Upcoming 9am Social Justice Programming

Palestinian Justice

Sunday March 13 & 20

Rev. Diane Dulin and Thomas Beilman facilitating

How Are the Children? 

Palestinian Children in Israeli Military Detention

A video curriculum for UCC audiences

In 2017, delegates to the United Church of Christ General Synod passed a Resolution of Witness calling for an end to the ill-treatment of Palestinian children incarcerated in Israeli military prisons. Discover why the UCC and other faith communities are calling urgently for an end to this systematic abuse of children. This curriculum features video testimony from UCC national executive leaders John Dorhauer and Traci Blackmon.

Join us in viewing the video curriculum, “How Are the Children?”, produced by the United Church of Christ Palestine-Israel Network in cooperation with national executive leaders and mission personnel of the UCC. The curriculum includes Detaining Dreams – an intimate documentary featuring the stories of four Palestinian youth and their families undergoing the ordeal of Israeli military incarceration. Discover how the UCC and other faith communities are working to help end the ill-treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention. For more information: [email protected]  

Care of Creation

Connecting Faiths for Climate Action

Earth Day is coming up. To get your green team inspired, join us on March 5th from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Members of creation care committees from around Dane County will gather to learn what others in the faith community have been doing for sustainability. What has been successful? What are the challenges? Further your work by learning about others’ efforts and get new ideas for your team. If you don’t yet have a creation care team, come and be inspired. 

We’ll start with a short, uplifting video talk by Katharine Hayhoe, author of Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World. And then we’ll share our experiences to encourage us to “keep on keeping on.” Members of Citizens’ Climate Lobby and the Wisconsin Creation Care Ambassadors are teaming up to host this free, virtual event. Register by March 3^rd. To register, click here or email Trudi Jenny, [email protected].

Might you be interested in a New Members / Seekers Series with the Pastors and Leadership Team of ORUCC? Or perhaps you joined the church in the last couple of years, but were not afforded the opportunity to participate in New Member Classes. Here’s your chance!

Please attend at least three of the four informational classes at the church:

Sunday, April 10th, 9:00-9:50 a.m.

Sunday, April 24th, 9:00-9:50 a.m.

Sunday, May 8th, 9:00-9:50 a.m.

Sunday, May 22nd, 9:00-9:50 a.m.

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

At the Informational Classes, you’ll learn more about Orchard Ridge and the United Church of Christ (UCC). We’ll discuss our history as a local church, the leadership structure of the church, ministries within the congregation and the wider community, and some of the church’s views on important issues of faith.

You may participate in the New Member Classes even if you decide not to join the church at this time.

www.ORUCC.org

Our new website has launched this week! Thank you for all the hard work from web designer Tapan Shah of Megh Designs and ORUCC’s website mission team including Ken Psyck, John Lemke, Chris Thomas, Pam Oliver, and Julia Burkey. While we are still updating some of the content and fixing bugs, we think you will find it a big improvement. There is a link on the site if you see anything that needs fixing or want to offer suggestions for changes or additions to the content. Going forward we will add photographs and relevant content edits where appropriate.

Spiritual Nourishment for you!

for the week of Mar 3 – Mar 9

Read this weeks devotional as a way to dive deeper into your spiritual practice or to get some nourishment and inspiration for your day.

DEVOTIONAL

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 office.

Gathering Safely with COVID

Our COVID Response Team will meet again March 6th at 1pm to evaluation our COVID mitigations again. 

We still ask that when you join in us for any ORUCC activity, you wear a surgical mask or KN95 or stronger. We provide these at the door for your convenience. We ask that adults sit spaced every other chair in the Worship Hall. Your kids may sit on your laps and in pods with families when in worship, and Friendship Hall and Crossroads will be open for more spacious seating for family units. We welcome you to sing softly behind your masks if you are fully vaccinated and boosted if eligible. Thank you for your cooperation as we aim to keep each other healthy and safe. 

If you are experiencing any symptoms of being under the weather we kindly ask you to join us virtually. If you do test positive for COVID after being with us, please share with us as soon as you can.

Here is the LINK for details and protocols for Back-to-Church.

Java & Jesus (by Zoom) 11:30

Mar 6–Dan Rossmiller

Mar 13–Baxter Richardson

Click here to join Java & Jesus



Don’t miss out! Contact Ken Pennings to be added to the Java & Jesus email list.

Immigration Justice News

“Living Undocumented”

Up for a great movie? Plus discussion? In person? Where and When: Tuesday, March 15, 6:30-8:00pm, in ORUCC Friendship Hall. The Madison Mennonite Church invites you to a viewing of Episode 3 of the film “Living Undocumented, ” followed by a 45 minute dicussion. “Living Undocumented” is a 6-episode Netflix documentary being sponsored by the Dane Sanctuary Coalition as its “Big View” this year. The documentary puts individual faces and personal stories onto the abstract issue of immigration and broadens our understanding of who is undocumented in our country and why. The gathering will also be available via zoom. Use this link to register and participate via zoom: [email protected]. And watch a trailer of the documentary here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSGBP-Z4UXI . Members of the ORUCC Immigrant Justice Team will be there. Join us!

Gift Card Sunday

Announcing Gift Card Sunday, March 20, 2022!  The Immigration Justice Team welcomes you to purchase a gift card or bus pass for newly settled Afghans in Dane County. Purchase gift cards from Woodman’s, Pick n Save, Target, Walmart, or Burlington Coat Factory. Bus passes can be purchased from HyVee and Pick n Save (30-day, unlimited ride is great!). Donations can also be made online by writing ”Afghan Gift Card” on your donation check. Gift cards and bus passes will be collected during worship on Sunday, March 20. All will be delivered to Jewish Social Services (JSJS) and Open Doors for Refugees (ODFR) for assistance to Afghan refugees. Thank you in advance for your purchase!

Dane Sanctuary Coalition

The Dane Sanctuary Coalition invites you to a coalition-wide meeting on Sunday night, March 13, 6:30-8:00. Agenda includes a panel from our immigration partners, including updates on Afghan resettlement in Wisconsin and the opening of the Center for Dreamers (DACA).  Click on the link to RSVP - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrGoemnmglB0lt0XfvqWEiloxXkdR7YCADgmu3XlOhLAgGOg/viewform The Zoom link will be sent a few days before the event. Thank you.

Friday Breakfast Group March 4

Friday Breakfast Group will return to monthly gatherings on March 4 at 8:30 am at Denny’s, 433 S. Gammon Road. Although originally for women, the group has for many years included a popular men’s table as well. Open to all, it is informal and a chance to connect and converse on many topics. Please join us! Contact Louise Jeanne, Link for more information.

Easter is Coming!



We will be decorating our sanctuary with many different kinds of flowers again this year for the Easter Season. We invite you to donate to this in honor or in memory of a loved one. Plants are $16. Forms will be in your bulletins on Sunday and must be returned to the church office by March 20. If you are watching at home and would like to participate please send your check with flowers in the memo line and who you would like this to be in honor of or in memory of.

Save the date!

Celebration of Tammy Martens’ Ministry

August 6, 2022

Stay tuned for more details and times.

If you have questions or suggestions please contact

Ann Evensen [email protected]  cell 608 628 4280 

Barbara Stretchberry [email protected]  cell 608-239-6669

Kellie Miller [email protected]   cell 608 852-7578

AT ORUCC, the Members are the Ministers!

We are seeking a whole new team of volunteers to serve in 2022 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!

Would you consider serving one or more times as a Lay Liturgist, a Welcomer, or for Holy Communion?

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

Click here to sign up as a Welcomer

Click here to sign up as a Lay Liturgist

Click here to assist with Holy Communion

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

Pictorial Directory

Thanks to all those who helped with the pictorial directory. Here is a print version. Photo Directory Print Version

Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

1501 Gilbert Road

Madison, WI 53711

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