WI Conference Weekly ENews - June 22, 2022

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Annual Conference 2022 Ingathering Results

Annual Conference took place from June 10-13, 2022 in at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. The Wisconsin Conference will be releasing a Special Edition Newsletter with all Annual Conference Highlights later this week- stay tuned! Here are the 2022 Ingathering Collection Results:

New Life UMC in Seymour/Cicero Receives Groat Grant

New Life UMC in Seymour/Cicero was fortunate to be a recipient of a Groat Rural Ministry Grant in 2021. The funds were used for a technology upgrade to allow the church to more easily stream worship services and to add sound proofing panels to the sanctuary. 
 

We greatly appreciate the support for our project!

Storm Damage at UMC WI Camps: Stories Of Faith, Safety, Resilience, And Hard Work At Our Camps

Both of our Conference Camps were hit hard by the storms which ripped through Wisconsin June 15th. Tornadoes and high winds of at least 80 mph tore through forests and communities, uprooting trees and taking down hundreds of power lines. At Lake Lucerne and Pine Lake, whole stands of trees were torn or toppled, electricity was out and the rains came hard and heavy. Even in the storms, God was present and visible in the spirits of the campers and staff and helpers. 

The camps are ready to receive help with clearing the trees. They will need chainsaw crews for the next year. There is an immediate need for rake and wheelbarrow crews to clean up the small stuff. Please contact site directors, Nick Coenen and Tanner Clark for more information. Please bring your own food and water with you as they are not set up to provide meals for everyone.

All the campers and leaders sheltered safely (at Lake Lucerne, in the downstairs dining hall and at Pine Lake, in the lower level of the Retreat Center). Even with no electricity, they turned on their flashlights, sang, worshiped together, told stories, supported each other. They emerged from their safe shelter to witness the astounding devastation of trees blocking their way and branches everywhere. And yet, God’s presence was experienced through the night. Read More
View Photos of Camp after Storm

WI Conference Finance Information:
IRS Increases Mileage Reimbursement Rate 

Our Conference Statistician, Don Cramer, prepared a video summarizing the results of the 2021 statistics.  Here’s a link.  Don and his wife Rebecca welcomed a new United Methodist member, son Leander Donald Cramer,  to this world on Saturday, June 11.  Per Don, “based on his lungs, I’d say he’ll be a great choir member”. 

If you would like to see the Treasurer report from the Annual Conference, you can view the Power point presentation from Friday evening here. Click here to watch the video of the budget presentation. The report includes:  2021 Statistical Information, 2021 financial results and the 2023 budget which was approved by the Conference.  Please contact Sarah Sneider if you have any questions. 

Inquiring Candidates Retreat- July 2022

Do you know someone who is feeling called into ministry? Maybe you are feeling called, but don’t know where to begin.

The Inquiring Candidates Retreat is the starting place to exploring ministry in the United Methodist Church in Wisconsin. Participants will be offered time in community conversation, prayer and individual discernment about the call to ministry God is prompting in their lives. At the end of the retreat participants will know the next steps to pursue ministry in the UMC in WI. The retreat will be at Pine Lake on Friday, July 29 (evening) through Sunday, July 31 (morning).

Cost of this retreat is $75.00. Scholarships are available.

To register please contact Rev. Ty Hines, Coordinator of Clergy Credentialing and Vocational Discernment at bordmin@wisconsinumc.org. When registering, please indicate if you will need special accommodations or translation.

UM Children's Services Community Block Party

United Methodist Children's Services is holding a Community Block Party on Friday, June 24, 2022 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at UMCS Campus, 3940 West Lisbon Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53208. All are invited and the event is free to attend but space is limited so please RSVP Here!

UM Religion & Race: Racial Justice Prayer & Action Challenge Has Begun- Sign Up Today!

The Racial Justice Prayer & Action Challenge has begun but it's not too late to join! There are a few things you can do to participate:

• Sign up as a participant on the Racial Justice Prayer & Action Challenge web page.
• Share the prayers posted daily on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
• Use the downloadable prayers and litanies in your church services.
• Join our private Facebook group for participants and swap ideas and encouragement.
• Use our hashtag (#prayforracialjustice) when posting or sharing content related to the challenge.

Thank you for your support and we hope that you'll join us in this time of prayer and action.
Join the Racial Justice Prayer & Action Challenge

Celebrate Social Media With New Resources From UMComm 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — United Methodist Communications will celebrate Social Media Day on June 30 by highlighting the many resources the agency provides to help churches maximize their social media potential. A live learning session at noon U.S. Central time June 30 will offer tips for using Facebook Groups, with a Q&A session to follow on the agency's Facebook page. 
Read press release
Learn more about training
See Social Media Day resources

UM Global Ministries- Applications Are NOW OPEN For 2022 Mustard Seed Migration Grants

Every day, thousands of people flee their homes in search of a better life for their families.  Mustard Seed Migration Grants, inspired by the well-known parable, are available to provide up to 50 congregations in the United States with up to $2,000 in funding to support one-time, community-based projects that assist refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented persons and migrants of all types. Applications will be accepted at any time prior to the September 1, 2022 deadline, and will be reviewed and processed within a month of receipt. Churches receiving grants in 2021 are not eligible for the 2022 program (review 2021 list here).  We invite you to share news about the 2022 program with your conference. For information on the application process, including selection criteria, please visit here.

Share Your Story!

We are called to share the good news in all the ways we can. Sharing your stories is way for us to be in community together. Every church has a story to tell and we want to hear about them and what is happening in the life of your church.  We want to hear from churches around our conference so if you have a story that you would like included in an upcoming ENews please use the link below and fill out the form.  We would love to have pictures to accompany the story! Submit story here

Share Your Event!

We're looking for events that celebrate local church communities across the state. Help us spread the word about your upcoming event by sharing it with us here!  Please be sure that your submission provides complete details. Subject to our editorial review, we will add your event to our Events Calendar and share it in the weekly Enews. Submit your event here 

Midwest Mission Distribution Center- Ukraine Shipment No. 4 Out Today. Need Remains High- You Can Help!

We are grateful for your generous gifts of time, talents and financial resources as we continue to help the people of Ukraine. The journey they have before them is a long and arduous one. Today Operations Manager Brad Walton and Operations Specialist Ramon Ortiz loaded a 53-ft. semi trailer with a plethora of supplies and rice meal bags. The request came from North Star Foundation, Cranston, RI. Brad said this shipment will be combined with others coming into North Star to fill three containers in total...all going to Ukraine.

The portion from Midwest Mission includes items from several of our partners. The St. Louis VA Medical Center-Jefferson Barracks provided 13,680 cases of BD catheter sets, 123,000 exam gloves, 3,050 patient gowns, 48,000 masks, 768 sterilization wraps, and 1,227 fingertip pulse oximeters. The Illinois Baptist Association gifted 480,000 food service gloves, 2,940 bottles of hand soap, and 3,324 baby wipes. Hello Products donated 40,096 toothpaste tablets. The Iowa Conference provided much needed pairs of fireman's boots and the Northern Illinois Conference provided blankets. Plus,9,600 rice meals were included!

Midwest Mission asks for your help in supplying:

Men's Socks 
Rain Ponchos 
Adult Underwear 
You can send all - NEW ONLY - items to us at 1001 Mission Drive Pawnee, IL 62558. Donations must be received at Midwest Mission, no later than July 22! Or you can donate by texting UKRAINE to: 855-589-1314 or go online and donate at: UKRAINE

Join Global Ministries For A #STILLINMISSION conversation:
June 23, 12 p.m.

Each month, we invite four missionaries to be in conversation with laity and clergy throughout the church to share the joys and challenges they’ve experienced. On June 23, at 12 p.m. ET, we will have a “table talk” with four missionaries in the Africa Region who will discuss the joys and challenges of being a woman in mission. Some of the topics will include families in mission, adapting to the local communities and practicing self-care. Register here.

Methodist Help Ukrainian Refugees In Tijuana

TIJUANA, Mexico (UM News) — The Methodist Church of Mexico is responding to a surge in immigrants from Ukraine who have been displaced by war and are seeking asylum in the United States. The Methodist Church of Mexico A.R., together with other churches, civil organizations and the support of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, is providing food and other aid. The Rev. Gustavo Vasquez has the story.
Read Story

UM Religion & Race:  Welcoming People Of Color To Affirming Congregations

In honor of Pride Month we recently released a new resource featuring a video component, discussion questions, and more. Check it out!
Read More

GCFA: Electronic Verification and the UMC Group Tax Exemption Ruling

• Eliminate extra time and labor and get on your way to maximizing your ministry dollars sooner.
• Learn more about Electronic Verification, how it can affect your ministry and its mission opportunities, and potential solutions!

Summit Youth Academy Nominations Due Soon

Nominations are due this week for youth who plan to attend the Summit Youth Academy at Southwestern College. After two years of pandemic-necessitated accommodations, the Summit will be returning to the Winfield campus Sunday through Saturday, July 10-16. 

Youth who will be juniors or seniors in high school are encouraged to apply by Friday, June 24. In addition, pastors, youth leaders, or other adults may nominate youth for this experience. This week is constructed for young persons who may be searching for God's leading in their lives. 

Application and nomination information is available at https://summityouthacademy.org/apply-2/. 

Church Fuel Provides Free Resource For Pastor's- "The Pastor's Planner"

There’s a resource in the Church Fuel store that I wanted to make available to you at NO COST. It’s called The Pastor’s Planner and here’s the product description:

An insanely practical PDF, with one printable page for each week of the year, to help you plan every week with purpose. This resource will help you prioritize the most important actions, keep you focused on the most important people, and help you remember what’s coming up.

The Pastor’s Planner is one of Church Fuel’s best-selling resources and it’s normally $37. But if you go to this page and use the code JASON at check out, you’ll get it at no cost.