Wisconsin Conference Minister Franz Rigert later this month will join about 20 of his colleagues in Washington to meet with lawmakers, with a special focus on immigration. You can get involved, too, by writing letters to your representatives to make sure they get the message that “Love Has No Borders” -- the theme of the conference ministers’ witness urging lawmakers to choose love, compassion, and justice in their decisions. The UCC Office of Public Policy and Advocacy in Washington has created downloadable resources for congregations and individuals who wish to get involved.



Learn more about the “Love Has No Borders” campaign.

Are you a member of an Open and Affirming congregation? The Wisconsin Conference ONA Team needs your help. The team is looking for examples of challenges that have confronted ONA churches, such as protests, damage to Pride flags, and vandalism to church buildings. The team will use your input to help congregations develop appropriate responses when such incidents occur. If you have a story to share, email Lisa Hart, associate conference minister for faith formation and justice ministries.

The Wisconsin Conference trip to Alabama sites that played key roles in the Civil Rights movement will take place from Sunday, Feb. 1, through Friday, Feb. 6. Participants will travel by bus (assuming a minimum of 30 participants) and visit sites including Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery, the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Selma, and the 16th Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham. Total cost of the trip is estimated to be $1,200 for each participant. Email Conference Minister Franz Rigert to learn more or sign up.

The relaunched Racial Justice Team will meet from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 22 on Zoom. The group’s initial meeting in September, billed as a virtual Dream Planning Session, led to creation of a vision statement that will help guide and provide resources for racial justice work in the Wisconsin Conference in the years ahead.

Sign up for the Oct. 22 meeting.

The deadline to receive the early-bird rate for the Nov. 21-23 Knock Knock Middle School Retreat is Oct. 17. . . . Registration for the Nov. 7-9 Youth Faith Formation Retreat will close Oct. 22 (or earlier if the event fills up). . . . The orientation retreat for participants in the Lay Faith and Ministry Communities of Practice will be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1. Theme of the retreat is “Prayer as Poetry.”. . . There’s still time to sign up for “Conflict Transformation (and Prevention) Skills for Churches,” offered by the Conference Conflict Transformation Team Oct. 24-25. All retreats will take place at Daycholah Center.

Want to stay on top of what’s going on in the Wisconsin Conference? The best way is to subscribe to one of our newsletters. They range from the one you’re reading now, Wisconsin Conference This Week, which is designed as a quick read to connect you to events and other opportunities of Conference-wide interest, to more specialized publications dedicated to Creation Care, ministry to older adults, immigration justice and more. Learn more and subscribe.

Convergence music conference offers virtual option

An all-virtual option is available for the conference to be hosted by the Convergence Music Project Oct. 15-18 in Columbus, Ohio. The theme is “Sing Truth: Leadership For Resistance and Resilience,” and the event will focus on finding, creating and using songs in the context of worship, spiritual formation, and social transformation. Speakers and musicians will include Wisconsin Conference favorites and Convergence Music Project leaders Bryan Sirchio, Andra Moran and Christopher Grundy. Learn more and register.

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