January Compassion Offering:

The Wisconsin Intertribal Repatriation Committee 

(via The Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council)

Vision and Mission: The Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. (GLITC) shall be a diligent advocate for the advancement and promotion of tribal nations and communities by honoring the seventh-generation perspective. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life for all Native people.

Values: Culture, Respect, Diversity, Collaboration, Teamwork, Stewardship

History and Background:

The Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. (GLITC) is a consortium of federally recognized Indian tribes in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Since 1963, GLITC has united tribes against the threat of termination and helped tribes face challenges of governance and services for their communities.

Today, GLITC supports member tribes in expanding self-determination efforts and advocating for improvement and unity of tribal governments, communities and individuals. This unity has enabled tribes to deal effectively with state and local governments, academic institutions and other agencies. The GLITC staff currently manage approximately 45 programs in education, epidemiology, family health, nutrition education, aging, disability services, elder services, vocational rehabilitation, and economic development.

The Wisconsin Intertribal Repatriation Committee (WITRC) represents these federally recognized tribes, working under the umbrella of GLITC since 1995. Members, usually tribal historians or elders, meet quarterly with representatives of state and local government and museums to streamline the sensitive work of repatriating Native American ancestors and cultural objects to their modern-day descendants. These objects are found in museums, private or academic collections, construction sites, hiking trails, or parks disturbed by human activity or natural conditions. Objects and ancestors may be located far beyond Wisconsin. WITRC works collectively to share funds, equipment and knowledge, ensuring these efforts are accomplished with due spiritual care. Other efforts of WITRC representatives include consultation, education, and heritage preservation.

Over the past two years, church leaders (with process guidance from the Wisconsin Council of Churches), have attended some of these meetings as observer-learners and to present gifts toward relationship repair. This has been a source of education and spiritual growth and has spurred Wisconsin Christians toward indigenous justice efforts. Increased awareness of the activities of Indigenous peoples and their governments in Wisconsin can help us be better neighbors and allies.

GLITC member tribes represent communities of five Indian Nations on 12 reservations, a combined American Indian population of 40,026 (US Census 2010), and a land base of about 500,000 acres spanning 31 counties. https://www.glitc.org/

Your donation to the January Compassion Offering will support the work of the Wisconsin Intertribal Repatriation Committee. Thank you in advance for any amount that you may choose to give. 

Family Game Night: January Date Change

January’s family game night will be on the 2nd Friday: January 10th @ 6-8 pm. Please join us in Friendship Hall for board games, a potluck, and merriment with friends. 

ORUCC goes to the border!

ORUCC is going to the border! On Tuesday, January 14th, 19 members of ORUCC will be flying to Tucson, AZ, for a five-day border immersion trip. The trip is hosted by the Good Shepherd UCC in Sahuarita, AZ, and Pastor Randy Mayor. The program includes a combination of field trips and classes, buoyed by music and song. The field trips include a visit to La Casa welcome center in Nogales, Mexico, walks along the border wall, and ventures into the desert to make water drops along migrant trails. Presentations and classes include everything from keynote addresses from award-winning authors to how to make authentic Mexican salsa. Evenings will be filled with music and fun. The group returns on Sunday, January 19th, with plans to share reflections with the congregation in early March. What an incredible opportunity to see, feel, and share in person what’s happening at the border.  

January 15th: Wayfinding is ON!

As previously announced, Julia will be away on a mission trip this month and unable to lead a Wayfinding session. However, since there seems to be quite a bit of interest, we’re going to open up Friendship Hall on January 15th for all the Wayfinders who’d like to gather extemporaneously for coffee and conversation.

We’ll start a bit later than usual at 9:45 am. Then we’ll enjoy a brief time for coffee and treats before breaking into groups to talk about whatever is on our mind (Five days before inauguration, what could be on our mind?). 

P.S. Do you have a beloved prayer, mantra or brief reading that helps you cope with the vicissitudes of life after 55? If so, we’d love to hear it; bring it along to share.

See you Wednesday morning, January 15th!  Please note: there will not be a Wayfinding Zoom session Thursday, January 16th.

Coming in 2025: Constitution updates! Hal Evensen, Past Moderator

At our upcoming congregational meeting (Feb. 2, after worship), the congregation will be asked to approve an update to our constitution! We have a few hard copies (and QR codes for downloads) available in the church; additionally, you can download copies at these links for the original and proposed versions. They are conveniently highlighted to show (and explain) the proposed modifications. [The links, again: https://bit.ly/ORUCC-Original and https://bit.ly/ORUCC-2024 .]

Many of you are perhaps thinking: “wait – we have a constitution?!” Yes, we do! A feature of the UCC that I cherish is that the congregations are self-run: “we are the church,” and the constitution is meant to help all of us understand how we can work together to “be the church.” When I became Moderator, I referred to it a lot! However, it became clear that parts of it were dated, and other parts were frankly not aligned with what we were actually doing. The proposed changes thus are to bring the constitution in line with current practice, including gender-neutral terminology, and more.

However – this is just the beginning! It has become clear to the Leadership Team that we need a deeper consideration of how things are structured (such as Ministries and Mission Teams) – again, to best ensure that we all can “be the church” together. This is frankly too big for Leadership Team to do on its own – therefore, one of our tasks in 2025 will be to seek input from all of you, by way of a special Mission Team. (More on that, later.)

To help move in this direction, I will be hosting two information sessions, January 19 & 26, to reach as many people as possible. The first meeting (1/19; noon) will be virtual, via Zoom, which will allow me to go through the changes in detail by sharing my computer screen. The second (1/26, 9:00 AM) will be in person at the church. The purpose of these meetings will be to discuss the proposed changes that will be on the agenda in February, and also to answer general questions on the constitution (all while enjoying coffee & doughnuts!). Take a look at the electronic documents in advance – or the shared hard copies – and bring your questions & comments!

While this may sound “dry,” I sincerely believe that a good constitution empowers us all to better work together to do God’s work! I hope you will be able to join us for one of the sessions, or alternatively to email questions & comments to the Moderators at moderators@orucc.org.

Save the Date! Annual Chili Cook-Off, Sunday, January 26th

Join us for the Annual Chili Cook Off on Sunday, Jan 26th! You are invited to contribute your favorite chili or cornbread to the contest. Prizes will be awarded in the categories of vegetarian, meat, and speciality chilies, and also for the best cornbread. Everyone is invited to taste and vote after the service! Please sign up here or on the sign up sheet in the crossroads if you plan to contribute a chili or can help with the event.

Camp Registration. Soon!

Join us for camp this year in the Northwoods, at Green Lake, or at Cedar Valley. Sessions can fill up on the first day (Family Camp with the Boyds and Camp Awesum) so pay close attention to the opening days and times. For further information, google ucci.org. 

Monday, January 13, 2025 at 9:00 AM

• Daycholah Center events
• Moon Beach events (excluding Camp AweSum)

Monday, January 20, 2025 at 9:00 AM

• All Camp AweSum Family Camps hosted at Moon Beach



Please note that all Cedar Valley Art Workshops and January 1 through March 31 events at Moon Beach and Daycholah Center opened in December.

Save the Date!

Lenten All-Church Retreat

Daycholah Center, March 14-16

More details coming soon…

for now, mark your calendars!

Sign Up to Volunteer on Sunday Mornings now through the end of

2025!

AT ORUCC, the Members are the Ministers!

We are seeking volunteers to serve 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! Young people are welcome to sign up, too!

Would you consider serving one or more times as

a Coffee Maker, a Welcomer, an Usher, a Lay Liturgist or

to assist with Holy Communion?

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

Click here to sign up as a Coffee Maker

Click here to sign up as a Welcomer

Click here to sign up as an Usher

Click here to sign up as a Lay Liturgist

Click here to assist with Holy Communion

After selecting one or more dates, you will need to click “Submit and Sign Up” at the bottom of the page, then enter your name & email address, then click “Sign Up Now.”

Questions or problems signing up?

Contact Ken Pennings at ken@orucc.org or 608-556-2371.

Come sing with us–join our Choir!

All singers are welcome to join our Choir! Rehearsals are Wednesday

evenings from 7:00 to 8:30pm. We sing in worship the first and third

Sundays of the month, gathering for rehearsal 9am those Sunday mornings.

Please share your voice with a group of music-loving friendly people! For more information, email Bruce Gladstone at sunprairiedog@gmail.com.

Spiritual

Nourishment

for you!

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. Jeanne is on break until January 16, 2025, so the link below will take you to the most recent Daily Reflections from December 19 – 25, 2024. If you know someone who needs encouragement and would like the devotional mailed to them, please contact the church office.

Daily Reflections: December 19 – 25

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

1501 Gilbert Road

Madison, WI 53711

608-271-7212

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