Sue Taylor, who for 16 years was the friendly face of the Wisconsin Conference UCC, died Sunday at her home in Waunakee. She was 68.

For much of her tenure she was first member of the staff to greet visitors at the front desk of the Conference headquarters at the former Trost Center in DeForest. More recently, Sue transitioned with the rest of the team to the new Conference office at Daycholah Center.

Behind the scenes, she provided administrative support for key Conference functions such as clergy oversight – think Boundary Training, Anti-Racism Training and Annual Information Review Forms – and helped ensure that the i’s were dotted and t’s crossed for milestone events like Conference and association annual meetings. She also served as search-and-call coordinator, assisting congregations looking to fill pulpits and tracking candidates.

First Congregational Church UCC in Fort Atkinson is sharing its policy for responding in the event Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up at the church or its preschool or day care center. “We recognize that having federal immigration agents on our property would discourage parents from bringing their children to Fort Atkinson Preschool and Childcare and First Congregational Church UCC as well as accessing services on behalf of their children,” the document says. The policy followed a decision by the Trump administration to rescind a Biden-era policy that protected certain “sensitive locations,” such as churches, hospitals and schools, from immigration enforcement. The child care center serves a handful of multicultural students.

“The director and staff were concerned for the families of these students and were looking for a protocol to respond to the presence of ICE if needed,” the Rev. Sara Rabe, the congregation’s pastor, said in an email. “Knowing that churches are now exempt from providing sanctuary, a small team of people with policy and public service experience created a policy that would slow down the detainment process, should ICE come looking for immigrants.” 

The preamble to the document makes clear that the aim is not to obstruct ICE agents, saying, “These protocols are not intended to interfere with the enforcement of federal immigration laws and are not political in nature.” 

Download the policy

Registration is open for the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Conference, set for June 6-7 at Green Lake Conference Center. Theme of this year’s gathering is “Transformation: Changing from Glory into Glory.”

Among the highlights will be a keynote presentation by UCC General Minister and President Karen Georgia Thompson and closing worship with a sermon by the Rev. Jen Petricca Bloesch, pastor of Community of Hope UCC in Madison. In addition, our current associations are expected to vote to dissolve at Annual Meeting, a move that will result in the transfer of their current functions to the Conference and the cultivation of a network of ministry “hubs” across the state that advance the work of the Conference.

Register to attend Annual Meeting 2025.

Book your accommodations at Green Lake Conference Center.



Correction

The name of the Rev. Jen Petricca Bloesch was misspelled in most recent issue of Wisconsin Conference Life. We regret the error.

The Northwest and Northeast associations will hold separate meetings over the next two weeks to provide additional information and engage in conversation about the approaching restructure of the Wisconsin Conference. Meetings already conducted by the Southeast and Southwest associations produced healthy conversations that made clear the deep love of UCC members for the Wisconsin Conference and the wider church. Here is the schedule of remaining meetings, with links to registration and online options:

• March 8, Northwest Association, St. Paul's UCC in Wausau. In-person and online at 10 a.m.

Register

Zoom link

• March 13, Northeast Association. Online only starting at 6:30 p.m.

Register and receive the Zoom link

Official action on the restructuring proposal will occur during the Wisconsin Conference Annual Meeting.

The Crossing Campus Ministry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is inviting sophomores and juniors from Wisconsin high schools to get acquainted with campus ministry and explore how social justice engagement can be an important part of undergraduate education from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 15 at 1127 University Ave. in Madison. Admission is free and lunch is included.

The event is open to all but may be especially interesting to students affiliated with a faith community. Attendees will learn about The Crossing Justice Advocacy Collaborative, meet other prospective UW students, and hear from university officials involved in admissions, housing, financial aid and student affairs.



RSVP by email to the Rev. Michael Burch, executive director of The Crossing, or text 608-217-4403. The Crossing is a multifaith and inclusive student organization that supports a wide array of activities and free and low-cost meal services for students. The Crossing is funded by the United Methodist Church, the United Church of Christ and the American Baptist Churches USA of Wisconsin.

Does your congregation plan to study the issue of a just peace between Israel and the Palestinian people in preparation for Annual Meeting 2025? If the answer is yes, the Conference Palestine Justice Working Group encourages you to check out this briefing by Global Ministries, issued in response to President Trump’s statement that the United States would “take over” Gaza. In a follow-up 3rd Thursday Action Alert, Global Ministries also urged individuals to contact the White House and members of Congress to reject the idea. Global Ministries is the common witness of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.

If 30 percent of Wisconsin Conference congregations engage the issue of a just peace in the Middle East, delegates at Annual Meeting will vote whether to adopt the Declaration for a Just Peace Between Israel and Palestine adopted at the UCC’s 2021 General Synod. If your congregation already has studied the issue, please let us know by completing this brief form.

MESA, the UCC’s Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization Team, is offering monthly orientation sessions to the new Local Church Profiles system for search committees. The next sessions are scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. March 12 and 6 to 7 p.m. April 9.

Register for the March 12 session.

Register for the April 9 session.

Questions? Email the Rev. Jeff Nelson, UCC minister for ministerial calls and transitions.

The Revs. Tara Barber and Melanie Oommen of the MESA team will offer Boundary Awareness Training for retired clergy and those approaching retirement from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. on March 19. Register today.

WISDOM Wisconsin is encouraging people of faith to gather April 10 for Madison Action Day to advocate for the policies you are passionate about. Madison Action Day takes place every budget year. Participants will hear from a variety of speakers and community leaders, engage directly with Wisconsin lawmakers and policymakers, and have an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals.

WISDOM is a network of mostly faith-based groups that organizes communities around issues that matter to them, including racial and economic justice. An early-bird registration fee of $35 is available through March 10.



Learn more and register for Madison Action Day.

Morning prayer and reflection

Join the Rev. Teri Hanson and one of our associate conference ministers for a time of prayer and reflection at 8:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month. It’s a good opportunity to start the month with 20 minutes or so of centering yourself in the Holiness of God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. All are welcome.

Time: 8:30 a.m.

Date: March 6

Register here

Supportive Ministries conversation

The Supportive Ministries Team offers two opportunities each month to join a discussion of topics raised in its monthly Becoming the Beloved Community newsletter. The next conversations will take place by Zoom at noon and 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 6. Subscribe to the newsletter.

Register here for the noon discussion

Register here for the evening discussion

Palestine Justice Working Group

The Wisconsin Conference work group educates UCC members about the state of Israeli-Palestinian relations and advocates for justice for all Palestinians. The group meets by Zoom on the fourth Monday of each month. Meetings are open to all.

Time: 7 p.m.

Date: March 24

Register now

Regional creation care event

The Conference Creation Care Team will host a gathering of Creation Caregivers from eastern Wisconsin to gather feedback on the team’s activities and to generate ideas for the next five years. The event will build on the work done at a similar regional event held last fall in northwest Wisconsin.

Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Date: March 15

Place: Pilgrim UCC, 535 Stow St., Fond du Lac

Register today.

Beyond Robert’s Rules: Best practices for church governance

Join Associate Conference Minister Rachel Bauman and Andrew Warner, president of the Wisconsin Foundation UCC, for a conversation about good governance for local congregations. We’ll look at best practices for the roles of boards and pastors, financial controls, and ways to make your meetings more effective.

Time: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Date: March 26

Register 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