No Weekly Yoga

There is no longer weekly yoga

Look for future yoga events.

March Compassion Offering

One Great Hour of Sharing

One Great Hour of Sharing®, an ecumenical offering sponsored in Lent by the United Church of Christ, provides humanitarian and disaster relief in the United States and around the world. When a disaster strikes or people are displaced or made refugees by violence or extreme poverty, you are part of the immediate response and the work for long- term recovery. Because the UCC works in partnership to churches and organizations through Global Ministries and worldwide response and recovery networks, your contributions to One Great Hour of Sharing put you in the right place at the right time for the relief, accompaniment and recovery of the most vulnerable. You meet immediate needs and you address the underlying causes that create those needs in the first place.  

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APRIL COMPASSION OFFERING-UCC CAMPS

This month our compassion offering is for our UCC camps in Wisconsin. We are so fortunate to have 3 amazing camps, each in a different setting and each offering unique programs: Moon Beach in the North Woods, Daycholah on Green Lake and Cedar Valley in Washington County. 

Camps provide sacred places which enhance our spiritual lives. The experience of living with others builds stronger connections. Camps can nourish us, provide respite so we can return to our daily lives refreshed and ready to serve others. By spending times in the out-of-doors we better appreciate the gifts of creation and therefore are eager to care for the earth. 

Our UCC camps also offer many volunteer opportunities, whether it be work projects or assisting at a camp session like Camp AweSum for families touched by autism.

Our camps need our volunteer and financial support. Please click on the link below to learn more about our sacred sites.

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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/

Lenten Schedule of Sermons

April 2 Immigration Hospitality – Palm Sunday

April 7 Good Friday Service, 7 pm



Easter 2023 Schedule April 9

6:30 am Sunrise service on the ORUCC Lawn with the three rituals of Burning Ashes of Regret, Communion, and Renewal of Baptism, followed by homemade brunch.

9 am Make-and-Take Easter crafts for children

10 am Easter Worship Service with Choirs

11 am Easter Egg Hunt for children of all ages

Support Heart Room



Heart Room has supported 15 families and 60 children to find and keep stable housing for long-term thriving. ORUCC members have contributed or pledged funds that support three years of rental assistance per family. Coupled with other supports from professional partners, families then can meet their goals for thriving. 

The Heart Room Mission Team thanks you for pledges and contributions of all sizes. Your recent pledge statement from the church will let you know any balance on the Heart Room pledge for the eight currently enrolled families. Any donations are gratefully accepted as well. Remember you can pay the church by check or online at LINK

Spiritual

Nourishment

for you!

For the week of Mar 30 – Apr 5

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.

GREEN CORNER

Here is an astonishing fact. If the world reduced meat consumption by 15%, it would save the same greenhouse gas emissions as taking 240 million cars of the road each year. Consider planning more meatless meals. There are lots of recipes online that can help.

Maundy Thursday Dinners in Homes

April 6th, 6-8 pm

Might you be interested in attending a Maundy Thursday meal in a home on April 6, 6-8 pm?

Both Pastors Julia and Ken will be hosting dinners along with 4 others!

In the past, the host has provided a Mediterranean main dish, and has either invited the guests to bring side dishes to share or to bring a favorite beverage (e.g. wine). Your host will be in touch with you about this. Be sure to let your host know if you have any dietary restrictions.

If you have trouble with this online signup tool, there will be signup sheets on the table in the Crossroads the next two Sundays. Or you can contact Ken Pennings to let him know which host you’ve chosen ([email protected] or 608-556-2371).

After supper, your group will share in a brief litany of Communion remembering Jesus’ last supper with his disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem.

Click here to sign up

Women’s Book Group



ORUCC Women’s Book Group will meet Thursday, April 6 at 1:30pm via Zoom. If you would like to be added to the group email list please send an email to Deanna Blanchard at [email protected]

Ginny Kruse will lead the discussion about Clint Smith’s book How the Word is Passed. Ginny suggests that you read the Prologue and these three chapters: The Monticello Plantation, the Whitney Plantation and the New York City guided tour, also the Epilogue. Of course, read the whole book if you have time!

Our May meeting will be May 4 when Judy Winkel will lead the discussion about The Daughters of Yalta by Catherine Grace Katz. There are many library holds on this book and it is a bit longer, so planning ahead is advised.

Friday Breakfast Group – April 7

The next Friday Breakfast is set for April 7 at 8:30 am at Denny’s, 433 S. Gammon Road. All are welcome! The group meets on the first Friday of the month and includes both men and women. Join us for this informal chance to connect and converse on many topics. Contact Louise Jeanne, Link for more information.

Over 55 Wednesday, April 12th

“The Grandparent Vocation, Wisdom, Legacies, and Spiritual Growth.”

Many grandparents experience a surge of joy with the birth or adoption of a grandchild.  For years afterward, time together is eagerly coveted, pictures are treasured and displayed, and multiple gifts along with various kinds of support are gladly provided.  Richard Olson a retired minister, professor of theology and grandparent many times over will talk with us about this “vocation.”

Join us at 11:30 am on April 12th. An $8 luncheon is provided.  Please RSVP to Steve Sheets at [email protected] so that the catering team may plan accordingly. 

Care of Creation will be sponsoring a group book study of Rev. Daniel Cooperrider’s wonderful book, “Speak with the Earth and It Will Teach You”.

When: April 16, Daniel will be preaching on this topic

Following the April 16 worship, three small groups will convene at the following times:

Sundays, 4/23, 4/30, 5/7, and 5/15, 11:30-1:00. Location: Church

Mondays, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15 from 2-3:30.  Location: Church

Tuesdays – 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16 from 7-8:30 on Zoom. 

Wrap-up with Daniel: Sunday, May 21. Time TBD

Sign-up sheets for the individual study groups will be available in the Crossroads beginning on Sunday, April 9

So if you haven’t done it yet, get a copy of Daniel’s book and join us. 

We are looking for Brat Fest Volunteers!



Would you be willing to donate a few hours at Brat Fest to benefit our Youth Service Trip? Brat Fest has a variety of volunteer positions from set up, grilling, trash pick up, serving, event take down. Our church has to fulfill 20 hours of set up to qualify for fundraising and we really need your help.  

To sign up go to:  https://app.initlive.com/JE/63v6refjssjaf2

You must create a sign on, choose a T-shirt size and check that you are volunteering to benefit a charity. Then, choose Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ as your benefiting organization. You get to choose the date, time and position you’d like to volunteer for. Ask your friends to join you – as our teens know – it’s more fun to volunteer as a group! Plus, you get the t-shirt and a free brat for every shift you work. Sign up today – these shifts go F-A-S-T..

Death Cafe at ORUCC, April 1st 2pm-4pm

Madison Mennonite Church invites you to an opportunity to talk about death, dying and grief in a safe environment. Plus there will be cake!

Sign-ups are appreciated for food planning purposes.

It’s Time for Camp Registration!

Registration for all of our UCC camps (Moon Beach, Daycholah, and Cedar Valley) is now open. There is such a variety: kids, adult, family, glamping, the arts, sailing….Some of the sessions, like Camp Awesum and Family Camp fill up quickly, so check out the brochure today.

Click the LINK to sign up today!

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, a Lay Liturgist or

to assist with Holy Communion?

It has been fairly easy finding Lay Liturgists and Communion Assistants, but much more challenging finding

Coffee-Makers and Welcomers!

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 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 [email protected] or 608-556-2371.

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

1501 Gilbert Road

Madison, WI 53711

608-271-7212

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