The latest news for you

From Rachel Yates, Presbytery Executive

TIMING

As we begin to huddle against the cold and snip down the dead flower heads from our gardens, I am so thankful for the leaves. The leaves that continue to fall even as I’m raking. The leaves that clog my gutters. The leaves that cling to the bottom of my shoes, so they can find their way indoors. Their colors astonish me and provoke joy, even though they are harbingers of the winter freeze.

They follow a pattern of...(read more)

Presbytery Pulse

for TOMORROW'S Presbytery Gathering!

The Presbytery Gathering will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Zoom. You must register to receive the Zoom link.

Download the November 18 Meeting Papers

CALL TO PRAYER

Please set aside time this weekend to pray for our partners in Dangme-Tongu Presbytery, as they celebrate the life of Rev. Samuel Atteh Odelua, a leader who visited Milwaukee Presbytery. The presbytery has also experienced the passing of two other pastors in the past month. We grieve with them.

ATTENTION ALL HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH!

Do you like having fun? Do you like hanging out with other people your age? Are you interested in exploring your faith with other people your age? If so, then you should join other High Schoolers from your congregation and The Presbytery of Milwaukee on a 4 day trip as we join with several thousand other Presbyterian High Schoolers having fun and exploring their faith at Presbyterian Youth Triennium! This event is exclusively for High School aged youth and only occurs every 3 years, so don't pass up this "once in a lifetime" opportunity!

Adults, if you would like to have someone come and talk to your youth about Presbyterian Youth Triennium, please reach out to anyone on the organizing committee and we'll make arrangements.

Location: Indianapolis Convention Center

Dates: July 24-27, 2022

Who can go: All youth who will have completed their freshman year spring 2022, those who will graduate High School in spring 2022, and anyone between those two milestones.

Cost: Approximately $650 we encourage congregations to split the cost 50/50 with their youth

Registration Deadline: Jan 31st, 2022

Your PYT organizing committee: Andy Holmes, Teresa Larson, Fiona Nicolaisen, and Lee Tan

Matthew 25: Lord, when did I see you...

THE COST OF HOME

In this three part mini-documentary, Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity examines the power and accessibility to homeownership in our city with renowned local historian Reggie Jackson. In part 1, “The Cost of Home,” we dive into Milwaukee’s affordable housing crisis and how it came to be. Narrated by Wisconsin Poet Laureate, Dasha Kelly Hamilton.

AFGHANISTAN: WHAT DID WE ACHIEVE? WHAT IS THE STATUS OF WOMEN? WHAT ABOUT THE EVACUEES AND WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

Join the Wisconsin Council of Churches and the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee for Afghanistan: What did we achieve? What is the Status of Women? What about the Evacuees and What does the Future Hold? on November 23rd at 2:00pm. This is part of the WCC series equipping Churches to welcome refugees to Wisconsin. In this hour-long webinar, learn about the history and culture of Afghanistan.

ASSISTING WITH AFGHAN ASYLUM SEEKERS

Close to home, we are partnering with the Wisconsin Council of Churches to organize aid for Phase I of the effort – assisting people housed at Fort McCoy. Right now, the greatest need is coordination of the effort because many groups are doing different or duplicative things, without a structure in place to move donations where they need to go. If you or your congregation has an interest in supporting Phase I of the resettlement effort, please let Chris Halverson know. We anticipate needing hundreds of volunteers every day to assist in sorting donations or provide other support, but the structures are not in place to do this well right now. One specific need is: Are you aware of friends of the church in Madison, Milwaukee, Appleton, or Green Bay who might have a large warehouse which could be used to store quantities of donated household goods until they are needed? Please remember when you think about the space, that we are talking about items for 900 people across the state.

Also on the front lines in the effort, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is partnering with Church World Service to educate people on how they can become involved in resettlement work. One of those will be a PC(USA) Matthew 25 event at 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Nov. 17. Click here to register for Matthew 25–Refugees and Immigration. “We will be hosting a conversation with a couple of local refugee ministries, including one focused on the Afghan arrivals,” PDA’s Susan Krehbiel said. “As in other Matthew 25 events, this will be an opportunity to hear about two very different types of ministries while also reflecting on how the welcoming of refugees is one expression of living out the Matthew 25 commitment. Click here to learn more about the Presbyterian response to Afghan refugees.

From the Denomination

SOME DETALIS YOU MIGHT BE OVERLOOKING -- A MESSAGE TO SHARE, FROM LEGAL SERVICES

The Office of Legal & Risk Management Services does not represent congregations, sessions, presbyteries, or synods, but gets questions from them and interacts with them in various ways. Our office repeatedly sees some of the same issues arise annually and has compiled a list of issues that we thought worth sharing so that councils might add them to their annual “to do” list. This information is not legal advice; it is merely information and guidance. To get legal advice on any of the issues, please contact your local attorney.

REGARDING RULING ELDERS

Leaders Wonder

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

Have Some Fun In '21!

ENJOY THE PRESBYTERY'S DIGITAL ADVENT CALENDAR

Beginning December 1st you can find and enjoy the digital advent calendar made by the Presbytery staff on the Presbytery homepage. The calendar has days from December 1-24 with fun videos and images for you to enjoy everyday as we journey toward Christmas.

Invitations

ADVENT RESOURCES FROM WCC

As we move into the Advent Season, the Wisconsin Council of Churches has resources available to help your church prepare. Written by Pastor Kellen Roggenbuck, pastor at Immanuel UMC in Jefferson, WI these resources can help you with your last-minute planning.

5 Ways to Build Community During a Pandemic Advent
Advent Sermon Series with Themes, Scriptures, and graphic

ADVENT EVENING PRAYER

All are invited to join Southminster Presbyterian Church, Waukesha, on December 8 and 22 at 6:30 p.m. for a vespers service. Vespers, also called Evening Prayer, takes place in Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Reformed, and Anglican traditions, giving thanks for the day and making an evening sacrifice of praise to God.

Holden Evening Prayer was written by Marty Haugen during the winter of 1986, while he was at Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat center, in the North Cascade mountains of Washington state. It is an exquisite setting of the Evening Prayer, featuring congregational singing, soloists, and instrumental music.

During the introspective season of Advent, as light leaves the physical world, take an evening to prepare to welcome the Light of the World.

Mission Opportunities