Discussion of Abortion Rights

September 25 at 9am Fellowship Hall

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 history of faith support for reproductive justice, the current status of organizing taking place, and plans currently in process for meeting patient needs through the faith community. Opportunities for volunteering and engagement will be explored. There will be opportunity for questions and discussion. Click HERE for more information and bios of presenters.



Sharing Our Stories: Appreciative Inquiry Visioning

9:00am Oct. 9, Nov. 13 & Dec. 4

We want to hear your voice!

Are you interested in the future of ORUCC? Come join these visioning sessions! It’s okay if you missed the first one in September, there is still a chance to have input and share. Everyone’s voice matters, so please make a point to join for these 9am sessions on Sunday morning. Here is a look at the themes and questions and the dates to mark in you calendar.

October 9th: What do you value about yourself, about ORUCC, about UCC?

November 13th: What do you think are our core values? When have you felt our core values expressed best?

December 4th: If you woke up from a deep slumber and came to ORUCC in 5 years and everything you dreamed and imagined and visioned came true, what would it be like? What would you see, feel, hear, smell? How would people be meeting? Who would be there?

If you can’t be there for one of the Sundays, we still want to hear from you. We are still working on a virtual option for this process and ways of including voices who cannot make it on Sunday morning for any of these.

 A Service of Celebration for the Life of

Stanley Maurice Heffernan

 Sept. 29, 1923 – May 19, 2022

Service at Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

Madison, Wisconsin

Saturday October 8, 2022

1 p.m. 

Click here for obituary

Spiritual

Nourishment

for you!

For the week of Sept 22 – Sept 28

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.

Time to Review Our Web Site for Updates

As we return to in-person church and have staff transitions, it is time to review our website at https://orucc.org/ . We are in the process of making changes to reflect the retirement of Tammy Martens. But we need to review and update the information in all parts of the site, especially the “life at ORUCC” small groups section. Please check the web site to see if it is current and correct for any group you coordinate. Ministries and mission teams may also want new material added to the site.

The primary purpose of the web site is to welcome and provide information to new visitors to ORUCC, but we also want the site to be useful to members. All church emails except the prayer list are automatically posted to the web site in the Keeping Current section, which means that if you misplaced an email such as Worship Resources, Java and Jesus, Weekly Announcements, or past news from the justice mission teams, you can find it on the web site. The church calendar is on the site as well. 

To make suggestions about or corrections to the web site, you can fill out this form: https://forms.gle/qL6Vqayx6fpZXnQm7 or you can send email to [email protected]

This Week in Children’s Programming: 

PreK-2nd grade students will enjoy music at 9:00 and then hear another story about the time when Jesus was at the Sea of Galilee. Jill Westberg and Josie Gilbert will share that Jesus modeled kindness towards children and the poor. His way of teaching through example was seen as revolutionary and inspired others to spread the word. Children under the age of 5 are invited to stay as long as they are able and then transfer to the nursery to play with Antonia Wuschner and Amalia Sherrill.

3rd-5th Grade will continue their Peacemaker exploration. Last week, they talked about listening with our whole bodies and trying to really pay attention to someone when they are talking. This week, they will talk about another important piece of becoming a peacemaker - what we do when we get angry. Through a variety of active stations, they will learn how to share their angry feelings with God. Paul Vash and Jadyn Gilbert will guide them through the process.

Music Connections: This week, children in grades 2nd-5th + (middle schoolers and high schoolers are welcome to attend as a participant or helper) are invited to play xylophones with Julie Mazer after the children’s moment. Additionally, we will continue our rhythmic and spoken exploration of the scripture, “Be Still and Know that God is Peace.” Save the date for Sunday, October 23. That day, we’ll share music that we’ve developed on that passage during worship. 

Safe Sanctuary Training for Youth Volunteers

Sunday, October 2, 9AM

At Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, we believe that our church should be a safe sanctuary for all those who come in good faith. Most importantly, it should be a safe sanctuary for the children and youth who are entrusted to us.

Toward this goal, our congregation has adopted a Safe Sanctuary policy: a set of policies, procedures, and educational programs to reduce the possibility of child sexual or physical abuse, or any type of sexual misconduct or harassment from occurring in our congregation. These policies express our keen interest in protecting our children and youth, while maintaining the trusting atmosphere of our congregation for the entire congregation, adults and children alike.

On Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 AM, we will conduct our annual Safe Sanctuary training program. Every volunteer who works with kids and youth will need to receive the training (which involves reviewing and discussing the policy) before helping out in the kids’ programming. It should take approximately 30 minutes. Thank you to our volunteers for helping to make ORUCC a welcoming and safe space for our youth!

Save the Date! ORUCC Treinen Farm Corn Maze & Bonfire in Lodi, WI, Friday October 21st 6:30-9:30

We have reserved our own bonfire area with benches and picnic tables on October 21 from 6:30-9:30. Feel free to bring your own food if you wish and we will provide s’mores! This area will serve as our home base while you enjoy and explore the farm, pumpkin patch, animals and maze.

To join us, purchase your own ticket at this website and upon arrival ask for the Orchard Ridge UCC Bonfire area.

Interested in Books?

As we all roll into our fall activities and church programming the ORUCC Women’s Book Group would like to extend a cordial invitation to anyone who has an interest in books to join us this fall! We meet the first Thursday of each month from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. on Zoom. You can come every month or drop in once in a while. There is no requirement to read or finish reading the book, although we may discuss spoilers if you haven’t finished! Members suggest the books and we vote on the year’s choices in February. Although you are not required to lead a discussion, most people enjoy leading if their book suggestion is chosen. Deanna Blanchard coordinates this group and will be happy to add your name to the email list if you send a message to [email protected]. The books we will be reading and discussing this fall are:

• October 6  The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin, led by Judy Winkel
• November 3 The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray  led by Ruth Ann Berkholtz
• December 1  The Sentence by Louise Erdrich,  led by Ginny Kruse

Wayfinding: The Soul-tasks of Aging,

toward a Theology of the Elder Years

ZOOM gathering

Thursday September 22nd

4:00-5:15pm.

Over 55 is coming on Wednesday, September 28th

Grab your Badger gear and come to Over 55 in Bucky Red.  Show your “Badger spirit!”  Josette Jaucian, the UW Spirit Squad Director, will be our featured speaker.  Buckle up for a very informative program.  The 56-member University of Wisconsin Spirit Squad is a highly visible, enthusiastic, and talented group of student-athletes with a primary purpose to support Intercollegiate Athletics and serve as ambassadors for the University of Wisconsin.  The Spirit Squad is comprised of the Cheerleading Squad, the Dance Team, and the Bucky Badger Mascots.  We are sure to learn how Josette manages the auditions and directs the training and conditioning.

We will gather at 11:30, dine at 11:45 and begin our program about 12:15.  All are welcome regardless of age!  Mark your calendar:  Wednesday, September 28th, 11:30 a.m. Cost is $8.

Voter Canvassing-September 2022

Thanks to you who have responded to the call for canvassers! To those who are still considering this participation in the WIVEC Canvassing project leading up to the Midterm Election on Nov 8— Please use this link to sign in (even if you canvassed this summer) at: https://forms.gle/YjgiqggAN6U7sS9x7. 

Rhonda Lindner, WIVEC organizer and Barb Feeney, DC League of Women Voters ask that all canvassers sign in on the link and attend one of the training sessions below.  A link to a recording of the training will be available to those unable to attend the online tutorial. 

Wed & TH, SEPT 21 & 22—required Training Session from 7-9pm (same class repeated). If you sign in, you will receive links to the training.

                  CANVASS DATE # 1 — TH SEPT 29 from 4-7pm

                  CANVASS DATE # 2 — SUN OCT 9 from 1:30-4:30

                            MEETING PLACE: Lake Edge UCC

Contact Ruth Ann B with questions or feedback—608-334-8761, if text, please ID yourself. Canvassers are still needed!

To see/hear July canvassers from ORUCC & other congregations–watch this video link here . You’ll recognize a few people!–experience their reflections

and feel the excitement of the day. If you’re at all interested, contact me for

further info!

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, or to assist with

Holy Communion?

It has been easy finding Lay Liturgists, but much more challenging finding Coffee-Makers and Welcomers!

We need volunteers as soon as

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2.

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 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.

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

1501 Gilbert Road

Madison, WI 53711

608-271-7212

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