Updates from MOSES

Pam Oliver on October 16, 2024

ORUCC is a congregational member of MOSES (Madison Organizing in Strength, Equity, and Solidarity). The mission of MOSES is to build collective power to dismantle the systems of mass incarceration and mass supervision and to eradicate the racial disparities in our community that contribute to them.

MOSES is an advocacy group, not a direct services group. It is an affiliate of the statewide WiSDOM network. Working groups within MOSES and the larger WISDOM network advocate around improved response to mental health emergencies, reducing the number of people in jail, improved literacy for young people, restorative justice programs in the schools, reducing homelessness, humane treatment of prisoners, release of prisoners whose incarceration does not aid public safety, supporting public schools, protecting voting rights, and other issues.

Mission Team Meeting October 18

The newly-formed MOSES mission team is the ORUCC implementation of what MOSES calls a congregational core team. Our next meeting will be Friday October 18 1:30-2:30 on Zoom. You are invited to attend if you are interested. This group

communicates with the congregation about MOSES activities and issues
seeks input from the congregation about issues of concern
invites participation in MOSES activities

Zoom information:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81650153506?pwd=c48GEXkXEp5pr0wN2svHBzR7VE5dAg.1

Meeting ID: 816 5015 3506
Passcode: 960218

For more information contact [email protected] or [email protected]

Upcoming Events of Interest

Tuesday October 22 6pm First Unitarian Society, Atrium Auditorium. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will discuss his book Break the Wheel: Ending the Cycle of Police Violence with moderator Mark Nichols of the Capital Times and open remarks by Representative Mark Pocan. The book describes the prosecution of officer Derek Chauvin for killing George Floyd and reflects on what is necessary for police reform.

Friday November 1 6:30 pm First Unitarian Society Friday Film Series. Poverty and Power. Directed by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Jacob Kornbluth, it is the story of what happens when you bring people with lived experience–their voices, ideas and aspirations–to the halls of power. Flyer

Tuesday November 12. 9 am to 3 pm. Alliant Energy Center. The Homelessness Service Consortium and Wisconsin Homelessness Awareness are hosting a summit that will include educational sessions, networking opportunities, and discussions with fellow community members and elected officials. Registration link. PDF of flyer with information..

Call for Humanitarian Release for Some Wisconsin Prisoners

The “old law” working group in WISDOM advocates for people who are being punished much longer than their original sentencing judges intended. They were sentenced before 2000 when it was expected that people would be eligible for parole. This flyer describes the cases of young people sentenced in the 1990s at the height of the mass incarceration boom who have rehabilitated and should be given a chance to return to their families and old people who are ill and deserving of compassionate release so they can be cared for by their families. This flyer also answers frequently asked questions about long prison sentences, rehabilitation, and second chances. The working group is advocating with state legislators and the governor for the release of these people.

July Compassion Offering: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Food Pantry

Pam Oliver on July 2, 2024

Did you know that Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (GSLC) offers a weekly (Thursday) food pantry? This pantry located at 5701 Raymond Road opened its doors in 2005 and currently serves up to 75 eligible individuals and families each week. Rick Thomas, GSLC Outreach Director, reports that the pantry has experienced record high demand (up to 50% more attendance) since late winter 2024. He also reports that local pantries have seen fewer food products come from Second Harvest, the main supplier to Dane Co Food pantries, due to high demand throughout the county. GSLC has had to rely heavily on an internal pantry fund to maintain an adequate supply of food items on the pantry shelves. Additional funds are much-needed at this time. Can we at ORUCC help?

We invite ORUCC members to make monetary donations to the GSLC food pantry fund through our July Compassion Offering. Your donations will go toward direct purchase of food items that best meet the needs of food pantry clients. Please consider a generous donation to keep the GSLC food pantry well-stocked for those in need.

Additional ways that you can help:

Food, paper goods or personal items are also accepted year-round at the GSLC Donation Room during weekday hours.
Volunteer at the GSLC Food Pantry: Assist with registration, act as a host or help with stocking the shelves. Thursdays, 9:30am-Noon or 5:30pm-7pm. Familiarity with languages is a bonus, such as Spanish, Middle Eastern dialects, others. Contact: Rick [email protected] or ORUCC contact Jane [email protected]
Volunteer your time in the ORUCC Veggie Village garden where we tend and harvest fresh vegetables for the GSLC food pantry. Contact: LuAnn Greiner [email protected]

Report from MOSES

Pam Oliver on March 2, 2024

MOSES (Madison Organizing in Strength, Equity, and Solidarity for Criminal Legal System Reform) is part of WISDOM, a statewide social justice organization, and with Gamaliel, a national social justice network. Gamaliel’s Annual Report for 2023 talks about its support for building a focus on racial equity, immigration justice, integrated voter engagement, transformational justice, and more.

MOSES Supporting Quality Literacy Curricula

The Racial Justice for All Children task force in MOSES is advocating for policies to ensure that all children learn to read and address severe racial disparities in literacy. Children who do not learn to read tend to have behavioral problems at school and end up in the “school to prison pipeline.” Recent advocacy has called for the state to adopt literacy curricula based on the Science of Reading. Members have been asked to advocate with the Wisconsin legislature’s Joint Finance Committee by March 5 to support high-quality literacy curricula.

Background: In the fall of 2023, by bipartisan vote, the legislature passed and Governor Evers signed Act 20, which supports statewide literacy curricula based on the Science of Reading. MOSES supported Act 20. This Act created the Early Literacy Curricula Council (ELCC) which was charged to develop curriculum recommendations based on the Science of Reading. Recommended curricula would be eligible for grants to support their purchase. Districts could still purchase other curricula, except for those that rely on a specific intervention (cueing) that has been discredited, but they would not eligible for grants. ELCC recommended four quality curricula options. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) submitted a much longer list which did not conform to the ELCC’s recommendations and includes curricula that only minimally meet the requirements of the law. According to the law, a Joint Finance Committee vote on March 8 determines which curricula will be eligible for grants. MOSES asked its members to advocate by March 5 with the Joint Finance Committee to support the ELCC’s recommended list.

Prison Lockdowns

MOSES and WISDOM members continue to advocate for releasing low-risk incarcerated individuals to address the lockdowns in Wisconsin prisons due to staff shortages. During a lockdown, incarcerated people spend 23 hours a day in their cells. People have been denied visitors and access to medical appointments and treatment services. WISDOM transformational justice coordinator Mark Rice was recently approached by a reporter from Wisconsin Eye, who interviewed him for an edition of a podcast called “Capitol Chats”. The interview centered on Prison Lockdowns. You can listen to this 14-minute, information-packed interview here: Capitol Chats with WISDOM re Prison Lockdowns.

Treatment Alternatives to Imprisonment – A disappointing legislative outcome

MOSES members are active in WISDOM’s Treatment Alternatives and Diversions (TAD) task force, which seeks to divert people from jail or prison into treatment programs. The current law only allows the diversion of people with Substance Use Disorder, but people across the political spectrum agree that people with other mental health issues should also be eligible for diversion into treatment. This is one important way to reduce crowding in prisons and jails as the underlying issue for many incarceration people is an untreated mental illness. The bill passed the State Senate 29-3! It had broad bipartisan support and would have passed the Assembly by a similar margin if Speaker Vos had allowed a vote, which unfortunately he did not. Mark Rice, WISDOM’s Transformational Justice Campaign Coordinator, sent a letter to all State Senators thanking them for their overwhelming bipartisan support for this measure and urging them to make this a priority in 2025.

Please contact Pam Oliver or Barbie Jackson if you would like to learn more about MOSES.

ORUCC – PHISHING emails, please read

Pam Oliver on February 6, 2024

PHISHING EMAIL SCAM

Some of you have received phishing emails impersonating Pastor Julia asking if you are available to handle a matter discreetly, and if you can buy gift cards and then send pictures– trying to take advantage of kind church people.

We are SO sorry if this has happened to you.

If an email seems odd to you from one of our pastors, trust your gut and then double check- know that we always use official ORUCC emails – [email protected] – and would never ask you to buy gift cards or send money in this manner.

Please always check the return email address and if it doesn’t have @orucc.org with the pastor or office as the name it is a scam.

Blessings!

ORUCC Worship December 31, 2023 -No Live-stream

Pam Oliver on December 30, 2023

Labyrinth Walk

Orchard Ridge

United Church of Christ

Sunday Worship Resources

Sunday, December 31, 2023

9:00 am: Java & Jesus for Adults

10:00 am Worship

Sermon: Rev. Dr. Julia Burkey

Journey Into The Sacred: Labyrinth Walk

Lay Liturgist: Amy Kell

Special Music: Vicki Nonn

After a short sermon message will be a labyrinth walk to begin the New Year. There will be accessible options such as sitting around the labyrinth to meditate or hand held labyrinths.

Our worship will NOT be live-streamed

YouTube Link

You will need to refresh the page

after 10 am if you have opened it before

Programming for Children & Youth – Resumes January 7th

No Nursery Care Available

Java & Jesus

Sunday, Dec. 31, at 9 am

Attend in-person at the church in the

Alfred Swan Room, or attend remotely

by Zoom

Dan Rossmiller facilitating

All are welcome!

Please join us even if this is your first time!

(Jesus will be there, but bring your own Java!)

The Java & Jesus reading for New year’s Eve Sunday is a chapter from former President Jimmy Carter’s book: Faith: A Journey For All, in which he recounts demonstrations of faith through

actions of a number of people who influenced him.

Click here for reading

_ _ _ _ _ _

Click here to join Zoom discussion

Or paste the following into your browser:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83649436657?pwd=R2hVU0drV1N2VTZlMVJoRmI4K2VtUT09

To join Zoom discussion by phone: 1 312 626 6799

Meeting ID: 836 4943 6657

Passcode: 315584

If you have difficulty accessing the Zoom discussion,

phone Ken Pennings at 608-556-2371

DECEMBER COMPASSION OFFERING

THE UCC CHRISTMAS FUND

The Christmas Fund is an annual special offering of the United Church of Christ. Each year at Christmas, UCC members are invited to give to this fund, created for the benefit of clergy and lay workers in our denomination. Orchard Ridge UCC has participated in generous ways for many years.

Funds are disbursed in a timely and sensitive manner to benefit retired clergy with inadequate pensions, surviving clergy spouses whose needs may be great following the death of their spouse, retired church workers who often lack adequate pension plans, and currently serving pastors confronted with emergency financial needs.

This year’s theme comes from John 1:16: “From Christ’s fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” The presence of God in our lives equips us to respond generously.

Throughout December we will hear specific accounts of ways The Christmas Fund has proved essential for those who lead us in worship and mission across the United Church of Christ. Funds are collected by The Pension Boards of the UCC and are distributed carefully and thoughtfully for maximum benefit.

Thank you for giving generously

VIDEO

You can make a donation by check, on the memo line, please write “compassion” and mail to ORUCC, 1501 Gilbert Road, Madison, WI 53711, or donate online from our website. The link is https://orucc.org/contribute/support/

Office Manager Julie Wombacher

Mon.-Thurs. 8:30am -12:00 pm

608-271-7212 or EMAIL

Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. Julia Burkey EMAIL

On-call: 12/24/23 – 12/31/23

Holiday vacation: 1/1/24 – 1/6/24

Away attending UCC Conference for Senior Pastors: 1/7/24 – 1/11/24

Associate Pastor: Rev. Kate Mackey EMAIL

Holiday vacation: 12/25/23 – 1/1/24

Away tending to family needs in early January

Associate Pastor: Rev. Ken Pennings EMAIL

Holiday vacation: 12/25 – 1/1/24

On-call: 1/2/24 – 1/11/24

Children’s Education Coordinator & Music Director: Julie Mazer EMAIL

LIKE or FOLLOW the Orchard Ridge Facebook Page

JOIN our Private FB Group:

“Members & Friends of Orchard Ridge UCC“

Follow us on Instagram @orchardridgeucc

Orchard Ridge UCC | Spiritually Alive, Joyfully Inclusive, Committed to Justice, 1501 Gilbert Road, Madison, WI 53711

Coordinating Summer Java & Jesus

Pam Oliver on June 2, 2023

From Pam Oliver to Java & Jesus participants on Sunday mornings at 9 am:

The end of this email asks you to email [email protected] if (1) you are willing and able to be trained on how to turn on the Owl Camera and launch Zoom, and/or (2) you are willing and able to help with J&J facilitation during the summer (see below for more details)

During the summer, Java & Jesus will focus on the Phoenix Affirmations. We decided to do this because the pastors will be preaching on them during the summer and we want to keep the J&J community going during the summer in a low-maintenance way. There is an online study guide available that offers discussion questions. We believe these will prompt the kind of open-ended J&J discussions participants have come to know and enjoy.

I, Pam Oliver, have agreed to help us put together a low-effort coordination team for the summer and hope some of the regulars can help. (1) I’d like to train as many people as possible who are J&J regulars about how to turn on the Owl camera in the Swan Room and open the Zoom meeting so we are not dependent on just one or two people. John Lemke has set up instructions on the laptop that make this pretty painless. (2) It would be helpful to have a designated facilitator each week to help the discussion move along by quickly summarizing the main points from the study guide for people who have not read it and keep track of who wants to talk. The designated facilitator could optionally select a portion of the Eric Elnes’ book The Phoenix Affirmations — A New Vision for the Future of Christianity, or some other source to supplement the week’s theme, but this is not required. We hope all the regulars make a point of welcoming new people and making sure they are invited to share their thoughts as they wish.

Please send email to me [email protected] if (1) you often attended J&J in person and are willing and able to be trained on how to set up the Owl and Zoom or already know how to do this, and/or (2) you are willing and able to commit to being a facilitator for one, two, or three weeks during the summer, in which case let me know which weeks you would or would not be available. Diane Dulin and Tom Beilman will be providing programming for July 16, 23, and 30 on Palestinian Justice and there will be no J&J on those Sundays. We will be doing Phoenix Affirmation programming during J&J on June 4, 11,18 25, July 2, 9, and August 6, 13, 20, 27.

Thanks in advance for your interest and responses!

Pam Oliver

PS for your reference, List of Phoenix Affirmations by content:

Walk fully with Jesus, don’t deny other faiths
Prayer, meditation, scripture
Celebrate creation
Worship includes art
Engage people authentically across diversity
Stand with poor and oppressed
Separate church and state
Walk humbly with God, seek to understand enemies
We and all people are loved
Sacredness of minds and hearts, doubt and belief
Care for bodies, time for rest, reflection, recreation
Meaning and purpose, discernment of calling

Native American Presentation: Celebrating the Tapestry of Humanity

Pam Oliver on May 23, 2023

On Friday June 2 at 7-9 pm and again on Saturday June 3 7-9 pm, Dawn and Art Shegonee will present a multimedia exhibit and program exploring the need for interconnectedness of our common humanity and our relationship to each other and to nonhuman life on this planet. This program is in person at McFarland United Church of Christ, 5710 Anthony Street, McFarland. It is free and open to the public. Please RVSP by sending an email to [email protected]. Please specify how many people will be attending and on which date.

Art Shegonee, a member of the Menominee and Potawatomi tribes of Wisconsin, is a Native traditional dancer, teacher and peacemaker. An ambassador of Milwaukee’s Indian Summer and Call for Peace Drum & Dance Company, Shegonee specializes in teaching tools of respect, nonviolence, conflict resolution and peace. He has provided over 400 schools, libraries, businesses and community centers with educational programs that demonstrate and teach traditional Native American dance and history, positive communication skills and more. Art and Dawn carried the message of peace to schools in the Call for Peace Talking Stick/Talking Circle programs, and they have worked with groups of all ages to teach the program as a means to resolve conflicts respectfully, peacefully and cooperatively in a Native American tradition. In 1995, the Wisconsin Historical Society honored Art Shegonee by including his image in their permanent exhibit, “People of the Woodlands: Wisconsin Indian Ways.”

Hope-and-Discovery-poster Download

Report on white christian* nationalism class

Pam Oliver on May 2, 2023

By Rev. Dr. David Anderman

White christian nationalism is a hot topic right now – nationally and around ORUCC. Over 65 people participated in our nine-week class on white christian nationalism, including friends from five other congregations. Our main text was The 7 Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism: A Call to Action by Carter Heyward, supplemented by The Psychology of Christian Nationalism: Why People Are Drawn In and How to Talk Across the Divide by Pamela Cooper-White and by various random resources and references I brought in.

For most of the participants, many of the issues related to white christian nationalism were personal. So our discussions were lively, sometimes heated (in good ways), informative, and productive. By the end of the class, we were able to recognize more quickly the underlying white christian nationalist ideology of many current political issues, and to see ways in which the Bible and traditional Christian symbols are mis-used to led legitimacy to unchristian actions.

While we discussed Heyward’s various ‘calls to action,’ we left hanging the question of how ORUCC might respond to these issues. Look for more to come as our class discussions feed indirectly now into the ongoing life of the church.

Here is one of the best short descriptions of white christian nationalism: “The deep story of white Christian nationalism was already fully formed by around 1690, nearly three centuries before the emergence of the New Christian Right. It was woven together out of three stories taken from the Christian Bible: the Chosen People story, the End Times story and the Racial Curse story. Who counted as ‘white,’ ‘Christian,’ and ‘American’ has changed over time But the basic plot line has remained the same: America is a white Christian nation whose power and prosperity is threatened by racial, religious, and national others, inside and outside its borders.” (Source: the Oxford University Press website, an abstract for a chapter of The Flag + The Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy, Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry https:/doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197618684.003.0003

Those of us whose faith commitments include a belief that all ‘others’ are as fully children of God as we are have a responsibility and a call to speak, stand, and act against the ideology of white christian nationalism that threatens our faith and our democracy.

On a personal note: Although I don’t think ‘enjoyed’ is quite the right word to describe my feelings on leading the class, I am proud to be part of a congregation that takes issues like white christian nationalism seriously, and I am happy I was a part of the discussion. My thanks to all who participated. My hope and prayer is that we can avoid the ‘paralysis of analysis’ and move from study to action

*Note: I do not capitalize christian nationalism to indicate that I believe its ideology is not truly Christian.

MAY COMPASSION OFFERING. LGBTQ+ Community Center

Pam Oliver on May 1, 2023

OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center has served the Madison area since 1973, providing community building, health and human services, and economic, social, and racial justice advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and our allies. OutReach has staff advocates that offer peer support, information, and referral in three main areas: substance use and harm reduction, transgender services, and elder services (for those over age 50). We also host social and support groups for people from all across the LGBTQ+ community where people can come together to discuss their lives, learn new skills, or just watch a movie and have a good time! OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center houses the Earl Greely Memorial Library, an over-4000 volume lending library of LGBTQ+ fiction and nonfiction, the David Bohnett Cybercenter, community meeting space, and a community pantry with food and personal essentials.

Funds raised will be used to support Willma’s Fund, a program of OutReach offering emergency financial assistance to LGBTQ+ adults in Dane County. Willma’s Fund was founded in 2011 by Donald Haar, a former employee of the Salvation Army and drag performer who goes by the name Willma Flynn-Stone. Donald recognized that LGBTQ+ people often face additional barriers when accessing support for homelessness or housing insecurity and saw a way to help (and get back into performing drag!). Since 2011, Willma’s Fund has awarded over $250,000 to over 500 people. In 2022 alone we awarded $50,000 to 120 people. We paid 35 people’s security deposits or first month’s rent, and provided over 400 nights of emergency shelter through short-term hotel stays. Willma’s Fund is a vital piece of our community’s efforts to protect its most vulnerable members.

VIDEO

You can make a donation by check, on the memo line, please write “compassion” and mail to ORUCC, 1501 Gilbert Road, Madison, WI 53711, or donate online from our website. The link is https://orucc.org/contribute/support/

Heart Room: Learn more February 19 at 4pm

Pam Oliver on February 4, 2023

Save The Date – Heart Room Presentation on Feb. 19 Download

Heart Room Information

Pam Oliver on February 4, 2023

You can learn more about the Heart Room Program by reading this online or downloading a copy. There are also print copies available at church.

2022 Heart Room Program Info_1.20.23 Download

Confronting Christian Nationalism

Pam Oliver on February 4, 2023

A guest sermon on February 12 and an eight-week study group on Tuesday mornings 10:30-12 from February 28-April 18 led by ORUCC member Rev. Dr. David Anderman will address the challenges of white christian nationalism*. The study group will be hybrid (in person and virtual on Zoom) in the Swan seminar room at ORUCC. The Racial Justice Mission Team has been discussing this issue for over a year and we think it is time to bring it to the congregation. We asked David to write a short statement about this issue for the ORUCC website.

What is white christian nationalism?

By Rev. Dr. David Anderman

A simple answer is that white christian nationalism* is a crazy quilt of threadbare pieces of worn-out doctrines and practices.

Here’s a dense answer, dense because the seemingly simple question is actually very complex:

Contemporary white christian nationalism in the United States is an attempt, in many ways successful, by certain political powers, predominantly on the right, to co-opt Christian symbols, doctrines, and institutions to increase their own political powers.

The ideology of white christian nationalism has already corrupted large segments of U.S. Christianity. In the areas of journalism, politics and political theory, and academia, a multitude of questions have been raised about white christian nationalism. But within the Christian church and within theology, the discussion has been more muted. As Christians, we need to raise our voices to address sisters and brothers, using the resources of faith, especially scripture and theology.

The crazy quilt of white christian nationalism uses familiar Christian ideas and symbols that have been re-worked into a picture we cannot, and will not, recognize as Christian. The quilt of white christian nationalism, at first glance, can offer an unchristian comfort for many who do not see the threadbare nature of the pieces of fabric used. A more robust quilt of Christian resources provides both deeper, more long-lasting comfort and challenges us to get out of bed and work for justice.

Faithfully answering and constructively responding to the challenges of white christian nationalism requires serious study of and reflection on the challenges and how we respond.

To begin the discussion at ORUCC, Rev. Julia has invited me to preach on Feb. 12. My sermon on white christian nationalism will raise questions for you. It will be meant to stimulate discussion.

And the Racial Justice Mission Team has asked me to lead a study of white christian nationalism. The study will be on Tuesday mornings 10-11:30 am during Lent, the traditional Christian season of self-examination and penitence, and continuing for two sessions after Easter, in the season of hope and new life (Feb. 28-April 18). After an introductory discussion, each of the next seven sessions will examine a piece of the quilt and consider a corresponding call to action for faithful Christians. The last session will be an overview of how we might faithfully respond as individual Christians and as part of the Christian community. Resources and readings will be provided for each week after the first.

I anticipate stimulating and challenging discussions. Please don’t be hesitant to participate because you aren’t sure about such a heavy theological topic. Theology is about finding meaning in life and faith. We begin with who we are and where we are. Whether you self-consciously realize it or not, you already do theology. The study is an opportunity for us to reflect and grow together as we consider deep values, faith, and living in a topsy-turvy world.

Rev. Julia has asked me to include some biographical tidbits for those of you who don’t know me very well yet. I have a doctorate from University of Chicago Divinity School. While a grad student I did three years of field work in a middle-class, black UCC congregation (that was their self-description) on the South Side of Chicago and then wrote my dissertation about that congregation. Seven years ago I retired after 40 years of parish ministry in a variety of UCC congregations. I also have experience teaching theology and religion, ethics, and philosophy at the college level.

* David says: “I refuse to capitalize “christian” in referring to white christian nationalism, because this ideology is not Christian.“

Disability Rights and Voting

Pam Oliver on September 28, 2022

The September statewide meeting of the Faithful Stance for Equity coalition included a very informative presentation by Barbara Beckert of the Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition. People who are unable to get to the polls have the right to vote despite the passage of recent laws trying to make it more difficult to vote. People who are unable to get to the polls or a mailbox unassisted do have the right to have someone else help them as long as that person is not an employer or union representative. A wealth of legal and practical information was presented, including advice about what congregations can do to help make sure everyone can vote.

A copy of the PowerPoint presentation that is chock full of information may be downloaded here.

Topics covered include

Legal protections for voting by disabled people
About 23% of people have some disability, including consequences of aging; disabled people are underrepresented at the polls
Historical barriers to voting & new barriers due to post-2020 laws
Legal challenges to new laws including federal laws that require accessibility
Voters rights to accessible voting, curbside voting, reasonable accommodations
Guardianship issues
How to get involved
Resources, including election day hotlines

You may also watch a videorecording of the presentation (75 minutes).

ORUCC Joins MOSES: A Brief Introduction

Pam Oliver on September 28, 2022

The Racial Justice Mission Team is happy to announce that ORUCC has become a member congregation of MOSES, as recommended by the Ministry of Christian Witness and Service and approved by the Leadership Team. RJMT will coordinate our engagement and communications. As RJMT chair, Pam Oliver will be our representative on the MOSES Leadership Board, which serves as its board of directors. We are hoping that other members of ORUCC will want to get involved.

MOSES, which stands for Madison Organizing in Strength, Equity, and Solidarity, is a grassroots, interfaith, nonpartisan, racially-mixed, non-profit organization working for transformative justice in Dane County and Wisconsin. Most of our members belong to faith communities, but others are unaffiliated individuals committed to social justice. MOSES is part of the statewide WISDOM network which has chapters around the state. Joining MOSES puts us into contact with other faith-based activists in the rest of Wisconsin.

The MOSES mission is to build collective power to dismantle the systems of mass incarceration and mass supervision and to eradicate the racial disparities in our community that contribute to them. MOSES has three task forces actively working to achieve this mission:

The Justice System Reform Initiative (JSRI) task force, established in 2015. It supports safety and operational improvements of the Dane County Jail that will make it more humane and advocates for Dane County criminal justice system reforms that will divert more people from the jail and reduce involvement with the criminal justice system.
The Racial Justice for All Children (RJAC) task force, established in 2020 with a mission to eradicate the childhood to school to prison pipeline. It envisions a reduction in the generational deprivation experienced by children of color and children in poverty; the elimination of systemic racism in our community; and a community that supports steadily increasing opportunities for all children to thrive.
The Public Safety Task Force (PSTF), established in 2020 with a purpose to improve public safety in Dane County. Preliminary goals include: reduce the overall reliance on armed law enforcement officers for maintaining public safety; reduce racial disparities in rates of law enforcement surveillance and arrest; and increase responsiveness of public safety organizations and programs to the priorities and needs of lower income and Black and other people of color residing in Dane County.

General meetings on the first Sunday afternoon of the month provide opportunities for members to meet each other learn more about local issues. Each general meeting also includes a presentation by the racial equity team and an opportunity to discuss a racial equity issue in a small group and an opportunity to hear the story of an individual who has been impacted by the system and has found ways to make positive contributions to society.

In addition to the issue-focused task forces, individuals can volunteer to work with functional teams, including the racial equity team, the communications team, the fundraising team, and others.

Please check the literature provided on a table in the Crossroads for more information. You can also download a copy of the most recent MOSES newsletter. You might also consider attending one of the following MOSES events to learn more:

MOSES Transformation Celebration Gala, November 5, 2022, 5:30-9PM, Registration
MOSES next general meeting November 6 2:30-4:30 (with a social time 2-2:30). The meeting will be in person with a Zoom option.
New Member Orientation by Zoom, November 12, 10-11:30 a.m. This is open to all, is intended for people who want to know more before deciding whether to get involved, and will provide a broad overview of MOSES including its history, its connections with broader networks, what it does, and how people can get involved. You can register by clicking this link

We will regularly share information about MOSES in this newsletter. Please contact Pam Oliver or Barbie Jackson, if you would like to explore engagement with MOSES. Email [email protected] to get on the mailing list and be notified of meetings.

Afghan Refugee Update: One Year Later

Pam Oliver on August 31, 2022

By Baxter Richardson

One year ago, by August 30, 2021, the U.S. had evacuated 82,300 Afghans from Kabul airport. Of these, 13,000 arrived at Fort McCoy and of these, 70 families have been settled in Dane County, primarily in Madison. How are they doing after one year?

Because of the size and suddenness of this influx and the almost total unpreparedness of the resettlement agencies (Jewish Social Services, the main resettlement agency in Dane, had drastically downsized due to the Trump administration ban on refugees), the first few months (September – December) were near chaotic as agencies scrambled to assemble resources and staff. But the agencies on the front lines- Jewish Social Services, Open Doors For Refugees, Catholic Multicultural Center and others- mobilized quickly and were supported with money, donations and volunteers in rapid fashion. And the Afghans themselves showed remarkable resilience in adjusting to, what has to be to them, a strange and forbidding culture. While all these refugees had a connection with the U.S. as employees or as family of employees, they were all subject to Taliban vengeance if they remained in Afghanistan. They all arrived as Humanitarian Paroles, a legal status that provides medical care, work permits, driver licenses, food assistance and financial support for two years. And during that time they must apply for citizenship.

So how are they doing? The information, which at this point is mostly anecdotal, is that they are making significant progress toward independence and citizenship. The men (few if any women are employed) are working, school age kids are enrolled in Verona and Madison schools, the Literacy Network has programs in a variety of locations, the men have drivers licenses, and, most significantly, all have lawyers (many pro bono) assisting with citizenship issues. Which is not say everything is working smoothly. Appropriate housing at affordable cost is very difficult as is getting women into literacy programs. Many of the families are from remote villages and many women are without education.

Faith communities, as you would expect, have responded vigorously. A Refugee and Immigration Ministry, lead by a joint First Baptist Church and Bethany United Methodist Church has established a working relationship with six families in the Allied neighborhood. Largely, but not exclusively, the group assists families make use of resources available through Joining Forces for Families, Jewish Social Services, Literacy Network and others. Temple Beth El’s Immigrant and Refugee Rights Action Team is heading a group with members from six congregations aiming to get Humanitarian Parole status for a family of six (stranded in Afghanistan) whose 13 year old son was separated in the chaotic Kabul evacuation and sent to Fort McCoy. The son is now in Madison.

But Humanitarian Parole is incredibly difficult. 46,000 HP applications have been filed since September, 2021, with 5,000 having been adjudicated, but only about 297 approved. The Afghan Adjustment Act, which has bipartisan support, will change this if it becomes law.

No easy road ahead, but it is inspiring to see how many have answered the call to minister to the refugees among us.

Contact Baxter Richardson for more about Afghan resettlement.

Invitation to Join SMAC Community Workshops

Pam Oliver on July 18, 2022

This summer and fall, the Southwest Madison Action Coalition (SMAC) is partnering with UW-Extension Dane County and Good Shepard Lutheran Church to sponsor a series of free facilitated workshops focused on educating and developing community-based leaders with a goal of creating a two-year action agenda for a core group of leaders and participants. Each Saturday “Love Your Neighborhood” session will focus on a specific topic, will feature discussion leaders knowledgeable in the topic area, and will include lunch for attendees.

These workshops are for people who live in the Southwest Madison area or who want to be involved as volunteers in the parts of the area that face the greatest challenges. This includes people who have an interest in social justice or who have been active in past Meadowood Neighborhood Center volunteer activities and people who may be interested in becoming active in volunteer activities involving SMAC subgroups, Keeping Neighbors Connected, the Good Shepard Lutheran food pantry, school support, or neighborhood activities to support residents who face barriers to their success.

Attendees can register for one or all of the free sessions.

Upcoming sessions are:

Saturday, July 23, 2022 (11:30am—1:00pm; includes lunch) Community Organizing and Engagement

Saturday, August 13, 2022 (11:30am—1:00pm; includes lunch) Power Dynamics: Intersections of race, class and culture

Saturday, September 10, 2022 (11:30am—1:00pm; includes lunch) Community Assessment

Saturday, October 8, 2022 (11:30am—1:00pm; includes lunch) Housing

Saturday, November 12, 2022 (11:30am—1:00pm; includes lunch) Community Wellness

To register for some or all of the sessions, please visit the event registration site on Eventbrite:

The Southwest Madison Action Coalition (SMAC) began in 2016 to advise Commonwealth Development Corporation and the City of Madison Police Department about reducing and preventing crime through measures that avoided arrest. The initiative was funded by a grant through the federal Community Based Crime Reduction initiative.

As the grant came to an end, SMAC expanded its purpose and focus to advancing opportunities to build a thriving community by fostering partnerships, sharing information and resources, and connecting the intertwined neighborhoods of southwest Madison to enhance the community’s assets. ORUCC members Jane Glaze [email protected] and Bruce Olsen [email protected] participate in SMAC’s Housing subgroup and would be happy to talk to anyone interested in learning more about it.

ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice: June Newsletter

Pam Oliver on June 20, 2022

Faithful Action for Justice

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

June 2022

Welcome to Faithful Action for Justice Announcements, messages from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service).

Nobody can do everything. Saying yes to some things requires saying no to others. Our health and obligations limit us. As you read, briefly celebrate and pray for people doing something you will not join. As you feel called, reach out to a project’s contact person to learn more, and consider joining or click on links to read more.

Consistent with UCC tradition and governance, our mission teams provide information on issues that may be controversial, speaking to the congregation but not for the congregation. A vote by the entire congregation is required for any official statement by ORUCC.

News from Our Mission Teams and Groups

Heart Room Improvement and Expansion

Heart Room supports families with young children to find and keep stable housing. Five new families will be added to the current pilot program this summer, with funds already raised by our church. This kind of help is needed now more than ever by families.

The four Heart Room partners—The Road Home, Joining Forces for Families, the Early Childhood Initiative, and ORUCC—have set a goal to double the number of families served starting in 2023-2024. This will involve inviting other congregations and funders to join in the work voluntarily. Stay tuned!

Opportunities for Action or Service

Voter Engagement Campaigns

The Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign and the League of Women Voters are sponsoring non-partisan voter registration and get out the vote canvassing. Volunteers will work in pairs in low voter turnout neighborhoods to build awareness and provide information on how to register and vote. Zoom training is available on Zoom on June 23 or 29 from 7-8:30 pm; canvassing kick-off is July 10 at 1pm at First Baptist. Zoom links and more information about canvassing. Other ways to fight racism in voting from WIVEC. Contact ORUCC member Ruth Ann Berkholtz for more information.

The Racial Justice Task Force of the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ is sponsoring a webinar Tuesday June 28 at 6pm called Voting Rights, Race and Faith on racially-biased voter rights suppression in Wisconsin and how members and congregations can advocate for robust voting rights for all. Speakers will be Anjali Bhasin of WI Conservation Voices and Voters, Shauntay Nelson of All Voting is Local, and Rabbi Bonnie Margulis of Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice. There will be time for Q&A. Click here to register and receive a meeting link. The Zoom will be recorded and available upon request. Contact Lisa Hart for more information.

School Safety Issues

At its June general meeting, MOSES (Madison Organizing in Strength, Equity and Solidarity) hosted a wide-ranging discussion of school safety and the role of school resource officers (SROs) that included a presentation by Erica Ramberg and Robin Lowney Lankton from Families for Justice about about the findings from their 2016-17 open records request about the actual activities of Madison SROs, presentations by Barbie Jackson about current school safety plans and by Shel Gross about the mental health needs of students, and broad member discussion. More details about these discussions can be found in this summary written by Barbie Jackson. If you would like to engage with MOSES or others in ongoing discussions on this topic, please contact Barbie at [email protected] or 608-234-8118.

MOSES Call to Action: Memorial Day Opposition to Guns in Schools

Please consider joining MOSES members in a letter-writing and call-in campaign to your State Senator, Representative, and the Governor to declare your opposition to any potential legislation that would permit the arming of school personnel. Guidance is provided in the Call to Action. MOSES believes that militarization of our schools by the possession of firearms by teachers or other school personnel poses a direct threat to the safety and well being of our children in general and of our children of color in particular and thus would increase school-induced trauma for the children.

Urban Triage Co-Conspirator Workshop

Urban Triage has announced that the 6th Cohort of Co-Conspirator Workgroups (CCW) is now forming. Co-Conspirator Workgroups are designed to bring about permanent shifts in how White people define and understand the depth and breadth of white supremacist patriarchal capitalism. The Workshop IS NOT a version of “white fragility” training. It aims, rather, at a new understanding of how the structure of white supremacy is internalized in our lives and how this internalization harms all of us. The Cohort also aims at learning how we- individually and collectively- can be empowered to make change. Graduates of the first 5 Cohorts have testified that the experience was transformative.

Funds raised by the Workshops go to providing stipends to the participants in Supporting Healthy Black Families, a signature Urban Triage program.

Details: Workshop from July 14-September 23, 2022, meeting (Zoom) on Thursday (6:00-8:00) and Friday (4:30-5:30) every other week. “Buddy” groups meet on “off” weeks.

Cost: $1475.00

Application (includes more information about the program)

A sample class will be presented on June 21. Sign up here . The form also offers the option of learning more if you cannot attend the sample class. ORUCC member Baxter Richardson can also tell you more about this class.

Learn About Justice Issues

From Racial Justice

The Madison Forward Fund is a year-long guaranteed income experimental program, patterned on the Stockton, California model. The plan provides for a monthly cash payment of $500 given directly to 155 to be selected households in Madison for 12 months, with first payment to start in September, 2022. The payments are unconditional with no restrictions on how the money is to be spent. There are no work requirements. This program is founded on the belief that people in poverty are best positioned to make decisions on expenditures that will benefit their household. The program was officially launched on June 21, 2022.

Madison is a member of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a national organization of about 81 mayors advocating for a national guaranteed income and each mayor is exploring or has started a program appropriate to their city. Research on the impact of cash payments is an integral part of each program and Madison Forward Fund has a randomized study in place for this purpose.

For additional information:

Mayors for a Guaranteed Income

Madison Forward Fund

Madison Forward Fund Program Administrator is Blake Roberts

Call Baxter Richardson if you have questions and comments.

From Immigration Justice

Please read an informative article about DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. DACA is a stopgap measure for more than 800,000 “Dreamers” who have been raised in the United States. There are many success stories and positive societal impact from the DACA program, but Congress has failed to provide a way for Dreamers to achieve permanent resident status and a path to citizenship. The latest challenge to DACA is likely to reach the Supreme Court, which will decide whether the executive branch has the authority to create such an extensive program.

The Marshall Project reports that border authorities resist improving conditions for minors in crowded, freezing facilities: Children and teenagers make up a third of all immigrant detainees, and face dire conditions that border authorities haven’t improved.

Just over the border in Mexico, tens of thousands of people live in dangerously poor conditions without running water or electricity, as they wait for a chance to enter the U.S. and seek asylum. This video from Newsey’s in Real Life series, shows what life is like in these camps and hears a range of perspectives on how to fix a broken immigration system.

From Palestinian Justice

General Mills divests its Israeli business following church-led boycott

June 1, 2022. Following a two-year campaign calling on General Mills to stop making Pillsbury products within an illegal Israeli settlement located in Occupied Palestine, the company announced yesterday that it had divested its Israeli business altogether. The successful “No Dough for the Occupation” boycott campaign which prompted this change was led by The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and endorsed by numerous other religious and secular organizations.

UCC participation in the “No Dough” campaign included Ainsworth UCC’s (Portland, Oregon) vote to be a Pillsbury-Free-Church, and Minnesota Conference Minister, Rev. Shari Prestemon’s reading, on behalf of the UCC, of this powerful statement at General Mills headquarters in Minneapolis. For more information about the non-violent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement: UCC votes to boycott occupation profiteers, Boycott Puma, and The Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel.

Tom Beilman and Diane Dulin

About our Missions

Interested? Reach out to learn more about our justice teams and projects. Our mission teams welcome your time, talent and energy!

Care of Creation: contact Sara Roberts
Immigration Justice: contact Ruthanne Landness
Racial Justice: contact Pam Oliver
Heart Room and Housing Justice: contact Helene Nelson
Ilgen Literacy Fund: contact Jen Walker

In addition, our Christian Witness and Service ministry connects members to a variety of opportunities to support justice activities (chair: Ken Psyck).

Let us love and care for ourselves and each other as we work together for justice and mercy.

“The movement of the spirit of God in the hearts of people often causes them to act against the spirit of their times, or causes them to anticipate a spirit which is yet in the making. In a moment of dedication they are given wisdom and courage to dare a deed that challenges and to kindle a hope that inspires.”

-Howard Thurman

ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice: May Newsletter

Pam Oliver on May 21, 2022

Faithful Action for Justice

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

May 2022

Welcome to Faithful Action for Justice Announcements, messages from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service).

News from Our Mission Teams and Groups

Heart Room Improvement and Expansion

Heart Room continues to support families with young children to find and keep stable housing. Five new families will be added to the current pilot program this summer, with funds already raised by our church.

Meanwhile, the Heart Room partners are exploring opportunities to engage more partners to improve and expand on this pilot program in the future. We are hopeful and enthusiastic about possibilities to do more and do better to help families. One area of focus will be serving more immigrant families, as this has been a Heart Room strength. We’re meeting with key immigrant leaders in the community around this opportunity. We’re also exploring other opportunities to do more and better for all children and families in this difficult housing market.

Black Child Book Fair Tour in Madison brings an opportunity to partner

In April 2022, the Black Child Book Fair came to Madison for the first time. This event aims to improve literacy in Black communities by traveling to cities across the United States, promoting books written by Black authors and centering Black characters and stories. It is an important opportunity for many Black and brown children to meet authors and to see characters in books that look like themselves.

ORUCC reached out to local organizers in Madison and donated a portion of this year’s Jane Ilgen Literacy Fund to give books to about 20 children. Recipients were able to browse the book fair, meet authors, and choose a book that they would most want to read. Thanks to the connection that was made, we hope to partner with the local organizer of this event in the future.

Opportunities for Action or Service

Men’s Shelter Donations Needed

ORUCC’s Christian Witness and Service ministry shares that coffee and trial-size personal hygiene items are needed for the Men’s shelter in downtown Madison. They can be dropped off at the shelter at 200 N. First Street or at the Porchlight office at 306 N Brooks Street.

Faithful Stance for Equity

Wisconsin Council of Churches, WISDOM, and Faith Voices for Justice have a campaign called Faithful Stance for Equity that is concerned with defending public schools from attacks on diversity programming and support for LGBTQ+ youth.

Monthly statewide Zoom meetings on First Tuesdays at 6:30 pm put you in touch with people from around the state and have featured informative and useful programming. Attendees have found it a great way to get out of the Madison bubble and learn more about what is happening elsewhere in Wisconsin. There are also local meetings on Zoom on second Tuesdays at 1:30 pm. ORUCC’s Karen Jaehnig has been attending regularly and wrote more about these meetings on an ORUCC blog.

Learn About Justice Issues

From Care of Creation

Shared Solar Impact

One way that ORUCC demonstrates its commitment to local clean energy is through participation in MG&E’s Shared Solar program. We received an impact statement report from Shared Solar in 2021. View the report to learn more about the benefits of our emission offsets in our community.

From Immigration Justice

In recent news:

The Supreme Court Overturning Roe v. Wade Could Have Harmful Ripple Effects for Immigrants

Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, could have damaging effects to immigrant rights secured through the courts. Read More »

USCIS Lengthens Work Permit Automatic Extension Period to Address Adjudication Delays

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a temporary rule that extends employment authorization for certain noncitizens waiting for USCIS to process their work permit renewal applications. As of December 2021, over 80,000 noncitizens had lost or would soon lose the right to work because of adjudication delays and a growing backlog. Read More »

From Palestinian Justice

Palestinian author Rev. Mitri Raheb to speak in Madison Friday, June 3^rd

The esteemed author, educator, and theologian, Mitri Raheb, will be speaking in Madison on Friday, June 3rd. We have seen Raheb speak on two previous occasions, and can attest to the power and truth of his testimony and the strong impact he established as Senior Pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem.

Reverend Raheb sustains an institutional connection with the Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ, and was a guest preacher at the UCC General Synod 30 in Cleveland. The Wisconsin Conference partners with Bright Stars of Bethlehem, an organization which raises funds for Dar al-Kalima University College of Arts and Culture in Bethlehem. Raheb is founder and president of that university.

Event Location: Midvale Community Lutheran Church, 4329 Tokay Blvd, Madison

When: Friday, June 3rd, 7pm

For more information, please refer to the event flyer. We hope to see you there!

Tom Beilman and Diane Dulin

503-779-9171 (Tom cell), 503-779-9173 (Diane cell)

From Racial Justice

Learn about and discuss school safety issues

MOSES will host an on-line discussion of school safety issues at its general meeting on June 5th. ORUCC members and others community members are invited to attend. Speakers will present information compiled from Madison schools about the activities of school resource officers in 2019, and will invite open discussion from others about their experiences in local schools about what policies contribute to creating a safe environment for all students and staff. There will also be an opportunity to talk this information over in small groups.

When: June 5, 2:30-4:30 pm.

Where: Via Zoom, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81036805998

Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice Annual Celebration and Fundraiser

Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice invites supporters to its annual celebration on June 9 at 7pm. The event is virtual. They will honor Rev. Dr. Marcus Allen from Madison, and Judge Derek Mosley and Pastor Karen Hagen from Milwaukee. The organization hopes to raise $15,000 as part of this celebration.

For more information and a registration link, visit: www.wisconsinfaithvoicesforjustice.org

Learn About Local Justice Groups

Anti-racism Community Read in Monona

On May 14th, the City of Monona kicked off a Community Read focused on anti-racism. Participants of all ages have the opportunity to read featured books collectively and take action together. The initiative will feature educational programs and speakers throughout the summer.

Featured books include Ibrham X. Kenid’s How to be an Antiracist (adults), Tiffany Jewell’s This Book is Anti-Racist (tweens & teens), and Jessica Ralli and Megan Madison’s Our Skin: A First Conversation about Race (children & families). To learn more, visit Monona’s Community Read website.

About our Missions

Interested? Reach out to learn more about our justice teams and projects. Our mission teams welcome your time, talent and energy!

Care of Creation: contact Sara Roberts
Immigration Justice: contact Ruthanne Landness
Racial Justice: contact Pam Oliver
Heart Room and Housing Justice: contact Helene Nelson
Ilgen Literacy Fund: contact Jen Walker

In addition, our Christian Witness and Service ministry connects members to a variety of opportunities to support justice activities (chair: Ken Psyck).

Let us love and care for ourselves and each other as we work together for justice and mercy.

-Howard Thurman

ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice: April Newsletter

Pam Oliver on April 19, 2022

Faithful Action for Justice

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

April 2022

Welcome to Faithful Action for Justice Announcements, messages from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service).

News from Our Mission Teams and Groups

Sunday Morning Justice Programming

Come to ORUCC on Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. to hear more from our mission teams and partners in justice. Have a cup of coffee, take a seat, listen, learn and discuss issues that matter in our lives.

APRIL 24 The Problem with Plastics and What We Can Do About It (Care of Creation Mission Team). This is the second of two sessions – but you can enjoy and learn from this second session without having been to the first.

MAY 8 Immigration Facts and Myths — Frequently Asked Questions (Ruthanne Landsness, Chair of the Immigration Justice Mission Team) Ruthanne will have recently returned from volunteer service near the border at Casa Alitas in Arizona.

MAY 15 Wisconsin Council of Churches – the Wider Church in Action for Justice (Kerri Parker, Executive Director) Kerri and her colleague Peder Johanson will overview the work of the Council, which supports churches to put our faith into action. They’ll also provide more specific information about welcoming Afghan refugees. For more information about WCC’s work in advance, click https://www.wichurches.org/

Heart Room Evaluation

The Heart Room pilot continues to support families with young children to find and keep stable housing.

ORUCC’s Megan Piper is working with Mike Bruce from Joining Forces for Families and Liz Schnee from the Road Home to analyze data from in-depth interviews with Heart Room families and other information about the program, including how the families use their rental assistance subsidy and what goals they set for themselves and their children. The goal is to evaluate how well the pilot program is working as we plan for the future. They expect to provide a full report to ORUCC and the wider community within the next few months.

Afghan Resettlement: Gift Card Sunday Update

Together, ORUCC and the Madison Mennonite Church raised over $2,000 in gift cards, bus passes and donations for Afghan resettlement in Dane County. The Immigration Justice Mission Team, a joint committee with members from both congregations, coordinated this effort. Jewish Social Services, working with Open Doors For Refugees, will be putting the cards to good use by our newest neighbors immediately.

A special thanks to our mission team members who took the lead to make this possible: Ruthanne Landsness, Carol Troyer-Shank, Jill Westberg McNamara, Mark Bauman, and Baxter Richardson.

Opportunities for Action or Service

From Racial Justice

Ilgen Literacy Fund: New Mission Team Forming

ORUCC is building a new mission team for the Ilgen Literacy Fund. If you feel called to work on a small, community-based project at the intersection of childhood literacy and racial justice, consider joining!

Check out our 2021 progress report to see how we’ve moved forward this year, and/or contact chairperson Jen Walker to learn more.

Poor People’s Campaign

The Poor People’s Campaign – Wisconsin is organizing people to attend a rally this summer, in Washington DC, on June 18. The UCC is one of the mobilizing partners of this campaign. Rev Ari Douglas, who spoke at ORUCC a few weeks ago, is coordinating organizing in this area. Check out the web site to learn more. If you are interested in attending the rally, you can contact Rev Ari at [email protected] for more information.