September Compassion Offering:

Guatemala Medical Resources Partnership (GMRP)

Oliveros is a tiny village about 3 hours south of Guatemala City. It and other small villages are in a very poor district. It’s a sugar cane growing area. Jobs are scarce and pay is poor.

The nearest doctor is 25 miles away. The difference between the resources we have here in the US and that part of Guatemala is shockingly stark.

The GMRP clinic, a project of the Thiensville-Mequon Rotary Clubs, takes place every January in a school while students are on Winter break. The school is 5 or 6 rooms in a cement block building with a tin roof and windows without glass.

The need is incredible. In 4 ½ days the clinic will see 600-700 people, some seeing a medical provider, a dentist and/or an optometrist. The clinic opens at 8:00 am but at 5:00 am there may already be 40 people waiting outside.          

About 40 people—doctors, nurses, dentists, optometrists, translators, pharmacists and general helpers—make the clinic work.

The clinic has been operating for 22 years. Some of the equipment was donated, already used, 22 years ago. This year we have to replace some of this equipment because it is almost unusable after many repairs. That’s why September’s compassion offering is so important. Please be generous, the people of Oliveros will benefit so much.

Friday Breakfast Group – September 5th, 9:00 a.m.  

The next Friday Breakfast is set for September 5th at 9:00 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.

Family Game Night is back!

Friday, Sept. 5th, 6-8 pm in Friendship Hall

Bring a game, a friend, and/or a dish to share with your fellow church families. Kids from elementary age through high school are invited to attend with their adults. We’ll play games and socialize over a very informal potluck.

“Parents Together” Support Group

Raising kids is hard work, full of joy and challenge. Need some community support? Parents and caregivers are invited to come together for a peer-led parents’ support group at 9:00 am this Sunday, September 7th, in the Oscar Romero Room, facilitated by Claire Purkis and Joanna Beilman-Dulin.

Welcome Back Sunday is September 7^th!

After a summer of traveling, fun in the sun, and rest and relaxation, we look forward to regathering together at ORUCC this fall. We kick off our programming year with some fun events for the whole congregation:

• Faith Formation at 9:00 a.m. for Children and Youth (Pre-K to H.S.)
• Nursery Care from 8:30-11:30 a.m. resumes for our youngest children
• “Blessing of the Backpacks” during 10:00 a.m. worship: anyone starting off the school year (kids, teachers, school and college workers) are invited to bring their “school bags” to receive a special blessing during worship
• Music Connections for kids in grades 2-6 will begin during the 10:00 hour on 9/7; TRU Function, our youth band, will resume practice on 9/14.
• Supply Drive for Neighborhood Schools: we are collecting boxes of tissues, sanitizing wipes, and individually packaged shelf-stable snacks for Orchard Ridge Elementary and Anana Elementary. Please consider adding a few extra to your back-to-school shopping cart and bring these offerings along on September 7^th 
• All-Church Picnic, immediately following worship (outdoors, weather permitting). This meal is sponsored by the Ministry of Congregational Life and our Hospitality Mission Team, and is free of charge for all. Please consider signing up to volunteer with set up, tear down, and clean up here.

September 8th: An Evening of Palestinian Dance

Madison-Rafah Sister City Project presents, Monday, September 8th, at the Bartell Theater, an unforgettable night of Palestinian folkloric dance with Wishah & Baladi Dabke Troupes. Doors open 6:15, show 7 pm. Buy tickets in advance. Proceeds support the tour & donations will be taken for the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA). More details.

Peacekeeper Training

SEPTEMBER 14th at 1:30pm

MADISON FRIENDS MEETINGHOUSE

Streetwise & Steady is an experiential training to explore how to navigate complex situations and maximize group safety, stay calm and make informed decisions in real-time to help a protest remain nonviolent. Trainer Eileen Flanagan is an award-winning Quaker author, public speaker, and leader of spiritually-grounded climate activism. Sign up for free by clicking on “Register” below.

• 1:30-5:30 pm – Workshop
• 5:30-7:30 pm – Dinner and Peacekeeper Community Building. 



Register

For more information, contact Ruthanne Landsness (Immigration Justice Team) or John Lemke (MOSES Team). Thank you!

Jumping Worms

The landscaping team found a jumping worm while digging in the meditation bed. Another one was found in the flower bed at the intersection of sidewalks near the main entrance We have to assume they are probably in the entire landscape. We recommend sanitizing your shoes and tools (or simply using different ones) in order to avoid spreading this invasive species to your home gardens. Jumping worms are an invasive species that harms the texture and fertility of the soil. They will probably spread everywhere. You cannot control the vectors that spread their eggs and or cocoons.

Birds, mammal, yes, including dogs, humans with mud on their shoes and vehicle tires, etc. are just some of the vectors. Sorry for the bad news.

For more details on the jumping worm from the Wisconsin DNR, see their guide page.



Joyce Pohl

Save the dates for these fall programmatic events hosted by us at ORUCC!

CANCELLED: Music Makes Community!

This community-building singing event, previously announced here, is being rescheduled to the fall of 2026 on a date to be determined. We will keep you posted.

Wayfinding Retreat at Holy Wisdom Monastery

Wednesday, October 15th 10am-2pm (tentatively), including lunch. Regular Wayfinding program resumes monthly rhythm 3rd Wednesdays with a ZOOM option on the following Thursday. More details to follow.

Restorative Circle 

Sunday, October 12th after worship to learn about the process.

November 7th evening & 8th.

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 Ken Pennings at [email protected] or 608-556-2371.

Spiritual

Nourishment

for you!

Daily Reflections for August

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. Jeanne is unable at this time to provide a new set of readings for September, so we are continuing to make available her readings for August. If you know someone who needs encouragement and would like the devotional mailed to them, please contact the church office.

Daily Reflections for August 2025

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

1501 Gilbert Road

Madison, WI 53711

608-271-7212

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