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Local ministries, “the hands and feet of Jesus,” were encouraged by the community support offered through the first United Madison Christian Givers (UMCG) grant award event of 2026. Six Madison area ministries received financial grants to further their work. The amount of the grant awards were determined by the votes of the UMCG members who gathered at the InterVarsity building on Monday evening, February 9, 2026. Members make contributions of $50/quarter or more, 100-percent of which goes to local Christian ministries who share the Gospel through their compassionate services. More than $1.3 million has been awarded to more than 70…

By Tanaisha Shaw – Channel 3000.com MADISON, Wis. — Madison is mourning the loss of Reverend Larry Jackson, a beloved community leader and entrepreneur who died last week at age 71 after health complications. Jackson, known throughout Madison’s south side as “the Street Doctor,” earned his nickname because he always knew what the community needed. The father of seven leaves behind a legacy of breaking barriers and building foundations for future generations. Read more of this story.

By Madison 365 – Impact Christian Academy has announced the appointment of Jerome Flowers as its new principal. Flowers brings more than 20 years of experience in education and student support, along with a deep commitment to Christ-centered leadership and whole-child development. Flowers joins Impact Christian Academy at a time of continued growth for the school, which recently moved into its new Verona facility and is expanding enrollment and programming, according to a press release from Impact Christian Academy, and he has a background across elementary, middle, and high school settings positions. Read more of this story.

The beginning of a new year is an opportunity to try something new. Some people make resolutions, some people just decide they’re ready for something different. Hallie Ringhand hears from some of those people this time of year as the owner of New U Health Coaching, a business she started 17 years ago. But when she has calls from people that she’s worked with from a New Age perspective, before 2022, “I tell them I don’t do that anymore. Now, I want to help people from a biblical perspective.” Hallie grew up in the east side of Madison, Jewish but…

By Mackenzie Krumme – Wisconsin Public Radio – Cori Salchert leaves the Christmas lights on year round. It’s not to celebrate the holidays, but so an ambulance can easily spot her house any time of year. “Hearing that an 11-year-old stopped breathing … can be a scary thing for an EMT, so we just lessen the difficulty for finding our home,” Cori said. Since 2012, Cori and her husband, Mark, have adopted five children, all with a terminal prognosis — meaning the Salcherts adopt these children knowing their lives will be cut short. They get most of their needs met…

“My rolodex is full of people you introduced me to,” pastor Amanda of Madison’s Edan Center told Diane Hanson, CEO of United Madison Christian Givers, as she explained the impact of UMCG on her ministry to survivors of sex trafficking. At last Tuesday’s UMCG fundraiser she explained how attending a UMCG workshop opened “a floodgate of community support and aligning with like organizations.” All of those connections come into play when, for example, a couple living in a rental car in a church parking lot have nowhere else to turn. Other UMCG grant recipients like Shelter from the Storm and…

By Chris Rickert – Wisconsin State Journal – A year after he was shot four times at Abundant Life Christian School — including twice in the head — Samy Garduno-Martinez is able to talk, is regaining his memory and is relearning how to walk. It’s a recovery that his physicians didn’t think was possible, but that his family never stopped believing in. “I always say that when the science says no, God says yes,” said Samy’s mother, Gabriela Martinez, who ascribes Samy’s ongoing recovery to “many miracles.” Read more of this story.

By Erin Gretzinger – Madison Capital Times – On the evening of Dec. 16 last year, Marcio Sierra Jr., the senior pastor of Lighthouse Church, felt his faith being tested.  That morning, a 15-year-old student at Abundant Life Christian School opened fire on her teachers and classmates, leaving two dead and six more injured before she died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Among those most gravely wounded was then 17-year-old Samy Garduno-Martinez, who attended Lighthouse and went to the church’s school up until he went to high school at Abundant Life. More than a dozen other alumni and other students from Sierra’s congregation…

By Chris Rickert, Wisconsin State Journal – The success of Dane County’s private voucher and independent charter schools on the state report cards released this week varied greatly, with scores oftentimes reflecting differences in student body demographics. Among the 10 schools rated, scores ranged from a high of 84.7 at Eastside Evangelical Lutheran Elementary in Madison, to a low of 56.3 at Westside Christian School in Middleton. The scores correspond to a rating of “significantly exceeds expectations” for Eastside and “meets few expectations” for Westside Christian. Read more of this story.

By Barry Adams – Wisconsin State Journal – Paul Lang thought his job was going to be fairly straightforward. In 2022, he began work inside St. Bernard Catholic Church on Madison’s East Side to refurbish the choir loft and create space for pipes behind the alter so two restored vintage pipe organs could be installed. But the $3 million project is now a small part of what has become a $33 million transformation for the nearly 100-year-old church building and the 150,882 members of the Diocese of Madison. In February, the diocese hopes to consecrate St. Bernard’s as a cathedral…