Change

by Lisa Hart, Youth Ministries Coordinator
 

Lisa HartAt the beginning of a new year, I find myself reflecting on the past year and evaluating how I have lived throughout the year.  This often leads me to consider the changes I have experienced, the changes I would like to make, as well as what I hope will not change in the coming year.  I have to admit, I have not always handled change well.  I had a tendency to take comfort in familiarity, and change was an unwelcome disruption.  Over the years, I have developed an understanding of change that has helped me to accept, if not welcome, the changes I must face. 

Change is something we all have in common.  No matter who we are, or what our circumstances are, we all have to deal with change throughout our lives.  Change is something that affects most, if not all, areas of our lives.  Change can be difficult and painful, but change also brings opportunities for growth.  In fact, change is necessary for any growth to take place.  If nothing else, we can take comfort in knowing that we are not alone in facing change.

Our churches are not exempt from  change.  However, quite often resistance to change is alive and well in our churches.  Perhaps this is because our churches have already experienced so much change.  When I was a child, many of the families within my church had been there for generations. 

What is the Cost? 
by Kyle Zanker, Crossroad    
                                          

Crossroad"Budget" is a dirty word these days.  Everybody is wrestling with one right now.  Agencies working with children are no exception.  Across the country, states and counties are handing down flat-lined and cut reimbursement rates for child services.  Crossroad in Indiana and Orion Family Services in Wisconsin, both agencies with mission relationships to the Wisconsin Conference, are dealing with these budget realities.   

 

Wisconsin flat-lined some rates for 2010.  Indiana flat-lined rates for 2009 and sent out letters informing providers of cuts up to 10% on top of that for 2010.  A preliminary injunction has just put these cuts on hold for now.

 

Additionally, while rates are being adjusted, the other sources of revenue for providers like Crossroad and Orion are also shrinking.  Donor, foundation and grant funds have been hit by the economy.

 

At Crossroad, we completed a RIF (Reduction in Forces) and are tightening our belts further while seeking additional resources.  We are doing everything we can to make sure children get what they need.  We have been here for 127 years and we intend to be here as long as kids need us.

 

But, know this: across our country, there are less reimbursement dollars for making sure children get the services they need.  There will be less children who get help.   There will be more children getting fewer services than they really need.   All this at a time when there is greater stress on families because of their finances and greater stress means increased chances of child abuse and neglect.

 

It is not a pretty picture.  It is a picture that should lead everyone to examine priorities and values very seriously.   Should children be un-served or under-served?

 

At Crossroad, we have a motto:  Creating  promising  futures  for children: whatever it takes.  Right now, it takes everyone choosing to make kids a priority.                               

Christmas Hope - by Barb de Souza-Brazil

 

Each day in the clinic brings surprises and God´s presence in the persons with whom we come in contact.

 

The last Tuesday before Christmas, we had our party for the 35 children in our special program whose objectives are to take children who would otherwise go home to an empty house, and put them in a learning, companion, play group in their after school hours, keeping them off the streets and away from drugs etc. Children here are only in school half day so we have a morning group and an afternoon group.

 

Every year at this Christmas party, I shed a tear or two at the reactions of physical therapists, Barb de Souza and some of the workersthese children. This year, we formed a circle around a small but so well decorated Christmas tree with a present for each one of the children beautifully wrapped and purchased with the many US churches that donate to our ministry.

 

Each child opened his/her gift and then each one in turn gave a gift of thanks. These gifts were: a song by one, a poem by another, a hug or praise by another as well as testimonies of many as to how important this program was to him/her or how much the friendships made in the group were important. Another boy imitated Michael Jackson as we all roared with laughter and that started a new idea; others got up and imitated others, even the leaders, myself included.

 

Then one of the volunteers who works with their successful little theater group, said that there was a young boy in the group whose change in behavior and school work was an example of the miracle of the love and acceptance given to him by  all of them. He had been expelled from school and no other place would accept him. His desperate mother then came to our program and asked if we would accept him. The leaders said yes. 

 He was then called to the front of the group of children. He came crying and then said, thank you. We all clapped and the others came up and surrounded him with love!

This is Christmas, the birth of hope, and change for a better, more just world.

 

PS: This children's program is not supported the city as is our health center, but all of you wonderful folk. The thank you is in this story itself.

Pension Boards 2010 Federal Reporting Requirements for Churches 
 
Your church should have received a booklet in the mail recently, published by Pension Boards-United Church of Christ, which outlines the 2010 federal reporting requirements for churches.  If you did not receive a booklet, please contact the Pension Boards at 1-800-642-6543. 

Haiti Relief Efforts in The Wisconsin Conference

 
Your gifts have been coming into the Wisconsin Conference and are being forwarded to the United Church of Christ for the relief work through the special Haiti fund of One Great Hour of Sharing.  Here are the ways we are working with your gifts:
  • We will send in gifts on a weekly basis, typically later in a week, as your gifts arrive from Sunday offerings
  • Gifts sent to the Wisconsin Conference and undesignated except for "Haiti Relief" will go to the UCC/One Great Hour of Sharing Haiti appeal
  • If you designate your gifts for other particular agencies, we will, of course, direct your gifts there
  • We will continue to promote and encourage gifts to the ministries of the Wider Church Ministries/Global Ministeries of the UCC, but there are many other important ministries, some of which with deep ties to Wisconsin, that we also encourage you to support.  Among these are the "What If? Foundation", begun by Margaret Trost, and initially supported by the Conference; the ministry of Bryan Sirchio and the Community of Hope UCC in Madison; and the partnership of the Southeast Association with CONASPEH, the council of churches in Haiti.  The "What If" website has some of the best information on Haiti that is available.
Continue to pray and invite congregations to pray for the people of Haiti and those who are there to provide help and comfort and relief and recovery.
 
Make available many opportunities for gifts to Haiti Relief in your congregation.
Join us for coffee and conversation
 
This Odd and Wondrous CallingIn preparation for our 2010 annual meeting we have established an online book discussion group. We are honored that authors Lillian Daniels and Martin Copenhafer will be keynote speakers at our Annual Meeting in June. Their book, This Odd and Wondrous Calling will be provided for the cost of shipping and handling in advance to all persons who register for the Annual Meeting. 
 
 Contact the Wisconsin Conference Office to reserve your copy. 
 
Join our online disussion.
Hospitality Online with Steve Clapp 
Rev. Steve ClappWe are a friendly church..... Of course we are, we belong to Jesus Christ who ate with sinners, welcomed all, and knew just what to say to strangers. Sometimes what we intend to be and what we really are don't match as well as we hope.
 
Steve Clapp is President of Christian Community, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the health of congregations and their surrounding communities. Christian in name, ecumenical in nature, Steve has taught the Wisconsin Conference Lay Academy program and offered numerous onsite workshops. Now he's willing to use a new method of learning to help you build your hospitality ministry. Steve has continually offered researched, practical, and enjoyable strategies for sharing the good new of Jesus Christ.
 
Suggested Reading: Deep and Wide: Hospitality and the Faithful Church By Steve Clapp, Fred Bernhard and Ed Bontrager (2008)
 
* Tuesdays from 11:00 am to 12:30
 
  • April 13 - Biblical Understandings of Hospitality Who is my neighbor? What's radical about hospitality?
  • April 20 - Church Check Up What are we doing right? How could we do things better?
  • April 27 - Hospitality with Children, Youth and Adults Being intentional about our welcome to all Bridging those generational gaps
  • May 4 - Healthy Churches Eight characteristics of a healthy church Welcoming and involving new members Where do we go from here?
 
Deep and Wide is available from Christian Community, Inc. 6404 S. Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46807 or visit www.churchstuff.com
 
Email Gail O'Neal to register.

An Epiphany Note and Art the Prison Ministry Project

MorrisIn secular terms an epiphany is a sudden recognition of truth. In our tradition Epiphany celebrates the arrival of the Magi twelve days after Christmas and their recognition that Jesus is the Messiah. On Sunday, January 3, First Congregational United Church of Christ in Madison, the home of the Prison Ministry Project, celebrated Epiphany Sunday with a special bulletin cover.
 

The cover, by artist Darren Morris, an inmate at Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, shows the arrival of the Magi who have followed the Christmas star to the manger in Bethlehem. In his artist statement Mr. Morris points out that by tradition the Magi were astrologers but they are transformed by what they find at the end of their journey.

One man points to the star in understanding. Another rejoices with exceedingly great joy and the third kneels to worship the newborn king. All the people in the painting are people of color showing the inclusiveness of the message of Christmas. Also the three men wear red, green and black hats the colors of African Liberation to show the promise of the new world order that began that day. The baby Jesus is wrapped in a red, green and yellow blanket representing the Jamaican heritage of the artist.

The back cover of the bulletin was left blank so members of the congregation could write a brief response to the painting and those responses were sent to Mr. Morris so he could understand the impact his art had on the worship service. 

The bulletin cover is reproduced below. If you would like to respond, please send an email note to Rev. Jerry Hancock, the Director o the Prison Ministry Project at [email protected]. and he will send them on to Mr. Morris.

 
Here is your opportunity to join our Wisconsin Conference UCC Work Team to Honduras July 6-18, 2010, in our efforts to accomplish this goal. Mike Krabath has led many mission trips to Honduras and will continue as the main leader on this trip.
 
Cost: approximately $1,100. A non-refundable $100 deposit is due by April 15.
 The Additional $1000 is due May 15, 2010
 
Registration Information
WebexFamily Systems Workshop
 
The church, as a family of God's children, works in many of the same ways.  Understanding some of the key dynamics can help us navigate meetings, transitions; even critical moments in the life of the faith community.
 
Cathy Wille is a Licensed Professional Counselor with the Samaritan Counseling Center of the Fox Valley and has worked with family systems throughout her career.  
 
Friday, March 12, 2010
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Wisconsin Conference Center, Deforest


Registration Deadline: March 5 Fee: $40.00
 
 
Yearbook Forms Due In Conference Office
 
Many of the Wisconsin conference churches have returned their yearbook forms to our office already, thank you!  Your diligence ensures the records of the National office are up to date.  If you haven't returned your forms yet please do so today either by faxing them, scanning and attaching to an email or putting them into USPS mail.  Please contact Susan Taylor with questions at 608-846-7880 or [email protected]
UCC Office Support Staff Network 23rd Annual Meeting April 8-11, 2010 
 

Together, we can - and do - make a difference.

In a few months the UCCOSSN will meet in Cleveland and we will have an opportunity to hear from two members of the Collegium of Officers - Edith A. Guffey, Associate General Minister, who will be UCCOSSNour keynote speaker at the welcome dinner and the Rev. Geoffrey Black, General Minister and President, with whom we will engage in conversation on Friday morning. We will also hear presentations from the UCC Insurance Board, Parish Life and Leadership Ministry Team, and the Pension Boards.

And on Saturday, Dr. Linda J. Burrs will be with us again, to lead us in a session on the "Fruits of Inclusion." If you participated in Dr. Burrs' session at the 2007 meeting in New York, you know that this is sure to be a highlight of our time together.

Registration fee is $100.00. 

Please feel free to contact [email protected] if you have any questions, or visit the UCCOSSN website.

Picture - La Vina Del Senor Congregation
Waukesha 
 La vina Del Senor  

ChangeContinued from above "Change" by Lisa Hart

 

People had a tendency to grow up, get a job and raise a family within the same community.  Today, many of the people who walk through the doors of a church are not originally from that community, and even if they are, they may have come from a different faith community.  The result can be tension between members of a church who have been there for years and have a love for "the way things have always been done" and those who are new and do not have an appreciation for these traditions. 

Another area of tension is often between youth or young adults and the older, more established members of a church.  Youth and young adults often come with new, and sometimes unusual, ideas for worship and fellowship.  These ideas, often, are met with resistance and skepticism. I do need to add a disclaimer - the resistance is not always "age-related".  It often has more to do with a person's experience within the church. 

As I talk with people who wonder why their church needs to change, I hear the fear of loss and grieving for traditions that may cease to exist behind their resistance to change.  Similarly, when I talk with people who believe the church needs to change, I hear excitement for the future and for the possibilities that lie before us.  It is a mix of many emotions, and it is complicated.

One thought that I have continued to have as I listen to people talk about what they are afraid to "give up" or "lose" is that we need to have faith.  We need to see beyond ourselves.  When we talk about what we will lose, we are often talking about things that are important to people who have been in our churches for a long time.  We often do not take in to consideration our members who are newer to the church and do not have emotional ties to "the way things have always been" or our younger members who have new ideas to share.  We certainly are not talking about the people who have yet to enter our churches.

I find myself wondering how many people we might reach if we have the faith to make these changes.  Is it possible that holding on to some of our traditions is somehow keeping some of these people from walking through the door?  From feeling welcome?  What new and amazing opportunities will present themselves if we have the faith to make changes?  These are questions that I believe we should always be asking in ourselves.

Our denomination, the United Church of Christ, was formed by men from several denominations who came together with new ideas . Each had strong and much-loved traditions that they risked losing if they agreed to merge as one denomination, yet their faith and their belief in the idea of this new denomination was stronger than their fear of what they might lose.  They dared to believe in something that was not proven - where they could not look back on tradition and "know how things would work out".  I have to believe that if we value what our forefathers began, we need to continue on with faith-willing to make changes and willing to be open to new opportunities. 

Volume 2: Edition 2
In This Issue
CHHSM Partner Highlight
Update from Brazil - Barb de Souza
Federal Reporting Requirements
Haiti Relief Efforts
Online Book Discussion
Hospitality Online
Prison Ministries Update
Facebook For Your Church
Family Systems Workshop
Yearbook Forms
UCCOSSN Meeting
La Vina Del Senor
Financial Literacy
Great Lakes Regional Youth Event
Nollau Event
Poems for Haiti
 
 
 
 
 
Updated Suggested Internet guidelines now on our website
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mission Insite
 
 MissionInsite

WI UCC is offering free, unlimited access to MissionInsite, a tool for you to utilize to locate church members, acquire instant access to community information, and access demographic data. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Join us on Facebook
 

 
 
twitter 
 
 
 
 
 

360 Degrees of Financial Literacy

 
Six Keys to More Successful Investing  
   
 Provided by the
 
 

 
   
 
Regional Youth Event
 
 
 

 
  
Great Lakes Region
Youth Event
 June 17-20, 2010
 
Location:
Defiance College, Ohio
 
When: June 17, 2010, 
Where: Defiance College
Ohio

Contact:  Sharon Nelson
Email:
  
 

 
 

 

Louis Edward Nollau

 
Nollau's 200th Anniversary in Germany  
 
Louis Edward Nollau
A Silesian from Upper Lustatia
Son of Reichenback,
Emigrant and Missionary, became one of the founders of the United Church of Christ
 
Let us celebrate his 200th Anniversary on July 1-5 in Reichenbach Germany
 
Details 
 
 
 
 
CANCELLED
To be rescheduled at a later date
Growing the UCC: How UCC Members Can Start New Churches
Saturday, February 6, 2010  
 

 
 Leadership of this exciting ministry belongs to all of God's people, lay and clergy. Come learn more about what it takes to start a new church and what kind of skills and life experience lead to effective leadership in a new church start.
 
 
Links
 

Announcement: Your congregations can now download several dozen free resources from the www.TheParishPaper.com Web site.

 
 
 
 
  
 UCC
 
 
 Facebook For Your Church 
A Free Webinar
Facebook
 
 The Wisconsin Conference will host an online workshop on Monday, February 22 at 11:00 am, which will introduce you to Facebook and explore techniques for using Facebook for your church.
 
  
Poems for Haiti
by Rev. Gerald Bertsch
 
Day Fourteen 
 
The Marines came to help
 
not to occupy another nation
with good intentions
to save them from...What?
 
They established beach heads,
brough goods ashore, set up
feeding lines, and carried
victims to makeshift hospitals.
 
They did notay
from the smell of death.
They cared for the living,
especially the children.
 
This time they'll go home
but not too soon we hope.
That's why it's so important
to wage peace instead of war.
 
Death Sentence
 
No trial was held to protect
the innocent, merely a routine
geological event visited
upon history's abandoned children,
two hundred thousand lives
stolen in this moment.
 
This sixth day event in creation
snatched away the fruits of life
with a shaking of the earth
that left hunger, fear and faith
to guide the unlucky survivors.
 
Haiti, January 12, 2010
 
Where is Your Neighbor?
 
Wisconsin Conference Evangelism Event
Nov. 12 & 13, 2010 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wisconsin Conference UCC