Teenage students in Merrill whose families face food insecurity will have one more place to turn for help, thanks to a $1,500 Catalyst Grant from the Wisconsin Conference that will be used to stock a new food pantry at Merrill High School. St. Stephens UCC in Merrill was the grant recipient.

The project addresses a gap in the community’s existing safety net. By the time students reach high school, they’ve aged out of other food programs. “Sometimes, there’s a public perception that a 16-year-old can work and have the things they need,” said Trisha Kubichek, a social worker at Merrill High. “The expectations are a little higher for providing for themselves.” About two-thirds of students in Merrill’s public schools are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, she said.

The project’s potential long-term impact is significant: Better-fed students, who don’t have to worry about their next meal, are better able to learn and achieve in the classroom.

Often, the students most affected by food insecurity have problems at home. “(The project) started with a young woman whose mother had depression and schizophrenia,” St. Stephens Pastor Mike Southcombe said. The student had accompanied a member of St. Stephens’ youth group to help bag food for elementary schoolers whose families didn’t have enough to make it through the weekend. “This girl is bagging food for fifth-graders, but she didn’t have food for herself for the weekend,” he said. “My youth group member said, ‘Talk to Pastor Mike.’”

Mike contacted Trisha, and the project was born. Together, they’ve brought together administrators from the high school, student volunteers who will manage the pantry, the staff of Merrill’s Community Food Pantry and other partners.

The pantry organizers are respectful of students’ dignity. “It is difficult for people to go to a food pantry and say, ‘I need help,’” Trisha said. Help becomes “a bit more normalized” when it comes through school,” she said. “I will try to contact parents to make sure they’re comfortable.”

The student leaders, meanwhile, will be learning practical skills like budgeting and inventory management and keeping up with a simple spread sheet. More important, Trisha said, “We’re hoping to teach them the importance of giving back.”

The Conference Palestine Justice Working Group asked us to share three more opportunities for congregations and individuals to deepen their understanding of the conflict in the Middle East.

• The Interfaith Peace Working Group will host a free showing Sept. 21 of “Where Olive Trees Weep,” a documentary that offers a window into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people. The film will be screened at Madison Friends Meeting House, 1704 Roberts Court (off Monroe Street) in Madison. In addition, your church can show the film for free on the 21st or at a later date for a small donation. Click for more information.
• The Interfaith Peace Working Group also will host a live, hourlong Zoom session on the crisis in Gaza at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, featuring Peter Makari, global relations minister for the Middle East and Europe for the UCC and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Peter is one of the most well-informed church leaders in the United States on developments in the Middle East and Gaza, and recently returned from Jerusalem. A question-and-answer session and discussion will follow his presentation. The event is free and no registration is required. Join us on Zoom.
• Finally, if you’re wondering what you can do to advocate for a just settlement of the conflict in the Middle East, check out “3rd Thursdays for Israel/Palestine,” an initiative of the Global Ministries of the UCC and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The initiative offers an opportunity for people of faith to email policymakers to advocate for a just resolution to the war in Gaza. Learn about the latest advocacy action.

Each of these learning opportunities provides a valuable resource for congregations studying the issue of a just peace between Israel and the Palestinian people in preparation for the 2025 Conference Annual Meeting, where delegates may vote whether to adopt the Declaration for a Just Peace Between Israel and Palestine adopted at the UCC’s 2021 General Synod.

If you happen to visit St. John’s UCC in Monroe over the next six weeks or so, be prepared for a treat: More than 2,000 paper cranes now hang in the church, in an exhibit called “Folded Faith: A Community in Flight.” In Japan, where paper cranes originated, legend has it that anyone who folds a thousand cranes will be granted either a lifetime of good luck or one wish. The act of folding cranes is associated with prayers for peace and the healing of those who are suffering.

At St. John’s, the project is intended as a powerful statement of unity and shared purpose. Around 40 people gathered for 14 workshops where they carefully folded the paper birds and, more important, shared conversation, told stories and built community. When the cranes come down after All Saints’ Day, the congregation hopes to share them with the wider community as a sign of compassion and connection.

"Many churches see a decline in engagement and attendance during the summer months, so our crane workshops provided a natural and authentic way to continue to build and strengthen our faith community," said the Rev. Christina Schoenwetter, the congregation's associate pastor of engagement. 

The 2025 Wisconsin Conference Compensation Guidelines are now available, following approval by the Commission on Church and Ministry. New for 2025: There are two separate sets of guidelines, one for full-time positions and one for part-time positions. All changes are explained in the documents.

The updated guidelines will be the topic of the next Monthly Ministry Roundtable, scheduled for 4 p.m. Oct. 2. Register for the roundtable. If you have questions in the meantime, email Associate Conference Minister Michael Jones.

Palestine Justice Working Group

The Wisconsin Conference work group educates UCC members about the state of Israeli-Palestinian relations and advocates for justice for all Palestinians. The group meets by Zoom on the fourth Monday of each month. Meetings are open to all.

Time: 7 p.m.

Date: Sept. 23

Register now

Small Church Leadership Gathering

Join us on Zoom at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24 to share your thoughts on the unique, challenging and rewarding ministries already happening in our settings. We hope to hear from you what smaller congregations need to thrive.

Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Date: Sept 24

Join here

Church Growth Tool: The ARDA and Your Community

THEARDA.com provides crucial information on demographics and trends in the neighborhood around your congregation. Learn how you can use this tool to imagine new ways God might be calling you to serve people in your community.

Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Date: Sept 25

Register here

Clergy retreat

“Unplug and Reconnect” is the theme of a clergy retreat to be hosted by the Northwest Association. The event will be light on structure but offer plenty of time for rest, reflection and connection with others in ministry.

Dates: Sept. 29-Oct. 1

Place: Moon Beach Camp, 1487 Moon Beach Road, St. Germain

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: Oct. 1

Register now

Mass incarceration movie and panel

ESTHER, an interfaith social justice advocacy organization (the acronym stands for Empowerment Solidarity Truth Hope Equity Reform) based in the Fox Valley, will host a virtual and in-person showing of “Justice in Crisis: Mass Incarceration in America,” followed by a panel discussion and Q&A. The event is part of ESTHER’s 20^th anniversary celebration.

Time: 6 to 8 p.m.

Date: Oct. 8

Place: Room A170, Fox Valley Technical College, 1825 N. Bluemound Road, Appleton.

Register now

Let’s talk about bullying

How can people of faith address the pain caused by bullying? If you have experienced bullying, know someone who is a bully or want to work to reduce bullying, this conversation is for you. Facilitator is the Rev. Bev. Davis.

Time: 7 p.m.

Date: Oct. 8

Register now

Local Church Profile system training

Following the launch this spring of the digital local church profile portal, MESA continues to offer monthly general orientations to the new system for search committees. Church staff members are welcome to attend trainings, too. Email the Rev. Jeff Nelson, minister for ministerial calls and transitions with questions. The training schedule for the rest of the year:

6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 9. Register now

6 to 7 p.m. Nov. 6. Register now

Middle school retreat

Get your congregation’s sixth through eighth graders started on their faith adventure at this fall’s Knock Knock Retreat, scheduled for Oct. 11-13 at Daycholah Center. It’s a great opportunity for your middle schoolers to bond as a group – and to discover that love and acceptance constitute the true experience of church.

Date: Oct. 11-13

Place: Daycholah Center

Register now

Ministerial boundary training

Boundary training for authorized ministers and Members In Discernment in the Wisconsin Conference will be held online with LeaderWise. You can find more information on LeaderWise on their website.This training is a two-day (3 hours each day) training session. You must attend both days to receive boundary training credit.

Date: October 16 and 17

Time: 9 a.m. to noon

Help others become ONA

The Conference ONA Team will host a one-day training event for individuals and groups from our churches interested in helping other congregations navigate the journey to Open and Affirming status.

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

Date: Oct. 19

Place: First Congregational UCC, 120 Kuckkan Lane, Watertown

Register now

Gathering for new clergy

This event is for all authorized ministers new to service in the Wisconsin Conference, including those who may have missed earlier gathering opportunities during the pandemic. Registration details to come. Contact Nola Risse-Connolly with questions.

Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (includes lunch)

Date: Nov. 4

Place: Daycholah Center

Virtual boundary training for retired ministers

Maintaining healthy boundaries is challenging at any stage in ministry and it is particularly tender and difficult attending to boundaries as we transition out of our last call, and while in retirement. The Revs. Tara Barber and Melanie Oommen will offer this focused Boundary Awareness Training for those entering and living in retirement. This training meets the Wisconsin Conference Commission on Church and Ministry requirements for boundary training for authorized ministers. 

Time: 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Date: Nov. 13

Register now

Save the date

Youth events:  The Wisconsin Conference and United Church Camps Inc. will host five youth retreats at Daycholah Center in the coming program year.

Oct. 11-13: Knock Knock Retreat for middle schoolers (grades 6-8). Details

Nov. 8-10: Youth Faith Formation Retreat I (grades 6-12)

Jan. 24-26: Winter Soulstice Retreat for high schoolers (grades 9-12)

Feb. 21-23: Youth Faith Formation Retreat II (grades 6-12)

Feb 28-Mar 2: Youth Faith Formation Retreat III (grades 6-12)