Weekly Announcements

Java & Jesus (Hybrid)

In-Person in the Alfred Swan Room at the Church, or by Zoom

    July 10–Pam Oliver facilitating

Pam Oliver will lead a discussion on Christian Nationalism and threats to multi-racial democracy. Reading about Christian Nationalism Link or listen to the original 1-hour podcast Link

Pam’s statement about the discussion: Link

Click here to join J&J by Zoom

Contact  Ken Pennings to be added to the Java & Jesus email list, or if you’re having trouble accessing the Zoom meeting. The Zoom Link will also be included in the Saturday Worship Email.  

Driver Help Needed

Help is needed to drive the granddaughter of Steve Sheets to and from work sites.  24-year-old Aileen Jones is self-employed with her own cleaning service. She has just recently suffered a seizure.  As a precaution DMV prohibits driving for three months.  Given the cost of taxis and her tight budget, Steve is requesting help in driving Aileen to and from her job sites for the near future. It is possible to involve two drivers, one to the site and another to take her home or to another site. Here are her workdays, hours, and locations:  

Every other Monday, 8 am -?, Farwell Drive, Madison

Every Tuesday, 8 am-12 pm, Farwell Drive, Madison

Every other Tuesday, 1pm-?, Regis Road, Madison

Two days Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday, 9 am-4 pm, Dartmouth Drive, Waunakee

Every other Thursday, 9 am-12 pm, Brunette Drive, Madison

Last Friday of the month, 9 am- 12pm, Eagle Crest Drive

If you are able to help, call Aileen directly 608-214-3655. She can offer more specific information, or contact Steve Sheets at [email protected]

BUILDING ACCESS

As many of you know, we’ve kept a key to the church “hidden” outside the building for many years. We want to be more secure about our building, at this time. We are placing a key in a combination lock box near the same place as the “hidden key”. If you need access to the code, please contact any of the pastors, the moderators, or Jon Blanchard.

Moderators and Ministry chairs should already have a key to use the building as needed for meetings, but if you are a leader of a group who uses the building often, please get in touch with Julie W in the office to arrange for a key. Thanks for keeping our building safe!

Spiritual

Nourishment

for you!

For the week of July 14 – July 20

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.

Yard Help

It’s Not Just Weeding!

The landscape at church needs other things besides weeding this summer. 

The flower beds, new trees (put in fall of 2020), and new shrubs put in last spring need water when the weather is hot and dry. If it hasn’t rained an inch or more for a week, the plants are very thirsty. (Our last good rain was a week ago.) If you live near the church and your knees don’t allow you to kneel and weed, consider watering parts of the landscape. Hoses are at each door. If you are at the church to work in the Veggie Village or attend a meeting, consider taking time to water while there. The hosta beds on the northwest corner and the perennial bed to the east of the parking lot are well established and can probably survive and thrive without regular supplemental watering. If you water the meditation garden, look for the big white lilies to bloom soon.

The paths have to be cared for to look nice. A solution of 1 gallon of white vinegar, 1-2 cups of salt and 1-2 tablespoons of dish soap sprayed on the area has been effective for killing the weeds (except pigweed which has thick stems and leaves). It is much less hazardous than using Round-Up. Supplies, including a pump sprayer, are available. You can borrow my sprayer to use on weeds at your house if you want.

Of course, the weeds are growing like weeds and you can pull them in any of the beds at any time. Please contact me with questions or join me on Wednesday mornings. Joyce Pohl–608-206-5697 or [email protected]

From the Immigration Justice Team

Plan ahead for the Casa Alitas Clothing Drive!

Summer and Fall clothing

Think young families

Kid’s clothes, men’s and women’s small sizes, tennies



We’ll begin receiving donations August 8!

Thank you in advance for your donation.

Associate Pastor Search

Update from the Search Committee for the Associate Pastor of Children, Youth, and Families and Tammy’s Transition Team

Last month, the search committee had a candidate interview with them and the pastors, but that person ultimately took another position as a solo lead pastor of a church. We are committed to and trust this pastoral search process. Many thanks to the search committee for their loving, steadfast work and may they feel our deep gratitude as they continue their search.

As Tammy shared in her note to the congregation on June 23, Julie Mazer will step up as our Interim Education Coordinator to coordinate and oversee Sunday morning programming for children and youth. Julie will work with Tammy beginning in mid-July to ensure a smooth transition. Additionally, Kristen Muckian will lead a team for the annual mission trip. As an adult chaperone of this trip for seven years, Kristen is well-equipped to plan next summer’s trip. Thank you Julie and Kristen!

Community Organizing Workshop: Saturday July 23, 2022



On Saturday, July 23, 2022, from 11:30am to 1:00pm (lunch included), Good Shepard Lutheran Church, in partnership with UW-Madison Extension and the Southwest Madison Action Coalition (SMAC), is sponsoring a facilitated workshop on “Community Organizing and Engagement.” Facilitators are Randy Stoecker (UW Madison), Sheray Wallace (Meadowood Health Partnership), and Cory Foster (Toki Middle School. Topics will include understanding the foundations of community organizing, helping attendees see themselves as leaders, and focusing on strengths to create effective change. Sheray and Cory will share their experiences. 

The July program is one of five mediated workshops this summer and fall. To register for this or other programs, go to SMAC’s Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/love-your-neighborhood-gathering-tickets-330245241407?utm_source=Eventbrite&utm_medium=Online,+paper&utm_campaign=Leadership+series

News for Covid Response Team

The COVID Response Team met Sunday, June 5th, and decided not to change anything, but to hold steady where we are. Positive test rates in Dane County are up currently, which we are watching.

We continue to recommend that masks be required during worship, in order to extend the broadest welcome to all. For small groups that use the church outside of the worship service, they may continue to work with the pastors to make the best determination for their group.

We are starting to digest the new COVID metrics that have become publicly available, and to consider how they might guide our decision-making in the future. 

While the recommendations continue to evolve, we reiterate that by wearing even a non-fitted N95 mask – freely available outside Worship Hall – the wearer essentially ensures that nobody can be considered a “close contact” during worship. (It would take hours of continuous exposure to an unmasked individual for this to be the case!) This frees us from the need to be concerned with “contact tracing,” etc. if any of our friends test positive for COVID — although we do appreciate being able to pray for them during Joys & Concerns. Please keep telling us when you test positive for COVID after being in worship or at a church function.

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, an Assistant to the AV Technician,

a Welcomer, a Lay Liturgist, to assist with

Holy Communion or to host summer “Lawn Lemonade”?

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

Click here to serve as a Coffee Maker

Click here to serve as an Assistant to the AV Technician

Click here to sign up as a Welcomer

Click here to sign up as a Lay Liturgist

Click here to sign up to assist with Holy Communion

Click here to host “Lawn Lemonade” after worship

After selecting a date, 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