The Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay, the UCC’s minister for worship and theology, will lead the Intensive Workshop preceding the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Conference. The workshop, "Engaging Worship Planning: Revelation, Response, Resources," will use liturgy, lecture, discussion and reflection to help participants engage the foundational principles of worship, create and curate rituals and resources, and discover and share best practices.

Cheryl also serves as pastor of First Congregational UCC in Wellington, Ohio. In an interview with Wisconsin Conference Life, Cheryl previewed her presentation and talked about the innovations she expects to see in worship in coming years. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What is at the heart of your presentation to the Conference?

My central message is that planning worship is a communal activity – just as worship is. Worship continues to be the way most people are affiliated formally or informally connect with the faith community. Worship is being engaged in really remarkable ways, and a lot of people are doing innovative things.

If you could magically change one thing about worship today, what would it be?

I would change the expectation of the process and the outcome. Planning worship and worship itself should be enjoyable. Worship is supposed to be joyful and hopeful and expressive. But people are so afraid of doing something wrong, of not being reverent enough. We treat everything as sacred, but most is created by human beings.



The Intensive Workshop is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 6 at Green Lake Conference Center. Register today.

Read the entire interview with Cheryl Lindsay.

Registration is now open for the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Conference UCC, to be held Saturday, June 7, through Sunday morning, June 9, at Green Lake Conference Center. The Annual Meeting theme, “Where God Is Still Speaking: Listening in New Ways,” echoes the “God Is Still Speaking” marketing campaign launched by the UCC two decades ago, and conveys our UCC spirit of openness, wide welcome and our understanding of God’s extravagant love. The meeting also includes a youth day camp option for attendees with children ages 8-14.

Register today to attend Annual Meeting 2024.

“Energy from Heaven or Energy from Hell?” is the title of author and activist Bill McKibben’s keynote lecture at the UCC’s second annual Earth Summit, scheduled for noon on April 20. The summit also will include a panel discussion about the multinational struggle against pollution by Formosa Plastics, one of the world's largest plastics producers.

The livestreamed 2 ½-hour event will feature the announcement of the Dollie Burwell Prophetic Action Award winner, a celebration of the UCC's newest Creation Justice Churches, and a video showcasing the environmental ministries of our host congregation, the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College. Can’t make the scheduled time? Sign up anyway to receive a recording. Register today.

Two organizations within the United Church of Christ are teaming up to offer Animating Antiracism in Faith Formation, a webinar series designed to expand cultural competency and examine the ways in which race and power are present in ministry. Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training developed the program for the UCC’s Network of Wider Church Youth Ministries, which is collaborating with the Faith Education, Innovation and Formation team, better known as FaithINFO, to offer the series.

The first cohort of the program will begin May 3, with more cohorts to be added in the fall. The program is open to all pastors, faith formation and youth leaders. Participants will have the added benefit of networking with peers from a variety of conference and ministry settings. Learn more and register.

"Faith communities have a unique opportunity to promote healing and reconciliation while challenging discrimination and prejudice, and we want our faith formation and youth leaders to be equipped and empowered to do this work,” said Lisa Hart, associate conference minister for faith formation and justice ministries.

Animating Antiracism in Faith Formation is made possible through your gifts to Our Church’s Wider Mission. The Wisconsin Conference is one of the conferences providing financial support.

Is your church considering becoming Opening and Affirming? Are you already working through the process of becoming an ONA church? A critical, and required, step early in the process is to contact the UCC’s Open and Affirming Coalition after forming your ONA Team. The coalition will recommend resources and provide guidance as you begin your ONA journey.

The ONA Committee of the Wisconsin Conference is ready to help, too. Please contact us so we can provide support. And if your congregation already is ONA, it’s important to continue to connect with the Open and Affirming Coalition and the Conference ONA Committee to access resources, support and guidance as you live into being ONA.

The UCC’s Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization Team, known as MESA, provides regular training sessions that touch on a variety of topics. The next session, scheduled for 2:30 to 4 p.m. on April 25, is especially valuable for members of a Committee on Ministry. Called Beyond the Marks: Supporting MIDs with Group Spiritual Direction, the session will explore creative ways in which committee members can accompany members in discernment that go beyond the Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers.

The Revs. Renee Jackson and Melanie Oommen of the MESA Team will be joined by the Rev. Kendy Miller, associate conference minister from the Tri-Conference UCC Ministries, a partnership of the Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota conferences, who will share what she has learned from providing group spiritual direction with members in discernment. Register today.

For more MESA training opportunities, click here.

Learn what motivates donors to give

Once a upon a time, donors gave out of a sense of obligation and loyalty. Today, most donors care about the impact they make in the world. Join Wisconsin Conference Development Director Andrew Warner for a Zoom discussion about five basic ways donors look to create change and how you can talk about your congregation’s impact in your community.

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Date: Wednesday, April 24

Register today.

Conversation with the Supportive Ministries Team

The Supportive Ministries Team will host an hourlong Zoom conversation with ministry colleagues from around the Wisconsin Conference to explore questions that can “Nurture the Soul of the Beloved Community.”

Time: Noon

Date: Wednesday, May 1

Register now

Falling in love with the natural world: ecological and emotional literacy

We look to nature for more than a science lesson – we want to feel connected to it, too. The Creation Care Team will host a Zoom presentation by author and naturalist John Bates exploring the relationship between ecological and emotional literacy as we go about our lives.

Time: 7 p.m.

Date: May 9

Register now

Clergy compensation guidelines discussion 

Are you an authorized minister with questions about the Wisconsin Conference 2024 Clergy Compensation Guidelines? Associate Conference Ministers Michael Jones, Jane Anderson and Rachel Bauman will lead a discussion about how to use the guidelines and possible updates for 2025.

Time: 1 p.m.

Date: May 14

Register now

Moon Beach has an exciting opportunity in May. We are livestreaming the Festival of Homiletics from our beautiful camp. Watch motivational preachers on the big screen and discuss with other authorized clergy. You can also catch the livestream in your own cabin if you prefer. Then, on your off time enjoy the lakes, the beach, the trails, modern and rustic cabins, yummy food, catch up with old friends around the campfire, and experience world-class hospitality. The first step you need to take is to go to festivalofhomiletics.com to purchase your digital online access. This must be done separately, as requested by the FOH team. We here at Moon Beach are offering two separate packages for lodging and meals for you to choose from. Monday May 13th 3pm Arrival Through Thursday 16th 3pm ($300.00) Monday May 13th 3pm Arrival Through Friday 17th 11am ($375.00) For more information regarding schedule, scholarship assistance, and all other inquiries email jgoebel@ucci.org or mmiller@ucci.org or call 715-479-8255.

The Wisconsin Council for Health and Human Service Ministries, or CHHSM, looking for a coordinator to work around 15 hours a month. CHHSM supports a number of UCC-affiliated human services organizations, and the coordinator would perform tasks that include maintaining the group’s social media presence and keeping agency representatives informed about council business. Email Petra Streiff with questions.

Searching churches

• Immanuel UCC in Plymouth is searching for a pasor. Details
• To see all searching churches, click here.
• Interim ministry openings: click here.

Wider church searches

• Current openings at the national United Church of Christ

Installations and Ordinations

• The Rev. Uriah Williams was ordained at Peace UCC in Shawano on April 14.

New Calls

• The Rev. Scott McLeod has been called as pastor at Community Church of Fontana, effective April 14.

In Memoriam

• Beatrice Hunt, wife of the Rev. Ramon Hunt and mother of the Rev. NormaRae Hunt, died on Jan. 21. Obituary

The Conference Transitions feature appears monthly in the Wisconsin Conference Life. Please share your transition information, including church anniversaries, with the newsletter editor by emailing Nola.