1st Congregational UCC, Janesville, did a spring clean-up in their neighborhood., and 1st Congregational UCC of Milton shared in a community clean-up.

Swiss UCC, New Glarus, gave away 50 black hills spruce trees and blue spruce seeds, donated by one of their couples, to their members

Having received from their members small works of art celebrating the environment, the worship committee of Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, has put together a compilation to share with their congregation.

Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, celebrated Earth Day in a worship service by hearing from one of their members about the Creation Justice covenant they have developed toward becoming a Creation Justice Church. Read it here. Devoting their May meeting to Climate Change, their First Friday Fellowship will watch the video, How to Save Our Planet.

1st Congregational UCC, Madison, also observed Earth Day in a worship service. It wove together scripture readings with portrayed ways that members are helping the environment, e.g. diverting rain water into one's yard, using less water in doing one's dishes, reducing one's electricity, being a bald eagle nest watcher, and planting pollinators. Here is the complete list.

Members of Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison, helped clean up Madison city parks.

Several of our churches used the occasion to have their members clean up the own grounds or highlight Earth Day in their worship.

Middleton Community UCC challenged its members to choose from a wide variety of projects and learning opportunities "to help us heal our beautiful world", and list theirs on a flower. The choices included the park cleanup (above), building a bird house, composting kitchen scraps, donating used items, planting a tree, buying an electric or hybrid car, attending the Earth Day electric vehicle parade, and reading a book (links were provided to access the options).

An ongoing project of the youth of 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, is collecting batteries for recycling.

The Forward Garden of Middleton Community UCC will get down to business in earnest in May with preparation of the ground, transplanting, seeding and spreading compost. In addition to tending their garden, Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, also makes space, water and tools available to members in the garden on their property.

Having purchased 96 shares to provide for half of their electrical power, Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, is now participating in Madison Gas & Electric's Shared Solar program

In addition to those mentioned previously, congregations which have decided that it's now safe to move to in-person worship, at least by end of May, while observing certain restrictions, are Olivet Congregational UCC, Columbus; Mineral Point Congregational UCC;

Edgerton Congregational UCC; Congregational UCC, Whitewater; Congregational UCC Evansville and Zwingli UCC, Monticello.

MCC/Community of Hope UCC has begun having mid-week worship services in their Memorial Garden

Middleton Community UCC will begin having in-person worship on the 3rd Sunday of the month.

Weather permitting, St. John's UCC, Monroe, will have an outdoor worship in a town park shelter on May 23.

Several of our congregations have established ways of having members keep in touch with each other. Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison, has a Midweek Chat. 1st Congregational UCC, Platteville has a Tuesday Zoom gathering. St. John's UCC, Monroe, has a Sunday morning Faith Zone Moment. Community of Hope UCC, Madison, will post photos on the theme of Circles of Hope.

Rev. Zayna Thomley, of 1st Congregational UCC, Platteville, is now having "porch office hours" at the Cunningham House.

1st UCC, Belleville, is now reading So You Want to Talk About Race, by Ijeoma Oluo, in their continuing conversations on the challenges of race and bias.

In their continuing conversations, members of 1st Congregational UCC, Milton, asked, "What are we called to do next as people of faith working for racial justice?"

1st Congregational UCC, Madison, has begun another four-week class of Racists Anonymous,

On Tuesday evenings, members of MCC/Community of Hope UCC will delve into the relationship between racism and the church, using Drew Hat's book, Who Will Be a Witness: Igniting Activism for God's Justice, Love and Deliverance.

Members of Middleton Community UCC watched the play, Primer for an Impossible Conversation, at the Wisconsin Union Theater.

The Racial Justice Movie Group of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, watched, One Night in Miami, a fictional account of the meeting of Cassius Clay, Malcolm X and two others.

The Tuesday Night Fellowship of Middleton Community UCC discussed How Good Do We Have to Be? A New Understanding of Guilt and Forgiveness.

Pat Pluss of Swiss UCC, New Glarus, has begun leading discussions of The Art of Hospitality,

The Coffee and Conversation of Middleton Community UCC finished their discussion of Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty First Century, by Jessica Bruder; and will be discussing Minor Feelings, by Kathy Park Hong

The OPALS OF MCC/Community of Hope UCC discussed the humorous book, The Jesus Cow, by Michael Perry.

The Moment of Lift, by Melinda Gates, will be the May book for the Women's Book Group of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison.

The book group of Lake Edge UCC, Madison, will be discussing Finding Chika, by Mitch Albom.

The Congregational UCC, Edgerton, celebrated the Sunday after Easter as Holy Humor Sunday, highlighting the joke that God played on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. It's a long-standing tradition in the Church.

Collaborating with a local pharmacy, McFarland UCC had a drive-thru vaccination day.

MEMORIAL UCC, FITCHBURG, is holding a Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop (on Zoom) on a Saturdays and four Thursdays in April and May.

Members of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, delivered 36 U-Haul boxes of clothing to Casa Alitas Immigration Welcome Center in Tucson, AZ.

As a prelude to their search for a new pastor, the Congregational UCC, Mineral Point, has formed a Transition Team to help "reduce anxiety, build trust...and ensure that the congregation participates as much as possible in the interim tasks." They will be collecting data, stories and the history of the church, and identifying core values of the church.

Because the pandemic has put the kibosh on their annual fund raiser, The Newlywed Game, the youth of 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, will have Like Mother, Like Son!

A free community meal was served by the Congregational UCC, Mineral Point, on April 28.

1st Congregational UCC, Janesville, held their annual CROP Walk on April 25.

Waiting for suitable conditions, but not Pentecost, MCC/Community of Hope UCC held their annual prairie burn on April 21.

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In his keynote, Dr. James will draw on his research among churches in Seattle and Dane County to offer hope and practical wisdom for faithful ministry and mission in the afterscape.

Student minister of 1st Congregational UCC, Milton, Emma Brewer-Wallin, was approved for ordination, pending a call, by an Association Ecclesiastical Council.

1st Congregational UCC, Fort Atkinson, has retained Rev. Sara Rabe for their Intentional Interim position beginning June 1.

To encourage church leaders to take time away from their computers and their various tasks for a period of rest and renewal, the Wisconsin Council of Churches is offering a 'retreat in a box" called For a New Creation.

To receive in

the mail a box filled with activities and swag from sponsors, and access to an eleven-episode podcast series with meditations and inspiring talks, get the full details here.

The April issue of the Conference's Kairos Call to Action Newsletter provides an abundance of resources to help congregations and individuals honor the earth.

There's an article, "Our Ongoing 'Kairos Covenant Conversation'". There is a report from Madeline Island and a sustainability tip on laundry detergent "sheets" And lots of resources--links, books and webinars. Check them out here.

The Middleton Community UCC is seeking a part-time (10 hours/week) Music Director, with a start date of July 1 or earlier. Here is a job description. Submit your resume and cover letter to their church Office Manager at mccucc@middletonucc.org.

MCC/Community of Hope UCC is seeking a part-time (20 hours/week, including vacation and holiday time) Director of Children and Family Ministries. The person will have a primary role in facilitating a culture of nurturing relationships and spiritual growth for children and their families. Here is the position description. Applicants should send a resume and cover letter to info@the MCC.net. The church has been a unique ecumenical partnership of Advent Lutheran (ELCA) and Community of Hope UCC for over 50 years.

The Wisconsin Conference is seeking a half-time Communications Lead to drive the overall communications strategy and implementation for the Conference. The application deadline is May 14. If you know of anyone with the experience and education needed, please pass this along to them. Here are the details.

Register today to take advantage of low registration rates.

Rev William H. Lamar IV, pastor at the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, DC, will deliver the keynote address on the theme of the meeting, on Tuesday evening, May 11, on Rethinking Generosity.

Videos and photos from churches in Wisconsin will show how they are practicing generosity both within and beyond their congregational walls.

The opening worship will feature messages from Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, Rev. Tracy Blackmon, Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson and Rev. Franz Rigert. It will also feature a virtual choir piece by musicians from the Conference.

There will be a variety of workshops on the theme. Practical Ways to Share Generosity. Read about them here. The meeting will conclude with a Saturday business meeting and a Sunday worship service.

Associate Conference Minister:  

Moderator: 

Vice-Moderator:

Secretary:

Treasurer:

Division on Church & Ministry: 

Social Concerns Committee: 

Shalom Editor:

swacommunications@gmail.com