The Damascus Project’s Leadership Matters Lecture and Conversation series next month welcomes the Rev. Phiwa Langeni, ambassador for innovation and engagement for the UCC’s Center for Analytics, Research & Development and Data. They will speak virtually from 6 to 8 p.m. Central on Jan. 31. Cost to attend is $10. Click for more information and to register.

Originally from South Africa, Langeni has been a pastor and small-business owner. They will share the results of work with congregations and discuss the types of leadership needed by the church today. “I cannot wait to see how God shows up in January,” they said. Watch this video to learn more about Langeni and get a sneak preview of their talk.

Exploring the Enneagram is for lay leaders, seekers, authorized ministers and people exploring authorized ministry.

Leadership in congregations today is hard. It is more and more challenging to navigate change and respond with care to the many competing demands. Understanding your personality -- its strengths and its shadow sides -- is more important than ever before. When we know who we are, we are better equipped to work with others. In Exploring the Enneagram you will identify your unique personality type and gain insight into the personality types of others. This learning intensive on the Enneagram is meant to ground you more deeply in yourself, your relationships, and your connection to God.

When you think of the Conference Creation Care Team or your local congregation’s Green Team, what is the first image that springs to mind? A work crew installing solar panels? A community walk in prayer and gratitude for our waters led by Native American women? What about a group of your church’s greenest thumbs planting the flowers that draw pollinators?

How about looking in the mirror? Because your gift to Our Church’s Wider Mission is helping turn good ideas about how to care for the Earth into reality. Over the past two years, OWCM support has helped provide $20,000 in Catalyst Grants made by the Wisconsin Conference Creation Care Team to fund a variety of creation-sustaining projects. (Grace UCC in Two Rivers has provided an additional $2,000 from its endowment.) The projects include everything from solar arrays to installation of more efficient heating and cooling systems to expanded recycling options. Even the smallest projects matter.

“All of us, and all of creation globally, can benefit even from local projects to reduce the effects of climate changes and other environmental threats,” says Kathy Bartilson, a member of the Conference Creation Care Team. Kathy has prepared a list of projects funded in the past two years. View the list here

In Week 1, Rachel introduced the practice of Lectio Divina. Introduced in the fourth century, Lectio Divina is a way of developing a closer relationship with God through prayerful reflection on a portion of sacred text. For Week 2, she cited a bit of wisdom attributed to St. Augustine -- “Those who sing pray twice” – to introduce us to sacred chant. Watch her video lesson here. Week 3 featured the Examen, a simple daily prayer practice developed by St. Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuits. For the fourth week of Advent, Rachel shared a Body Prayer attributed to the Christian mystic Julian of Norwich. The prayer centers on four key words that come from Julian’s writing: Await. Allow. Accept. Attend.

Congregations throughout the UCC on Jan. 29 will lift up the many gifts of Health and Human Services Ministries across the church. Liturgical resources for Health and Human Service Sunday are available online

This year’s materials were composed by the Rev. Dr. Elyse Berry and include a Meditation for Mental Health and Beatitudes for Essential workers.

 

If this sounds like you, then consider joining the winter cohort of Faith Foundations. This 12-week learning intensive focusing on the Reading the New Testament and Christian history starts Thursday, Jan. 12.

Go to the Damascus Project website to learn more and to register.

Click here to watch the New Testament instructor Matt Mardis LeCroy describe the course.

The United Church of Christ’s popular 5 for 5 recognition program honors churches who participate in Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM) and all four of the Special Offerings:

The cutoff date for recognizing a 2022 gift to any of the 5 for 5 offerings is a postmark by Jan. 6. If your church is sending in a 2022 5 for 5 gift after Dec. 30, please indicate that the gift should be for 2022; otherwise, anything not noted will automatically be recorded as 2023 giving. Thank you for participating in 5 for 5!

The General Fund of the Wisconsin Conference helps us connect, support and resource pastors, leaders, and congregations. Your gift allows the Conference to provide relevant and timely help during the pandemic and beyond. Donate to the General Fund

The Conference Transitions feature appears monthly in the Wisconsin Conference Life. Please share your transition information, including church anniversaries, with the newsletter editor by emailing Nola.

The Wisconsin Conference UCC is an Open and Affirming Conference, and an Immigrant Welcoming Conference.