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Hen House Weekly E-News
October 10, 2025
Why Hen House? The friendly chatter before Worship on Sundays reminds us of a Hen House! Since Jesus identified himself as a Mother Hen and, as an historical farm church, we enjoy being God's ‘Hen House’ and welcome everyone (town, urban, and rural) to our Worship and other programs - and invite you to even make Zwingli your Church home. The United Church of Christ values all people!
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Our Sunday worship series on The Seven Stories has been an introduction to stories that we sometimes are unaware of in our world (but they are happening everywhere and impacting the world in big ways). Authors Brian McLaren and Garreth Higgins teach these with the hope of giving us more of a 'story literacy' so we can recognize these stories as they play out in our world today -- and so be more intentional about choosing to live from the Seventh Story, the Jesus way, instead of the other six stories.
The past few weeks we have explored the stories of domination, revolution, and purification. This Sunday we will explore the story of isolation (which is often a reaction to a domination story as well as a way of living out the purification story). We'll explore the Essene community within Judaism at the time of Jesus (a community of both purification and isolation that is known as Qumran) as well as the way of Jesus in response to isolationism. Jesus calls us not to isolate ourselves, but to make time for solitude with God (which is not isolating ourselves from the world) so that we can become active in the world -- we can become Salt and Light for the earth!
As one who studied archaeology hoping to become an archaeologist, and has been to Qumran, I am excited to share a bit of this history with you to help us get a picture of what the isolation story looked like in Jesus' day. The picture above includes a map and an image of the Qumran caves. In these caves, the Dead Sea Scrolls were found! On the far right is an example of a scroll [part of Dead Sea Scroll number 28a (1Q28a), from Qumran Cave 1, by Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg), Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license].
Come join us on Sunday to learn more about this Essene Jewish sect -- and about Jesus' seventh story in response to stories of isolation and purification in his day and to the way these stories still exist in our world today.
To prepare for Sunday's worship, here is The Message version of Matthew 5:13-16 for you to reflect on. How do you see yourself as called to be salt-seasoning and light-bearers? Let's be sure to find those practices of worship, solitude and service that nurture the saltiness and light of God within us:
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“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage."
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."
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Prayer List
Today, we invite you to keep in prayer:
Those suffering from drought, famine, accidents, fires, storms, flooding, tornados, excessive heat, violence, homelessness, illness, war in their communities.
Nations in crisis: Afghanistan, Venezuela, Haiti, Sudan, The Congo, Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon. Prayers for those countries, farmers, companies and consumers who are affected by the escalating trade war.
For wise, compassionate leadership in our Executive, legislative and judicial branches of govt, and citizen action. For Civil Servants, immigrants, international students, and others facing uncertainty under the policies of the new administration and now under this government shutdown.
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Sunday Oct. 5 with Super Greeter Phoebe (turned 2 Oct. 9)!
Phoebe brought her parents, Rev. Forrest and Molly Guenther, with her to church on Sunday Oct. 5. Phoebe decided to be our greeter for the day, giving hugs to everyone who walked in the building! We even got a group pic of Phoebe with those who stayed for coffee hour - that Forrest can share with his congregation (First Congregational Church of East Millinocket, Maine).
The Guenther family was staying with Jerry Brown and were entertained by the Brown family while they were in Wisconsin to watch their Maine team play the UW Women's Hockey Team over the weekend. They are huge fans of their women's hockey team. It was a fun weekend for all (including Zwingli)!
We all hope Phoebe (and parents) will visit us again when they are back in town for hockey. Meanwhile, many thanks to Jerry for offering hospitality to these UCCers when they contacted us looking for a place to stay.
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Oct. 11 - Repair Cafe 10 am - Noon
Oct. 12 - Adult Ed Class after Worship: Loving Across Divisions (in lower level)
Oct. 19 - CROP Walk
Oct. 26 - Adult Ed Class after Worship: Loving Across Divisions
Nov. 2 - All Saints Day; Friendship Time following Worship
Nov. 9 - Last Adult Ed Class: Loving Across Divisions
Nov. 16 - Native American Sunday with Jeanette and Judy
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Repair Cafe to Launch Publicly on Oct. 11!
Our first public Repair Cafe is scheduled for Oct. 11 from 10 am - Noon! We are grateful for our Repairers and our Hospitality Team! This is a great way to invite our others to Zwingli! Here's how you can help us!
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Pass the word to your friends and family! They can learn more on our Zwingli website! We can offer to try to repair their lamps, furniture, sewing, mending, electrical, technology, and sharpen knives! We know the Post Messenger Recorder will be publishing an article (this Thursday we hope) that you can share with them. We are hoping the O'ROURKE Media Group will publish it as well. If you have a place to hang flyers, let us know and we will supply you with flyers!
- Come and be part of the hospitality team (Faith, Petra, and Sue) to help make our neighbors feel welcome and enjoy themselves and Zwingli! Bring your own items that need repair.
- If you would like to contribute goodies for the day, contact one of the members of the hospitality team
- If you (or someone you know) has repair skills you (or they) would like to share, contact Debbie or Pastor Karla
The Repair Cafe is an international movement to help the world move to a more sustainable way of caring for our planet -- repairing instead of trashing items that still have use left in them (and helping individuals/families save money too). Zwingli is pleased to share the gifts of our members with our local community - and make a difference! If you want to learn more about Repair Cafe International, check it out here.
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On Sunday, Oct. 12, we will meet again after Worship for our Adult Education Program entitled "Loving Across Divisions". We will listen to an interview with Valarie Kaur, founder of the Revolutionary Love Project. To introduce you to Valarie, here's a 4 minute interview with her. On Oct. 12, we will meet in the basement to watch a video and have a discussion. I hope you will join us (it does help if you sign up on the bulletin board so we know how many refreshments to provide, but it isn't necessary).
Blessings,
Karla
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Crop Walk: Sunday, October 19
We will be partnering once again with First United Church of Christ in Belleville. Registration begins at First Church at 12:30 pm at 130 East Church Street. The walk begins at 1:00.
We will have one team - Zwingli UCC Paoli. 25% of the proceeds from the walk will be given to the Belleville Food Pantry.
All check donations must be made out to: CWS/CROP. If you want to enter it under a charge card, look for team Zwingli UCC Paoli on the website: https://events.crophungerwalk.org/crophungerwalks/teams?event=bellevillewi
Kriss Ace will register our walkers so contact her if you wish to walk and/or sign up on the bulletin board. She needs all donations by October 26. If giving cash please put it in an envelope marked "CROP donation." All cash envelopes and checks can be placed in the collection place each Sunday.
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First Congregational Madison Invites you to a Program at their church this Sunday 10/12
Christian Nationalism: A Panel Discussion
"Ultimately, the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or friendship,
is conversation."
— Oscar Wilde
This Sunday, October 12, the Adult Education Committee is hosting a panel discussion on Christian Nationalism at 2 p.m. in the Chapel. Christian nationalism is an ideology that advocates for a fusion of American civic life with a specific, idealized form of Christianity. It is a political and cultural framework that blurs the line between American identity and a specific set of Christian beliefs, with the aim of creating a "Christian nation."
The separation of church and state is a legal doctrine rooted in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which contains both the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. While traditionally interpreted as creating a high barrier between government and religion, recent Supreme Court rulings and political developments suggest a shift toward accommodating religion, specifically Christianity, in public life. To help us better understand Christian Nationalism in three different settings, we will welcome:
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Dr. Susan B. Ridgely is a professor of Religious Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the author of Practicing What the Doctor Preached: At Home with Focus on the Family (Oxford University Press, 2016), When I was a Child: Children’s Interpretations of First Communion (University of North Carolina Press, 2005), and two edited volumes on children and religion.
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Rabbi Jon Prosnit joined Temple Beth El in 2024 after serving for 12 years as part of the rabbinical team at Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, California. Originally from New York, he earned his bachelor's degree from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and was ordained by the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City. He enjoys the outdoors and loves to play golf, tennis, and basketball. He also likes traveling, hiking, skiing, reading, and juggling, and his favorite holiday is Sukkot. Rabbi Prosnit is married to Erin Gleeson, who is an artist and cookbook author of the Forest Feast cookbook series. They have two sons and a daughter.
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Adam Penning has served in ministry for 25 years, beginning as a missionary in Fortaleza, Brazil. Alongside his wife, Alicia, he has raised three children and dedicated nearly two decades to campus ministry in both Madison, WI, and New York City. Today, Adam serves as the Downtown Site Pastor at Blackhawk Church in Madison, WI, where for the last five years has invested deeply in spiritual formation, leadership development, and community engagement.
Adam holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking from Iowa State University. He earned a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary in New York City and completed a Certificate in Practical Ministry through the Redeemer City-to-City program in NYC.
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Please plan to join us for this rich conversation! Following an hour of conversation, a 15 minute period of Q&A will be made available.
– Eldonna Hazen, Senior Minister
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The Social Justice Collective invites you to learn about how the UCC Mission Partners bring hope to the Holy Land next week Thursday, October 16 at 7pm at McFarland UCC, 5710 Anthony St., McFarland, WI 53559
Learn More About Speakers
"Pastor Karla highly recommends learning from Tom and Diane and their wealth of knowledge and experience with these Mission Partners."
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Calling all ushers! If you enjoy ushering and are able to fill a Sunday or two (or three), please sign up on the bulletin board. The Council member assigned for that month will still be present if you have any questions, but we all appreciate having a Sunday off. Thank you!
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Opportunities for Citizen Advocacy through letters to Congress
The United Church of Christ offers us the opportunity to learn more about bills before Congress and voice our opinions to our legislators. They make it very easy to send an email. Check out the many topics on their page: https://www.ucc.org/action-center/. The most recent ones are: Follow the Law of Love: Safeguard Sensitive Locations and Ensure ICE Accountability and Love Knows No Borders: Protect the Refugee Admissions Program. Scroll down the page to find others that you might want to express your opinion about.
| | If you would like to learn more about the work of the United Church of Christ Southwest Wisconsin Association, send a message to this email address to be added to their monthly newsletter: swacommunications@gmail.com | | | | |
