Two troubling realities – the widely reported epidemic of loneliness and political polarization – have created an opportunity for the Church, Conference Minister Franz Rigert said in his State of the Conference Address. “People are longing for belonging,” he said. “Guess what: We in the Church are really good at building community. The time is ripe.” What’s more, the Church can provide safe spaces “for relationships in which we can hold diverging perspectives and honor each other in the process. Using Jesus as our model, we are called to be truth tellers who practice civil discourse – otherwise known as Christian behavior – in order to show the world that it is possible to keep our integrity to treat those with whom we disagree . . . lovingly.”

Over the past nine months, 400 people within the Conference engaged in discussions about the future of our four associations – a structure put together more than six decades ago when the UCC was much larger. But the relationships among individuals and congregations in the Conference aren’t reliant on structure. “We are imagining a wider Church in which hundreds of people invest their energy in pockets of ministry passion, thereby equipping and inspiring others to engage in such ministries,” Franz said, noting that the 10 justice working groups already cross geographic boundaries, offering a glimpse at the Church of the future.

“This will not surprise you: We are facing a critical shortage of pastors,” Franz said. He then presented a Conference-wide challenge: “Could we tap 20 new pastoral recruits in the coming two years?” Responsibility for raising up new pastors falls on all of us. “You know how most people discern a call to authorized ministry? Not by a lightning bolt or a billboard. Not by hearing the voice of God. But by someone who loves them, sees gifts in them and taps them on the shoulder saying, ‘Have you ever thought about pastoral ministry?’”

Watch Franz’s address

Keynoter Shari Prestemon urged the Church today to turn its attention to two things. The first: “We need to pay attention to the things that make us uncomfortable.” She added: “We need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. We need to pay attention to what makes us uncomfortable and harvest that discomfort for the wisdom it holds. Maybe it’s the possibility of somehow changing how we’ve always done things, whether that’s our style of worship or how we’re structured in the Conference. Maybe it’s the unwelcome realization that the buildings that are precious to us are also draining our resources and leaving nothing for the work of ministry itself.” The second object of our attention, she said, should be “the ways we’re called to be present for one another. One of the gifts of the pandemic period, in my view, was how it caused us to realize that we really do need each other.”

Watch the keynote address

Annual Meeting delegates voted to launch a year of study by local congregations of the issue of a just peace between Israel and the Palestinian people. If 30 percent of congregations engage the issue, the 2025 Annual Meeting will vote whether to adopt the Declaration for a Just Peace Between Israel and Palestine adopted at the UCC’s 2021 General Synod. The Conference’s Palestine Justice Working Group is available to provide study resources to local congregations and other groups. To reach the working group, email Lisa Hart, associate conference minister for faith formation and justice ministries.

Access study resources here

In his sermon during Annual Meeting’s closing worship service, Christopher Grundy drew on the verse from Revelation that provided the meeting’s theme – “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches” – to remind us it’s at those times when God seems to have gone silent that we need to find new ways to listen for the divine voice. “Why? Because God is faithful, and steadfast, and therefore the Spirit will continue speaking.”



Watch Christopher’s sermon

Read the text of Christopher’s sermon

Financial reports are about more than dollars and cents, said the Rev. Andrew Warner, president of the Wisconsin Foundation UCC: The tell the story of how we respond the call of our still-speaking God. “Through budgets, we make decisions about how we will embody God’s love in the world,” Andrew said. Examples include the Conference’s investment in leadership development and the Damascus Project and the support provided by individuals to relief efforts in the Middle East.

Read Andrew’s complete report

The next issue of Wisconsin Conference Life will arrive in your inbox on July 3.

‘Where Olive Trees Weep’ online premiere

Looking to learn more about the roots of the conflict in the Middle East? The Wisconsin Conference Palestine Justice Working Group invites you to check out “Where Olive Trees Weep,” a new film that explores themes of loss, trauma and the quest for justice through the lens provided by the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people. What’s billed as the film’s World People’s Premiere is taking place online from through June 27. The film is free, but donations are accepted and will go to plant olive trees and provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.

Date: Now through June 27

Register now

Politics, Polarization and Prophetic Ministry

As attention focuses on the 2024 elections, what will be the role of churches that embody the prophetic tradition of the Christian faith? What will preachers say from the pulpit. You’ll have a chance to ponder those questions in this UCC webinar with the help of featured panelists Obery Hendricks, author of "The Politics of Jesus" and "Christians against Christianity," and Leah Schade, author of “Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide" and “Creation-Crisis Preaching.” Can’t make the webinar at the scheduled time? Sign up anyway to receive a recording.

Time: Noon

Date: June 12

Register now

Vote for Climate Hope Campaign kickoff

Learn about the UCC’s Vote for Climate Hope Campaign to collect voter pledge cards. We know people are more likely to vote when it is connected to a cause they care about, they make a commitment to others to vote, and they get a reminder to vote close to Election Day.

Time: 2 p.m.

Date: June 18

Register now

Generative Artificial Intelligence for Churches

Join UCC general counsel Heather Kimmel for a presentation on the potential and pitfalls of AI in faith-based communities. She will discuss the risks and rewards of using generative artificial intelligence in churches and provide valuable insights into policies needed to mitigate potential risks. Registration is limited, but a recording will be available after the event.

Time: 1 p.m.

Date: June 18

Register now

Sermon Talk

Join Associate Conference Minister Michael Jones for a Zoom discussion of biblical texts and sermon ideas, with the focus on topics for the month ahead. Whether you use the Revised Common Lectionary or the Narrative Lectionary or choose your own texts, this discussion is for you. Sessions take place at noon on the first Tuesday of each month.

Time: Noon

Date: July 2

Join the conversation

Monthly Ministry Roundtable

July's topic is the new UCC Manual on Local Church, now available in draft form. "Since its inception, the United Church of Christ has sought to clarify how we live out covenant in community,” the introduction says. “Today, the Manual on Local Church is part of this ongoing work to discern and define our structure so that we can engage more fully in our faithful witness in the world." Participants will discuss the manual and the many ways this resource can be used by local churches.

Time: 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Date: July 3

Click to join the July 3 discussion

Read the draft of the Manual on Local Church

Great Lakes & West Central Regional Youth Event

Young people who have completed sixth through 12th grade are invited to attend with their pastors, youth leaders and adult chaperones. Programming will be designed around worship and liturgy created by The Many, a diverse music-making collective that invites people to sing together about peace and justice and a world where all belong. The event theme, “Love > Fear,” is taken from one of their songs.

Date: July 17-20

Place: Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois

Register by June 15.

Narrative Budgets: Telling your Story by the Numbers 

A narrative budget that translates the line items of a traditional budget into a story of how your congregation makes a difference can be a helpful tool for a stewardship campaign or annual meeting. By telling the story of our congregations' impact, we can inspire generosity in our donors.

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Date: July 24

Register now

ONA Support Team Training

Join the Wisconsin Conference ONA Team to learn how you can help churches go through the ONA process. If your church is in process and you'd like to gather ideas, this event will be helpful for you, too. The day will include a screening of the film “1946.”

Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Date: Aug. 3

Place: Daycholah Center

Register now

Great Lakes Creation Care Collaborative gathering

Connect with creation justice advocates from at least six UCC conferences for workshops and the launch of a project in which churches will adopt a body of water.

Date: Aug. 18-20

Place: Cedar Valley Camp and Retreat Center

Click for flyer and QR code