WI Conference Weekly ENews - January 20, 2022

1/20/2022 - Conference News
Conference News

 

 

Anti-Racism Task Force Training Event

Reconciled Churches: Models of Cultural Competency examines the practical activities and practices church congregations can engage in to reconcile broken relations caused by intercultural conflict so that their congregational settings can produce atmospheres in which attitudes of tolerance and intercultural sensitivity prevail over tendencies toward prejudice and bias against other persons or social groups.

When: Tuesday, January 25, 2022, from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon

Where: on ZOOM:  1st hour training, 2nd hour application

Registered persons will be sent the ZOOM link by e-mail. There is no charge for participation.

Persons who register but are unable to attend the ZOOM training will be provided access to a recording of the event to facilitate their participation.

Remember to answer the evaluation questions on the registration form.

Please register here: https://na.eventscloud.com/rc2022

 

Principe de Paz Member, Karla Arzate, is Kenoshan of the Week

When Karla Arzate moved to Kenosha from Mexico (Monclova, Coahuila) in 1989, Principe de Paz, one of three congregations at Immanuel United Methodist Church, adopted her family during Christmas.

That gesture of kindness was not forgotten. Karla was chosen as Kenoshan of the week by Kenosha.com in part because of the way she and her family give back to their community and church. Through her business and her church, Karla Arzate has made an enormous impact on her community.

“I’m a spiritual person,” Arzate said. “I saw the help that they gave us when we first arrived in the U.S. and I’m grateful. That’s one of the reasons why as a family we started adopting a family every year. Our kids look forward to that.” Read more

Wisconsin Conference Highlighted in UM News 

Rev. Thomas E. Kim recently wrote an article highlighting the work the Wisconsin Conference is doing to give life to declining Korean churches.  In his article he showcases the relationship between Immanuel UMC, Kenosha Korean UMC and Principe de Paz churches who all share a building and facilities.  It is a wonderful story that celebrates the ministry and work being done in our conference.  Read the full article here. Photo by Rev. Peter Daekyu Lee

 

Bishop's Convocation of Laity Leadership 2022

Online Event via Zoom
Saturday, February 12, 2022
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
All are invited to join us in connecting with our Conference Lay Leadership. Please invite others in your congregations to join us!
Bishop Jung has asked all participants to have read John Wesley’s sermon “The Unity of the Divine Being”.
Registration deadline is February 11, 2022, at noon.
Sponsored by the Conference Board of Laity. For questions about the event, contact Ben Brancel at brancelangus@gmail.com. No cost to join the event but you need to be registered.  Register here:  https://wisconsin-reg.brtapp.com/LaityConvo2022

Wisconsin Conference UMW Mission u 2022

Building Communities of Hope and Joy - COMMUNITY is God’s desire for us!  Join us at Mission u 2022 as we reflect on the community that Jesus is calling us to be! The newly designed Mission u 2022 is more flexible than ever.  You may choose to do an In Person class or a Zoom class.  Read More

 

Wisconsin Conference Workshop,  “Leading the Church through the Pandemic World”

April 30, 10:00-3:00 pm, In-Person and Zoom
 
What kind of church are you planning to be moving through the pandemic world?  Bring your team of leaders and come experience this interactive workshop where you will create a Ministry Action Plan (MAP) to enact the needed game changing leadership strategies in your church.
 
Leader:  Kay Kotan, author of  “Being the Church in a Post Pandemic World”.  Other books include:  “Mission Possible”,  “Strategy Matters”  and “Impact!  Reclaiming the Call of Lay Ministry”. Kay Kotan is known throughout the country for her coaching, consulting, training and workshop! For more information and to register please click here.

The Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation Presents
the Super Bowl of Stewardship
What’s your stewardship game plan? Attend the Super Bowl of Stewardship to make the right calls! 
February 12, 2022

Workshops include:

  • The Purpose of a Stewardship Plan
  • We Aren’t Broke - Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry*
  • Small Group Breakout Sessions**

Host: Algoma Boulevard United Methodist Church; 1174 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh, WI 54901
Who will benefit: Pastors, Finance Teams, Stewardship Teams, Lay Leaders, Council Members, Accountable Leadership Boards. 
Price: $20 per person, $50 for 3 or more from same church. Includes lunch and materials.
Register at wumf.org by February 5, 2022.
Sponsored by the Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation. For questions visit wumf.org or call 1-888-903-9863. 
*Register by January 31st to receive a copy of this new book by Rev. Mark Elsdon https://www.melsdon.com/
**Agenda of workshops: Visit: wumf.org

 

Denomination News

Central Conference bishops appalled by WCA on vaccine offers

The leadership of the Central Conference bishops of The United Methodist Church is appalled by the action of the Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA) to assist some United Methodists, mostly in Africa, with getting COVID-19 vaccinations for the sole purpose of making sure that those United Methodists who are delegates to the postponed General Conference would be able to travel to the United States.

The entire process, the bishops said, has all the marks of colonialism which African countries went through some years ago. “The tactics of divide-and-conquer have created chaos and division on the African continent and should not be allowed in our churches. ... We people called United Methodists from the Central conferences promote unity and we treasure our connectional spirit but we deplore any form of colonialism.” Read More

The Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is standing with the statement from the Central Conference bishops concerning the WCA’s plan for distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to General Conference delegates in Africa. 

In a brief statement released today, the Executive Committee said: “We stand with our Central Conference colleagues and urge all to read their letter and hear the concerns. These matters impact the entire church and undermine the integrity of the work of the General Conference delegates. We are grateful for the leadership of our Central Conference colleagues.”
 

Mission News

Bolivia Motorcycle Mission Project Update!

We say THANK YOU! to our Bishop Hee-Soo Jung  and to you ALL for your support and generosity helping us to build the kingdom of God here and everywhere. 
Through our partnership between the WI Conference of the UMC and the Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia we as one community of faith have been working together on the motorcycles project for Bolivia. 
The word of God said: "but with God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26
All this was possible because of our commitment to praise and serve God while we serve others. 
More good news to celebrate: The second and third motorcycles are on their way to be purchased!  Alleluia! Watch video here

VIM Trip to Lake Charles, LA, March 19-27, 2022

Lake Charles and Southwest Louisiana have been hit with four major weather events over the past year. Hurricane Laura devastated the area in August 2020, followed by Hurricane Delta in October 2020. A winter storm left many in the area without power and water in February 2021. Then, on Monday, May 17, 2021,  Lake Charles received the third-highest rainfall amount in its history, flooding many homes. Your willingness to come alongside the Holy Spirit's work repairs homes and restores hope. Bless you!
Cost - $275. This is a drive to camp. Carpooling may be available.

Co–leader – Jeff Cupery, 100 La Crosse St, Beaver Dam, WI 53916; Phone: 920-887-8726; E-mail: jscupery1@charter.net; (Cell: 920-318-9513)

Registrar/co-leader – Tom Rossmiller - 3014 Graydon Ave., East Troy, WI 53120; Phone: 262-642-3727   E-mail:  tomarossmiller@centurytel.net 
 

Other Resources

 

 

Wisconsin Transformational Justice Campaign

Ramiah Whiteside in the MLK Observance Service talked about work needs to be on the "I Have a Dream". The Sentencing Project recently release a report "Color of Justice" showing Wisconsin remains the worse in the nation for the percentage of African American's at a rate of 42% yet African Americans make up 6% of the WI population.  These disparities can be changed if we all be apart of the change we want to see.  You can join Ramiah and other faith congregations including fellow Methodists in working towards the dream Dr. King spoke about being oppression free.  WISDOM will be having trainings starting January 27th.  You can register for this training  here.  To learn more about the issue and Taking on Mass Incarceration in WI and to read the "Color of Justice report click here.

 

Interactive Online Course Targets Praise and Worship  

As the most solemn and celebratory moments of the Christian year approach, many worship leaders may find they are struggling to craft appropriate services for their congregations. An online course offered by BeADisciple.com will address this struggle March 14-28. 

“Developing a Dynamic Praise and Worship Experience” is a two-week interactive experience taught by Darla Thieler, who is a Local Evangelist and Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church as well as music director for Calvin (Penn.) United Presbyterian Church.  

                More information and enrollment links are at BeADisciple.com.

Lenten Resource from Rob Fuquay

Jesus’ Passion story is presented each Lent in countless
churches every year. But one play presented by the
inhabitants of the village of Oberammergau, in Bavaria,
Germany, may be one of the longest-running performance
of all. In The Passion Play, Rob Fuquay follows the biblical story of the Passion and shows how this amazing play has been used both as a ritual of praise and later as a weapon through its anti-Semitic past. The book makes a perfect six-week Lenten group study when paired with the additional Leader Guide and DVD that was filmed on location in Germany and includes behind-thescenes
footage of the production. Read More

A Chaplain's Perspective on the 2020-2021 Pandemic

The book A Chaplain’s Perspective on the 2020-2021 Pandemic: Tragedy, Resilience, Hope written by John Ruiz M.Div. BCC provides a front-line vantage point of the coronavirus pandemic. It is written from the perspective of a hospital chaplain assigned to the Emergency Department and 32 Intensive Care beds reserved for COVID+ patients. The book consists of fourteen reflections written at different times during the pandemic. The book is meant to be a source of healing and to assist the reader in processing their own experience of the pandemic. Books are available on Amazon.com  Read More

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