December Compassion Offering: The UCC Christmas Fund

For more than 100 years, The Pension Boards-United Church of Christ (PBUCC) has been able to provide financial assistance to UCC pastors, church workers and their families thanks to congregations and individuals contributing to the fund. 

The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees.

United Church of Christ congregations and members have blessed the Christmas Fund with their generosity for many years. This year, your care and compassion will be especially appreciated by those servants of the church who are facing a time of need. Thank you!

For more information on the UCC Christmas Fund, please view this video.

Advent Wayfinding

Wednesday, December 17th in-person in Friendship Hall

9:30am-11:15am

Thursday, December 18th over ZOOM

4:00-5:00pm

We will continue to gather the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 9:30am, program beginning at 9:45am and concluding at 11:15am. The next in-person gatherings are: January 21, February 18, March 18, April 15, May 20.

For those who prefer to join virtually, we will meet by Zoom the very next day, each Thursday following our in-person Wayfinding program at 4:00pm concluding at 5:00pm. Join the meeting via the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81390270827?pwd=fCJxLaaJay4Rf1Uk7c9bfF6sLCYVrF.1

Youth Service Trip 2026

Our youth service trip next summer will be to Detroit, MI, July 12-18, 2026 with an organization called Motown Mission! Youth entering 8th grade through high school graduation are eligible for this trip. Please see this document for more information, and contact Pastor Kate if your youth would like to participate. A deposit of $100 is due by December 7th to secure your spot. 

College scholarships available

Members of Orchard Ridge UCC are invited to apply for 2026-2027 college scholarships of $500 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, 2026. Please contact [email protected] for an electronic application. 

Questions? Contact Ann Evensen at [email protected] 

Our Generosity at Work: Compassion Offerings for October and November

We are delighted to report that October’s Compassion Offering for the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza amounted to $7,254.19. And November’s Compassion Offering for ORUCC’s Thanksgiving Year-Round fund totaled $6,648.00.Thank you for your generous donations!

Stay up to date on ORUCC Children and Youth happenings

Want to stay up to date on the latest with children and youth at ORUCC? Check out our weekly updates here:

https://orucc.org/keeping-current/children-and-youth-news//

Please Sign Up to Volunteer on Sunday Mornings!

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 Host, a Lay Liturgist, or to assist with Holy Communion?

Feel free to sign up as an individual, a couple, or a family!

Click here to sign up as a Coffee Maker

Please note that the previous Welcomer and Usher signups have recently been combined into a new signup named “Host.” Please sign up to be trained into this new position:

Click here to sign up as a Host

Click here to sign up as a Lay Liturgist

Click here to assist with Holy Communion

• Page #1: Choose the date you are available to volunteer and select the box that says “SIGN UP“.  Then, at the bottom of the page select the box “SAVE & CONTINUE“.
• Page #2: Enter your first/last name and your email address. Then select the box at the bottom of the page “SIGN UP NOW“

Questions or problems signing up?

Contact George Decker at office@orucc.org or 608-271-7212.

Spiritual

Nourishment

for you!

Daily Reflections for December

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 month for our devotional practice at Orchard Ridge UCC. If you know someone who needs encouragement and would like the devotional mailed to them, please contact the church office.

Daily Reflections for December 2025

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

1501 Gilbert Road

Madison, WI 53711

608-271-7212

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