WI Conference Weekly ENews - July 12, 2023

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Register Now To Attend The 2023 Leadership Institute At The Church Of The Resurrection In Kansas City
September 26- 29th, 2023

You are invited to join the Wisconsin Conference and the current Institute of Congregational Development (ICD) class on a field trip to The Church of The Resurrection in Kansas City for their Annual Leadership Institute. We will be taking a bus from Sun Prairie to Kansas City on September 26th (the day before the Conference Starts) and returning on September 29th. Our group will be going to the Pre-Conference Workshop as well as The Leadership Conference. If you would like to join us, here is the cost:

Before July 15^th: $250 per person
After July 16^th: $304 per person

The cost of the bus ride is $25 per person. A block of rooms has been reserved at a hotel near the conference.

To register for the conference, please contact Rev. Scott Carlson at scottcarlson@wisconsinumc.org. At that time, you will be given more information about the hotel and will be able to reserve on your own. Your room cost is your responsibility. Join us for a great opportunity for growth and learning.
Leadership Institute Website

Join Bishop Jung & Rev. Scott Carlson For A Journey To The Holy Land
January 11-20, 2024

In January of 2024, Bishop Hee Soo Jung and Rev. Scott Carlson will be leading our Annual Conference pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan. Please see the attached brochure for more details. Bishop Jung has been so privileged to lead these trips during his time as an Episcopal Leader. He feels that these are important ways for clergy and lay members to learn about the land of the Bible. This awareness helps to grow and add depth to our faith. Future Annual Conference pilgrimages are being planned for Italy (To study Paul and the Early Church) for November of 2024 and for England (To study John Wesley and the Early Methodist Movement) for April of 2025. Please pray about whether God is inviting you on one of our upcoming journeys.
View Trip Brochure

Join The Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation at the Stewardship Conference at Pine Lake!

Unlock the secrets to successful stewardship and elevate your church's mission to new heights at the highly anticipated Church Stewardship Conference! We invite you to be a part of this transformative event where leaders, pastors, and church members will gather to strengthen their understanding and practices of stewardship. Please forward this message to those you think would benefit, too!

Date: August 11 & 12
Venue: Pine Lake Camp or Zoom
Click here to learn more

Save The Dates For Upcoming Conference Events
Wisconsin Conference of The United Methodist Church

Please save the date for several upcoming Wisconsin Conference events. Stay tuned for more information!


School for Ministry 2023
Dates: October 4 – 6, 2023, registration to open soon.
Location: Green Lake Conference Center

Racial Ethnic Clergy Leadership Summit with Bishop Jung 2024 
Dates: February 5 - 6, 2024 
Location: Green Lake Conference Center

Five-Day Academy For Spiritual Formation 2024
Dates: May 20 - 24, 2024
Location: Siena Center, Racine, WI

Pizza & Proverbs Summer Series
Anchors of Hope Ministry, Emerald, WI

At Anchor of Hope we have taken on some fresh expressions and one is Pizza and Proverbs which has warped into Bibles and Burgers for the summer. During Bible and Burgers we go to the local park with our bible and enjoy in pizza party or burgers/picnic. During this time we discuss our current bible app study and share our favorite Bible verse or Jesus story from the week. The remainder of the time is used to build relationship and serve our community. We have fed hungry kids playing in the park and offered free water on hot days. We have pulled weeds in the local park flower garden, picked up garbage, picked up sticks and prayed for our community together. We have used this time to do a prayer walk through our community.

The 2 loaves and 2 fishes story was seen numerous times when we would purchase two large pizzas from the bar across the street and the waitress would walk them over to us. We would then in turn feed our entire group (10) and the extra kids/families playing in the park would grab pizza too. Sometimes there was still extra pizza to bring back to the church for those attending the regular service at Anchor of Hope. One time there was even almost full pizza left over and everyone left full. God is Great! -Submitted by Heather Greene

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 

Bishops Pledge To Continue Dismantling Racism
United Methodist Council of Bishops

The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is pledging its ongoing dedication to anti-racism work, both within the church and in our communities. A revival of the Dismantling Racism campaign will strengthen efforts to recognize racism as a sin and challenge unjust systems of power and access.

Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton shares a video message to assure all United Methodists that the Council of Bishops is committed to this ongoing vital effort.
Learn more

The Racial Justice Prayer & Action Challenge Is Going On Now!
The United Methodist Church Religion & Race

The Racial Justice Prayer & Action Challenge is in full swing on all our social media channels! We've added audio recordings of the prayers in English, French, Spanish, Tagalog, and Tongan on our YouTube channel for you to use in your services and gatherings. Be sure to subscribe to our channel and check out the RJPAC homepage for more info on all the resources.
Read more

Shipment To Poland Will Meet Needs Of Ukrainian Refugees
Midwest Mission Distribution Center

498 days ago. That’s how long it’s been since Ukrainians were living a “normal” life.

498 days ago Russia invaded Ukraine, launching the country and its citizens into an indefinite time of loss, mourning, and moving. 

At the time of the invasion, many Ukrainians had to leave their homes to find safety. Some stayed, wanting to hold onto the comfort of their home and life as they knew it, but as the war progressed, more and more people found themselves fleeing for safety. Bombs dropped near fields that once held children’s soccer games. Easily accessible food and medical care became a privilege. Hours and hours of sitting in bomb shelters became the norm.

Air Raid sirens, taking cover, then going about the day as if nothing happened … That is what life in Ukraine is like. Read more

Centering Yourself In Your Cross-Racial/Cross-Cultural Appointment
United Methodist Religion & Race

New appointments started July 1. So check out this resource (recently translated into Korean) filled with helpful tips on how to succeed in a cross-racial/cross-cultural appointment in the first 90 days and beyond.
Read more

Renewable Energy Grants Available
United Women in Faith

NEW YORK — United Women in Faith groups are encouraged to apply for grants of up to $3,000 for renewable energy projects. Applications are being accepted now, and the first grants will be announced in August. Applicants to The Office of Economic and Environmental Justice should carefully consider the amount of funding needed and document in detail the budget and rationale for the request.
Read press release

United Methodists Sought For Podcast-A-Thon
Resource UMC

Nashville, Tenn.: United Methodist Communications is seeking podcasters to participate in their second annual United Methodist Podcast-a-thon in October 2023. The agency is accepting submissions from United Methodist podcasters for participation consideration through August 15^th. Details are available at ResourceUMC.org/podcast-a-thon.
Read press release