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Pentecost in a Park
by Rev. Art Wille
After my first year of seminary, I began a journey that expanded my world. I had never traveled very far from home, and I decided to take an introductory unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at a state mental hospital in Norwich, Connecticut. From viewing movies and reading periodicals in my youth, I had the impression that the whole East Coast was urban. However, as I drove through Ohio and New York State and finally found my way to eastern Connecticut, I was surprised how rural it was with lots of small towns and lush green foliage.
I got to know the seven other individuals who were my "classmates" in Clinical Pastoral Education. Three ordained clergy had just completed their military services as chaplains in Vietnam, three were from foreign countries (Germany, Norway, and Australia) and two of us were seminarians. Not only did we study together and debrief our experiences as chaplain trainees, we also socialized together. Two of us were single, and the other six had families: spouses, some had children, and one from overseas brought his mother-in-law along.
One Sunday afternoon, all of us gathered at a lovely park with a small lake, a softball field, and lots of hiking trails to enjoy a picnic together. The pastor from Germany was being visited by a friend from home who was in the States. The Norwegian pastor had made friends in town with a travel agent who had grown up in Norway. Of course she spoke her native tongue and English, but she also was familiar with German. That afternoon we played a game of softball and then cooled off by enjoying the little lake together. It was the closest I have been to a Pentecost-like experience with three languages being spoken at the same time. I played in the water with the Norwegian boys, not being able to understand their language, but experiencing a depth of communication and connectedness that I can only describe as transcendent. The cultural and language differences of the entire group were overcome by an experience of unity that was heartfelt. For me the Holy Spirit was present, peeling away gender, age, nationality, language, culture, seniority, and life experience. Present was a deep appreciation for everyone assembled, and an excitement about possibilities for the future.
Every now and then, we humans find ourselves in "thin places" where the mystery of God interacts with the day-to day reality of being human. Praise God that these now-and-then experiences can inspire and feed us for a lifetime.
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Don't Miss the Annual Meeting!
MUSIC! MUSIC! MUSIC!
"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the Lands!" (Psalm 100) God's people love to sing, and music offers praise and thanksgiving!
The 2013 Annual Meeting will give us time to sing! sing! sing!
It will provide us with many opportunities to worship and offer praise. Workshops will help churches plan vital worship with music that is possible and appropriate for their setting.
Leaders for the Annual Meeting will be some of the outstanding musicians and worship leaders in the UCC. The Annual Meeting will be shaped around the event that has been hosted at Pilgrim Center for the past two summers, an event called "Shift." Its purpose is to encourage churches to connect music to worship and to be attentive to the Holy Spirit's desire that worship transform persons and lead to greater discipleship.
So, come and sing a new song with great joy and be a part of music and worship that transforms.
And Celebrate!
Saturday evening will be a festive gathering:
- We'll begin by celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wisconsin Conference.
- We'll also honor the ministries of Rev. David Moyer and Rev. Art Wille.
- We will recognize, honor and thank Jeff Puhlmann-Becker for his outdoor ministry.
- And we'll celebrate this year's group of Lay Academy graduates.
Then we'll be treated to a concert by the SHIFT foursome!
After the concert we'll reconvene in Kraft Hall for socializing, cash bar and light appetizers.
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Strengthen the Church
The Strengthen the Church offering is Pentecost, this Sunday, May 19!
Each day, visions and dreams are created in the hearts of many in the United Church of Christ. Through the Strengthen the Church offering, they can become a reality. As God calls our congregations to be "church" in new ways, your gift will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches, and develop spiritual life in our youth and young adults. Because of this offering, many more will hear the good news that "God is still speaking." Read on for more ways that the Wisconsin Conference is using Strengthen the Church contributions to promote these visions and dreams.
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Attention Creative People!
The Conference Arts Committee is looking for new members.
The Arts Committee focuses primarily on creating the beautiful, themed art installations that you see at every Annual Meeting. The committee begins its work in September in conjunction with the Annual Meeting Planning Committee, and continues through the year as they prepare for Annual Meeting. Committee meetings are held on weekdays at the Conference Center in DeForest. Work days are held at Pilgrim Center.
Interest and talent in any area of the arts is welcome. If you would like to share your talents on the Arts Committee, please contact Deb Simon or Roberta Tucker.
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Mission 4/1 Earth: A Wisconsin Conference Staff Member's Report
"I believe very strongly that a lot of the environmental problems on our planet are because of the breakdown in community, because without community, none of us feels accountable to any
body else." These words were said by Colin Beavan in No Impact Man, a documentary about a year in his life. I watched the documentary as part of my Mission 4/1 Earth pledge. It is the story of a man who, along with his wife and daughter, attempts to live for one year with as little of a net impact on the earth as possible.
The above statement struck a chord with me and got me thinking deeper about our Mission 4/1 Earth and the community that we are working on. Seeing those hours, letters and trees add up on the UCC Mission 4/1 Earth website is inspiring. Look at what our community is doing!
We are nearing the end of our Mission 4/1 Earth and still have a long way to go to meet our goals. Here's to keeping our community going. It's not too late to make a difference.
Report your Mission 4/1 Earth hours
Mission 4/1 Earth website and tally of hours, trees and letters
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Faith Formation Retreats
The Wisconsin Conference UCC and United Church Camps, Inc. are working together to provide two conference-wide Faith Formation (Confirmation) Retreats next fall and spring. Both retreats will have a similar program, but are being offered at different locations and at different times of the year. The first will be held at Moon Beach on October 11-13, 2013, and the second will be held at Pilgrim Center on February 28-March 2, 2014. Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan (from the SHIFT team) will join us to provide music and worship leadership. More details will become available over the summer.
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Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Conference UCC
Registration now for the Wisconsin Conference 2013 Annual Meeting, June 7-9, 2013, Green Lake Conference Center.
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David Moyer Retirement Celebration
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The Rev. David S. Moyer Endowment for Outdoor Ministries
Help others experience the joy of God's natural world. In honor of Dave's retirement, an outdoor ministries endowment has been created. Give today!
InformationOnline giving
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Register for Lay Academy
Registration is available for Lay Academy Faith Foundations (Year 2) and Lay Ministry Skills (Year 4). For more information and to register, view the Lay Academy webpage.
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Marilynne Robinson to speak
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Baldwin Organ Available for Adoption
A former church organist has donated her used Baldwin Studio II organ to a church or mission in need. For more information, contact
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Kent Ulery's Blog
Interim Associate Conference Minister Kent Ulery writes a blog: Rooted in Faith and Practice.
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Conference Events Calendar
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Got News?
Let us know! If you have something you'd like considered for publication in Wisconsin Conference Life, please send it to Nola at [email protected]. |
PO Box 435 DeForest, WI 53532 |
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