Southeast Association
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May the fire of Pentecost burn in our hearts!
This prayer was shared by the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee

Our Interfaith community mourns the death of George Floyd, we pray for his family, and we long for healing for the community in Minneapolis. We are sure that George’s name will be remembered by nearly all faith communities in memoriam. However, with that understood, we also know that we can not simply exist in states of mourning, prayer, and longing for betterment. Our calling is to put our faith into action and to be prophetic in both encouragement and denouncement.
This will require spiritual honesty. This will require genuine empathy to see a stranger the same way we see a friend. This will require a compassionate soul to not be offended by the truth of another simply because it doesn’t align with our own. This will require courage to be inconvenienced and maybe even alienated by those we may call friends and family. This will require every moment to be a learning and growing moment. This will require a commitment to action that stands up and denounces forces that invade the innate dignity of the individual, the family, and this society. 
It is all too easy for the psyche to otherize a person based on physical and perceptual differences in dress, class, race, gender, actions, etc. Biologically, we were built to identify threats as the out-group. However, spiritually we are meant to challenge this limiting biological predisposition. When are meant to get to a deeper existence in which genuine faith overrides the habit mind to the point that there is no longer a stranger and the degradation of another becomes so repulsive that it eats away at our own human spirit. And at this point, we will be living out our faith.     
-Pardeep Singh Kaleka    
The Cross and the Lynching Tree:
A Requiem for Ahmaud Arbery
On February 23, 2020 Ahmaud Arbery, 25, left home and went for a jog. During his run, two white men follow Ahmaud, confront him with a loaded shot gun, assume he’s a suspected criminal, and within minutes of their encounter, according to the recorded video three shots are fired. Amhaud falls to the ground and dies.

“Racism is a virus. It infects the spirit.” (The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III)

View the powerful Sermon and conversation with key leaders in the UCC about the reality of race in our nation.

Top 10 Reasons to Attend the 2020 Online Conference Annual Meeting

Healing Our Earthly Home
Saturday, June 6, 8:30 a.m. - Noon

 
#10 - Be inspired with a keynote address by Tia Nelson, internationally-recognized champion for environmental stewardship, and daughter of Wisconsin's own Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day.

#9 - Be energized by the exciting and crucial Church-wide initiative, Kairos Call to Action, and hear about the opportunities to learn and get involved that will roll out throughout 2020.

#8 - Participate in the business of the Wisconsin Conference - Annual budget, Conference Bylaws revisions, Nominations.

#7 - Hear highlights of Conference life from our Conference Minister, the Rev. Franz Rigert.

#6 - Worship together (virtually), featuring a message from Marlon WhiteEagle, Ho-Chunk Nation President.

#5 - Celebrate the retirement of a very special Wisconsin Conference staff person.

#4 - Visitors are welcome.

#3 - It's free!

#2 - You don't have to travel or dress fancy. Only the presenters will be on screen, so come as you are.

And the #1 reason to attend Annual Meeting . . . No hard chairs to sit on for hours! Enjoy from the comfort of your favorite chair. (We do, however, apologize that there will be no ice cream bar.)

Once you register, we will email the meeting booklet, including materials for the Conference business items to be voted on.
 
Ministers, delegates and visitors --  please register now  for the June 6th meeting! 
 
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Creation Care Worship
In conjunction with our 2020 Annual Meeting theme, Healing Our Earthly Home, the Conference Creation Care Team has recorded a wonderful  worship service  available for your use on Sunday, June 7th (or whenever it best fits your worship schedule). The music and prayers, children's time, and message delivered by the Rev. John Helt are all excellent!

Quick Links

Newsletter submissions
are due the first and third Wednesday of the month.
Send pulpit supply updates to  Terri Allen .

Mission Team Grants
Conference Meeting Information
Communications Manager
The Administrative Team is seeking a Communications Manager. This person would produce the electronic newsletter twice a month with articles submitted via email. They will also update the website as needed . This is a part time position with a paid stipend per month. Familiarity with Constant Contact and Wordpress are a plus, but not necessary. This is perfect for someone who wants to support the ministry and mission of the Association but isn't able to attend meetings. If you are interested please contact Mary Jane Huber at the email address below.
Changing Lives Mission Grants are AVAILABLE

The Mission Team of the Southeast Association Wisconsin Conference is offering grants of up to $250 for programs/projects related to the UCC Three Great Loves campaign (Love of Neighbor, Love of Children, Love of Creation). This could include mission outreach programs or projects connected to a congregation’s local community; congregations engaged in conversations about race and privilege, including the Doctrine of Discovery; and/or congregations engaged in creation care. This grant can be either for a current program/project or a startup program/project. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and are reviewed at our bi-monthly committee meetings. Congregations may apply for more than one grant. Grantees are encouraged to submit an article to the SEA Currents describing each program for which they receive a grant. For more information or to download the application see the  Changing Lives Grant Application  or  click here  for the online application. Past grant recipients may apply again this year.

Wisconsin Conference Newsletter

if you are not already receiving the newsletter from the Conference office,
Southeast Wisconsin Association UCC
Moderator:  Rev. Mary Jane Huber  pastormaryjane1@gmail.com
Vice Moderator: Mr. Mike Mallwitz mikemallwitz@wi.rr.com
Newsletter Editor: OPEN sewaucc@gmail.com