In a variety of ways, several of our congregations are celebrating All Saints Day on November 1. While stressing the deaths of church members who have died in the past year, they are going beyond that to include members' loved ones. 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, has invited members to submit names for them or staff to enter on a banner that will be hung in the sanctuary (even though worship will be virtual). In addition to reading the names, Rev. Lori Powell, pastor of Edgerton Congregational UCC, will light a candle for each person. 1st Congregational UCC, Platteville and Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison, invited members to send a photo of their loved one to be included in the service. St. John's UCC, Monroe, Zwingli UCC, Monticello, and Community of Hope UCC, Madison, are also celebrating the day. Referring to the origins of the celebration, the newsletter of 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, explained that "by this recognition and commemoration, their devoted service endures in the Spirit, even as their example and fellowship continue to nurture the Church on its way."

1st UCC, Reeseville, will honor their saints, instead, on Totenfest, November 22.

MCC/Community of Hope UCC, Madison, is celebrating Halloween by member families going on an All Saints Candlelight Walk, complete with contact-free trick or treating and carrying luminaries

Dealing with the limits of the pandemic, Middleton Community UCC is having a BOO event the week of October 25, in which members anonymously leave a treat at a member's door; then the family BOOed returns the "favor" to another member.

St. John's UCC, Monroe, is hosting a community-wide drive-through Spook-tacular Halloween celebration on October 30 in which people can enjoy thrills, chills and treats from the safety of their cars.

First Congregational UCC, Milton, had a Halloween "Cat" Walk and Candy Hunt in which the children could show off their costumes."

MCC/Community of Hope UCC, as well as Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison, has been reading and discussing the book, The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez: A Border Story, as members of the Dane Sanctuary Coalition's Big Read. The true story takes "us into detention centers, immigration courts, and the inner lives of Aida and other daring characters, ...(revealing) the human consequences of militarizing what was once a more forgiving border."

The Racial Justice Movie Group of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, discussed Queen and Slim and 13th, a documentary on mass incarceration since the passage of the 1th Amendment.

Edgerton Congregational UCC had an in-person worship service in October.

1st Congregational UCC, Milton, is also having small group fellowship opportunities. Olivet Congregational UCC, Columbus, has their small-group fellowship time on Sunday mornings.

Salem UCC, Verona, is also participating in the Madison Area CROP Walk by walking in Verona, and Olivet Congregational UCC, Columbus, is participating in their local CROP Walk.

Milton Congregational UCC members will be participating in a virtual version of the community's Annual Mike's 5K Substance Abuse Road Race

1st UCC, Belleville, is participating in their community's events relating to human trafficking, which are featuring guest speakers. They are sponsored by the Belleville Area Cares Coalition and six other Dane County Coalitions.

The community Thanksgiving Eve worship service at Zwingli UCC, Monticello, will feature a video of hands indicating what members are thankful for."

1st Congregational UCC, Milton, had another of their "Courageous Conversations" about race at the end of October.

Book studies at Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, are discussing Everything Isn't Terrible, by Kathleen Smith; Blowout, by Rachel Maddow; This Tender Land, by

William Kent Krueger; and Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens.

The Mineral Point Congregational UCC is discussing Parker Palmer's book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity & Getting Old.

Swiss UCC, New Glarus, recalls how they established their Care and Share Program, in which members have received rides to doctor appointments, visits, cards and (now) telephone calls, since 1987.

Windsor UCC continues to help homeless persons by providing socks through their Socktober program.

Remembering the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, MCC/Community of Hope UCC had a Blessing of Animals service on October 4.

Taking advantage of the (un-falllike) end-of-fall weather, Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, invited their members to walk in the UW Arboretum in October.

The new pastor of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, Rev. Julia Burkey, is offering a weekly Tea Time with Julia via Zoom to get acquainted with the church's members.

Rev. Zayna Thomley, pastor of 1st Congregational UCC, Platteville, had a socially-distanced bonfire for members at the home of her and her husband in anticipation of going into quarantine in advance of the birth of her baby who arrived on October 27 (see Pastoral Transitions article).

The Zoom service will begin at 11:00am on

Dial: +1 312 626 6799

Rev. Carroll J. Olm, 95, died on September 30. He was a member of Whitewater Congregational UCC and the first Executive Director and Chaplain of Fairhaven Retirement Community in Whitewater. Here is an obituary.

Rev. Julia Burkey began as pastor of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, on October 1.

Rev. Jim McKenzie has been hired to serve as the Intentional Interim for Middleton Community UCC. Most recently he was the Interim Pastor of 1st Congregational UCC, Port Washington, WI.

Asa George Thomley, 5 lbs., 1 oz., was born five weeks early to Rev. Zayna and Matt Thomley on October 27 (the 7th anniversary of her ordination!). Zayna begins her paternity leave from 1st Congregational UCC, Platteville.

The more than 90 persons who attended the October 17 Annual Meeting of the Southwest Association by Zoom were treated to a thoughtful program on "Speaking the Truth in Love." In it, three of our own shared how they have begun the journey of dealing with the way our social systems produce recurring inhumanity, lack of respect and honor, and diminished opportunities for people of color

In addition our Association Minister, Rev. Lorraine Cineceros, was installed. Some extensive changes to the Constitution were approved for voting at the next Annual Meeting next spring, and the 2021 budget was approved.

We extend a big "thank you" to the persons behind the scenes who helped with the Zoom webinar (Eldonna Hazen, Paul Hodel and Tom Pugh) and to Sue Taylor, who does our work from the Conference office.

"

After noting that the ongoing pandemic has dramatically changed the life of our congregations, Rev. Franz Rigert, our Conference Minister, reports that the Conference has launched a new, periodic communication called Tending the Soul of the Beloved Community. "The purpose of this initiative is to share resources and tools, wisdom and insight, for these challenging days."

Another initiative that the Wisconsin Conference has launched is the Kairos Call to Action in which congregation are encouraged to advocate on behalf of climate justice and are invited to commit to a series of climate-saving actions over the next 10 years. Read about it here, or on the Conference website, including the opportunities to read the Kairos Call to Action newsletter.

The Contemporary Theology Book Group will next meet online by Zoom on Tuesday, November 17, 2:00 p.m., to continue its discussion of How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi,. Though this has been a local Madison-area group, anyone can join it now that they're meeting by Zoom. Contact Rev. Ken Pennings.

Associate Conference Minister:  

Moderator: 

Vice-Moderator:

Secretary:

Treasurer:

Division on Church & Ministry: 

Social Concerns Committee: 

Shalom Editor:

swacommunications@gmail.com