ORUCC May 18 Children and Youth News

Orchard Ridge UCC on May 14, 2025

ORUCC Children and Youth

Faith Formation Update

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Dear Families,

We look forward to seeing you this week. Read on below for details about this opportunity and other things happening this Sunday. At the bottom of the email, you will find some important dates for some fun events and photos of recent events.

~Pastor Kate and Julie M.

Supported Childcare Najma will be available in the Crossroads 8:30-11:30. This service allows parents to socialize and engage in the service, but encourages parents to stay nearby to assist their child, as well. 

Children and Youth Faith Formation is at 9 am. 

PreK-6th Grade (Ruby Bridges Room): This week, the children will gather together to reflect upon the words of Psalm 104. Following the discussion, the children will be invited to explore multi-sensory stations to deepen their understanding of the text. Weather permitting, we’ll travel outdoors to draw and make observations of our natural surroundings. Megan, Barbara, and Marcia will guide the children through the experience.

7th-HS (Dorothy Day Room): Youth will join Kristin and Susan for the final session of “Tell Me About the Bible: Extraordinary Leaders”. This interactive series focuses on some lesser-known characters from the Bible who have something important to teach us about leadership. This week youth will learn about the story of Priscilla.

Music Opportunities for Children and Youth

Music Connections: Following the children’s moment in worship, children in grades 2-6 are invited to join Julie downstairs in the Friedrich Bonhoeffer room for our final Music Connections of the 2024-25 programming year. This week, we’ll freely explore many the many instruments in our collection – African Drums, xylophones, and ukuleles. We are in need of a Safe Sanctuary volunteer. Can you help? Email Julie if you, or your teen, can. 

TRU Function: Practice from 10-noon in the Haynes Music Room.

Upcoming Events

  • May 23-25 Brat Fest Fundraiser for Youth Service Trip: All youth attending the Service Trip are expected to sign up to participate in the Brat Fest fundraiser. Anyone else from the congregation who would like to volunteer under our group’s name (Orchard Ridge UCC) will also have their hours counted toward our fundraiser! Please sign up here if you would like to participate.
  • May 25 No 9 AM Faith Formation or 10 AM Music Connections
  • May 26, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Mandatory Service Trip Meeting: for any youth and chaperones attending this year’s service trip. We will go over important information as we share fellowship together.
  • June 1, Sundae Sunday: Final day of Faith Formation for children and Youth for the programming year. During worship we will have a special recognition of our graduating Seniors and celebrate our children and youth ministry year. Stay for sundaes after worship!
  • June 6, 6:00-8:00 Family Game Night: Come for the final game night before a break for the summer. Join this casual time of fellowship with a potluck dinner and board games galore!

At Orchard Ridge, we are Spiritually Alive!

May 10 – Celebrating Pat Hale’s 100th Birthday

On Sunday, our children helped to brighten Pat Hale’s birthday celebration with handmade tissue paper flowers and a poster.

Creation Care Sunday!

On Sunday, May 4, we had a special Creation Care celebration. During the 9 am Faith Formation hour, members of our Care of Creation team led the children and youth in an outdoor nature scavenger hunt. In mixed-age teams, everyone had the opportunity to discover the variety of plants surrounding the church. The children also gathered natural materials that will be used later this summer in a hands-on project to create bee homes for our gardens.

During worship. The children of Music Connections (accompanied by several of their parents) shared an engaging reflection on the Creation narrative with words, music, movement, and art in lieu of a traditional sermon. The Earth Quilt that the children had worked on this spring also made its debut! It was a lovely morning celebrating the beauty of God’s creation in this springtime season. 

Home Prayer for the Week:

You are invited to use this prayer with your family to help deepen your faith together. Times you might consider sharing this prayer include before bedtime, at mealtime, or any other regular connecting moment you share with your child(ren). Does your family have a prayer practice or a favorite prayer? If you are comfortable sharing, please EMAIL JULIE, and your family’s prayer will be featured here.

Praying in Color: A hands on home prayer exercise. From https://prayingincolor.com/praying-in-color

What you’ll need:

  1. Paper
  2. Pen
  3. Colored markers or colored pencils or colored gel pens
  4. A table or clipboard or book to put your paper on.

1) Write your name for God on a piece of paper. Draw a shape around it or just start to doodle. Let your pen take you for a walk. The drawing becomes a prayer space, a small prayer closet.

2) Add marks and shapes. Focus on the name you chose. Ask God to be part of your prayer time. If words come to you, pray them; if not, rest in the silence. Think of each stroke as a nonverbal prayer.

3) To pray for a person, write their name somewhere else on the page. Draw around the name. Add color. Keep drawing as you release the person into God’s care.

4) Add other people to your drawing. Think of each stroke of your pen as a prayer for them. Take a breath or say “Amen” between each person.

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