News & Events
Congregational Meeting for 2021 Postponed
Dear Friends in Christ,
We experienced a global crisis together in 2020 that is continuing to impact our day to day lives. We have not been able to gather in person for worship or any other church ministries indoors since March of 2020 due to the pandemic. Additionally, now we are not able to schedule our 2021 Annual Congregational Meeting which is required to be in person according to our governing bylaws. The Annual Congregational Meeting is typically scheduled for the final Sunday in January, and so with the factors of the pandemic still presenting obstacles to gather safely, the council decided to postpone the Annual Congregational Meeting until we can safely meet in person again.
The Council is continuing to meet online and review the 2021 Budget as there are the following issues for consideration:
We will hold an in person Annual Congregational Meeting for 2021 once it is safe to do so. In the meantime, the Council plans to refine the final budget proposal and work through the issues above in the weeks ahead. The Council encourages you to ask questions and prayerfully consider the issues listed above as we finalize the FY 2021 budget. You can contact us by emailing council@unitymilwaukee.org or by sending a letter to the church office.
Until we can meet in person, we continue to gather online at www.facebook.com/unitymilwaukee every Sunday at 10 a.m. for worship. We want to make sure we are staying connected to the best we are able in difficult circumstances. So if you do not have access for joining us online, please send a note to the church office letting us know, and we will follow up with you. Thank you for continuing to uphold one another in your prayers, for reaching out and supporting one another, and for being Jesus’ church each and every day every way you can.
In Faith,
Erin Whitehead, Council President
We experienced a global crisis together in 2020 that is continuing to impact our day to day lives. We have not been able to gather in person for worship or any other church ministries indoors since March of 2020 due to the pandemic. Additionally, now we are not able to schedule our 2021 Annual Congregational Meeting which is required to be in person according to our governing bylaws. The Annual Congregational Meeting is typically scheduled for the final Sunday in January, and so with the factors of the pandemic still presenting obstacles to gather safely, the council decided to postpone the Annual Congregational Meeting until we can safely meet in person again.
The Council is continuing to meet online and review the 2021 Budget as there are the following issues for consideration:
- A proposed budget for FY 2021 currently reflects a significant deficit based on challenges to member giving and other lost revenue streams. Our grant income is down considerably. We have used all of our eligibility to apply for the Vibrant Congregations grant from the ELCA, and we anticipate receiving less for our Outreach For Hope grant. Further, we no longer will receive rent income from Street Angels, as they have relocated all of their operations to their new centralized headquarters.
- We finished FY 2020 with a surplus of about $28,000 since Unity was able to qualify for the first CARES Act PPP loan offered to help cover staffing costs during the pandemic. The first loan was forgiven as expected. This surplus will help to offset some of the expected deficit in 2021.
- Unity plans on applying for a second PPP loan this year if we are eligible, which our lender has yet to determine. If we can apply, it would also be used for staffing expenses and be forgiven. A second PPP loan would positively impact the budget. Either way, continued member giving is critically important.
- For any Council members or Endowment Board members whose terms are complete and new members are required in those positions, the Council will receive a report from the Nominating Committee and then appoint persons to serve in those positions until the next Annual Congregational Meeting, at which time the congregation will vote on the positions.
- Once the 2020 Ministry and Finance Reports are all complete and the 2021 Budget proposal is finalized, these documents will be made available online. Hard copies will be made available to be mailed to any Unity member who requests one.
We will hold an in person Annual Congregational Meeting for 2021 once it is safe to do so. In the meantime, the Council plans to refine the final budget proposal and work through the issues above in the weeks ahead. The Council encourages you to ask questions and prayerfully consider the issues listed above as we finalize the FY 2021 budget. You can contact us by emailing council@unitymilwaukee.org or by sending a letter to the church office.
Until we can meet in person, we continue to gather online at www.facebook.com/unitymilwaukee every Sunday at 10 a.m. for worship. We want to make sure we are staying connected to the best we are able in difficult circumstances. So if you do not have access for joining us online, please send a note to the church office letting us know, and we will follow up with you. Thank you for continuing to uphold one another in your prayers, for reaching out and supporting one another, and for being Jesus’ church each and every day every way you can.
In Faith,
Erin Whitehead, Council President

Unity begins grief counseling group (will return after the quarantine)!
It hurts to lose someone. Find help at GriefShare right here at Unity Lutheran Church! GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk along side you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone. Unity’s group will meet on Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. For more information, contact the church office, Patty Johnson or Pat Gain.
It hurts to lose someone. Find help at GriefShare right here at Unity Lutheran Church! GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk along side you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone. Unity’s group will meet on Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. For more information, contact the church office, Patty Johnson or Pat Gain.
Journey Groups Have Returned (but are suspended due to the pandemic)!
Unity's Journey Groups are small group sessions for people who want to live in Jesus' mission and intend to walk with him in our daily lives. The best part about this is you don't have to be devout religiously to be a part of our Journey Groups. Even if you are just beginning your journey with Christ, Unity is here for you.
There are five opportunities for you to come join us:
¡Vuelven los grupos de viaje de Unity en el 9 de febrero! Estas son sesiones de grupos pequeños para personas que quieren vivir en la misión de Jesús y tienen la intención de caminar con él en nuestra vida diaria. La mejor parte de esto es que no tienes que ser un devoto religioso para ser parte de nuestros grupos de viaje. Incluso si apenas está comenzando su viaje con Cristo, la Unidad está aquí para usted.
Hay cinco oportunidades para que te unas a nosotros:
1. Grupo de viaje en idioma español: domingos a las 11:30 a.m. en el Santuario de Unity, organizado por Josefa Puerta-Villacrez y Christina García
2. Grupo del Pastor Kevan: domingos a las 6:30 p.m. en Puddlers Hall (2461 S. St. Clair St, Milwaukee), presentado por el Pastor Kevan Penvose
3. Centro de adultos activos: los martes a las 9:30 a.m. en el salón de becas de Unity
4. Grupo de Karen Penvose: miércoles a las 7:30 p.m. (a Anodyne Coffee a las calles KK & Ellen)
5. Cross + Generational Journey Group: los domingos después del servicio del domingo, organizado por la familia Kosmoski
Unity's Journey Groups are small group sessions for people who want to live in Jesus' mission and intend to walk with him in our daily lives. The best part about this is you don't have to be devout religiously to be a part of our Journey Groups. Even if you are just beginning your journey with Christ, Unity is here for you.
There are five opportunities for you to come join us:
- Spanish-Language Journey Group: Sundays at 11:30 a.m. at Unity's Sanctuary, hosted by Josefa Puerta-Villacrez & Christina Garcia
- Pastor Kevan's Group: Sundays at 6:30 p.m. at Puddlers Hall (2461 S. St. Clair St, Milwaukee), hosted by Pastor Kevan Penvose
- Active Adult Center: Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. at Unity's Fellowship Hall
- Karen Penvose's Group: Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. (Anodyne Coffee at KK & Ellen)
- Cross+Generational Journey Group: Sundays after service (roughly 11:30 a.m.), hosted by the Kosmoski family
¡Vuelven los grupos de viaje de Unity en el 9 de febrero! Estas son sesiones de grupos pequeños para personas que quieren vivir en la misión de Jesús y tienen la intención de caminar con él en nuestra vida diaria. La mejor parte de esto es que no tienes que ser un devoto religioso para ser parte de nuestros grupos de viaje. Incluso si apenas está comenzando su viaje con Cristo, la Unidad está aquí para usted.
Hay cinco oportunidades para que te unas a nosotros:
1. Grupo de viaje en idioma español: domingos a las 11:30 a.m. en el Santuario de Unity, organizado por Josefa Puerta-Villacrez y Christina García
2. Grupo del Pastor Kevan: domingos a las 6:30 p.m. en Puddlers Hall (2461 S. St. Clair St, Milwaukee), presentado por el Pastor Kevan Penvose
3. Centro de adultos activos: los martes a las 9:30 a.m. en el salón de becas de Unity
4. Grupo de Karen Penvose: miércoles a las 7:30 p.m. (a Anodyne Coffee a las calles KK & Ellen)
5. Cross + Generational Journey Group: los domingos después del servicio del domingo, organizado por la familia Kosmoski
Pastoral Letter on Immigration and Sanctuary
Dear people of God, fellow disciples of our Lord Jesus: Grace and peace to you in the name of the living God – Father, Son, Holy Spirit. This pastoral letter is to provide clarity and guidance for discerning how the Holy Spirit is calling and equipping us to follow Jesus in his mission as it pertains to loving our neighbors who are immigrants. In particular, there are questions in the church and in the public regarding what it means for a church to be a sanctuary. It is a complicated matter of great concern to many, so I will go into great detail at some length. But first, to facilitate easier understanding I offer this outline summary of the letter’s main points:
Recently in our nation’s public discourse the word ‘sanctuary’ has taken on a partisan connotation. Please do not confuse this use of the term with its original meaning as a term of the church. Depending on one’s political views, one may presume to support or to oppose our church’s declaration of sanctuary based upon this undertone. However, let us view sanctuary through the lens of our faith. For millennia prior to the term taking on a partisan connotation, Jesus’ church has defined sanctuary as integral to our mission in providing a place of refuge and mercy to those in need. The church has practiced sanctuary in every time and place for extending God’s love in concrete and practical ways to people experiencing a wide variety of needs. This is what sanctuary means when we speak of it as church. So the first thing we mean by saying we are a sanctuary church body is that we publicly affirm God’s consistent calling for us, and we are committed to continue living out this calling by the grace of God. Our calling to walk alongside immigrants and refugees is a matter of faith. The place and time in which we now are living on Jesus’ mission includes the global displacement of persons due to violence and being deprived of basic human needs. This displacement is occurring in record numbers of historic proportions. At the same time, there seems to be agreement between people of all political persuasions that our country’s immigration system is broken. So then the question for Jesus’ church becomes, “How do we love our immigrant neighbors in need, who are caught up in – and further burdened by – a broken system?” Actions of love can take on many forms. Some address long term needs, such as: working to alleviate conditions around the world that cause displacement of people; public demonstrations that raise awareness; and advocating to government representatives for humane reforms. At the same time, while we continue working toward long term goals, we also can show love in more immediate ways, such as: having civil conversations about how our faith informs our understanding of immigration; hosting English as a Second Language (ESL) classes; supporting immigrants in the process of becoming citizens; and when it comes to those who are facing deportation, loving our neighbors, who are caught up in a broken system and heading toward the likelihood of personal harm or death, can entail providing housing for refuge. Naturally when we consider what it means to provide sanctuary, the question arises, “Does this mean we would break the law?” The short answer is no, providing sanctuary does not call for any illegal actions. It is important to understand how that is, which I will explain below, but it is also of vital importance for faithful discernment of our call to discipleship that we ask ourselves the hypothetical question, “What are followers of Jesus to do when laws are in conflict with our life of faith in witnessing to Jesus?” There have been obvious examples of this situation throughout history: early Christian martyrs whose witness spread the gospel; enslaved Christians who sought freedom and those who provided sanctuary along the Underground Railroad; members of the Confessing Church including the Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer who actively resisted the Nazi government of the Third Reich; and Martin Luther King Jr along with many Christians in the Civil Rights movement that ended legal segregation. This is not to suggest an equivalency between those situations and our own. But it does demonstrate that as followers of Jesus, there are times when faithfulness is not bound by the limitations of laws. In Romans chapters 12 and 13, Saint Paul instructs us that we are to abide by laws rather than choose to disobey governing authorities, which are instituted to serve the good of the people, but our faith may lead us to defy laws that conflict with God’s highest law of love as we give witness to Christ living and reigning among us. And when we answer Christ’s calling in this manner, then we accept the consequences – just like Saint Paul himself and many Christians throughout the church’s history – as further opportunities to proclaim Christ crucified and risen, the ruler above all principalities and powers. Fortunately, churches are able to provide sanctuary to immigrants without breaking the law. Here is how sanctuary is done. First, churches are asked by immigration lawyers to house their client while pursuing avenues within the law to attain legal status. Sanctuary can often lead to positive outcomes of this legal process and save lives. Second, churches publicly declare sanctuary when welcoming an immigrant neighbor into housing, and government authorities are notified. The law prevents harboring immigrants who don’t have legal status, but courts have ruled that churches providing sanctuary are not harboring since government authorities know the person’s location and since the person is complying with the process of legal hearings and immigration check-ins. Third, the law allows for law enforcement agents to enter public places within church buildings such as worship services and outreach programs. But should law enforcement agents attempt to enter non-public areas, then churches ensure that a warrant is attained and signed by a federal judge. Providing sanctuary does not interfere with such legal actions of enforcement when warrants are presented. Finally, sanctuary is temporary. It might last for a period of several months while all the options are pursued within the immigration process. But eventually the person leaves from sanctuary, hopefully with a positive outcome for their safety, for unity of families, and for our community. As we, disciples of Jesus, seek faithful discernment of how to love our immigrant neighbors and give witness to the reign of God in Christ, many resources are available to help us. You can read many helpful resources online at www.elca.org/ammparo, the website of one of our ELCA’s ministries with migrants, and at www.lirs.org, the website of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. If you need or prefer hard copies, please ask for them at the church office. I have also attached to this letter the summary explanations provided by the ELCA. Of course the Holy Spirit guides us with our fundamental resources of faith as well. Please pray about our calling as Jesus’ disciples. Study God’s Word in scripture. And please engage in civil conversation with love and respect for one another. Especially, I invite you to make an appointment with me for prayerful conversation. The conversations I have had with people of a variety of perspectives have all been holy moments abounding in the fruits of the Spirit. Beloved, let our discernment of how God is calling us to love our neighbors be for us an occasion to love one another. For God is love, revealed to us in our savior Jesus. He tells us that when we welcome the foreigner among us, we welcome him. He sets no qualifications on who is our neighbor. He sets no limits based on how they got here or why they came. He simply calls us to love unconditionally, and to show God’s love by serving them in their time of need. Being a sanctuary for those in need is the very reason why we are church together. Our calling to love our neighbors, who are caught up in a broken system, gives witness to everyone around us that in Jesus there is healing beyond brokenness, that in Jesus there is a bond stronger than human divisions, that in Jesus there is life within the holy presence of God. Shalom! Pastor Kevan Penvose |
Carta pastoral sobre inmigración y santuario
Querido pueblo de Dios, compañeros discípulos de nuestro Señor Jesús: Gracia y paz para ti en el nombre del Dios viviente – Padre, Hijo, Espíritu Santo. Esta carta pastoral es para proporcionar claridad y guía para discernir cómo el Espíritu Santo nos llama y nos equipa para seguir a Jesús en su misión en lo que se refiere a amar a nuestros vecinos que son inmigrantes. En particular, hay preguntas en la iglesia y en el público con respecto a lo que significa para una iglesia ser un santuario. Es un asunto complicado de gran preocupación para muchos, así que voy a entrar en gran detalle en cierta medida. Pero primero, para facilitar la comprensión ofrezco este resumen esbozado de los puntos principales de la carta:
Este mes, nuestro cuerpo de la iglesia, la Iglesia Evangélica Luterana en América, reunió a los miembros votantes enviados por nuestros 65 sídos a nuestra Asamblea en toda la Iglesia. Una de las resoluciones acordadas fue declararnos un cuerpo de iglesia santuario. El propio consejo de nuestra congregación ha estado estudiando con oración el asunto del santuario durante más de un año. Como Martín Lutero nos enseña en nuestro catecismo, un primer paso fiel es preguntar: "¿Qué significa esto?" Recientemente en el discurso público de nuestra nación la palabra "santuario" ha adquirido una connotación partidista. Por favor, no confunda este uso del término con su significado original como un término de la iglesia. Dependiendo de los puntos de vista políticos, uno puede presumir de apoyar u oponerse a la declaración de santuario de nuestra iglesia basada en este matiz. Sin embargo, veamos el santuario a través de la lente de nuestra fe. Durante milenios antes del término que toma una connotación partidista, la iglesia de Jesús ha definido el santuario como parte integral de nuestra misión al proporcionar un lugar de refugio y misericordia a los necesitados. La iglesia ha practicado el santuario en todo momento y lugar para extender el amor de Dios de maneras concretas y prácticas a las personas que experimentan una amplia variedad de necesidades. Esto es lo que significa santuario cuando hablamos de él como iglesia. Así que lo primero que queremos decir al decir que somos un cuerpo de iglesia santuario es que afirmamos públicamente el llamamiento constante de Dios por nosotros, y estamos comprometidos a seguir viviendo este llamamiento por la gracia de Dios. Nuestro llamamiento a caminar junto a inmigrantes y refugiados es una cuestión de fe. El lugar y el tiempo en que ahora vivimos en la misión de Jesús incluyen el desplazamiento global de personas debido a la violencia y a ser privados de las necesidades humanas básicas. Este desplazamiento se produce en números récord de proporciones históricas. Al mismo tiempo, parece haber un acuerdo entre personas de todas las persuasiones políticas de que el sistema de inmigración de nuestro país está roto. Entonces la pregunta para la iglesia de Jesús se convierte en: "¿Cómo amamos a nuestros vecinos inmigrantes necesitados, que están atrapados en – y más agobiados por – un sistema roto?" Las acciones de amor pueden tomar muchas formas. Algunos abordan las necesidades a largo plazo, tales como: trabajar para aliviar las condiciones en todo el mundo que causan el desplazamiento de personas; manifestaciones públicas que sensibilizan; y abogando a los representantes gubernamentales por reformas humanas. Al mismo tiempo, mientras seguimos trabajando hacia metas a largo plazo, también podemos mostrar amor de maneras más inmediatas, tales como: tener conversaciones civiles sobre cómo nuestra fe informa nuestra comprensión de la inmigración; organizar clases de inglés como segundo idioma (ESL); apoyar a los inmigrantes en el proceso de convertirse en ciudadanos; y cuando se trata de aquellos que se enfrentan a la deportación, amar a nuestros vecinos, que están atrapados en un sistema roto y dirigiéndose hacia la probabilidad de daño personal o muerte, puede implicar proporcionar alojamiento para refugio. Naturalmente, cuando consideramos lo que significa proporcionar refugio, surge la pregunta: "¿Significa esto que quebrantaríamos la ley?" La respuesta corta es no, siempre que el santuario no llame a ninguna acción ilegal. Es importante entender cómo es eso, que explicaré a continuación, pero también es de vital importancia para el discernimiento fiel de nuestro llamado al discipulado que nos hagamos la pregunta hipotética: "¿Qué son los seguidores de Jesús que hacer cuando las leyes están en conflicto con nuestra vida de fe?” Ha habido ejemplos evidentes de esta situación a lo largo de la historia: los primeros mártires cristianos cuyo testimonio difundió el Evangelio; cristianos esclavizados que buscaban la libertad y aquellos que proporcionaron refugio a lo largo del Ferrocarril Subterráneo; miembros de la Iglesia Confesora, incluido el pastor luterano Dietrich Bonhoeffer, quien se resistió activamente al gobierno nazi del Tercer Reich; y Martin Luther King Jr junto con muchos cristianos en el movimiento de Derechos Civiles que puso fin a la segregación legal. Esto no quiere decir una equivalencia entre esas situaciones y las nuestras. Pero demuestra que como seguidores de Jesús, hay momentos en que la fidelidad no está ligada a las limitaciones de las leyes. En los capítulos 12 y 13 romanos, San Pablo nos instruye que debemos acatar las leyes en lugar de elegir desobedecer a las autoridades gobernantes, que se instituyen para servir al bien del pueblo, pero nuestra fe puede llevarnos a desafiar las leyes que entran en conflicto con la ley más alta de Dios s damos testimonio de Cristo viviendo y reinando entre nosotros. Y cuando respondemos al llamamiento de Cristo de esta manera, entonces aceptamos las consecuencias – al igual que san Pablo mismo y muchos cristianos a lo largo de la historia de la iglesia – como nuevas oportunidades para proclamar a Cristo crucificado y resucitado, el gobernante sobre todo principados y poderes. Afortunadamente, las iglesias son capaces de proporcionar refugio a los inmigrantes sin violar la ley. Así es como se hace el santuario. En primer lugar, los abogados de inmigración piden a las iglesias que abarquen a su cliente mientras persiguen vías dentro de la ley para alcanzar el estatus legal. Sanctuary a menudo puede conducir a resultados positivos de este proceso legal y salvar vidas. En segundo lugar, las iglesias declaran públicamente refugio al dar la bienvenida a un vecino inmigrante en la vivienda, y se notifica a las autoridades gubernamentales. La ley impide albergar a inmigrantes que no tienen estatus legal, pero los tribunales han dictaminado que las iglesias que proporcionan refugio no se acoplan ya que las autoridades gubernamentales conocen la ubicación de la persona y ya que la persona está cumpliendo con el proceso legal en tercer lugar, la ley permite que los agentes de la ley ingresen a lugares públicos dentro de los edificios de la iglesia, como servicios de adoración y programas de divulgación. Pero si los agentes de la ley intentan entrar en áreas no públicas, entonces las iglesias se aseguran de que una orden judicial sea alcanzada y firmada por un juez federal. Proporcionar refugio no interfiere con tales acciones legales de ejecución cuando se presentan las órdenes de detención. Finalmente, el santuario es temporal. Puede durar un período de varios meses, mientras que todas las opciones se persiguen dentro del proceso de inmigración. Pero con el tiempo la persona se va del santuario, con suerte con un resultado positivo para su seguridad, por la unidad de las familias y para nuestra comunidad. A medida que nosotros, discípulos de Jesús, buscamos un discernimiento fiel de cómo amar a nuestros vecinos inmigrantes y dar testimonio del reinado de Dios en Cristo, hay muchos recursos disponibles para ayudarnos. Puede leer muchos recursos útiles en línea en www.elca.org/ammparo, el sitio web de uno de los ministerios de nuestra ELCA con migrantes, y en www.lirs.org, el sitio web de Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. Si necesita o prefiere copias impresas, por favor pregunte por ellas en la oficina de la iglesia. También he adjuntado a esta carta las explicaciones resumidas proporcionadas por la ELCA. Por supuesto, el Espíritu Santo nos guía con nuestros recursos fundamentales de fe también. Por favor oren acerca de nuestro llamamiento como discípulos de Jesús. Estudia la Palabra de Dios en las Escrituras. Y por favor entablar una conversación civil con amor y respeto el uno por el otro. Especialmente, los invito a hacer una cita conmigo para conversar con oración. Las conversaciones que he tenido con personas de diversas perspectivas han sido momentos sagrados que abundan en los frutos del Espíritu. Amado, que nuestro discernimiento de cómo Dios nos está llamando a amar a nuestros vecinos sea para nosotros una ocasión para amarnos los unos a los otros. Porque Dios es amor, revelado a nosotros en nuestro salvador Jesús. Nos dice que cuando damos la bienvenida al extranjero entre nosotros, le damos la bienvenida. No tiene cualificación para quién es nuestro vecino. No establece límites basados en cómo llegaron aquí o por qué vinieron. Simplemente nos llama a amar incondicionalmente, y a mostrar el amor de Dios sirviéndoles en su tiempo de necesidad. Ser un santuario para los necesitados es la razón por la que somos iglesia juntos. Nuestro llamado a amar a nuestros vecinos, que están atrapados en un sistema roto, da testimonio a todos los que nos rodean de que en Jesús hay sanación más allá de la quebrantamiento, que en Jesús hay un vínculo más fuerte que las divisiones humanas, que en Jesús hay vida dentro de la santa presencia de Dios. Shalom! Pastor Kevan Penvose |
Unity Lutheran Church
1025 E Oklahoma Ave Milwaukee, WI 53207 Phone: 414-744-6311 unity@unitymilwaukee.org Schedule Sunday: 10:00am Liturgy, 11:15am Coffee Wednesday: 5:30pm Dinner, 6:30pm Liturgy |