Wisconsin Conference Life - November 18, 2011

HeaderLogoCross

Welcome to Wisconsin Conference

United Church of Christ

Greetings

by David Moyer, Wisconsin Conference Minister

Greetings to each of you and every hope for a blessed Thanksgiving!

Rev. David Moyer Often when I take a particular back road on my way to work, I go past a sign indicating the childhood home of Ella Wheeler Wilcox. It was on farmland between Windsor and Waunakee, and it has been there for years. I remember that when I was a pastor in Windsor there was a retired school teacher in the congregation who had loved the writing and poetry of Ella Wheeler Wilcox. I noted last week that the sign identifying Wilcox's home has been removed. Perhaps it was in the wrong location or the property owner wished it taken down. Maybe it has been relocated, and I need to do some research to find it.

0.6306306306306306 Ella Wheeler Wilcox was born east of Janesville but moved to the prairie east of Windsor in early childhood. Born in 1850 and living until 1918, she became a beloved American writer. It is to Wilcox that the phrase, "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone," is attributed. She is described as a "popular" rather than a "literary" poet, but since she's one of ours in Wisconsin, let's not hold that against her, and let's give her a chance to help us celebrate Thanksgiving this year.

Thanksgiving

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

We walk on starry fields of white
And do not see the daisies;
For blessings common in our sight
We rarely offer praises.
We sigh for some supreme delight
To crown our lives with splendor,
And quite ignore our daily store
Of pleasures sweet and tender.

Our cares are bold and push their way
Upon our thought and feeling.
They hang about us all the day,
Our time from pleasure stealing.
So unobtrusive many a joy
We pass by and forget it,
But worry strives to own our lives
And conquers if we let it.

0.8482758620689655

There's not a day in all the year
But holds some hidden pleasure,
And looking back, joys oft appear
To brim the past's wide measure.

But blessings are like friends, I hold,
Who love and labor near us.
We ought to raise our notes of praise
While living hearts can hear us.

Full many a blessing wears the guise
Of worry or of trouble.
Farseeing is the soul and wise
Who knows the mask is double.
But he who has the faith and strength
To thank his God for sorrow
Has found a joy without alloy
To gladden every morrow.

We ought to make the moments notes
Of happy, glad Thanksgiving;
The hours and days a silent phrase
Of music we are living.
And so the theme should swell and grow
As weeks and months pass o'er us,
And rise sublime at this good time,
A grand Thanksgiving chorus.

David Moyer

Conference Minister
dmoyer@wcucc.org

Jesus Core
January 6-8, 2012 Pilgrim Center
Early Bird Registration Deadline December 1, 2011

0.8235294117647058 Jesus Core is a retreat for High School Students, individually or with their church groups. Experience faith in community, meaningful worship and great music, silence and time for prayer, getting to know new people and hanging out with friends.

Rest from the stress of school
Listen to God's word
Connect with yourself and others
Find satisfaction in silence and in fun activities
Be inspired by the beauty of God's Creation on Green Lake, and by workshops and discussions with adult leaders and your peers.

Learn more

National Youth Event 2012 - Get Creative!Wisconsin Conference T-Shirt Design Contest and National Youth Event Registration Now Open Note: when you register, please note that you are arriving before 5 pm on July 10th and departing before 5 pm on July 14th. These are the Wisconsin Conference travel arrival days.

Purdue University, W. Lafayette, IN

July 10-13, 2012
Isaiah 43:19

T-shirt design contest details below!

NYE Registration Animation

~~~Attention Wisconsin Conference UCC Youth~~~
Are you an artist? Do you like to color, draw, paint & create?
ENTER OUR T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST!!!

Who: Youth 18 and under in the Wisconsin Conference UCC

How: Get a blank piece of paper (8-1/2x11). The National Youth Event Theme is Imagine. What can you imagine? You can use markers, pens, pencils, paints, etc.

When: Create your picture and mail it by May 1st (postmark deadline) to:

Wisconsin Conference UCC

PO Box 435

De Forest, WI 53532

Include your name, address, phone #, & e-mail address.

Win: Paid round trip bus transportation to and from the National Youth Event and a free t-shirt!

Entries will be scanned and posted on the Wisconsin Conference Facebook page (names ommitted). Watch for yours!! The winning entry will be voted on by Conference Staff in May. The winning image will be printed on Wisconsin Conference NYE t-shirts.

Youth Ministries Coordinator, Lisa Hart will have information about the Wisconsin Youth traveling to the National Youth Event available soon.

Attention!! Peder Eide is coming to Wausau for 1 show only!

0.8105263157894736

On December 9th, 2011 Peder Eide will be performing his Christmas Concert at St. Paul's United Church of Christ Wausau at 7pm. There is FREE ADMISSION for this concert! A free-will offering will be collected to help cover our marketing & advertising costs. Peder also plans on bringing the children present up on stage to sing 2 songs with him. There will be a "practice" for the youth that will be attending the concert to learn those 2 songs on December 5th @ 6pm at St. Paul's UCC, 426 Washington St., Wausau WI. No registration necessary. All are welcome!

Peder Eide is a nationally acclaimed youth leader, an active artist/spokesperson for Compassion International, and musician. He has spent 1/3 of his life leading Christ-centered praise & worship at a variety of youth venues including camps, festivals, & youth conferences. Printable flyer to share

Tania Grisham
Media Coordinator
(715) 842-3733

St. Paul's UCC- Wausau

Thanks For Faithfulness and Hope

0.9037656903765691

The Conference received word recently that two churches in the Southwest Association closed in October. These are sad occasions, as in each case, more than 100 years of ministry and service have come to an end, but they are also moments to thank God for faithfulness and ministry.

First Congregational UCC in Fox Lake had a public service of closing on October 23. Founded in 1853, the congregation was very active in the community throughout its years of ministry and the church building will continue to serve as a community center in the future, as the property has been given to the community historical society. First Congregational UCC, Steuben, had a service of closing on October 30. Founded in 1898, the Steuben congregation served the small village from a beautiful rural setting near where the Kickapoo flows into the Wisconsin River. The Steuben congregation was yoked with Boscobel, First Congregational UCC, and the Boscobel church continues in active ministry.

In writing about a recent church closure, our Conference Minister, David Moyer, had the following to say, and it may serve as a benediction to these two ministries:

"You will undoubtedly tell many stories this day. I hope and trust that amid your sadness at the ending of a ministry, you will celebrate the ways in which God has led your congregation to faithfully minister in Christ's name.

You have been a gathering place for God's people, a community which has offered praise to God and service to neighbors near and far. Your presence here has brought life and hope to this community and glory to God.

As part of the wider community of the United Church of Christ, I want to thank you for your faithfulness and for your hope. Your sisters and brothers in the United Church of Christ in Wisconsin join me in wishing you God's blessings as you now live out your faith in new church communities and offer to you every good hope that you may experience God's grace, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Creator and the Holy Spirit, one God to whom we entrust all the days and seasons of our lives."

Associate Chaplain

Elmhurst College seeks an Associate Chaplain to work with the College Chaplain and the Spiritual Life Council to build and nurture the campus religious and worship life. The Associate Chaplain focuses on issues of gender, racial-ethnic identify and sexual orientation-LGBTQ, while building the college's liturgical life. The Associate Chaplain will focus and further the Christian ministry on campus facilitating students in community service, while guiding and encouraging students in the selection of career paths. The Associate Chaplin will have pastoral duties commensurate with their abilities. The Associate Chaplain further develops and maintains relationships with congregations of faith external to the College. This is a half-time position. Qualifications: BA or Master of Divinity, recognized standing in a religious community. A strong background in youth or young adult ministry is desired as the Associate Chaplain supports the recruiting and retention of students. The Associate Chaplain should bring liturgical and worship skills in building campus worship. Apply online at www.elmhurst.edu by filling out the general application and attaching a cover letter and resume. Also email cover letter and resume to Chaplain, H. Scott Matheney at hscottm@elmhurst.edu. Founded in 1871, Elmhurst College is closely connected to the United Church of Christ. We seek candidates with demonstrated ability to contribute positively to a multicultural/multifaith campus community.

November 18, 2011