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“Fall Gospel Fest fills a certain niche, a certain void that we have here in Madison … It brings the biggest and brightest national gospel artists here where people can actually see them live and in person,” says Clyde Gaines, the organizer of the 18th annual Fall Gospel Fest. “Most of the time you’re seeing these artists you’ve going to other cities to see these gospel artists. Talented musicians have traveled to Madison from all over the world to perform in front of a live audience at Fall Gospel Fest, which annually features some of gospel music’s biggest and brightest…

By Fred Grossenbach, director of the Madison Christian Giving Fund – The Madison Christian Giving Fund (MCGF) is committed to investing in the success of our Ministry Partners.  Surveys have confirmed that fund raising is a top priority for our Capacity Building Workshops. On October 7, 2022,  about 40 people representing a wide cross-section of Madison-area Christian ministries, from hyper-local to international, attended a three hour interactive learning session led by Marcy Heim, a fund raising professional with over 20 years of experience. The participants learned that fund raising is about building relationships over time with people who have common…

As people of faith, it is easy to say that we believe in the power of prayer.  But what do we mean when we talk about prayer?   Tim Mackie, co-founder of BibleProject, shared this teaching on prayer at the 2022 National Gathering of 24-7 Prayer USA in Portland, OR: Paradise Now – Luke 23 We invite you to join a community-wide week of prayer shared by churches around Dane County, from October 16-23, 2022. Five physical prayer rooms will be set up with guided prayer stations and located conveniently around the city.  ALL are welcome to participate! Each prayer room will be inspired…

By Chris Rickert, Wisconsin State Journal — Citing reduced membership and Mass attendance, and sundry other indicators of what Bishop Donald Hying describes as an “increasingly post-Christian culture,” the Diocese of Madison is planning to roll out a major restructuring next year that would consolidate parishes and possibly sell off unused church property. According to an “initial outline” released Oct. 1, the Diocese’s 102 parishes — including 135 churches and other associated buildings — would be consolidated into approximately 30 “pastorates,” or groupings of parishes, with “each under the leadership of a single Pastor and other priests collaborating with him…

In a room “full of entrepreneurial, grass roots, mission-minded leaders,” in the words of keynote speaker Dave Bechtold, three visonaries were recognized for their leadership. A surprise presentation began the Madison Christian Giving Fund’s Celebration of Generosity held Friday evening, October 7, 2022, at High Point Church on Old Sauk Road. Tom and Barb Hoffner, and Scott Haumersen, were recognized as Faithful Servants by Ryan Klund of the National Christian Foundation Wisconsin. The Hoffners and Haumersen took the lead eight years ago, launching the Madison Christian Giving Fund (MCGF) and the Madison Christian Generosity Council (MCGC) under the umbrella of…

Snizhana Bykova and her two children, Daniil and Arina, left their home in Kyiv to flee to safety in the United States. Their American friends Anne and Jeff Munson welcomed the Bykovs into their already crowded Fitchburg home on March 6. Six months later, the Bykovs are living on their own. They moved into a Middleton duplex in July. The congregation at Midvale Community Lutheran Church sponsored the Bykov and Munson families and helped make this all possible.

by Marcus Allen, Pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Madison For the last several months, I have been partnering with Upper House to plan and host an innovative event coming up this month— the Midwest Gospel Preaching Summit. When I approached Upper House with the idea, the Midwest GPS took on the shape I had hoped for—a spiritually invigorating event that will uplift and equip preachers and pastors of diverse congregations. How it might help us advance the kingdom of God in Madison and the surrounding region is something we can only imagine. I want you to be a part…

Madison is a non-profit organization hub and Madison residents are generous. But keeping the organization funded so it can serve the people it was created to serve can still be a challenge. The Madison Christian Giving Fund (MCGF) was created to serve organizations like that. And MCGF is next month offering a Capacity Building Workshop for local non-profits, especially Christian non-profits, their target audience. Marcy Heim, a highly sought-after speaker and a world class expert on philanthropy and fundraising, will be sharing her insights on fundraising and forming life-long relationships with donors. Attendees typically pay hundreds of dollars to learn…

Evangelist Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, has announced his God Loves You Tour will stop at the Waukesha County Expo Center on Saturday, October 1, 2022. This evening “will give the lost an opportunity to know Jesus and encourage believers in their faith,” the event website says. The free evening begins with music at 6:30pm and will feature a guest musical artist followed by a message from Franklin Graham. The Waukesha County Expo Center is located at 1000 Northview Road in Waukesha. Attendees are invited to bring their own chairs and blankets for seating. In preparation for the October…

At the end of Stuart Briscoe’s days, the renowned Wisconsin pastor, speaker and author said he hoped someone would look back on his life and say: “Stuart Briscoe served God’s purpose in his own generation, and now he has fallen asleep and is ready to meet his Lord” — a reference to the biblical figure of David in Acts 13:36. “I’d be thrilled if that was the conclusion,” he told the Journal Sentinel in 2020. Wednesday, August 3, 2022, was Briscoe’s time to meet his Lord. The 91-year-old Oconomowoc resident and former Elmbrook senior pastor died “of natural causes unexpectedly,”…