Wisconsin Council of Churches latest news and information.
Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him…
They are pastors of four churches in downtown Madison, religion lived out in the heart of Wisconsin’s capital city. They are United Methodist, Episcopalian, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America by denomination.They have worked together on issues of hunger and homelessness in the city. And now they are working together in a new way, sharing ideas and concerns as they plot the…
Dear Faith Leaders –We write to you in acknowledgement of the pain, grief and anger of our Black siblings. We bear witness to the most recent incidents of violence perpetrated against them and their communities. To those who would judge, we say: anger can be a righteous response to murders and targeted state- sponsored violence, which has been cascading down…
In the biblical readings for Palm Sunday is the account of Jesus’ procession down the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem. As Jesus rides into the religious center of his faith community people along the processional route shout and cheer. Powerful leaders tell Jesus to silence the crowd, but Jesus responds that even the stones would cry out if the people…
RETURNING TO OUR HOUSES OF WORSHIP An interfaith guide RESETTING OUR EXPECTATIONS The medical/public health consensus is that the duration of the pandemic is long-term. We need to prepare for adapting our way of life, and our everyday practices for a year or more, not a few weeks. Everyone will be impacted. What are the tools of your faith that…
Wisconsin Council of Churches Response to State Supreme Court Ruling FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2020Contact: Rev. Kerri Parker, (608) 290-6113, execdir@wichurches.org SUPREME COURT NOT THE HIGHEST AUTHORITY FOR CHURCH DECISIONS ON WHEN TO GATHER (STATEWIDE) – The decision of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court in Wisconsin Legislature vs. Palm late this afternoon was disappointing, but not unexpected. It was clear from…
There seems to be ample evidence to suggest that singing creates a quantity of fine aerosols that can stay suspended in the air for long periods of time, move with air currents, and stay infectious for many hours, exposing virtually everyone in a building. Our sources strongly recommend against singing indoors in public until a vaccine is widely available and widely used. For similar reasons, the use of wind instruments should also be avoided.
WHAT IS MY PASTOR DOING (NOW THAT THEY’RE NOT AT CHURCH)? Preparing worship content (as they always have, except for a different medium): studying scripture, praying, writing/curating liturgy, writing sermons/homilies/meditations, choosing hymns. Pray for your pastor, who like you, still longs for worship. Not only is your pastor still preparing worship resources, but if you are streaming worship, there are…
On Ministry Choices and the Commandment to Love April 9, 2020 – Maundy ThursdayDear Colleagues in Ministry,We write on this day when many of us observe Jesus’ last gathering with his disciples prior to his betrayal and arrest, an occasion which he used to offer a new commandment: to love one another, just as he has loved us. In this…
Online and at Home Resources and Ideas Ash Wednesday Send temporary cross tattoos to your church members Send small, individual containers of ashes to your members for application at home (be sure to remind people not to mix ashes with water) Ash Wednesday precautions (with example service attached) from Marcia McFee (UMC) Lent Lent Kits – how to create kits…
