Middleton Community UCC is harvesting their veggies as a part of their Forward Garden outreach. Members of MCC/Community of Hope have been busy harvesting their raspberries, tomatoes and other vegetables in their garden. In addition to members having individual garden plots in Orchard Ridge UCC's garden, part of the garden is designated as a food pantry plot for a local food pantry.

1st Congregational UCC, Platteville, and MCC/Community of Hope UCC have been having Seasons of Creation at the end of summer and into early fall.

1st Congregational UCC, Madison, is having a Conversation on Race and Environment on September 30, 11:30-1:00, to raise awareness of the importance of anti-racism in the outdoors and to challenge concepts that marginalize people in nature and the outdoors.

On September 12 Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison, dedicated their new solar array. They were blessed with the presence of Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, State Rep. Samba Baldeh., a RENEW Wisconsin representative and John Helt from the Conference's Creation Care Group.

As a part of the celebration, young people created solar nightlights from mason jars and solar-powered yard lights.

The Green Team of Memorial UCC, Fitchburg, is endorsing an event at Daycholah Center (formerly Pilgrim Center) on October 7-10. This four-day immersion event on Ho Chunk ancestral lands will offer a Native American perspective on nature and ideas of Creation care.

The Big Read of Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, is Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul, by John Philip Newel. It will focus especially on the three graces of Celtic wisdom for today--nature, the human soul and awakening.

Members of Salem UCC, Verona and Plymouth Congregational UCC, Madison, will be joining with the host church, 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, in the Madison Area CROP Hunger Walk on October 17.

CROP Walks which are being held in Whitewater, Belleville and Baraboo are being joined by our UCC churches there,

In addition to those mentioned in the September Shalom, Salem UCC, Verona, will be studying Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

In addition to those mentioned in the September Shalom, MCC/Community of Hope UCC has suspended indoor worship.

At the end of October, Swiss UCC, New Glarus;, Zwingli UCC, Monticello; and 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, are having Trunk or Treat events, complete with decorated cars, costumed children and, of course, treats.

Pastor Appreciation Day has been celebrated by Zwingli UCC, Monticello, and 1st UCC, Belleville.

The Mission Committee of St. John's UCC, Monroe, is offering yard signs with a message along with their church name and email address to their members.

At the Men's Fellowship of 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, Rev. Jerry Hancock shared his observations about critical race theory (CRT) as it relates to the criminal justice and corrections systems, with which he has long been involved.

The Racial Justice Ministries Movie Nights of McFarland UCC featured Ruby Bridges in September.

Middleton Community UCC's Green Team will show the documentary movie, 2040. Interviewing experts around the world in fields ranging from agriculture to renewable energy, and young children, It explores what the world might be like 20 years from now..

The next Zoom book group meeting of Lake Edge UCC, Madison, will discuss The Road from Coorain, by Jill Ker Conway, a memoir that tells the author's astonishing journey into adulthood.

The fall women's book study of 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, will discuss See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, by Valarie Kaur. How do we love in a time of rage?

The Mind/Body/Spirit mindfulness group of Middleton Community UCC continues to read Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World, by Sharon Salzberg.

In partnership with the Wisconsin Council of Churches and the Interfaith Peace Working Group, 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, is hosting monthly evenings of prayer, song, learning and discussion.

On October 17 St. John's UCC, Monroe, will celebrate hospitality in a Hometown Heroes & Hospitality Sunday service..

Rev. Doug Fauth reflected on how inspiring it was to attend the Sauk County Pride Festival, which included a table with information on 1st Congregational UCC, Baraboo..

The Outreach Ministry of 1st Congregational UCC, Janesville, had a large item pick-up day in their neighborhood.

An October 9 concert by con vivo at 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, will feature music by Johann Sebastian Bach to celebrate his 250th birthday.

Sunday School at Swiss UCC, New Glarus, this fall will feature All Together for their youth group, using long and short versions of Bible stories, and SHINE--Spotlight for the other students.

Picture the Bible, the Sunday School curriculum of 1st UCC, Belleville, invites participants to enter each biblical story through reprints of art collages and conversation pages designed to stir imagination, spark questions and challenge one's understanding in ways that interact with one's own life.

Middleton Community UCC had a Balsams Family Retreat at their campsite in late September.

September worship at McFarland UCC featured an African Drum Circle and a One Love Interfaith service featuring two Shamanic practitioners and healers.

Bright Beginnings, a new day care, is opening at St. John's UCC, Monroe.

Members of 1st Congregational UCC, Madison, serve meals at Luke House once a month.

On September 30 members of McFarland UCC will visit the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Madison.

1st Congregational UCC, Platteville, is compiling a list of volunteers who are willing to provide rides to assist church members and friends, including to appointments and shopping.

Members of Immanuel UCC, Darlington, delivered Meals on Wheels to community persons in August.

On October 27 Lake Edge UCC, Madison, will have their "own" Rev. Dr. Julia Weaver with a practitioner of ancestral witchcraft and Reform Judaism.

1st UCC, Janesville, hosted a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in September.

Middleton Community UCC had an Outdoors Party in September, having fun with lawn games and good food.

MCC/Community of Hope UCC provided to their members with a special opportunity to grieve and lament the year, including the deaths of Madison Christian Community members

Zwingli UCC, Monticello, will have a Blessing of the Animals Service on October 17, recalling Psalm 36:6 ("All people and animals are under your care")

1st Congregational UCC, Janesville, served a free community meal on September 4. The Congregational UCC, Evansville, helps serve the free community meal held in their town.

1st Congregational UCC, Janesville, also has a Little Free Library that provides not only books but also cold weather clothing and dental and toiletry supplies.

The Pasty Ministry of 1st Congregational UCC, Platteville, raised nearly $4,000 for Family Advocates, the domestic violence shelter there.

Two other congregations that provided supplies to their local schools are 1st Congregational UCC, Baraboo, and St. John's UCC, Monroe.

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Rev. Lori Powell will be leaving the Congregational UCC, Edgerton, October 10, and called to Zwingli UCC, Mount Vernon, beginning October 11.

Rev. Kendell Nordstrom will begin serving the Congregational UCC, Edgerton, on October 11.

Rev. Delisa Buckingham-Taylor left Grace UCC, Fort Atkinson, September 5.

Rev. Dr. Tom Robinson (PCUSA) began serving as Intentional Interim with Salem UCC, Verona, on August 16..

The Conference is having an Immigration Justice Update Workshop on Thursday, September 30, 6:30-8:00 p.m. It will include an update on the fast-changing situation of Afghan refugees who recently arrived in Wisconsin, and offer ideas on how your congregation could get more involved in immigration justice works, e.g. sponsoring an asylum-seeking family. It is moderated by Tom Ludwig, a member of the McFarland UCC. Register now to hold your place.

And a reminder: There is an Immigration Worship Liturgy available from the Conference here.

Three of our congregations--St. John's UCC, Monroe; Immanuel UCC, Darlington; and 1st UCC, Belleville--are partnering with Team Rubicon to collect items for the Afghan refugees at Volk Field and Fort McCoy.

1st Congregational UCC, Madison, is having a jack-o-lantern sale to raise funds for Open Doors for Refugees.

MCC/Community of Hope UCC alerted its members on how to help these refugees through the Dane Sanctuary Coalition.

MCC/Community of Hope and Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, are reading and discussing Separated: Inside an American Tragedy, by Jacob Soboroff, about the child separation policy at the southern border.

Orchard Ridge UCC, Madison, received an offering for the Community Immigration Law Center in Madison, which provides legal representation, free legal clinics and more.

Bryan Sirchio. the pastor of the McFarland UCC, who has been involved with the suffering people of Haiti for 30 years. reflects on people asking about the Haitian refugees. Read his remarks here.

Read about this and sign up here.

The Wisconsin Council of Churches is inviting congregations to consider adopting Messy Church, a way of being church for families and others. A few of our congregations have used this approach. There will be a Messy Day of Training on October 23.

A Christ- and Bible-centered approach, it combines creativity and hospitality to celebrate the our messy lives.

Here is more information about this opportunity.

A United Church of Christ webinar on October 13, 12:00 p.m., will provide a history lesson: How the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit redefined the nature of the environmental movement. It was hosted and organized by the UCC's Commission for Racial Justice in 1991.. Register here.

Recognizing that during these challenging times of virtual worship, words from songs as well as quotes from prayer books and other elements of the liturgy are being used heavily by congregations, the Conference held an informational event regarding copyright laws on September 29, at 1:00. Regrettably, it was not possible to send out this issue of Shalom prior to that event.

Associate Conference Minister:  

Moderator: 

Vice-Moderator:

Secretary:

Treasurer:

Division on Church & Ministry: 

Social Concerns Committee: 

Shalom Editor:

swacommunications@gmail.com