staff emails end with "wcucc.org." You can check staff emails here by hovering over the "email" text, and you can read up on scam awareness here. | The next Listening from the Heart workshop sponsored by the Palestine Justice Working Group will take place on Zoom at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20. Participants will hear from individuals living with the day-to-day realities of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. . . .The Small Church Working Group will meet by Zoom at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 20. . . . The Creation Care Team has compiled a list of suggested activities for congregations and individuals participating in the 2026 Earth Day Challenge. Earth Day is April 22. On Saturday, May 2, the team will host Sustainability Saves, a one-day retreat to explore practical steps congregations can take toward sustainability. The retreat will take place at Daycholah Center. . . . The Interfaith Peace Working Group will host “Nonviolence in Action: An Interfaith Conversation on Building the Beloved Community” on Thursday, April 23, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison. . . . More than 20 denominations and allied organizations will sponsor a Joint Christian Advocacy Summit May 5-7 in Washington, D.C., to press members of Congress to adopt policies that promote a just peace between Israel and the Palestinian people. | | -
The Rev. Charles Barnes died Feb. 25. Obituary
| | Help others by donating now | 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 Wisconsin Conference UCC is an Open and Affirming Conference, WISE for Mental Health Conference and an Immigrant Welcoming Conference.
Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ
W1000 Spring Grove Road, Ripon, WI 54971
mail@wcucc.org
www.wcucc.org
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