FROM RACHEL YATES, PRESBYTERY EXECUTIVE
 THE CHANCE
Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, spoke the hard truth last night.  The Stated Clerk of the General Assembly acknowledged that our churches are shrinking and many are struggling to find pastors.  He warned that some of our congregations might close because they are unable to accept necessary changes.  Perhaps sensing our question of whether this future was the one that had to be - like Scrooge questioning the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come - the Stated Clerk offered hope.

"God is giving us a chance to be relevant," he told the assembly at our first quarterly Presbytery Gathering at Rock Prairie Presbyterian Church.  We have a choice.  We can change the ... ( READ MORE )
PRESBYTERY PULSE
FEBRUARY 4th PRESBYTERY GATHERING RECAP
Thank you Rock Prairie Presbyterian Church for hosting the February 4th Presbytery Gathering.  We had an excellent time learning from the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, during the Conversation with the Clerks and being in communion with one another.

SESSION ANNUAL STATISTICAL REPORT
This is a reminder to all clerks of session that the Annual Statistical Report for the year 2019 needs to be submitted online before February 7th. Your membership numbers from this report will be used to determine next year's Per Capita Apportionment, so please make sure your membership numbers are accurate. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Halverson, 414-292-2740. 
SAVE THE DATE
The Ordination and Installation of Amanda Christensen as Minister of the Word and Sacrament will take place on Sunday, February 23rd, at 3:00 p.m. at Good Shepherd Trinity Church.  More information will be forthcoming.

Good Shepherd Trinity Church, 3302 N. Sherman Boulevard, Milwaukee
HAS YOUR CHURCH INCORPORATED?
The advice that our congregations incorporate with the State of Wisconsin continues to be raised among our church leaders.  As a reminder, our Stated Clerk has offered this guidance.  First (Racine) researched its own incorporation history and shares this historical reflection from its archives. 
NEWS FROM THE DENOMINATION
BEHIND THE BULLET WEBINAR  
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program is hosting a webinar TOMORROW, FEBRUARY 6, at 1:00 CST, during which they will discuss the documentary  Behind the Bullet.  The director and some of the subjects of the film will dive deeper into the ways that their involvement with gun violence changed their lives and how their journey of forgiving themselves and forgiving others has shaped them into who they are today. Register for the webinar here.

**It is strongly encouraged that viewrs watch the film prior to the webinar.  It is available on Amazon Prime Video, Youtube, and iTunes, search Behind the Bullet.**
NEW BULLETIN INSERTS  
Do you need help informing your members about how Per Capita giving serve the life of the PC(USA)?  A collection of bulletin inserts are now available and can be customized to serve your congregation's or mid council's needs.  Find the Per Capita resource materials here.
INVITATIONS
WINTER FARMERS MARKET & BRUNCH
Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church will host a Winter Farmers Market & Brunch on Sunday, February 16th, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.  The delicious brunch will include apple pancakes, cheesy scrambled eggs, sausages, oatmeal brulee, yogurt with granola and other toppings, all sourced from local farmers and providers.  Farmers and other vendors will provide a wonderful variety of products for sale.  Find more information about the Farmers Market & Brunch here.

No cost to attend the market.  Suggested donation for brunch: $7 adults / $3 children / free for children under 4.

Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church, 2633 N. 80th Street, Wauwatosa
GATHERING FOR A CAUSE
Saturday, February 29th, from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m., Forest Park Presbyterian Church will host Gathering for a Cause, a night of fantastic food, craft wine & beer tasting, and music to give back to the community.  This years Gathering for a Cause benefits for Redeem and Restore Center, an organization that provides awareness education, outreach services, and care for victims of sex trafficking.

Tickets are $20, $10 for ages 4-20, and free for children under 4.  Admission ticket includes:
5:00-6:00 appetizers
6:00-7:00 dinner
7:00-9:30 desserts, raffle, and music by Rick Pomeroy

Forest Park Presbyterian Church, 2300 S. Sunny Slope Road, New Berlin
BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM & SOUL FOOD LUNCH
Sunday, February 23rd, Christ Presbyterian Church is hosting a Black History Program and luncheon.  The service begins at 10:45 a.m. and will be followed by a luncheon filled with soul food.  Can't make the service?  Still feel free to come enjoy delicious food and wonderful fellowship beginning at 12:30 p.m.

Christ Presbyterian Church, 1930 W. Walnut Street, Milwaukee
FREE PIANO RECITAL BY TIANYUAN LIU
Tianyuan Liu, the winner of the 2018 Piano Arts North American Piano Competition, will preform a free classical piano recital at Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 16, 2020.  Find more information here.

Wauwatosa Presbyterian Church, 2633 N. 80th Street, Wauwatosa
CREATIVE WORSHIP DESIGN RETREAT
Did you miss Dr. Marcia McFee's excellent session during Congregational Vitality Week?  Did you attend, but leaving wanting even more?  You'll want to consider this special retreat for creative worship design.  Immerse yourself in God, nature, and spirit with a retreat for the soul in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Lake Tahoe, May 11-15, 2020. The Elevation Retreat is a full program of ideas to inspire and motivate you-but that includes plenty of free time, too.
WHITE PRIVILEGE CONFERENCE 2020
A professional conference in its twenty-first year, the White Privilege Conference is valuable as a place folks doing antiracism work can deepen their own practice and engage the best in intersectional fields.  Presbyterians have been connecting with one another there for many years.  These are intergenerational conferences with a youth track for middle and high schoolers and spanning to folks in retirement.  Typically, they draw more than 1,800 people (often 2,400+).

The PC(USA) has a discount code for #WPC21 in Mesa, Arizona, April 1-4, 2020.  The code is 20pcusa20 and is good for a 15% discount on conference registration as well as Institutes (daylong pre-events or half-day post event).  Register at the nonprofit rate for the lowest price.  Locals can access an even higher discount if they volunteer wit hthe event.  Volunteers are free for all plenary and workshop times.
MONTREAT YOUTH CONFERENCE 2020
You're invited to the 2020 Montreat Youth Conference! Our youth attend this conference every 3 years, and this is our year, 2020! Dates are July 25-August 2. It is open to current 8th graders through graduating seniors. Please click the link for more information and to register. For questions please contact Pastor Dee Anderson at 414-630-4347.
BRIDGING FAITHS FOR A STRONGER DEMOCRACY
The Wisconsin Council of Churches (WCC) and Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice (WFVJ) are organizing faith communities across the state to encourage voter engagement.  Join them on February 13th from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. for the kick-off event -- an evening of dialogue to explore what civic and democratic engagement means to those gathered, and how that connects to their faith -- at the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee.  The evening will include training on the historical intersection of faith and social justice, and challenges and opportunities for religious organizations to be engaged in the voter education, registration, and Get Out the Vote activities.
The event will be held live in Milwaukee.  Simultaneous facilitated meetings will be held around the state using remote conferencing technology.  More information about the event, including registration information, can be found here.
First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, 1342 N Astor Street, Milwaukee
#TRUTH...OR CONSEQUENCES 
(WE WON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW...)
The Peace and International Issues committee of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee (IFGM) is sponsoring a lecture series addressing the vital importance of a free and independent press in a democracy, and some essential considerations in our pursuit of truth.  
Programs run from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Society on March 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, 2020.  Individual lectures are $20.00; the full series is $75.00.  A simple, buffet-style, primarily vegetarian meal will be provided.
For more information and/or to register click here.
First Unitarian Society, 1342 North Astor Street, Milwaukee
UNLEARNING RACISM: TOOLS FOR ACTION
The YWCA's 6-week course (February 4 - April 14)  Unlearning Racism is now accepting registrations.  The course will occur on 6 Tuesday afternoons from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. at the YWCA Southeast Wisconsin.  Topics include the impact of racism, the roots of racism, manisfestations of racism, understanding whiteness, your role in addressing racism, and taking action against whiteness.
YWCA Southeast Wisconsin, 1915 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Milwaukee, 53212 
MONTREAT MUSIC & WORSHIP CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP
Registration for the annual Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) Music and Worship Conference at Montreat Conference Center is open!  PAM is excited to celebrate their 50th anniversary through this conference.  Early registration rates are good through  February 29 th. For more information about PAM conferences, please visit www.presbymusic.org/montreat. 
PAM also has scholarship money available.  Thanks to a generous grant from the Central Mission Endowment Fund of St. Philip Presbyterian Church in Houston, PAM is delighted to offer more scholarships for our 2020 Worship and Music Conferences at Montreat. These St. Philip/CMEF Scholarships are available to large groups, small groups, and individuals too! In addition to the conference registration fee, these scholarships can cover lodging, meals, and - for large groups - even travel costs! If you would like more information or would like to apply, please visit www.presbymusic.org/montreat-registration and click on Scholarships.
MISSION OPPORTUNITIES
CHURCH OF CENTRAL AFRICA PRESBYTERIAN & THE PC(USA)
Co-written by YAV Emily Teerink, this article explores the partnership of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) and the PC(USA) through God's ministry for health and wellness in Zambia.  The Health Department, created by CCAP's Synod of Zambia with the support of the PC(USA), has strengthened the health of thousands of rural Zambians by building and improving infrastructure, strengthening the health of women and girls, and ensuring availability of preventative medicine and personnel.
HOT LINKS
A Year in Zambia  - YAV Emily Teerink's Blog - Relief and Development
Grapevine - Presbyterian Women's Newsletter
Keeping In Touch  - Newsletter from the Synod of Lakes and Prairies 
Life in the Labyrinth - Inspirational Website by Michelle Henrichs
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance - Current Information
The Sower - Newsletter for the Presbyterian Women in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
University Christian Ministries (UCM) seeks   COOK FOR 2020
FUTURE PRESBYTERY GATHERING DATES

2020 Presbytery Gathering Posters and Bulletin Inserts are available for download and distribution!

  • SATURDAY, May 16, 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. - Carroll University, Waukesha
  • TUESDAY, September 29, 4:00-8:00 p.m. - Apostle Presbyterian Church, West Allis
  • THURSDAY, November 12, 4:00-8:00 p.m. - Covenant Presbyterian Church, Racine 

Presbytery of Milwaukee
414-292-2740
khopta@pbymilwaukee.org
http://www.pbymilwaukee.org