ORUCC Weekly Announcements for Dec 29

Spiritually Alive, Joyfully Inclusive, Committed to Justice

 Week at a Glance 12/29/2022

Sunday, January 1, 2023

10:00 am Worship

in-person and live streamed

Rev. Ken Pennings

Liturgist Barbara Stretchberry

NO Sunday School/Nursery or Music Connections

Knitting Group

Monday, January 2

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Crossroads

Sandra Dyar

Adult Faith Formation

Tuesday, January 3

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Zoom

Nathan Bubenzer

Women’s Book Group

Thursday, January 5

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

Zoom

Deanna Blanchard

Yoga

Thursday, January 5

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Leslie Linser

Crossroads

Breakfast Group

8:30 pm

Denny’s Gammon Road

Meditation Group

Friday, December 30

9:30 am – 10:30 am

Sue Dixon

Zoom

The Daily Reflections will take a Christmas break from December 25, 2022 until January 5, 2023. May you remember all the gifts your life brings…courage, love, gratitude, strength, hope, compassion and the knowledge that your light lights up the world. Merry Christmas!

December Compassion Offering

National UCC Christmas Fund

United Church of Christ retired clergy, servants of the church, have spent lifetimes baptizing and blessing, teaching and preaching, marrying and burying, and comforting and empowering God’s people. The UCC Christmas Fund for Veterans of the Cross gives us the opportunity to sustain and empower them. Gifts to the fund help retired clergy, church staff, and their families supplement pension benefits, pay bills, maintain health insurance, supplement health benefits, and meet emergency needs. In 2021, gifts to the Christmas Fund enabled pension supplementation for 231 retired clergy and lay employees, health benefit supplementation for 87 retired clergy and lay employees, emergency grants for 53 individuals and families, and Christmas “thank you” gift checks to 509 retired clergy and lay employees. Gifts to the Christmas fund in 2022 will make a real difference in the lives of retired clergy church staff, and their families, easing the anxiety of constant financial worries. 

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/

January upcoming offering Ethical Trade Company

Thanksgiving Year-Round

Helping neighbors around the holidays



When school is in recess during these holidays, many neighborhood families struggle to find the dollars to buy groceries.  

The ORUCC Thanksgiving Year-Round Fund provides food assistance year-round to these families, but especially so at this time of the year. Our social work partners distribute to Southwest Madison neighbors food and gas gift cards – purchased via donations to our Fund.

You can make donations at the table, or at any time by going to https://orucc.org/contribute/support/ and clicking on the link-box “Contribute to the Thanksgiving Year-Round Fund”  Thank you!

ALL CHURCH ANNUAL RETREAT

Registration closes January 2

Our All Church Annual Retreat is returning January 13-15, 2023 at Daycholah Center (Green Lake, WI)–It is For All Ages! Come enjoy and connect with nature and just relax and take a break from the rhythms of life.

Wonderful lodging, food, outdoor fun, crafts, music, conversations/sharing around the fireplace, and so much more is being planned for this weekend, with the hope that our friendships and faith will be deepened and encouraged. Improvisation with Jeff Pom on Saturday night and Speak With The Earth workshop with Pastor Julia and her spouse Daniel Cooperrider on Saturday morning. There will be guided activities for all age groups on Saturday morning. We begin the retreat on Friday evening and finish around 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.

 

Housing options for the retreat: Daycholah with a capacity of 80 people.

Cost to stay at Daycholah–$155 (12 years and older), $125 (4 to 11 years), toddlers free. This includes two nights lodging and four meals. Enormous bargain!! Go to www.orucc.org to make payment.

Women’s Book Group

Our ORUCC Women’s Book Group will meet Thursday, January 5, 2023 from 1:30 to 3:00p.m. on Zoom.

This meeting will be devoted to choosing our books for the rest of 2023. Please email your suggestion to Deanna before December 30 and she will send out a list with the Zoom link prior to the meeting so we can all take notes on our choices. If you suggest a book, please consider being the facilitator the month it is used. While that is not mandatory, it is helpful and usually quite enjoyable!

We welcome new members at any time! Deanna’s email is [email protected].

Friday Breakfast Group – January 6

 

The next Friday Breakfast is set for January 6 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.

YOGA

Thursdays 5:30 Friendship Hall

Instructor Leslie Linser    

 

A slow flow class with a spiritual intention. Bring a yoga mat.

For questions email Leslie at [email protected]  

Greeting Card Ministry returns to ORUCC!! 



Original Designs greeting cards feature original artwork by Peg Kneuve and nature photography by LuAnn Greiner. These seasonal and special occasion cards are always on display and available for purchase in the Crossroads. Proceeds from the sale of these cards supports housing stability for individuals and families in Dane County. Cards can be purchased by cash, check or Venmo (@LuAnn-Greiner). Pick up a few after worship or any time you are stopping by ORUCC!

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE

Members of ORUCC are invited to apply for 2023-2024 college scholarships of $1,000 to $2,000 from the Frank E. Page Scholarship Fund. Applicants should be planning to begin or continue education at any accredited 2- or 4-year college or university, and should have a record of academic achievement, service to church and community, and demonstrated financial need. The application deadline is February 15, 2023; contact [email protected] for an electronic application. Questions? Contact [email protected] .

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.

Office Manager Julie Wombacher

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

608-271-7212 or EMAIL

Office will be closed 12/24/2022 – 1/1/2023

Senior Pastor Julia Burkey available

Tues.- Fri. & Sun. 9:00 am – 7:00 pm

by appointment

518-542-6915 EMAIL

Associate Pastor Ken Pennings: available

Tues.-Thurs. 10:00 am -5:00 pm 

by appointment

608-556-2371 EMAIL

Both pastors (try to) take Monday & Saturday as Sabbath days.

Friday is observed as a writing day for the preaching pastor.

In case of a pastoral emergency, please call any of the pastors, as all pastors are available by phone, text and we will always have a pastor on call who we can turn to.

LIKE or FOLLOW the Orchard Ridge FaceBook Page

JOIN our Private FB Group:

Members & Friends of Orchard Ridge UCC

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

1501 Gilbert Road

Madison, WI 53711

608-271-7212

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

Facebook  Twitter  Pinterest