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Wisconsin Conference Life Newsletter
August 1, 2014 
What Type of Follower Attends Our Church? 

A Parish Paper resource

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Research psychologists Mark van Vugt and Anjana Ahuja suggest that there are multiple reasons that an individual will choose to follow a certain person, group, or movement. They identify five different motivations that propel people to follow a leader and stay with a group. How might an understanding of these motives help congregational leaders increase member participation and engagement?

 

One motivation type the researchers described is labeled "The Disciples". Congregations need disciples to grow. Church size is limited by the number of lay leaders who are spiritually mature disciples. It is possible for members in any motivation category to move toward the disciple category. Read this article to learn how to help build up your members who are motivated to be disciples of Jesus Christ.  More> 

Conference Minister Search Update
The search for a new Conference Minister is heading into the "home stretch." We have received 11 profiles through the MESA office (Ministerial, Excellence, Support and Authorization) of the UCC from very strong and interested candidates. We plan on having telephone interviews with at least 5 of the candidates with the hopes of having face-to-face interviews with 2 to 4 candidates in mid-August. The hope is that we will be able to make a recommendation to the Wisconsin Conference Board of Directors at their fall meeting.  Thanks to the clergy and laity of the Wisconsin Conference for your prayerful support.

Submitted by Julia Hollister, Search Committee vice-chair

Church Leadership Workshop
Governance and Ministry: Rethinking Board Leadership

With Dan Hotchkiss, September 11-13

 

Learn how to strengthen your church's leadership by attending this three

Dan Hotchkiss
Dan Hotchkiss

day workshop with Dan Hotchkiss, former senior consultant with the Alban Institute. Wisconsin Conference participants will receive a $75 scholarship for this workshop. 

 

Congregations thrive when lay and professional leaders lead as partners, and a fruitful partnership requires clear understandings about how decisions will be made. This event offers a specific process congregations can use to design and test new ways of decision making. It helps leaders to build boards that delegate effectively, demand high performance, require sound stewardship, and reflect continually on mission and purpose-at board meetings and in wider gatherings. It supports a purpose-driven work environment for clergy, staff, and volunteers, so that they enjoy appropriate autonomy and space for creative work.

 

To receive the $75 scholarship from the Conference Church Development and Renewal Team, simply select "Members of WI Conference UCC Registration Fee" when registering.  

More info>    Register at:firstcongmadison.org/2014workshop

Resources for Studying Kairos Palestine
Support this struggle for justice and peace

 

In 2009 Palestinian Christians issued a call for Christians around the world to heed Christ's call to seek justice for the oppressed and work together for a just peace in their land.  The kairos time is now, they write, because the international effort to negotiate a peaceful solution to the conflict has reached a dead end. In this document, Kairos Palestine, they share their anguish and express their hope in the mystery and power of God to work through us to find the way to end the occupation and establish freedom for all the people in the Holy Land.

 

Our UCC Global Ministries invites churches to use the study guides developed for congregations and then make a Kairos commitment to participate in this struggle for justice and peace in the land of our ancestors in faith.  More information and resource links>   
First Congregational UCC Watertown Becomes ONA

On Sunday, July 13th, 2014, the members of First Congregational UCC in Watertown voted overwhelmingly to become Open and Affirming (ONA). The entire congregation was invited to participate in Bible study, discussion groups, guest speakers and more in the study process leading up to the ONA vote, which passed with nearly 90% of the congregation voting "yes". First Congregational UCC Watertown has 414 members, and was established in 1845. The church joins nearly 40 ONA congregations in Wisconsin and over 1200 across the country in becoming a designated ONA church since 1985. Congratulations!  
MissionInsite Update Available Now 

The latest Semi-Annual MissionInsite update of community data was just made available online.  This 2014 / 2019 / 2024 People View update provides the most current community based information system available for churches and their regional and national agencies.

* View the MissionInsite Introduction video for more info.

* Find out how to sign up for MissionInsite  here> 

 

Click HERE to take our quick 1-question poll:

Back to School with Back Bay Mission

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As summer wanes and fall weather sets in, millions of students are about to go back to school.  For young people from low-income families, this can be an especially challenging time as the cost for school supplies can easily exceed $50 even for a kindergartner. And that can mean hard choices for parents who need to choose between paying bills and buying basic school supplies.

 

Help Back Bay Mission make sure every child goes to school ready to learn. You can make a gift to our school supplies fund by going to our website: thebackbaymission.org. Just write 'school supplies' in the comments box. You can also find information on how to purchase and send school supplies on our website.  Help us make sure everyone has the chance to realize a brighter future through education. 

Check out these upcoming learning and sharing opportunities

 

Communities of Practice - Ministers, sign up for a Community of Practice peer group. New sessions begin in September.   

"I feel more grounded and more inspired in ministry now than I ever have before." Recent Community of Practice participant

More info>   Register> 

 

Forgiveness: A Pathway to Emotional Healing - Offered through UW-Madison Continuing Studies. October 22.  More info>   Brochure> 

 

UCC History and Polity Online Course - Last chance to register for this eight-session online class beginning in September.  More info>  

 

Interim Ministry Training Institute - Offered by Sand Bur Consulting. Eight-session training program begins in October. More info> 

 

Turnaround Church - Feb. 27-28, 2015. Start Planning Now!  Is your congregation ready for something new?  Do you believe that your church has the potential for revitalization, if only you knew what to do?  Then plan to participate in the Turnaround Church Workshop, a two-day workshop for church teams including pastors and at least three lay members. More info> 

 

Robert Mutton Lectureship Event - November 22. Hear Neal Plantinga discuss his latest book, Reading for Preaching, and participate in a discussion on "Preaching sin and grace in a no fault culture".   

 

GLAUCE Fall Conference - October 14-16, Techny, IL. Bruce Reyes-Chow Keynote Speaker. Educators, register now.  More info> 

 

For the Youth in Your Congregation -
Knock Knock - November 21-23. A retreat for middle school youth groups and their leaders. Knock Knock is designed to help groups bond as the youth explore some of the many issues they will encounter during their middle school years...and beyond.  More info>
 
Youth Faith Formation - October 12-13. A Conference-wide Confirmation retreat.  More info>

Best of the Midwest Gospel Workshop
Join the Westend Gospel Singers of Eberswalde, Germany and The Wisconsin Gospellers on Saturday, September 20, 2014 in Appleton, Wisconsin for the Best of the Midwest Gospel Workshop featuring "the Pavarotti of Gospel" Robert Robinson.   More information>
The German Westend Gospel Singers Tour
The 30-voice Westend Gospel Singers is a dynamic outreach ministry of the congregation in Eberswalde, a city located 30 miles northeast of Berlin in former East Germany. During their two-week September tour, they will sing gospel music in English at UCC churches in Wisconsin and the Chicago area. The Westend Gospel Singers toured Wisconsin in 2006 and 2010; the Wisconsin Gospellers visited Germany in 2008 and 2012.   

More information> 

Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ
4459 Gray Road | PO Box 435 | DeForest, WI  53532
In This Issue
Conference Minister Search Upcate
Church Leadership Workshop
Kairos Palestine
MissionInsight Update Available
School Supplies Needed
Learning Opportunities & Events
Gospellers Events
Grand Marsh Congregational UCC

Formed in 1890, this Southwest Association congregation serves Grand Marsh and New Chester Township in north-central Wisconsin. Rev. Stephen Loch Bowie leads this congregation, which has a year-round Sunday school.

 Zwingli UCC Seeking Choir Director

for its 20-member choir in this 500 member congregation 30 miles south of Madison. More info> 

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Wisconsin Conference Life, email Nola at the Wisconsin Conference. 
 Swiss Church Cemetery Walking Tour

August 9

New Glarus

Proceeds support cemetery maintenance. 

More information>