Justice news
News from our justice-oriented mission teams
NOTE: Consistent with UCC tradition and governance, our justice mission teams provide information on issues that are sometimes controversial, speaking to the congregation but not for the congregation. Only a vote of the full congregation can authorize official statements of ORUCC.
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Dec 21: Interfaith “Longest Night” Gaza Vigil
You are invited to join us, Saturday, December 21st 4-6 pm at the West Lawn Plaza near Trader Joe’s (1810 Monroe St., Madison). The “Longest Night” is a service that has taken place in the Christian tradition on Winter Solstice, just a few days before Christmas. It began to help those who are struggling during the Advent and Christmas season. In this holiday season, we feel despair over the suffering and immense…
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Nov 17 Presentation: Observations from the Occupied West Bank of Palestine
Join us in Friendship Hall on Sunday, November 17, at 9:00 am for a presentation by Rev. Shelby Jeidy. In 2022, Rev. Shelby Jeidy (currently serving as Trauma Chaplain for University Hospital) had the opportunity to serve as a UCC Mission Intern in the West Bank of Palestine. Jeidy spent time in Ramallah and Occupied East Jerusalem, working with a UCC Mission Partner on a project of interreligious engagement for peacemaking, as…
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Nov 19: Building Peace and Justice in Palestine/Israel
Join us at Christ Presbyterian Church (944 E. Gorham St. – map) in Madison from 7:00-9:00 pm on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 for a conversation on Collective Liberation with Palestinian and Israeli activists Osama Iliwat and Rotem Levin. This event is co-sponsored by Jewish Voice for Peace Madison, Mennonite Action-Madison, and Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ. Register now. Meet Osama Iliwat: Osama Iliwat’s family is originally from East Jerusalem and was…
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Updates from MOSES
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…
Sept 26 – 7 pm Zoom with Peter Makari
The Interfaith Peace Working Group of Wisconsin will host a one-hour Zoom session on Gaza at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, featuring Peter Makari, global relations minister for the UCC and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Peter, recently back from Jerusalem, will share updates on Gaza, followed by a Q&A session. This event aims to help faith leaders and communities understand conditions in Gaza and explore ways to promote peace.…
Mitri Raheb speaks on September 8 at 7:00 pm in Madison
Register now for a presentation Sunday, September 8, 2024, 7:00-8:30 pm at Midvale Community Lutheran Church by the Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb. Born and raised in Palestine, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb is a co-founder of Bright Stars of Bethlehem. He is founder and president of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem. Previously, he was the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem. Described as the most widely published Palestinian theologian, Rev.…
Continue Reading Mitri Raheb speaks on September 8 at 7:00 pm in Madison
Quilts dedicated for Gaza children
Our first group of fifty quilts for children in Gaza was dedicated in worship at ORUCC in May. These quilts are already on their way to Gaza, and our quilters are busy making the next batch. We are gratefully accepting donations for packing and shipping expenses. Please help if you’re able. Donate for Packing and Shipping Expenses
June Compassion Offering: Casa Alitas
Casa Alitas The compassion offering for June 2024 is Casa Alitas. Casa Alitas is a non-profit, immigrant welcome center near the border in Tucson, Arizona. Casa Alitas provides a warm welcome, food, clothing, and shelter for a few days for legal asylum seekers who have crossed the border. Casa Alitas provides services to 1,000 to 1,500 guests every day. The ORUCC connection with Casa Alitas was prompted by a mission trip to…
May Compassion Offering: Middle East Children’s Alliance
Showing Compassion for Children in Gaza Our May Compassion Offering — Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) — was identified and recommended by the ORUCC Palestine Justice Mission Team. After researching and considering many options, the Team unanimously approved sponsoring MECA as the Compassion Offering, in light of the current, urgent situation in Gaza. MECA has staff on site in Gaza to respond immediately and directly upon receiving our support. MECA was founded in 1988…
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The Stones Cry Out Solidarity Delegation
Rev. Diane Dulin, member of ORUCC, traveled to the West Bank and Washington DC February 26-March 6. The following is Diane’s report. Read, pray, and consider sharing the link with a friend. And some of the Pharisees in the multitudes said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19:39-40 The Stones Cry Out Solidarity Delegation to the…
ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ April 2024 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestine Justice). 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…
ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ March 2024 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestine Justice). 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…
Report from MOSES
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…
Webinar Recording Available
A webinar, “Declaration for a Just Peace Between Palestine and Israel” A Study of the 2021 UCC Resolution hosted by the Wisconsin Conference of the UCC was presented Wednesday, January 3rd. The recording is available here. This webinar will explores UCC’s 2021 Resolution of Witness describing Israel’s military occupation of Palestine an apartheid system. Note: This is a condensed version of the in-person presentations in July 2023 at ORUCC, with added information…
Petition mailed to President Biden
Motivated by the urgent need to prevent death by starvation of masses of Palestinian men, women and children, members of ORUCC’s Palestine Justice Mission Team sent an urgent petition to President Joseph Biden. The petition recognizes the vital role that UNRWA (the United Nations Refugee and Works Administration) plays in the lives of everyday Palestinians, including Palestinian families in Gaza facing starvation and imminent death from lack of UNRWA-supplied food. The petition…
Sunday, April 7, 9 a.m. – Meet Palestinian Christian Usama Nicola
Sunday, April 7 at 9:00 a.m. join us (from home or in the Swan room) for a Zoom interview with Usama Nicola. Usama (pictured below, right) is a tour guide extraordinaire and co-runs an organization–Wi’am: The Palestine Transformation Center — that helps Palestinian children and youth cope with the trauma of occupation. Usama is a deeply committed Christian living in Bethlehem, just blocks from the Church of the Nativity. ORUCC members Diane Dulin and Tom…
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Quilts for Gaza: Quilters Invited
The war in Gaza has left thousands of people homeless, injured and critically ill. Many of these people are newborn infants, young children, or teenagers. Although shipments of humanitarian aid for Gaza are very limited right now, in time it will become possible to send quilts to Gaza. A group of quilters from Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ is preparing for this opportunity by making small quilts for distribution to Gaza via our…
How can I contribute now to help the people of Gaza?
You may be wondering how you can help meet the needs of people in Gaza. Here is an annotated list of nonprofits serving Gazans. All are proven, trusted organizations. Global Ministries of the United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ (DOC). Middle East Children’s Alliance and its partners, working for the rights and the well-being of children in the Middle East, are providing emergency assistance to families who have fled their…
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Urgent petitions sent to Mark Pocan and Tammy Baldwin
Motivated by a need for action, members of ORUCC’s Palestine Justice Mission Team mailed time-sensitive petitions to Mark Pocan and Tammy Baldwin. The petitions highlight Israel’s deliberate blockage of humanitarian aid to Gaza—blockage that has led to ordinary men, women and children of Gaza starving and even dying of starvation. The petitions explain that this blockage of aid violates core provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which to this day is the…
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With appreciation
Out of budgeted church funds in 2023, our Ministry of Christian Witness and Service (CWS) awarded $2,000 in response to the Urgent Appeal extended by UCC Global Ministries. The Appeal was supported by churches across Wisconsin and the entire UCC. Funds raised have been (and continue to be) forwarded to our Mission Partners actively working in Gaza: the Department of Service for Palestinian Refugees (DSPR) of the Middle East Council of Churches,…
Movie Discussion, Tues, Nov 21, 7 p.m.
Many books, films and study guides are available for people trying to make sense of the Israel/Palestine conflict. The ORUCC Palestine Justice Mission Team recommends the widely acclaimed film Roadmap to Apartheid, narrated by Alice Walker. We invite you to watch this film on-line at a time convenient for you. Then join us for a discussion of the film on Tuesday, November 21 from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm at the Alfred Swan Room at…
ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ August 2023 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ June 2023 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
Native American Presentation: Celebrating the Tapestry of Humanity
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…
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ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ May 2023 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
Report on white christian* nationalism class
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…
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Attend Worker Justice Wisconsin’s Faith & Labor Breakfast on May 4?
Worker Justice Wisconsin’s Faith and Labor Breakfast Thursday, May 4, 8-10 am at Christ Presbyterian Church 944 E Gorham St., Madison Because Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ is a sponsor-church of Worker Justice Wisconsin, we have been offered a few free tickets for WJW’s annual Faith and Labor Breakfast. John Leonard, Ken Pennings and Paulette Harder will be attending as ORUCC’s representatives, but there are still a few tickets left. Please…
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ORUCC – Clothing & Shoe Drive
The Ministry of Christian Witness & Service is Organizing a Children’s Clothing and Shoe Drive During the Month of April The drive will benefit two local organizations at the same time: 1. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church’s infant to teen clothing pantry. GSLC offers these much needed clothes to neighborhood families and those who come to the weekly food pantry. Currently the clothing bins are running low. GSLC and our area social workers always appreciate donations…
ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ April 2023 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
Reflections – Casa Alitas and the Borderlands
March 12, 2023 One by one, they enter Casa Alitas, dragging large, orange onion bags containing all their belongings, all dressed in the same dark blue paper-like ‘scrubs’ they were given by Border Patrol. With the exception of women with young families, they have spent the last few days in a detention (prison) camp, a congregate setting, sleeping on a hard floor with foil ‘sheets’ and eating frozen burritos. Some left home…
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ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ March 2023 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ February 2023 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
Heart Room: Learn more February 19 at 4pm
Save The Date – Heart Room Presentation on Feb. 19Download
Heart Room Information
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_1.20.23Download
Confronting Christian Nationalism
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…
Celebrating Dianne Stevens and the Greeting Card Ministry with Renewal
/ LuAnn Greiner, Dianne Stevens, Peg Kneueve Long-time ORUCC members know that since 2003 Dianne Stevens has been selling beautifully crafted “Secrets from the Garden” photo greeting card to support an anti-eviction fund. Her ministry raised over $27,000 that promoted housing stability for many individuals and families in our community. We are celebrating Dianne’s achievement and ministry by renewing it. It has been Dianne’s desire to pass her supplies and this ministry on…
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ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ December 2022 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ November 2022 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ October 2022 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
Disability Rights and Voting
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…
ORUCC Joins MOSES: A Brief Introduction
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…
ORUCC Faithful Action for Justice
ORUCC Justice Newsletter Faithful Action for Justice Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ September 2022 Faithful Action for Justice provides announcements and information from ORUCC’s Justice missions (Care of Creation, Immigration Justice, Heart Room, Racial Justice, Christian Witness and Service, Palestinian Justice). 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…
Abortion Rights Discussion September 25
Mike Murray, VP of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI), and Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, Chair of the Wisconsin Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice WI-RCRC), will present on the current status of abortion access in Wisconsin. The presentation from PPWI will include a discussion of the current legal and legislative landscape, information on medical and surgical abortions and how PPWI is currently serving its patients to fill the needs. WI-RCRC will discuss the…
Afghan Refugee Update: One Year Later
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…