The latest news for you

From Rachel Yates, Presbytery Executive

DANGERS LURKING INSIDE

We still have a few boxes to unpack. You might have heard that my daughter and her family moved with us, using the same storage pods. So, we had to sort boxes by household. My daughter recently opened a box that I had packed and labeled “toys.” Opening the box, she found stuffed animals on top, just as one might expect. Digging deeper, she found my 1-year-old granddaughter’s blanket, rolled up and heavy. Curious, my daughter slowly unrolled it to find...(read more)

Presbytery Pulse

THE CHURCH AND RACIAL AND GENDER JUSTICE

General Assembly Commissioner Carol Wickersham (associate professor of sociology at Beloit College and minister member of the Presbytery) has offered to facilitate workshops and/or adult education times to share her experience working with The Church and Racial and Gender Justice commission at the 2022 General Assembly. Carol can be reached via email at wickersh@beloit.edu.

MUSTARD SEED JOURNEY RECEIVES GRANT

Congratulations to Rev. Mark Fraley on receiving a New Worshiping Community (NWC) Seed Grant! This grant will help support the organization and programs of Mustard Seed Journey, one of the alternative ministries of the Presbytery of Milwaukee, shepherded by Mark Fraley.

CAR NEEDED FOR MINISTRY

In November, the Presbytery of Milwaukee will welcome the Dan Gonzalez-Ortega as our new Evangelist for Latinx Ministries including our San Jose Fellowship in Beloit. Dan and his wife, Alma, will be relocating from Mexico City to our presbytery to start a new ministry with very few belongings. One of the essential items for Dan is a car. If you have an additional car or have connections to someone who does, the presbytery (and Dan) would be very grateful for its donation for the purpose of this ministry. Please contact Ann Gibbs at agibbs@pbymilwaukee.org.

Building Ministry Vitality

Through Matthew 25

Outward Incarnational Focus:

"Lord, when did we see you?"

COMMUNAL CONVERSATIONS: THE PATH TO BECOMING A NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCH

Communal Conversations: The Path to Becoming a Neighborhood Church is the first in a five-part video series from the office of the General Assembly. In 2018, General Assembly co-moderators Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri and the Reverend Cindy Kohlmann selected Neighborhood Church: Transforming Your Congregation into a Powerhouse for Mission for a denominational book study aimed to inspire congregations to become strong community partners.

In the continuing video series on the book, Co-Author Rob Mueller talks with people who have seen firsthand how being a neighborhood church can change lives. To view the rest of the series visit our Outward Incarnation Focus page on the presbytery website: https://www.pbymilwaukee.org/outward-focus.html.

IMMERSION CONFERENCE DIVES DEEP INTO VITAL CONGREGATIONS

The Presbyterian Office of Vital Congregations is inviting people to gather at the beginning of November around Lake Susan at Montreat Conference Center for a deep dive into the seven marks of vital congregations.

The Immersion, set for November 2-3 at Montreat Conference Center, will be led by:

Dr. Obery M. Hendricks Jr., a Biblical scholar, activist, and speaker currently based at Columbia University in New York City
The Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, a pastor, educator, and organizer based in Philadelphia
Dr. Gary Neal Hansen, a church historian exploring Christian theology, spirituality, and community
The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, a pastor, author, speaker, and podcast host based in California

The conference will be available both online and in person. Find out more about the conference, including how to register here.

News From The Denomination

"ALONG THE ROAD" PODCAST

“Along the Road," Mid Council Ministries’ new podcast that will be available beginning in mid-October, will feature and support the work of ruling elders and deacons at congregations and mid council leaders at presbyteries and synods. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3DAOAxf

REGARDING RULING ELDERS

To Be Not Just To Do -- Question H

Julie Hester has written the most recent installment of Regarding Ruling Elders, a monthly resource of the Office of the General Assembly.

CHURCH IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Measuring, and understanding, online worship metrics

by Richard Hong

I recently discussed the idea that many, perhaps most, of our congregants are not worshiping exclusively online or in person but are switching back and forth. This post-Covid phenomenon brings us to the discussion of how we can measure who is worshiping with us.

If your online worship uses Zoom, you can simply count the faces on your screen. But if you are streaming your worship to Facebook, YouTube or through your website, interpreting the metrics is trickier.

Finding the data isn’t always obvious.To get attendance numbers, you must know how to...(read more)

Out of the Blue in '22

FLOCK OF 100 SHEEP FOLLOW RUNNER DOWN TRAIL

A hiker in France came across the unusual sight of a trail runner coming down the trail with a flock of sheep following close behind. The runner stopped and so did the flock. She chatted for a quick moment with the hiker, Eleanor Scholz, but, only speaking French, the runner soon continued on like the Pied Piper with the flock of 100 or so sheep following right behind. Read more about this encounter and watch video footage here.

Invitations

CHANGE UP YOUR LOOK WITH NEW CHOIR ROBES

Are you looking to spruce up your choir or find robes for your bell choir? Heritage has 25 deep navy choir robes available. They are in great condition. If you are interested, please contact Michelle Henrichs at mahenrichs@gmail.com.

PEOPLE OF PRAYER DAY

A letter from Rev. Erin Hittle

Dear Faith Leader,

We at Presbyterian Homes & Services are blessed to share in ministry to older adults with you and many of the faith communities in our area. We want to alert you to a great challenge and ask for your spiritual support.

We hear every day about the shortage of qualified workers, including many who are needed to serve the growing population of older adults. Many older adults are anxiously waiting to receive the services they need as providers and family caregivers are stretched thin.

Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS) and other faith-based senior living organizations continue to rise to these challenges, moving forward to recruit, retain and develop dedicated employees for this purposeful work. Along with our best efforts and creative initiatives, we also turn to God in faith and trust.

We want to ask you and your members to join us in prayer for the senior living workforce beginning the week of September 18. As Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

Please share this need with your congregation and members and ask them to be in prayer with us. To support your participation, we are providing a toolkit on our website at PresHomes.org/get-to-know-us/people-of-prayer. Sample prayers, a newsletter article, social media posts and more are available to download and use.

We thank God for those who provide care for older adults. They are remarkable people who bring their skill and love into their work every day. They are shouldering increased workloads yet continue to give of themselves with dedication and joy.

We believe they deserve every effort we can offer to bring relief to this current workforce shortage. We want to give them hope that others will join them in this vital ministry. The kind words and prayers they have received from residents, family, friends and their home congregations, are significant and sustaining to their good work.

We’re grateful to all who have and will join this great circle of prayer. Will you join us?

Together in faith,

The Rev. Erin Hittle

Campus Pastor at Avalon Square, Waukesha

FAITH PRESBYTERIAN'S ANNUAL SPAGHETTI DINNER

Faith Presbyterian Church invites you to their annual spaghetti dinner catered by That's Amore on Saturday, October 1st, 4:30-6:30 p.m.The annual event you have come to know and love is drive-thru only again this year. Enjoy spaghetti with meat or marinara sauce, salad, bread, and a cookie at this affordable night-in that supports the work of Faith's Deacons. Tickets are $12. Pre-order your tickets and pay online at franklinfpc.org, or pay cash at the door.

TEACH THE TRUTH WI

October 9-15

Around the country, the forces of white supremacy and racism are confronting school boards, demanding they prevent teaching the true history of racism, slavery, sexism, and violence against marginalized communities that is part of the founding of our country.

As people of faith, we believe it is the responsibility of each person to do their part to address the systemic inequities and injustices in our society and to create a world where every human being can live a life of dignity and respect. Our children need to be prepared to take on their share of this task when they grow up. Yet, without knowing the true history of how our nation came to be, they cannot understand the underlying causes of the issues we face, and therefore, will be ill-equipped to meet the challenges they will confront as adults.

Please join the Wisconsin Council of Churches once again for a Week of Action for Racial Equity, October 9-15th, as we lift up stories of Wisconsin history at significant sites of racial justice around the state.

Find more information, a Teach the Truth WI toolkit, and registration here

CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CELEBRATES 64TH ANNIVERSARY

Dr. La Quetta Clipps and the session of Christ Church would like to invite you to attend their 64th Anniversary celebration on Sunday, October 16th at 10:45 a.m.

The celebration continues Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights at 6:00 p.m. with a Revival as we ask the Holy Spirit to work with Christ Church in restoring the people of God to a more vital spiritual life, witness, and work by prayer and the Word. The guest speaker will be the Apostle Paul R. Dade of Richmond Virginia.

Please join Christ Church as they celebrate and renew their commitment to God and their community.

CHOOSING A LIFE OF GRATITUDE

A retreat for women in the Presbytery of Milwaukee

Women in the Milwaukee Presbytery are invited to attend a spiritual retreat for reflection, prayer, inspiring messages, and fellowship October 28th, 4:30 p.m. - October 29th, 3:30 p.m. Registration for the retreat at Schoenstatt Retreat Center is limited to 25 participants and the registration deadline is October 12th.

Retreat leader Rev. Danelle Crawford McKinney is a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota Oyate. She is the first Dakota woman (fifth Native American woman) to be ordained in the PC(USA). She currently serves Native American students at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, KS.

Find more information, including registration materials, here. Share this with your congregation! The retreat is open to all women in the Presbytery.

Disaster Preparedness & Response Taskforce

GETTING STARTED: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLANNING

Written by Catherine Neal

There are two things we usually don’t plan for as we live our lives, emergencies, and disasters. What is the difference? Emergencies are things that happen to us or our communities, but there are enough resources that can handle emergencies (if you have access) and bring us/communities back to a sense of normalcy fairly quickly. Disasters over run communities and those communities reach beyond in hopes of finding resources to support and help them get back on their feet. This can take weeks, months, or even years. Communities affected by disaster may never return to what they once were.

How can one plan for something that you don’t know is coming? We do this all the time for...(read more)

DISASTER PLANNING -- GETTING STARTED

September is National Preparedness Month. Here are some quick tips and easy-to-navigate resources compiled by your Disaster Preparedness and Response Taskforce in a handy bulletin insert. Please share this information with your congregations -- having a plan in place can help save funds and utilize the appropriate resources while returning to normalcy.

Mission Opportunities

BELARUS, UKRAINE, AND RUSSIA MISSION (BURM) NETWORK MEETING

The Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia Mission (BURM) Network are so excited to have a meeting in person! These are definitely difficult times but there are many people in the region are responding to the need. Join BURM to learn about these initiatives and how we can help. There are many speakers from the region who will be joining the meeting.

The BURM Network especially encourage outreach to students and youth. They can attend the conference live or virtually for free! Please DO register so you have all the information you need for this weekend in October.

The BURM Network meeting will take place October 6-8 at First Presbyterian Church in Green Bay, WI. Find out more and register here.

WISCONSIN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES SEEKS REFUGEE ASSISTANCE

Resettlement of Afghans from processing centers abroad continues through the organized system of resettlement, managed by the federal government. Prior to the beginning of this second wave, there were about 50,000 Afghans from the August '21 evacuation still being housed in military installments overseas, known as "lily pads." They are now arriving in Wisconsin via the normal refugee pipeline, but are still being resettled through the separate Afghan Placement and Assistance Program. Consider how you and your church can assist the nearest agency in meeting these needs. Reach out to The WCC if you need help facilitating those conversations.

Dental Care is such an important component of our overall health, and many Afghans have had serious dental needs upon resettlement. Unfortunately, Badgercare reimbursement rates are so low for emergency dental services that this care has been difficult to get. WCC donated $5,000 to a dental fund at LSS last Spring and is exploring further support to this important cause. Please consider making a gift to this program or holding a fundraiser at your church to help cover emergency dental care for Afghans in Wisconsin. Your proceeds can go directly to the nearest resettlement agency or through our Afghan Refugee Response program.