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Wisconsin Conference Life Newsletter


February 12, 2014 
Happy Birth Year to You, Lay Academy!
By Rev. Deborah Payden

A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, a well-known Christian educator said: "We don't spend enough time on intentional adult Christian education. If we did, we could spend less time worrying about children and youth because adults couldn't help themselves but share the faith." Mind you this didn't mean we should abandon children and youth faith formation ministries by any means! But I have come to understand this observation and found truth in its application in the life of the church.

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Conference Minister Search Update

The Search Committee for the new Conference Minister met via WebEx in late January. We have extended our original search process timeline to allow for more input from the conference.

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View Conference Minister Search Timeline

Response Sheets for Conference ONA Resolution Due March 1


We need you! If not already done, we need churches to return the response sheet that affirms that there has been discussion in the congregation - at the annual meeting, with the council, in a Bible-study group, in a men's breakfast group, or some other gathering of your church - about the resolution of witness to declare the Wisconsin Conference an Open and Affirming Conference.

If you are not sure what this is all about, please keep reading.

If your church has already had this discussion, but has not yet returned the response sheet, please do so by March 1!

Cert School for Progressive Christian Faith Formation and Youth Ministry 


Do you want greater skills in ministering with children, youth and families? Attend Cert School! Cert School is geared toward clergy who work with children, youth and families, full and part-time church staff, faith formation and youth ministry volunteers. Cert School dates for 2014: May 18-23 and November 7-9.
Aaron Rodgers on Good Works

The blogger at ...In the Meantime writes about "Aaron Rodgers on Good Works," touching on Rodger's faith and his work with The Enough Project, which fights to end genocide and crimes against humanity.
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Photo credit: Mike Morbeck, Wikimedia Commons 
Upcoming Wisconsin Conference Events

Finding
Meaning in the Muck: Transformation in a Time of Transition with Philip Gulley, Saturday, March 22, 2014
More information

Writing a Journey, Discerning a Call
One-day retreat for authorized ministers with Rev. Malcolm Himschoot, UCC's Minister for Ministerial Transition
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Wisconsin Conference Trost Center, DeForest
More Information

Registration

Fire in the Pews!
Wisconsin Conference Annual Meeting
June 6-8, 2014
Green Lake Conference Center
More information forthcoming

Great Lakes Regional Youth Event
July 10-13, 2014
Lakeland College, Sheboygan
More information

Lay Academy: faith formation classes for adults
Faith Foundations Year 1 and Lay Leadership Skills Year 3
Five sessions, September 2014 through April 2015
More information
Justice LED Workshops
 

If your church and congregation morphed into nothingness...what would the community miss?

 

If your church and congregation morphed into a Justice LED (Leaders Engaging and Developing) congregation...What would be added to your community?

 

Interesting questions elicit interesting answers. You are invited to learn and offer a daylong Justice LED (Justice Education, faith formation, and leadership development resource, follow this link to get all the information you need to host a JLED workshop.

 

Questions or want to know more? Contact
[email protected].

Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan is Artist in Residence this Weekend at the Madison Christian Community

Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan is a freelance musician and worship leader bent on inviting adventure and imagination into worship. With one foot in the ELCA and one in the UCC, his songs have been published by both denominations. Go to Worldmaking.net for more information about Richard.
Artist in Residence information
Brian McLaren
Brian McLaren is Coming to Madison!

Christian author, leader and activist, Brian McLaren, is coming to spend the day in Madison on Saturday, March 8, 2014. 

Brian is this year's featured speaker for the Dorris Weidemann Memorial Peace Fund. There will be a full day of programming, including a memorial lecture that will focus on Brian's latest book: Why did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road? This is a book the Huffington Post calls, "A Christ-Like Message of Healing in our Violent Times." The event takes place at First Baptist Church, a progressive Baptist church on Madison's west side.

More information
Parker J. Palmer
Habits of the Heart for Healthy Congregations: an Online Learning Opportunity for Wisconsin Clergy

Are you concerned about the divisive climate in Wisconsin's civic life?  Do you wonder how you and your congregation can play a constructive role in modeling a more life-giving approach to our differences in both church and the wider culture? The Wisconsin Council of Churches, Edgewood College and Parker Palmer's Center for Courage and Renewal are piloting an 8-week online learning experience for up to 60 Wisconsin clergy focusing on Palmer's recent book Healing the Heart of Democracy: How to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit. The program starts March 3, 2014, and applications are due February 14, 2014.
More information
Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ | 4459 Gray Road | PO Box 435 | DeForest, WI  53532
In This Issue
Conference Minister Search Update
ONA Responses Needed by March 1
Cert School
Aaron Rodgers on Good Works
Upcoming Conference Events
Justice LED workshops
Artist in Residence
Brian McLaren in Madison
Habits of the Heart for Healthy Congregations
Quick Links
Join Our Mailing List
 
Church Spotlight

Grace Congregational UCC in Two Rivers was the town's first church in 1851. The first pastor, Rev. Herrit, walked a 20-mile circuit on Sundays to preach at three local churches. Today the church is led by Rev. Kim Henning. Installed in the fall of 1988, Pastor Kim is the church's longest-serving pastor. Colie Bettivia is the church's associate pastor.

In 1906, a new, larger church building was built with a generous donation from the J. E. Hamilton family. It was at this time that the church's name was changed to Grace Congregational Church, after Hamilton's daughter, Grace Hamilton Sweeney. The 1906 church building was replaced in 2004 with a larger building built across the river from the old. Grace UCC is in the Northeast Association and has an average attendance of  250.



Fire in the Pews!

Wisconsin Conference Annual Meeting
June 6-8, 2014 
Green Lake Conference Center



 
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Wisconsin Conference Life, email Nola at the Wisconsin Conference.