MC News
Tim Mackie’s friends in Portland, Oregon, have no clue about how awesome Madison’s Brat Fest celebration can be. Mackie is a pastor at Portland’s Door of Hope church and teaches Old Testament at Western Seminary. He developed a local following while he was studying for his PhD in Hebrew at the University of Wisconsin and was a teaching pastor at Blackhawk Church a decade ago. Mackie said he had a lot of conversations with Portland friends about going to Madison for the weekend to preach a sermon at Brat Fest’s Sunday morning community worship service. “I couldn’t convince people that…
It’s relatively easy to sit in a large room with 250 folks – most of us white – and listen to the stories of slavery and segregation and civil rights and to feel horrified and then ashamed and then inspired. It’s not so easy when all that history bumps up against today’s realities.
Imagine this: you’re a parent. And like most parents, you’re constantly worrying about your kids. Only, your worries are more daunting than most, and they keep you up at night—at least, you think they do. After all, it’s hard to get a good night’s sleep in the front seat of your family’s Toyota Camry, especially with the kids in the back. So, you lay there, awake, trying to find a solution to your family’s problems.
The Wisconsin State Capitol grounds were not packed (as they are for Concerts on the Square). Only a couple of hundred people gathered at the King street entrance for today’s noon hour prayer observance, but even just two or three would have made it a significant prayer meeting. Joleen Helbig, Wisconsin National Day of Prayer State Coordinator, introduced musicians Leotha and Tamera Stanley, from Madison’s Mt. Zion Church, and Julaine Appling of the Wisconsin Family Council. Appling introduced the theme of this year’s National Day of Prayer: “For Your Great Name’s Sake! Hear us. Forgive us. Heal us!” The theme…
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV)—Many families in our area struggle with providing needs like medical and dental care, groceries, clothing or even a haircut. Felicia Pendleton and Krysta Wetzel talk about an event that’s happening this Saturday where Dane County residents can receive these services for free.
Since settling in Madison eight years ago, Don Tubesing has been a Big Brother volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, a supporter of the Lussier Family Center and member of the leadership team of its statewide gospel choir, a volunteer with the literacy program at the Dane County Jail, a stone carver and a history-maker in the Madison theater community.
Madison schools are failing minority children who are poor. Madison’s racial disparity and achievement gap offers little hope for minority parents with limited means. Their only choice was the public schools until Lighthouse Christian school entered the Wisconsin Parental Choice program (the only Madison school participating in the state voucher program). LightHouse from Yellow Dog Productions on Vimeo.
Christa Fisher opens a cabinet in her office and fills a cloth shopping bag with some of the supplies inside: Bibles, pencils, postage stamps, calendars; a few pairs of clean socks. She checks the walkie-talkie on her belt, picks up a stack of yellow request forms, and goes to work. She heads through a security door and down a barren corridor to a jail cellblock. Four men in blue jail-issued scrubs come to greet her through the bars, as a TV plays in the background.
Festus, a 15-year-old donkey from Blue Mounds, led a group of about 200 congregants observing Palm Sunday on a parade to the Capitol. The donkey has grown accustomed to his role re-creating Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey. In fact, Festus has caused at least three fender-benders, said his handler and owner, Marlene Cordes of Black Forest Farm.
City Church of Madison has no dress code. This is so both newcomers and returning visitors can feel completely comfortable and be themselves at the non-denomination house of worship. By presenting a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, the church believes its worshipers will more strongly connect with God, form new friendships, and acknowledge God’s presence in their daily lives.