Learning from our Children
by Lisa Hart
At the recent General Synod delegate orientation, we were fortunate to have the Reverend Bonnie Van Overbeke join us to talk about a resolution that will be brought before the General Synod. The resolution is in response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While giving background information on the conflict, she shared her experience of talking with an Israeli man who made the distinction between political actions and living your faith. His question to her was, "But, do you live your faith?"
This question, "Do you live your faith?" really caught my attention. As someone who provides support to people in our congregations who work in faith formation, I had to stop and think. While we focus on teaching our faith, are we also living our faith? What does this mean? What does it look like to really live our faith?
Perhaps, we can learn something about this from our children and youth.
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 Time is running out to register for Annual Meeting!
Meeting highlights include:
- Installation of Rev. Franz Rigert, our new Conference Minister
- Presentations, workshops and worship with Rev. Eric Elnes(LINK), pastor of Countryside Community UCC in Omaha, Nebraska
- Keynote and workshop by Rev. Ben Guess, executive minister of the UCC's Local Church Ministries
- Creative worship and music
- 20 workshops to inspire and inform
- Camaraderie, time to connect with friends
Delegates, have you registered for the meeting? Register for the meeting itself through the Wisconsin Conference, and reserve hotel rooms through Green Lake Conference Center.
Get all the info at wcucc.org/annualmeeting.
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Want to feel even more a part of Annual Meeting?
Give a little of your time as a volunteer before or during the meeting. Past volunteers have really enjoyed being ushers or serving communion. Get info on volunteer opportunities here.
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 Check out the Pre-Annual Meeting Workshop: Gifts of the Dark Wood Retreat
Thursday, June 11, 10 am-4 pm
The 2015 Thursday Workshop will provide the opportunity to interact with our keynote presenter in a smaller, more personal setting. In this retreat-structured event, Rev. Elnes will present on three "Dark Wood" gifts, with breakout groups and talkback sessions between each. The small breakout groups will encourage sharing, and Rev. Elnes leads by example. In the talkback sessions the groups share learnings, and take things one step deeper in light of these learnings. The small group activities provide opportunity for reflection, growth, sharing, and learning from one-another, and nurture bonds between people that last well beyond the retreat. Thursday's retreat format offers a very different and complementary experience from Elnes' format on Friday and Saturday at Annual Meeting. For complete info go to wcucc.org/annualmeeting.
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Boundary Training
June 11-12, 2015 - Green Lake Conference Center
Do you need to renew your boundary training? The Wisconsin Conference is offering this training at Green Lake Conference Center on June 11-12, beginning Thursday from 7:00pm-9:00pm and concluding Friday from 9:00am-12:00noon.
More information
Register
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 General Synod Visitors
Are you going to General Synod as a visitor this June? We would love to know who will be there from the Wisconsin Conference. Please contact Lisa Hart to let her know if you (or a group from your church) are going to General Synod. We also want to know which congregations are sending youth to Youth@General Synod. We would love to include you in any Wisconsin Conference gatherings. |
 "Win-Win" Relationship for St. John's in Merton
A "win-win" is how Denise Gander, treasurer of St. John's United Church of Christ in Merton, Wisconsin, describes her church's current mortgage loan relationship with the Cornerstone Fund, which they began in December of 2014. They finally feel confident they're borrowing from a lender they can trust, who will treat them as a loyal and valuable customer. Additionally, they love that their loan actually supports other UCC projects. Their situation wasn't always a win-win, and Gander hopes that by sharing their story, other UCC churches experiencing similar problems will consider the Cornerstone Fund as a financial solution.
Read more
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Lay Academy Alumni Event
Register now for the Lay Academy Alumni Event! The Heart of a Leader: Courage and Wholeness will take place Friday, July 31, 2015, at 7:00 pm until Saturday, August 1 at 3:00 pm at the Trost Center in DeForest.
Come Friday evening to reconnect and build community and stay for Saturday when Rev. Winton Boyd will help us explore the relationship between our inner spiritual lives and our outer or public leadership. Using material from Parker Palmer's "A Hidden Wholeness," we will work individually and in small groups to explore what it means to live an undivided life as a church leader.
More information
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 Diana Butler Bass Event Rescheduled
The Spirit Awakening the Church with Diana Butler Bass has been rescheduled and will now take place on September 19 in Eau Claire and on September 20 in Watertown. More information about this event and registration is available at wcucc.org. |
 Sing with the Gospellers in Germany
June 29-July 14, 2016
Join The Wisconsin Gospellers on tour. Share the joy of gospel music in worship and concert. Make new friends staying with welcoming host families. Upon invitation from the Westend Gospel Singers of Eberswalde, a city an hour north of Berlin, the tour will sing throughout eastern Germany in 11 different locations. Register now! The 35 places on this tour are filling up! More information |
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This newsletter is made possible by contributions to Our Church's Wider Mission Basic Support.The Wisconsin Conference UCC is an Open and Affirming Conference.
Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ
4459 Gray Road | PO Box 435 | DeForest, WI 53532
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Church Spotlight 
Founded in 1902, this Northeast Association church has only had four pastors; the current pastor the Rev. Greg Whelton. St. John's is proud of being a "green conscious" congregation and has a weekly attendance average of 210 worshipers.
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Is your church considering an Open and Affirming Process? The Wisconsin Conference has a committee to help! Please feel free to use us as resources for your discussions and preparations. Contact Micah Schlobohm or Rich Fluechtling of the Wisconsin Conference UCC Committee on Ministry with LGBTQ Persons.
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Got News?
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Let us know! If you have something you'd like considered for publication in
Wisconsin Conference Life, email Nola at the Wisconsin Conference.
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