ORUCC Installation

Celebration of Julia Burkey

officially installed as our Senior Pastor

Sunday May 22nd 2pm (See flyer below)

An installation is a special service in the United Church of Christ that marks the beginning of a pastor’s leadership in the local church and is our way of saying to Pastor Julia “you belong here with us!” It grants a sense of permanence and belonging and celebration of the Holy Spirit for bringing us together. We believe God has brought us together for a reason in this time and place and along with our local Southwest Wisconsin Association of the United Church of Christ, we will celebrate.

Volunteers for Camp Awesum Needed

Camp Awesum, our UCC camp for people on the autism spectrum and their families, is looking for volunteers. Experience is not required. Just patience and the ability to adapt to the needs of individuals. Each day during the week is split between working and your own relaxation. The work is extremely satisfying. The goal for all of the staff/volunteers is to provide respite for the parents and an enjoyable time for their families. The following link takes you to the Camp Awesum website. https://ucci.org/camp-awesum/ If you have any questions, contact Jill Westberg at [email protected].

The United Church of Christ Makes an Appeal for Ukraine

Click here to learn how you may contribute

Or visit https://www.ucc.org/global-h-o-p-e/ukraine-emergency-appeal/

Spiritual

Nourishment

for you!

For the week of May 19 – May 25

Read this week’s reflections as a way to dive deeper into your spiritual practice or to get some nourishment and inspiration

for your day.

Click here for reflections

We are grateful for the ministry of Jeanne Moberly who is a member of Adult Faith Formation, as she puts together a set of fresh readings every week for our devotional practice at Orchard Ridge UCC. You will see these posted daily if you are part of the “Members & Friends” Facebook group. If you know someone who needs encouragement and would like the devotional mailed to them, please contact Julie Wombacher in the church office.

Movie Group Friday, May 20, 7:00 P.M.

In-Person at the Church or by Zoom

Were you a fan of “I Love Lucy”? The ORUCC movie group will review both the film “Being the Ricardos” and the documentary “Lucy & Desi”. Both available free on Amazon Prime. Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, Best Actress respectively for their portrayal of Desi & Lucy in “Being the Ricardos”.  All are welcome to join us on Friday, May 20th at 7 pm. A light dessert will be served. Please RSVP Steve Sheets, [email protected] so that we may plan accordingly.

 Click here to join Movie Group by Zoom

Or phone 1-312-626-6799

Meeting ID: 856 3305 5564

Passcode: 702725

Improv & Dinner Night — June 3

We will celebrate the end of our programming year with an Improv night and dinner on Friday, June 3, starting at 6:00 pm. We will have pizza and vegetables, fruit, and dessert plates. Monkey Business Institute of Madison will be leading us in improv. If you can provide a side dish and/or help with set-up and clean-up, please go to: www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0844a5ad22abf49-improv

Porchlight Needs Our Help!

Coffee and personal hygiene items-trial size are still needed for the shelter which is at 200 N. First Street until September, 2022.  These supplies can be dropped off at the shelter or at the Porchlight office at 306 N. Brooks St./ Madison. Porchlight’s number is 608-206-9625. 

Walk with Al & Weasley

Al Blanchard writes:

Hi friends!

Weasley (my two year old “retriever mix”) and I were wondering if anyone would be interested in a dog park meet up? We frequent the Middleton dog park on highway Q (address is 5209 county highway Q. It is at the end of the driveway past brush drop off and soccer fields). 

I propose meeting there next Saturday (May 21) at 1pm. The park has a 3/4 mile loop to walk with plenty of field for pups to roam around. It is a bit hilly and the path is made of wood chips. There is a shade spot with picnic tables as well. 

We would love to see some of our church friends and meet their dogs*!! Feel free to email me any questions! [email protected]

*dog NOT required!! Feel free to come without a dog too and enjoy some nice weather 😊

Peace,

Al (they/them) & Weasley (he/him)

Spring Fling Celebration

This Saturday, May 21st, Orchard Ridge Elementary (ORE) will host a Spring Festival & Fundraiser to for its Parent Teacher Organization. It will be a great opportunity to meet people from the Orchard Ridge / Meadowood community, support public schools in our ORUCC neighborhood, and have fun!

See the flyer below for more details! Note: ORE Blacktop is located on Gilbert Road just a block from ORUCC.

Yoga at ORUCC with Leslie Linser

I have been practicing yoga for the last 8 years and recently completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training. I am very excited to offer yoga classes at ORUCC.  My goal is to offer a yoga class grounded in spirituality.  This means there will be space for prayer and meditation while moving with the breath.

What is Yoga?

For people who are not familiar with yoga, it is a practice that involves different movements and postures that are coordinated with the breath.  The original practice of yoga involved the challenge of stilling the mind by focusing on the breath with very little or no movement.  It has evolved to include postures, called asanas, and movement.  Indeed, there are many types of yoga, but the primary purpose continues to be a mental exercise as well as a physical one.

Is This Right For Me?

The style of yoga being offered is best described as a gentle, slow flow.  And while this will be slow and gentle it will require the ability to get on and off a mat (the floor).  If one is able to get on and off the mat then most poses can be modified to fit your abilities.  It is important that you know your own abilities and limitations and consult your physician if you are unsure if this is right for you. Whether you are a beginner or experienced in yoga practice, this class is intended to support you in engaging in gentle movements and in entering into a space of quiet and meditation that all can experience.  And if you are an experienced practitioner there will be space and opportunities for more challenging poses.

When, Where and What

• The class will be offered every Sunday in June beginning at 8:45am and lasting about 50 minutes 
• We will use the outdoor space north of the worship hall, on the concrete slab, now called the patio. An alternative indoor option will be provided in the case of inclement weather
• You will need to bring a mat and a firm blanket to provide extra padding if you wish.
• There is no cost to participate in this ORUCC-sponsored activity. However, donations will be accepted 
• After the June classes I will evaluate the degree of interest and determine whether to continue to offer a class throughout the year.

If you have questions please email me at [email protected]

From the Immigration Justice Team

Spring Cleaning?

Save those clothes for the Casa Alitas Clothing Drive in August!

We’ll begin receiving donations after August 8!

Thanks to our Volunteer Landscapers!

Many thanks to everyone who helped clean up our landscape and wash the windows on Worship and Work Sunday! The flowering crab trees, red buds and lilacs were a riot of color. Please take time to visit the meditation garden to admire the bleeding hearts, shooting stars and Jacob’s ladder before they fade. Try to find the trillium and Jacob’s ladder blooming in the south rain garden. Irises  will be in bloom soon in both rain gardens. 

We had a wonderful turnout of workers (about 40?) in a wide variety of ages. Everyone in the dandelion and thistle patrols did a great job of getting rid of weeds in the flower beds and then planted native flowers (black eyed Susans) and little blue stem native grass in the flower bed near the parking lot. The men who dug up the roots of the old shrubs by the Gilbert Road door worked really hard. One even went home to get an ax to take care of a recalcitrant root! Now we have Quick Fire Hydrangeas planted to each side of the doors and they should provide beautiful blossoms this summer and fall. Other volunteers planted natives in the rain garden and ferns, lady’s mantle and salvia in the meditation garden on Saturday. Two pruners trimmed the nine bark bush on the southeast corner of the education wing. A generous fellow who doesn’t even like hydrangeas replaced a hydrangea in the meditation garden and planted a dwarf hydrangea near the main entrance. Even someone with painful knees had an important job of watering and making sure the plans were carried through. And, last but not least, a great deal of gratitude goes to the marvelous mulchers who seemed to magically appear at the flower beds when needed and made everything look neat. 

And a special thanks to everyone from Congregational Life ministry who provided just the right lunch of sandwiches, veggies, chips and cookies for all the garden tenders. It was very tasty and very welcome.  

We did not get to every area on Sunday but that’s ok. We will have a pruning lallapalooza on Saturday, June 11. If you want to join the labor force and camaraderie you can show up in June or on Wednesday mornings (about 8:00) to weed and plant and water. 

Save the date!

Celebration of Tammy Martens’ Ministry

August 6, 2022

Stay tuned for more details and times.

If you have questions or suggestions please contact

Ann Evensen [email protected]  cell 608 628 4280 

Barbara Stretchberry [email protected]  cell 608-239-6669

Kellie Miller [email protected]   cell 608 852-7578

News for Covid Response Team

The COVID Response Team met Sunday, May 1, and once again considered current trends in the region and discussed the evolving types of data now available to us.

We continue to recommend that masks be required during worship, in order to extend the broadest welcome to all. For small groups that use the church outside of the worship service, they may continue to work with the pastors to make the best determination for their group.

We are starting to digest the new COVID metrics that have become publicly available, and to consider how they might guide our decision-making in the future. 

While the recommendations continue to evolve, we reiterate that by wearing even a non-fitted N95 mask – freely available outside Worship Hall – the wearer essentially ensures that nobody can be considered a “close contact” during worship. (It would take hours of continuous exposure to an unmasked individual for this to be the case!) This frees us from the need to be concerned with “contact tracing,” etc. if any of our friends test positive for COVID — although we do appreciate being able to pray for them during Joys & Concerns. Please keep telling us when you test positive for COVID after being in worship or at a church function.

AT ORUCC, the Members are the Ministers!

We are seeking a whole new team of volunteers to serve in 2022 on Sunday mornings for in-person worship. You need not be a member, simply a person who loves ORUCC and is eager to find a place to serve!

Would you consider serving one or more times as a Lay Liturgist, a Welcomer, or for Holy Communion?

Feel free to sign up as an individual, a couple, or a family!

Click here to sign up as a Welcomer

Click here to sign up as a Lay Liturgist



Click here to sign up as a Coffee-Maker

Click here to assist with Holy Communion

Questions? Contact Ken Pennings at [email protected] or 608-556-2371.

Pictorial Directory

Thanks to all those who helped with the pictorial directory. Here is a print version. Photo Directory Print Version

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

1501 Gilbert Road

Madison, WI 53711

Office Hours: M-Th 8:30-12:30