WI Conference Weekly ENews - January 26, 2022

1/27/2022 - Conference News
Conference News


Statistics Season is Upon Us! 

Congratulations to Hickory UMC and Suring UMC for being the first 2 churches to submit on January 16! We’ll be sending a contribution to each of their churches as a thank you for kicking off the season.
Thank you to the North West district for getting a jump start and already having 6% of churches in the district complete the 2021 statistical report.  Another 12% have started! We would appreciate having all churches submit their data by 2/21/22 (1 week before the deadline). For more information – head to the Finance section of the website Finance & Administration - Wisconsin Conference of the UMC (wisconsinumc.org). 

As of 1/25/2022 Completed In Progress Not Started
North Central 1% 10% 89%
North East 3% 6% 91%
North West 6% 12% 82%
South East 2% 8% 91%
South West 2% 11% 87% 
Total  3% 9% 88%

 

Continuing Education Event for both Clergy and Laity

The Wisconsin Conference and the North West District are hosting continuing education seminars for clergy and laity.  Rev. Dr. J. Samuel Subramanian, Ph.D., an elder in The United Methodist Church, will lead the study based on his recent publication "The Four Gospels".  The dates of the seminars are Feb. 28, Mar. 28, Apr. 25, 2022 from 9:30-12:00 pm. To register or find out more information, click here. 

The Wisconsin Delegation Asks For Prayer and Awareness

The Wisconsin Conference Delegation to General and Jurisdictional Conferences wants to make Wisconsin Conference members aware of the continuing difficulties in planning a delayed General Conference that is safe and has full participation by Central Conference delegates (those from Annual Conferences outside of the United States) in the midst of the continuing world-wide pandemic.  Information on one aspect of these challenges is available at https://www.umnews.org/en/news/bishops-others-denounce-wcas-vaccine-plan.
Please be in prayer for a General Conference that can be held with integrity and ongoing work on the church’s identity that furthers the witness of Christ. Please hold decision-makers and your delegation in prayer. 

 

Sun Prairie UMC Host 2nd Annual Live Nativity

On a cold Saturday night in December over 130 volunteers gathered safely outside to participate in the 2nd Annual Live Nativity at Sun Prairie United Methodist Church. Community members were able to drive through the church parking lot to see and hear the story of the birth of Jesus. The Live Nativity is an intergenerational event that gives church members the opportunity to serve alongside youth in these roles. This year volunteers showed up in two different shifts as they swapped out places in the Christmas story scenes. Director of Connecting Ministries Deb Mulhern says, "We wanted to be able to offer something to the community that would help people be able to celebrate the true Christmas story, even during these COVID times when people are still reluctant to gather indoors." 
 
The Live Nativity depicts 7 scenes from the announcement of a census to angels singing Christmas wishes as community members leave the parking lot. This year, with some improvements in the COVID pandemic, the church was able to offer hot chocolate to cars at the start of the Live Nativity. Pastor Jenny Arneson says, " It was a blessing again this year to offer the community an opportunity to experience the joy and wonder story come to life. The drive-thru Live Nativity gave the community a safe way to see and experience the story."

  

 

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

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! 

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

Each year at Annual Conference we support organizations with our Ingathering.  The list for Annual Conference 2022 is available here.

Denomination News

UMC Bishops call for equal voting rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is calling upon United Methodists to use their influence in their states, legislative districts, and local precincts to enable voter registration and to encourage elected officials to provide the resources necessary to support the fullest possible participation in elections.
The bishops issued their statement today in the aftermath of the decision by the United States Senate to reject legislation that would have counter action taken by several states legislatures making voting more difficult, especially in minority communities. Click here to read the full statement.

Mission News
 

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.

Closer to Christ: Grow Spiritually this Lent

During this season of reflection, Amplify Media presents two new studies to help you, your small group, and your congregations grow spiritually.  Join host Magrey deVega as he converses with two of our most popular authors – Adam Hamilton and Amy-Jill Levine – about the lessons from Christ’s life and death.
 
February 8 and 10 at 1 p.m. on Amplify’s YouTube and Facebook channels.
FIND OUT MORE & REGISTER: https://amplifymedia.com/lent-2022/

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-the-scenes 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, Elder of the Wisconsin Conference . 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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