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Hen House Weekly E-News
September 5, 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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Happy September! Fall is now here!
Last Sunday we had such a meaningful and fun Music Sunday! Many thanks to those who contributed songs to share -- and the meaning behind that song for them. Special thanks to our beloved Becky for all the work she put into this service!
This coming Sunday is our Fall Welcome Sunday and Potluck! Now that summer is over, we look forward to re-connecting with those we haven't seen much over the summer. We hope you can join us -- and encourage you to bring friends and family. The rest of us will bring enough food to cover any guests who join us!
This Sunday we will have a special message given by one of my former students (when I served as Campus Minister). Some of you might remember Jen preaching at my installation almost a year ago now. Rev. Jen Petricca-Bloesch was active in our campus ministry as an undergraduate, then she served as a Ministry Intern with us for three years before she went to seminary! Now she serves as pastor of Community of Hope UCC in Madison, WI. The Wisconsin Conference UCC invited her to give the message at our Annual Mtg this summer, making the recording available to congregations to share with members. Petra, Louise and I were there (as Zwingli delegates) to hear her profound and inspiring message. We are happy to share it with you as well as some of the decorations (which Louise won in a raffle) that graced the Worship and Mtg space at the Annual Mtg. Jen's message is based on 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 with a focus on change in the church as a process of transformation. She ends her message reminding us of the words of Paul in verse 18 which I invite you to reflect on as you prepare for Worship: "From glory into glory. That is where we are. And that is where we are going. May it be so."
I'm always happy to welcome Jen (even if it is just virtually as it will be this week). I hope you will join us for Worship to hear her message, learn a few new songs too, share together in the Lord's Supper, and join in our potluck and community following Worship!
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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: Israel-Iran, India, Pakistan, Haiti, Sudan, The Congo, Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, Syria, Lebanon. Prayers for all those suffering from the broken ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and for another ceasefire soon. Prayers for the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia. Prayers for those countries, 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.
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Jeanette Thanks Congregation for Donations for Pine Ridge
On Sunday August 31 Jeanette and some helpers finished packing up her car with all the donations given by Church Members! There were so many that some bags just didn't make it and will be given away here in WI. Jeanette will leave for Pine Ridge next week with her son Kim, and we pray for safe travels and for Pine Ridge.
Jeanette will be sharing more about her experiences in Worship on Sunday Nov. 16 so mark your calendars and come!
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Fall is here and thus begins cold, flu & covid season. If you have symptoms, please wear a face mask so we all can stay healthy.
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Thank you so much for the wonderful gift of birthday kits. It definitely cheers up our families when they come to our pantry.
In sincere gratitude.
Green Cares Board - Monticello
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Fall Adult Education: Loving Across Divisions
Sundays 10:45 - 11:45 am: Sept. 14, 28; Oct 12, 26; Nov. 9
We live in divisive times and it is so tempting to just avoid those who think differently than we do. But when they are part of our family or workspace or community, that isn't possible. Jesus calls on us to "love one another", even to the point of loving an enemy! He calls on us to build 'Beloved Community' (MLK).
Our Fall Adult Education series will feature videos and conversation from those who are teaching skills to build better understanding and communication across differences. You still get to keep your passion and opinions (as well as grow in passion and opinions), but you will learn 'bridging skills' to live out Jesus' command to "love one another" in ways that can be applied in our families, communities, workplaces, country, and world.
Starting on Sunday Sept. 14, we will hold 5 sessions - on 2nd and 4th Sundays after Worship (10:45 - 11:45) through Nov. 9 (in our lower level). There will be no book to read, just a good non-partisan video and discussion, with refreshments! — everyone is welcome! Watch for more information about each session here in Hen House News and what the focus will be for each of the 5 weeks. Please help us to know how many refreshments to provide by signing up on the bulletin board if you plan on participating (even if you can't make every Sunday).
One of the programs we will be learning from, The Dignity Index, asserts that "Our disagreements aren’t causing the divisions in our country; it’s what we do when we disagree. Do we treat the other side with dignity, or do we treat them with contempt? The first brings us together; the second drives us apart." In this 8 minute video, Tim Shriver, Founder of the Index Project, shares more about moving beyond the "us vs. them" othering mindset that has become so prevalent in our society today. I hope the video encourages you to join us for as many of the sessions of this series as you can make! If you have questions, contact Pastor Karla. Be sure to watch Hen House News each week for more videos to help your learning (there are so many that we can't get to on Sundays so we are sharing some of them in HHN)!
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Snack Kit Project
for
Friends of State Street Family
https://fssf.org/
Our church will be taking part in this project in September (it was such a success last March when we packaged 139 snack bags - and the need is still great so we are once again making kits). The Friends of State Street Family provide snack bags to the homeless community in that area. We would like to put together as many snack packs as we can to give them.
We ask that you please start bringing items to church and on September 21 after Worship, join us to help pack up the bags together.
Snacks to bring include (individually packaged): Granola bars, candy bars, small cracker packages, cookie packages, nuts, raisins, fruit snacks, Rice Krispies bars and similar items. Please bring snacks to the church and place them on the chairs near the coat racks. Thank you so much for your donations -- and for helping to put them in snack bags to be given to those who are unhoused in Madison. If you have questions, ask Judy Batker or Pastor Karla. Thanks!!
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Pollinator Garden Update
Zwingli is interested in planting a pollinator garden because it is one small way we can use our land to be stewards and caretakers of the earth -- and it will bring more beauty to our setting!
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The WI DNR writes, "Many pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and moths, are in decline, and their losses threaten Wisconsin wildflowers, ecosystems, crops and natural areas that depend upon them. Pollinators transfer pollen, which then helps plants produce fruits and seeds. Many native plants, as well as many food crops, rely on pollinators."
We are so blessed to have a wonderful Zwingli Team passionate about this project (Brian, Sue, Cherry and Pastor Karla) as well as the expertise of Lizzy Burkhalter (a former student of Pastor Karla's who also preached at Zwingli for Earth Sunday this year - you might remember her). Lizzy has experience in planning and planting pollinator gardens with native pollinators that are suited to our soil and conditions. She tells us we have excellent soil for a pollinator garden and has helped us select plants that have the best chance of thriving in our soil! We will begin small this Fall (and possibly expand next Summer and Fall). Brian will be covering a plot of land with black plastic (on the NW corner of our land near the ravine) to kill the grass seeds and then we will transplant pollinator plants some of our Team members have (so no cost to us this Fall and minimal cost for seeds next year!). If you would like to help in the planting, please contact one of the members of our Team and we'll let you know when we schedule the planting. All helpers welcome!
| | Bethel Lutheran Church is providing another opportunity to reflect on how to re-connect across our divisions. |
Bethel Speaker Series: Dr. Kristen Du Mez – The Grace Between Us
Sunday, Sept 14 | 5:30 pm
Bethel Lutheran Church, 312 Wisconsin Avenue, Madison, Wi
Free event and open to the public!
The Grace Between Us… because something holy happens in the space between certainty and doubt, between pain and healing, between people who don’t always agree but are still willing to sit at the same table. That space, that tension, that hope is grace. In a time when so much of our world feels polarized, reactive, and loud, The Grace Between Us is an intentional pause. It’s a chance to remember that grace isn’t a vague theological idea.
Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez is a New York Times bestselling author and Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. She is known for her research on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics in American history. Her most recent book is, Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, and she is a frequent commentator for the Washington Post, NPR and CBS.
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Fall Equinox Flicker Wild Church Sept. 22
Lead Pastors Daniel and Julia write:
While in our culture this weekend marks a changing of the seasons, at Flicker we follow the calendars of nature, like the phenological and lunar and the astronomical calendar which reminds us that summer continues for another few weeks. I can’t wait for our next chance to gather together in Sacred Circle with this year’s Fall Equinox Circle: Monday, September 22 @ Holy Wisdom Monastery
5pm—Dinner option at Holy Wisdom
The Monastery has a wonderful chef team that will offer a meal for purchase. If you are interested, please RSVP to me (Daniel dcooperrider@gmail.com) by September 8 with # of meals & dietary preferences (final RSVP # for our group is open until Sept 12, so if you’re still deciding by the 8th, let me know by the 12th). The cost is $22/adult and $14/child, and can be paid for via donation to Flicker Wild Church here. We would recommend arriving a bit early as we will begin the circle at 5:45.
5:30—Gather for Circle—5:45pm Circle Starts. We will meet at the fire pit on the knoll above the hill from the parking lot (the parking lot that is furthest up the hill and to the right when you enter the monastery). Please bring your own chair/blanket (we will have some extras as well). Tell a friend & join us as we sync our spirits to the season and land through song, poems/readings, reflections, & ritual.
For more information on Flicker Wild Church watch this video and/or ask Pastor Karla or Sue Bovre. We will put up a sign up sheet on the bulletin board for those who want to attend as a group from Zwingli so we can look for each other once we arrive.
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Online Daily Devotional through the UCC
The Daily Devotional is a spiritually deep well, to which thousands of readers are drawn each day. The overall voice of the Daily Devotional is tended by the Stillspeaking Writers’ Group and supported by the staff of The Pilgrim Press. It is available on the UCC National website. If you would like to read it there or subscribe to receive it in your inbox, go here to access this inspiring and relevant free resource provided by the UCC.
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Check out the UCC Outdoor Ministry Fall Activities!
There are several Sept and Oct opportunities coming up so check them out now! For adults these include: Active Adult Adventure Camp, Watercolor Painting, Copper Enameling, a Quilters Weekend, a volunteer work weekend (includes ages 12 and up). For families, there will be a Green Lake Harvest Fest Family and Friends Weekend! Click here to learn more.
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Friendship Time Schedule ready for Sign Ups!
The schedule for Fall to Spring Friendship Time is posted on the bulletin board. Please sign up to host when you know what dates you are free! It will begin on October 5.
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An Invitation from local UCC pastor Rev. Tisha Brown to
REWEAVE CONNECTION & CIVIC IMAGINATION
The world feels frayed lately.
I see it in the news, in public discourse, and sometimes in my own heart. It’s not just political polarization or cultural conflict—it’s the deep ache of disconnection. Disconnection from each other. From ourselves. From what we know is possible.
And yet, something inside me still hopes. Still imagines. Still believes that we can find one another again.
In fact, this hope—this belief in the power of connection and courageous listening—is part of what’s bringing me alive right now.
This fall, I’m offering something small but hopeful here in Mount Horeb: a series of free 1-hour gatherings I’m calling Reweaving Connection & Civic Imagination. These circles are inspired by the Circle of Trust® approach developed by Parker Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal—spaces designed for quiet reflection, deep listening, and meaningful connection across difference.
No performances. No debates. Just an invitation to slow down, listen well, and practice being human together.
Each circle is a gentle experiment in what becomes possible when we choose presence over productivity, curiosity over certainty, and courage over cynicism. These circles are not only something I’m offering—they’re something I need. They are part of my own journey of coming alive with purpose.
If you live in or near Mount Horeb…
…I’d love to have you in ONE of the three free preview sessions happening this fall. You’ll find all the details and RSVP link by clicking here. The full six-session series will launch in January 2026, but this fall is a chance to dip your toe in and see what it’s all about.
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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 one is: Stand with Washington D.C, and Support D.C Statehood! 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 | | | | |
