WCC Justice and Witness Coordinator Dr. Peter Bakken to Retire After 18 Years
Honoring His Contributions to Advocacy and Civic Engagement
With joy for a longtime colleague and his family and gratitude for his ministry among us, we announce the upcoming retirement of Dr. Peter Bakken, the Justice and Witness Coordinator for the Wisconsin Council of Churches. Let us soften any sadness by offering these words of gratitude:
Peter is the institutional memory of the Council, having been on staff for eighteen years. He has been our representative on countless coalitions and task forces and is known throughout the advocacy community. For many years, he was the staff member responsible for the Council’s Stewardship of Public Life Commission. Peter has been instrumental in preparing local advocates for People of Faith United for Justice Advocacy Days. When we brought a bus full of advocates to the National Council of Churches ACT NOW: United to End Racism event in 2018, Peter prepared us to meet with every member of Wisconsin’s federal legislative delegation, something no other state was able to do.
Peter’s vocabulary, logic and preparation are legendary. He was the primary writer for our Study-Action Guides on Hunger and Immigration and contributed to other publications within and beyond the Council. He has written and delivered testimony and shaped our public statements in profound ways. Peter played a critical role in establishing the Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign. Because of his work on WIVEC, he was selected by funders to be part of their Learning Community on Civic Engagement. He is theologically grounded and passionate about the need to create a community that works for all of us.
We hear of the impact of Peter’s ministry wherever we go in the Council’s work. We are often asked if he is still with the Council. At the end of this summer, we will have to say that he is finally taking those days off and getting to the unread books pile. We know, deep in our hearts, that our justice ministries will be very different after Peter retires. We also know that the time to relax is well-deserved.
We will, of course, celebrate Peter’s ministry among us. He has specifically requested nothing embarrassing. We know he is humble, and we expect he will blush at reading this. Nevertheless, we must celebrate 18 years well. We’ll have more to say as the summer comes along. Meanwhile: would you join us in making a gift in celebration of Peter’s ecumenical contributions?
Gifts Celebrating Dr. Peter Bakken's Ministry
