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Wisconsin Council of Churches We pray and work together for the unity of the church and the healing and reconciliation of the world

The Wisconsin Council of Churches (WCC) is a network of Christian church bodies and faith-based organizations that covenant to engage in a common ministry focused on church unity, peacemaking, social and economic justice for Wisconsin’s most vulnerable residents, and revitalizing congregations. The Council connects 23 Christian traditions with approximately 2,000 congregations and over one million church members. Join with us as we pray and work together for the unity and renewal of the church and the healing and reconciliation of the world.

10/21/2026

If only we could blink and have all our poll chaplain gear distributed at once! Still, it’s been so inspiring to connect with the 175 individuals who have stepped forward to make sure voters have a safe and empowered experience at the polls this election season. These are just a handful of the friendly faces you can expect to see at the polls! Look for the purple vests and yellow beanies.

It’s not too late to sign up to be a poll chaplain - register by Thursday 10/22 so we can offer training and get gear to you in time for election day.

Please join us for a special self-defense and de-escalation workshop taught by Mr. Charles Dean of Wisconsin Martial Art...
10/20/2026

Please join us for a special self-defense and de-escalation workshop taught by Mr. Charles Dean of Wisconsin Martial Arts & Fitness Center. At this workshop, you will learn safety and awareness, verbal de-escalation, and the three stages of physical self-defense as a way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community.

Learn more and register at the link in the comments.

10/20/2026

Democracy doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It is built brick by brick, by each person who plays a role in running elections.

It is our joy to celebrate these often under-appreciated individuals on Election Hero Day, this Tuesday, October 20.

Why now? This is when poll workers across the country are beginning to staff early voting. People staffing the polls and making information accessible to voters are dedicating a tremendous amount of time and energy to this work.

Celebrate election heroes by bringing tokens of appreciation to your local clerks office! You can also give support by taking a moment to offer this prayer, written by Rev. Jo Wiersema, on behalf of the more hidden heroes of our democratic process:

“O God of all creation, we thank you for all people made in your image.

We thank you for the strength, tenacity, and thoughtfulness of the people who ensure voting is accessible to all.

We thank you for poll workers, election office staff, municipal and county election clerks, boards of canvassers, and state election officials.

We ask in your everlasting comfort that you care for these people. Keep these good and kind servants safe in their work.

Wrap them in your great arms, O God, care for them in their steadfast dedication to justice, and support them in their passion for equity.

God, help us to care for those who care for us in our voting rights.

God, bless these election day workers, not just when we see them at the polls, but in their daily work to ensure they are loved, cared for, and safe in their communities. Amen.”

Let us know in the comments how you are celebrating election heroes this week.

Let's talk about current events."Faithfulness to its mission requires the Church to speak out against violence, minister...
10/15/2026

Let's talk about current events.

"Faithfulness to its mission requires the Church to speak out against violence, minister to its victims and work tirelessly to reduce the level of violence in society." - Wisconsin Council of Churches Statement on Nonviolence. is a global movement toward a world without r**e and violence. The color Black is worn by people around the world as a color of resistance and resilience. Many of our member traditions are affiliated with this movement.

Now let me be specific. Faithfulness to our mission, Church, means we must go beyond consent education, purity culture, and boundary trainings. Our statements of ethics and formal structures mean nothing if they do not lead us to hear the stories of survivors and to hold perpetrators accountable, if they do not lead us to speak out against current events such as sexual assaults on campuses (the horrific incident at Cornell is not the only one there or elsewhere), by political officials, by high-profile creators, by leaders in the church.

Sometimes we hesitate to speak because we are believers in due process, and that alleged perpetrators also need pastoral care and grace. It is not a rush to judgment to say that no person deserves to be victimized in this way, that this should never happen, and that we need to do better. It is not a rush to judgment to name the pain someone is enduring, and to sit with them in it. "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18. We cannot neglect the victimized while the more powerful cry their need for grace.

We who are in positions of power are called to work against structural injustice, which is one of the hidden causes of ongoing violence. On this Thursday, I challenge you to to take action as faith leaders. Engage in *one act* of public solidarity with survivors of r**e & violence, and *one act* that builds a framework that reduces the risk of exploitation/increases accountability for perpetrators.

Rev. Dr. Kerri Parker
Executive Director
Wisconsin Council of Churches

What spurs people of faith to engage in democracy in the first place?"Voting is not simply an exercise in personal prefe...
10/12/2026

What spurs people of faith to engage in democracy in the first place?

"Voting is not simply an exercise in personal preference. It is one of the ways we help shape a society that either affirms or neglects the dignity of our neighbors. As people of faith, we are called to evaluate candidates, policies, and public priorities through the lens of human dignity, compassion, justice, and the common good."

Executive Director for the UCC’s Council of Health and Human Service Ministries Jamar Doyle writes monthly about the intersection of faith and civic duty - and his words hit home.

As you consider your role in your community this election season, we invite you to engage in deep reflection about the ways faith is connected to pursuing a just world. Read more from Jamar at the link in the comments.

Defending the democratic process doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, it just looks like loving your neighbor.In a...
10/08/2026

Defending the democratic process doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, it just looks like loving your neighbor.

In addition to celebrating election heroes during Sunday worship on 10/18, we invite you to demonstrate your care on Tuesday 10/20, Election Hero Day.

Ideas for how to express gratitude to municipal and county clerks, poll workers, and election officials include:

🍪 Delivering cookies or other treats to your local clerks office
🙏 Making cards expressing thanks
🗳 Working at the polls yourself!

Have a plan to celebrate your neighbor, the election worker? Share it in the comments!

As the November election approaches, we want to highlight the heroes behind the scenes that make our democratic process ...
10/07/2026

As the November election approaches, we want to highlight the heroes behind the scenes that make our democratic process possible.

Municipal and county clerks, poll workers, and election officials all help ensure our elections run smoothly - and are neighbors well deserving of our love and support! Mark your calendars for Sunday 10/18, when people of faith can show support for these heroes.

We invite you to include this prayer, written by Rev. Jo Wiersema, or a similar one in your worship service:

“O God of all creation, we thank you for all people made in your image. We thank you for the strength, tenacity, and thoughtfulness of the people who ensure voting is accessible to all. We thank you for poll workers, election office staff, municipal and county election clerks, boards of canvassers, and state election officials. We ask in your everlasting comfort that you care for these people. Keep these good and kind servants safe in their work. Wrap them in your great arms, O God, care for them in their steadfast dedication to justice, and support them in their passion for equity. God, help us to care for those who care for us in our voting rights. God, bless these election day workers, not just when we see them at the polls, but in their daily work to ensure they are loved, cared for, and safe in their communities. Amen.”

Visit our election hero page (link in comments) for a bulletin insert and other Election Hero Sunday resources.

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