WEEKLY CONNECTION - November 3rd, 2026

CONNECT

Faith, Food, & Friendship

This week's menu:

Mostaccioli, Salad, Breadsticks

Have you had a chance to join us this season for Faith, Food, and Friendship? If not, this is the week to come! Whether you're looking for an easy dinner for the family, a chance to connect with community, or participate in programming, we have you covered!

Held weekly beginning at 5pm, the evening begins with a chef catered dinner ($10 adults/kids eat free) followed by Kids Choir, Youth Group, Children's Activities, Adult Faith Classes, and Adult Chancel Choir Rehearsal. This is a wonderful event to invite friends and family to. All are welcome!

Please contact Jenny Fisher at jfisher@umcwfb.org with any questions.

Festival Worship Choir

Rehearsals on Wednesdays at 7pm

All are invited to join the Festival Worship Choir! Rehearsals are on Wednesday nights from 7-8:30pm in the Sanctuary. We will be leading worship for our annual Thanksgiving Worship Service on Sun., Nov. 22nd at 10am AND our Christmas Festival Worship Service on Sun., Dec. 13th at 10am. If you have considered joining the Chancel Choir in the past, or just have a love for singing, this is an easy way to participate! For more info, contact Neil Bubke (NBubke@umcwfb.org).

Youth Praise Team

Wednesdays in the Sanctuary

5:30pm

All youth in grades 7-12 are invited to raise their voices and make a joyful noise with the Youth Praise Team! Rehearsals are held at 5:30pm in the Sanctuary. Sing, praise, and grow together!

Parenting Together

Small Group

Wednesdays in the Narthex

6:00-7:00pm

Parenting together is a casual change to connect with other parents from our faith community on a weekly basis. Stop by to chat, share what's on your mind, or simply enjoy some company. Come as you are! All are welcome!!

Tribute to Veterans & Active Military

November 8th

We are organizing a tribute to veterans and active military at our worship services on November 8th. If you or a loved one are a veteran or active military, please let Jenny Fisher at jfisher@umcwfb.org know so we can honor you!

New Member Information Sessions

November 8th 11:45am

Walnut Room

Are you interested in learning more about our faith community or becoming a member of UMCWFB? Come to one of our new member info session to learn more! RSVP Jenny Fisher at jfisher@umcwfb.org

UWF Holiday Fair

November 14th 9:30am-1:30pm

Find the perfect gifts at the Holiday Fair!

Shoppers can browse handmade gifts, a silent auction and delectables that include jams and jellies, pickles and a cookie walk.

Cash, checks and Venmo are accepted. Proceeds benefit missions of UWF at the church.

Our Voice Milwaukee

Chorus For Gay Men & Allies

Saturday December 5th 7:00pm

Bradley Symphony Center

Save the Date!

All Church Gingerbread House Decorating Party

December 16th

As part of FFF, get into the holiday spirit with our gingerbread house decorating party! All are welcome. Please contact Kristal Melbye for more information at kmelbye@umcwfb.org. RSVP by December 2nd here: Gingerbread House Party

Become a Sunday Hospitality Volunteer!

Help create a welcoming experience by serving as a greeter or usher, offering coffee, reading prayers, lighting the Peace candle, or assisting at the welcome desk. These roles support a warm, inclusive atmosphere where everyone feels seen and valued. All ages are welcome to serve, and every helping hand makes a meaningful difference in our shared worship life.

GROW

New Sermon Series Begins This Week!

Enough: Living Well in a World That Always Wants More

A Four-Week Journey through Ecclesiastes

We live in a culture that constantly tells us we need more—more possessions, more experiences, more success, more time, more security. Yet even when we achieve what we thought would satisfy us, something still feels incomplete.

The book of Ecclesiastes is one of the Bible's most honest conversations about the human search for meaning. The Teacher explores wealth, work, pleasure, wisdom, achievement, and time, only to discover that none of them can ultimately satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. Rather than leaving us in despair, Ecclesiastes invites us to embrace God's gifts with gratitude, live with humility, and discover that true abundance is found not in having more, but in living faithfully with enough.

Join us as we journey through one of the Bible's most profound books and discover how God calls us to live well in a world that always wants more.

November 8th: More Time Proverbs 3: 5 - 6; Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

November 15th: More Success / Stewardship Sunday Ecclesiastes 4:1–16; 5:10–20

November 22nd: More God Ecclesiastes 12:1–14 (COMBINED SERVICES - Commitment Sunday, Bring a Friend!)

Grief & Loss Small Group

November 4th, 11th, & 18th

6:00-7:00pm

Chapel

New class begins this week!

Join a small group for grief & loss with Pastor Claudia Deede. You'll find support, reflection, and shared understanding. This gathering offers a safe and welcoming space for those navigating grief or loss. Through quiet conversation and shared presence, we come together in prayer, care, and understanding. All are welcome and participation is optional at every level.

FFF Wednesday Discussions

Stories of Women in the Bible

6:00-7:00pm

Wesley Room

FFF Wednesday evening discussions are held 6:00-7:00pm in the Wesley Room. Led by Rev. Mel Vance, we'll discuss The Stories of Women in the Bible.

Journey Towards Freedom Book Discussion

Steps" Book by John Ortberg

6:00-7:00pm

Chapel

Extended to meet on November 4th!

Led by Pastor Gary Holmes, this book discussion will cover "Steps" by John Ortberg, which applies the framework of the 12 Steps to general spiritual growth and life transformation. Please meet in the Chapel.

Thanksgiving Worship & Brunch

November 22nd

10:00am

Please plan to join us for a special Thanksgiving worship and brunch on Sunday November 22nd!

SERVE

Cookies Needed For Cookie Walk

Deliver Cookies November 12th-13th

The Holiday Fair is just around the corner and we need cookies and bars for our very popular Cookie Walk.

Please bring your homemade holiday cookies or precut bars to the church by Thursday, Nov. 12 in the afternoon, or at the latest 9 am on Friday, Nov. 13th. Label your containers so they will be saved for you to pick up later.

Then shop the Holiday Fair on Saturday from 9:30-1:30 for all sorts of tasty food items and beautiful handcrafted gifts for yourself or others! Questions: Contact Nancy Batchelder at 414-412-9169

Extra Halloween Candy?

Do you always end up with more candy than you can eat? We'd love your donations of non-chocolate candy to use for our All Church Gingerbread House making event in December! Candies such as Dots, Skittles, Smarties, licorice, and hard candies make perfect decorations! Please bring any candy donations in a bag labeled "Family Ministries" to either the front office or Kristal's office.

Help us Connect

with Young Adults

We want to let our young adults know we miss them and we're praying for them! Help us track down current addresses for our young adults so we can send them well wishes from our congregation. If you know of a young adult (age 23 or younger) who used to come to our church, please consider giving us their address!

Fill out this form

Seeking Reader Glasses Donations

A few UMCWFB members are tutoring at MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary on Center Street.

One of the hardest issues is these people have no insurance so need glasses from Target, Walmart, Walgreens or CVS. We are currently requesting your help.

Can you donate old readers or new readers? If so bring to church office or leave on top of cubbies by elevator. God Bless You!!

Mark your calendars for ASP: July 10–18, 2027!

Join UMCWFB for a week of service, friendship, and faith through Appalachia Service Project. Youth and adult leaders will work together to help make families’ homes warmer, safer, and drier.

We’re especially looking for adult leaders—and adult leaders go for free! Your time, encouragement, and willingness to serve can make a lasting difference for our youth and the families we work alongside.

Check out the ASP Information Sheet for more information! Contact Kristal Melbye with any questions.

Want To Contribute?

For Weekly Connection and Monthly Magazine inclusion, please send requests to office@umcwfb.org. Feel free to include an image or flyer that we can add in as well.

Send us a summary and picture(s) once the event has concluded

so we can share its success in the monthly magazine Thank you!

Submission deadlines:

Weekly Connection

• Monday at 12:00pm the week of publication

Monthly Magazine

• The 26th of the month prior to publication

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Weekends: As Events are Scheduled

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Monday - Thursday, 9:00am-2:00pm