Author: Gordon Govier

If Daniel Weiss has learned anything about the small towns of east-central Wisconsin, it’s that folks in the region he calls home care about what they eat. Say buzzwords like “organic,” “natural” and “superfoods” and — snap — people will organize fairs, farmers markets, farm-to-table workshops and debates about whether local free-range chickens have healthy social lives. “You can talk about fresh veggies and how important food issues are for their families,” said Weiss, leader of the Brushfires Foundation, a sexual-integrity ministry based in Omro, Wisconsin. “People in a secular society will bond together to talk about food and good…

The Madison Diocese is considering an investigation to learn how many substantiated sexual abuse allegations there have been against priests and other clergy members after the Green Bay Diocese announced Thursday that more than 40 priests there had abused minors. Meanwhile, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul may also be considering an investigation involving sexual abuse by clergy.

For the last three decades, the Rev. Bryan Sirchio has operated a freelance itinerant musical ministry. But recently the 60-year-old felt it was time be less “itinerant and more grounded in a local community.” Sirchio decided to ground himself at the McFarland United Church of Christ.

When members of United Methodist Church of Whitefish Bay toured a local school in Ghana, they were shocked to see that the school’s library did not have any books. The empty room was furnished with nothing but a couple desks, some chairs and several piles of pamphlets.

CAMERON, Wis. (WEAU) — For the past couple of months the community of Barron and beyond has been praying for a safe return of 13-year-old Jayme Closs. But after being reunited with her family last week, members of the church in Cameron where she grew up are saying a much different prayer on Sunday, one of thanks. It was a full house at St. Peter Catholic Church in Cameron as members were celebrating Jayme’s safe return. Our prayers have been answered and God is good,” said church member, JoAnn Trowbridge.

Turning a casual conversation toward religious beliefs can often result in long thoughtful silences, maybe a deep sigh and quite possibly the end of the friendly conversation. “Churchy,” a new play with a formula of two parts comedy and one part bluegrass music, is obviously aiming for a much different response to the subject when it premieres Jan. 6 at the Overture Center‘s Playhouse.

Turning a casual conversation toward religious beliefs can often result in long thoughtful silences, maybe a deep sigh and quite possibly the end of the friendly conversation. “Churchy,” a new play with a formula of two parts comedy and one part bluegrass music, is obviously aiming for a much different response to the subject when it premieres Jan. 6 at the Overture Center‘s Playhouse.

(St. Louis, Missouri) – Urbana 18, the 25th triennial student missions conference for Madison-based InterVarsityi Christian Fellowship, has drawn over 10,000 college students and others to St. Louis for a 5-day conference focused on world missions. For 75 years the Urbana conference has challenged each generation of college students to find their place in God’s mission for the world.

The Wisconsin State Journal asked a cross-section of area Christian clergy members to share with readers excerpts from their sermons they plan to deliver this Christmas season.

DE PERE – A Brown County judge has determined a De Pere ordinance barring discrimination based on gender identity infringes on the religious freedom of local churches. The ordinance, approved by the De Pere City Council last year, prohibits employers, businesses and landlords from discriminating against people based on gender identity or expression. The protections cover those who identify as transgender and gender non-binary. A group of five churches and Lakeshore Communications, which owns Christian radio station Q90FM, filed a lawsuit in February seeking exemption from the ordinance. The churches that are party to the lawsuit are Hope Lutheran, Crosspoint, Destiny, St. Mark Lutheran…