Wisconsin Conference This Week | | General Synod special meeting elects new associate general minister | |
The Rev. Jennifer Sowell has been elected to serve an unexpired term as UCC associate general minister for love of church. Sowell was elected with 87 percent of the vote in a special meeting of General Synod 35. Her election made history within the denomination, marking the first time that the church has had an all-female leadership team. Sowell, who has 20 years’ experience in ministry, has been serving as senior pastor of St. John UCC in Collinsville, Illinois, where she led the congregation in strategic planning, expanding ministries to families and children, and pandemic recovery.
Watch video of the special meeting of General Synod.
| | 7 seats still open for anti-racism workshop | | |
You can still sign up for next month’s anti-racism training event, Unlearning Othering: Building Community and Breaking Barriers, but better make it quick. The event, hosted by the Wisconsin Conference Racial Justice Minister Team, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, June 12 at Daycholah Center. Participants will explore the origins and history of racism and the structures that support it, as well as the way socialization shapes our perceptions, feelings, and behaviors. Some reading will be expected ahead of the training. Participation will qualify as required antiracism training for authorized ministers.
Learn more and register.
| | Workshop to explore keys to congregational generosity | | |
If you’re looking for ways to increase giving in your church, consider attending Growing Generous Congregations, an in-person one-day workshop to be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. The workshop, co-sponsored by the seminary and the Minnesota Conference UCC, will use a curriculum created by the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving to help pastors and lay leaders think through their role in church finances, become better stewards of donors’ gifts, and awaken a spirit of generosity within their communities. Cost is $150 for each team of three to eight people.
Register now.
| | ICYMI: Small Church Working Group meets tonight | | |
If you’re a pastor or lay leader in a congregation that’s on the small side, check out the May meeting of the Wisconsin Conference Small Church Working Group, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. today. Topic for discussion is “Exploring your church’s ‘Why?’”
Register to attend.
| Summertime publishing schedule is out | Wisconsin Conference This Week will publish on the first and third Mondays of June, July and August, adopting a reduced schedule that reflects the more leisurely pace of church life during the summer months. Not to worry, though: We’ll keep you abreast of important developments in Wisconsin and the wider United Church of Christ with dedicated emails and on the Conference Facebook page. The reduced summer schedule will allow us opportunity to fine-tune and update information on the Conference website – and enjoy some downtime, too. We’ll return to the weekly publishing schedule in September. | The Wisconsin and Minnesota conferences have teamed up to offer a new two-part intergenerational care-of-creation experience this summer called Freshwater Faithworks. The first part is a three-night family camp scheduled for June 28-July 1 at Daycholah Center. A four-night service and learning trip to Minnesota designed for middle schoolers will take place from July 29 to Aug. 2. . . . Are you a church musician? Make sure to check out United in Spirit, Diverse in Sound, the biennial national conference of the United Church of Christ Musicians Association, scheduled for July 8-11 at First Community Church in Columbus, Ohio. . . . If you’re a member of your congregation’s Green Team, make plans to attend the 2026 Great Lakes Collaborative Retreat, scheduled for Aug. 23-25 at Five Oaks Retreat Center in Paris, Ontario. | | 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. 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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