WI Conference Weekly ENews - August 30, 2023

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Two Sewing Machines Arrive To The Fronteras Del Sur District
Partnership with The Bolivia Evangelical Church  
 

The good news is here! On August 15th, two sewing  machines were delivered to the Fronteras Del Sur district, which is located on the border with Argentina within Modesto Omiste Villason Province, Potosí department.

The District "Fronteras del Sur" Fefeme National extends its gratitude to the Wisconsin Conference:

Our gratitude goes out to the Wisconsin Conference for supporting the women in Bolivia who are in need across all districts of the Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia. Click here to watch a video of our Bolivia Sisters thanking the WI Conference 

If you have any questions, contact Rev. Anita Lang at anitalang130@gmail.com.

Boy Scout Facilities Use Agreement or Affiliation Agreement – UPDATED

A United Methodist Church Relationship Committee worked with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to develop 2 paths a church can use to help support the goals of 1) protect and support youth and 2) keep the church safe to minister.  Legal, insurance and ministry members worked on the team. The two paths are:

1. Facilities Use Agreement
2. Affiliation Agreement

There are several changes based upon comments from Churches and Boy Scout Councils. The concerns were addressed in the updated agreements. Please click here to get the updated agreements and keep this link as a resource. 

Back To School Prayer

Please join us in praying for all returning to school. 

God of wisdom, We praise you for the wonder of our world and give thanks for our whole being—mind, body, and spirit. 

As we begin a new school year we pause to ask for a blessing upon our faithful and caring staff, teachers, and administrators. Give them grace and strength for the race ahead.

For our beautiful children-- each precious and powerful-- give them safety to learn freely, curiosity for knowledge, compassion in the classroom, and the unfettered laughter of delight.

For our parents, caregivers, and neighbors we ask for support and zeal. May our passion for the least of these be a blanket of blessing for our schools and a patchwork quilt of love for our world.

Guide us, great Teacher. Amen.

A Service Celebrating the Appointment of North West District Superintendent, Rev. PyungAhn "Peace" Kim
Saturday, September 16, 10 AM, First UMC, Barron, WI

The North West District Committee on Superintendency cordially invites you to a time of worship and a reception celebrating the appointment of Pastor Peace Kim as our new District Superintendent. Please join us on Saturday, September 16 at Barron First United Methodist Church, located at 154 Memorial Drive in Barron. Worship will begin at 10:00 a.m., with a reception and luncheon to follow. An offering will be collected to support both the Peace with Justice Special Offering and the World Communion Special Offering. We are delighted to welcome Pastor Peace Kim, and we are already being blessed by the God-given gifts he brings to the North West District!

UMCS 60th Anniversary Open House
Thursday, September 21, 2023, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Our 60th Anniversary Open House will be a joyful gathering of friends, supporters, and well-wishers, where we can reflect on our remarkable journey and express our gratitude for the continued support that has propelled us forward throughout the years. It will be an evening filled with nostalgia, camaraderie, and a glimpse into our future endeavors.

UMCS can't celebrate this tremendous milestone without having our long-time supporters around us to celebrate the old and new successes. Please bring a friend (or two, or three!) to introduce them to the work UMCS is doing within Washington Park alongside this wonderful community.

For questions, please call our main line at 414-344-1818. Click here to RSVP for this event! 

Are You Missing A Robe And Handmade Stole?

A white robe and handmade stole were left after Annual Conference 2023. If you are missing your robe and stole, please contact Rev. Ty Hines at bordmin@wisconsinumc.org

North East District Circuit 10 Celebrates 11th Annual Golf Benefit
By Ben Morris, Appleton: Emmanuel UMC

On August 16th, North East District Circuit 10 celebrated its 11th annual Golf Benefit for the Senegal United Methodist Church. The event raised $6,100 to support the Women’s Sewing Center, Children’s Nutrition Program, and ministry of the clergy in Senegal.

The golf outing was founded by Pastor Tony Fuller and First United Methodist Church Neenah-Menasha. Since 2019 it has been under the care of Appleton: Emmanuel. Lay persons Kurt and Shiela Shook offer significant leadership each year scheduling the event, contacting the circuit churches, and securing prizes.

Despite losing two churches to disaffiliation, this year’s outing exceeded participation and fundraising in 2022. Forty-four golfers played in the best ball tournament. Five others from the Circuit joined the golfers for lunch and a time of fellowship. An update on the Senegal ministry was provided during the lunch by Pastor Fuller and Bill Gibson, who served as a missionary to Senegal with his wife Gwen.

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 To Our Calendar!

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 

Leaders, Scholars Confront Racism In The Church
UM News

It’s the first sermon by a new pastor at the church. She is not Caucasian.

“What did you think of our new pastor?” one congregation member asks another. 

The reply: “Well, actually, I don't know what I think, because I couldn't understand a single word she said.” When it’s pointed out that the words of the sermon were projected onto a screen, the retort is sharp: “I didn't come to church to read manuscripts! I came to hear a sermon!”

The conversation — in this case about an Asian pastor — continues to go downhill from there. But this time, the conflict isn’t real. It is an exercise held during the June 9-12 Wisconsin Annual Conference using theater to get a discussion going about racial attitudes in The United Methodist Church.
Read more here

How Will You Participate in Midwest Mission Serving Sunday?
Learn more at midwestmission.org/mmsunday

FIVE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED ON SEPTEMBER 17:

1. Assemble Kits- Choose a kit to assemble, gather supplies, and make kits together!  See our Kit List here.
2. Host a Supply Drive- We are always in need of items for kits, medical supplies such as canes, crutches, and wheelchairs, fire gear, and more. To see more about what items we collect, click here. 
3. Sew, Crochet, or Knit Handmade Items- Sewing or craft groups are a great way to connect people, and several of our Kits require handmade items. To see patterns and instructions for handmade items, click here. 
4. Weave Sleeping Mats- Midwest Mission's newest project is making Sleeping Mats out of grocery bags using a loom. Click here to learn more about the Sleeping Mat project and about getting a loom.
5. Pack Rice Meals Join us at a Rice Meal Packing Event at these locations:

·     September 16 — Webster City, IA starts at 10:00am

·     September 16 — Memorial UMC, Terre Haute, IN 11:00am-3:00pm

·     September 17 — Asbury UMC, Sioux Falls, SD Time TBD

·     September 17 — Avon UMC, Avon, IN 5:00pm-7:00pm

·     September 17 — Midwest Mission, Pawnee, IL 1:00pm-4:00pm

·     September 17 — Midwest Mission, Jefferson, IA 1:00pm-4:00pm

No registration required. This is a great event to bring friends, family, and those who might not know Jesus personally!

Voices From the Field: "Offering Shelters of Hope" 
Sept. 19 at 4 pm ET/ Virtual via Zoom
Presented by United Women in Faith

In 2022, there was a shortage of 7.3 million affordable rental homes for individuals and families with extremely low incomes in the U.S.  Women and children are disproportionately impacted by the current housing crisis.

Join us on September 19, 2023, at 4 pm ET

to learn how some of the National Mission Institutions are addressing this critical need by providing stable, transitional and permanent housing solutions for women and their children. Register Now

Hopeful Futures: When Congregational Endings are New Beginnings 
Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 2PM CST
Wisconsin Council of Churches

What’s next for my congregation? It’s time to go from “quiet wondering” about the future to exploring the possibilities. Congregations in numerical decline can have conversations about their trajectory without shame or stigma. When we view congregational endings in light of Christ’s death and resurrection, we can open ourselves to new beginnings. We can cultivate hope and trust in what God may be doing. This webinar is ideal for clergy and laity who think closure, merger, or other major changes could be in their congregation’s future — even if it feels like 15-20 years down the line. Participants will be equipped for faithful conversations that make space for holy imagination about congregational futures.  

The webinar will be led by Rev. Diane Kenaston (she/her), a clergy coach and co-founder of the Good Friday Collaborative, an ecumenical ministry supporting congregational leaders whose churches are faithfully concluding existing ministry. Register here

Join Faith Talks Podcast LIVE on Prayer
September 7, 2 PM ET, United Women in Faith

The Bible shares with us in Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” This is so clear and yet, leading with prayer is not always our first instinct. Prayer is a tool and resource for women and people of faith in general.

Please join for a moving discussion on prayer with Sophia Kristina Agtarap, deaconess, equity and inclusion champion, and Rev. Dionne P. Boissière, first African American chaplain of the Church Center for the United Nations, on Thursday, September 7 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Click here to register