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Winnebago Presbytery
News & Notes
MARCH 15, 2024
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March 15th News & Notes Interactive Question |
| Which of the following is your favorite symbol from Holy Week? | | | We realize that all of these symbols are important! But if you were forced to choose just one for you right now, then please go ahead and cast your vote. | | |
February 22, 2024 Post-Presbytery Meeting Survey
An email containing a survey went out to all those who registered for the most recent meeting of the presbytery. Please, check your inboxes and complete the survey before Tuesday, March 19th. Both staff and the Leadership Commission find your feedback extremely valuable and look forward to hearing how this meeting went for those who attended. We are looking forward to seeing you all at the June meeting!
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Board of Pensions Directors Approve Redesigned Benefits Plan | | |
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The Board of Directors approved a redesigned Benefits Plan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), effective Jan. 1, 2025, that supports congregations and provides parity regardless of ordination status. The redesign is the outcome of the season of rebuilding initiative the agency launched in 2023 to restructure the plan to meet the needs of the changing Church.
The redesigned plan introduces two new dues packages — the Covenant Package and the Congregational Pastors Package. Dues for the new packages are paid entirely by the congregation or employer.
The Covenant Package provides income protection for any eligible employee working at least 20 hours a week, regardless of ordination status. Pension and death and disability benefits, including temporary disability, and the Employee Assistance Plan are part of the package, along with access to the agency’s assistance and education programs.
The Congregational Pastors Package is designed to support congregational leadership. It is required for installed pastors and may be offered to any minister of the Word and Sacrament or commissioned pastor scheduled to work 20 or more hours a week.
The redesigned plan also offers Transitional Pastor’s Participation, which may be provided to any minister who is enrolled in Pastor’s Participation as of Dec. 31, 2024. This option will sunset Dec. 31, 2027.
Additional details on the 2025 Benefits Plan, including dues and the costs of medical coverage for family members, will be available on seasonofrebuilding.pensions.org on or before April 5, 2024.
These are significant changes! Dave Colby and COM Chair Katie Estes will be attending a Board of Pensions consultation in Denver April 23-24. Our Regional Representative for the BOP, Ken Green will speak with our COM on May 9. Please reach out to presbytery staff if you have any questions.
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Info on AI & Scammers from PC(USA) General Counsel | |
Sophisticated hackers are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deceive employees with deep fakes and email phishing scams. While AI is a useful tool to support work, it also offers bad actors a tool to advance their schemes to gain access to personally identifiable information, such as social security numbers and bank account information, and to try to persuade employees to transfer money to accounts controlled by the hackers.
Hackers are using phishing and social engineering to fabricate stories and situations to make employees feel uncomfortable and to pressure them to react and act quickly without checking to see if the email or deep fake video is legitimate. Below are some examples used in these email schemes:
- There is a problem with your account; please click on this link to correct.
- Attached is an invoice that must be paid immediately or we will cancel your account, and failure to pay will impact your credit rating.
- We are a government agency, and you have failed to act. If you do not respond, you will face legal consequences.
- Hi. It’s your sister. We are on vacation and we were robbed of all of our money and credit cards. Please immediately send us money at the link below.
Sometimes employees are asked to open an attachment; often, they are asked to click on a link. When they do, there is a likelihood that malware or ransomware enters your office system and destroys data and even entire systems. Train your employees not to fall for phony emails or deep fake videos displayed through a meeting platform such as Zoom.
How to protect yourself and your organization:
- Train your employees to be cautious of emails that ask for personal information from them or about their co-workers, your donors and members, or that ask them to send money.
- Train your employees to hover their cursor over the email address of the sender. If it does not match the email address that belongs to who the sender says they are or appears suspicious in any way, they should not respond to the email, or click on any links or attachments. DELETE IT!
- They should contact the person who allegedly sent the email asking for personally identifiable information or money and ask, did you send me the email or video?
- Implement AI guidelines to encourage your employees to use AI responsibly. The most important guideline is not to download personally identifiable information into a public facing AI platform, such as Chat GPT.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation website has a set of guidelines implemented at the national offices which you are welcome to review and borrow from to implement your own guidelines at your congregation or mid council.
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Presbytery Project Grants Available
Each year the Bergstrom Endowment Grant Committee within the First Presbyterian Church Neenah is charged with awarding a portion of the church's unrestricted endowment fund as grants to applicants from various global mission projects, theological seminaries, projects within Presbyterian Synods, our local Presbytery, local non-profit projects, and toward college scholarships for church members.
While there is never a shortage of needs to be considered, we want to be sure that needs within our own Presbytery are considered along with other requests. Grants may be requested for "projects" (not toward general programming or annual budgets) within individual churches or toward a more general Presbytery project. Applications for the 2024 grants are available now (email firstpresneenah@firstpresneenah.org) and must be returned to the First Pres Neenah church office by March 31.
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Ecumenical Partners Updates | |
Samaritan Counseling
The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticism, April 18 8:30-11:30 a.m.
Samaritan is a resource for you to lean on for support. We offer small groups, clergy coaching, and events like Creating Hope to the entire faith community to deepen our connection and strengthen our resolve as a collective.
We hope you will join us on April 18 from 8:30-11:30am at Samaritan’s office in Menasha to explore Anthony’s Root’s latest book, ”The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticisms.” Rev. Dr. Kevin Mundell from Our Saviour’s United Church of Christ in Ripon will facilitate the presentation and Q&A. He highly recommends reading this gem before the workshop to allow for a lively discussion with your peers. A copy of the book is included in your registration fee and will be shipped to you as soon as you register.
Seating is limited to 48, so don’t delay … register here today. Continental breakfast will be served. Scholarships may be available. Please contact Jane Frantz to discuss.
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United Church Camps, Inc.
A Wisconsin Retreat for Pastors on the Enneagram
April 8-11 at Cedar Valley - 1 of 3 Locations of United Church Camps, Inc.
How much does it cost?
- The registration fee includes lodging and meals.
- Participants from the OPSF region: Double occupancy is $200. Single occupancy is $350.
- Participants from outside the OPSF region: Double occupancy is $250. Single occupancy is $400.
- Are you a PLR participant or alum? For full PLR participants, this event was included in your PLR registration cost. For PLR alums — double occupancy is $100, single occupancy is $250.
- Are you serving a Micro Church or find the cost prohibitive? Contact OPSF’s Director of Programs, the Rev. Tricia Dillon Thomas, at programs@opsf-omaha.org for scholarship information.
How do I register?
For more information, view the complete flyer here!
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Wisconsin Council of Churches
Upcoming Event: Brian McLaren in Wauwatosa, Saturday, March 16, 2024 2:00 p.m., Underwood Memorial Baptist Church
Underwood Memorial Baptist Church is thrilled to welcome author, speaker, and Christian leader Brian McLaren to Wauwatosa for the first time! Brian McLaren is one of today’s leading authors and speakers on Christianity, faith, doubt, deconstruction, and the future. Brian speaks with a pastor’s care and a prophet's passion about the issues that make it hard to keep faith in the 21st century. At once realistic and clear-eyed about the challenges facing Christianity, Brian is also hopeful about what is possible in the future of faith.
If you are struggling to hold onto your faith or struggling to understand why anyone has faith. Or, if you want to think about your faith in new and vital ways, don’t miss this day of conversation with Brian McLaren.
Tickets are limited, and all are welcome.
Co-sponsored by Underwood Memorial Baptist Church, Wisconsin Council of Churches, American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin
Register Here
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Virtual NARCAN Training
Want to learn how you can save a life? Racial Equity & Women's Intercultural Ministries is hosting a free virtual NARCAN training on March 19, 3:00-5:00 p.m. CST. Join trainer Patricia Osterhoudt to learn how you can equip yourself to care for those with addiction. Register here.
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Apply by Feb. 23 and join the Peacemaking Program as we embark on a pilgrimage to Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma, Jackson, the Mississippi Delta and Memphis. In this travel study seminar, we will visit historically important sites of the Civil Rights Movement, learn about the lives of the people who made up the movement, meet with leaders and those who can share stories of those times, and wrestle with the legacies of racism and white supremacy even as they reappear in our communities and nation today. Click here for details.
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2024 Worship & Music Conference
Join the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) in Montreat, North Carolina, this summer for the annual Worship & Music Conference. This year’s dynamic programming for musicians and worship leaders alike centers around the theme “Lead Us Homeward.” PAM will offer two sessions of workshops, seminars, voiced and handbell choirs, and engaging community-building activities June 16–21 and June 23–28. This conference should not be missed. Registration and housing are open now. More information about the conference can be found here, or you can see all of the resources offered by PAM here.
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