Church History
A short synopsis of our history
1954- First Congregational Church purchases six lots on Madison’s far west side.
1955 - 35 individuals purchase two additional lots. September 18, the first service is held at Dr. & Mrs. Gordon Garnett’s home. Rev Al Swan, minister of First Congregational Church conducts the service.
1956 - February 27, 14 First Church members commissioned to form new church. March 4, the charter is signed, officially beginning the church.
1956-59 - Sunday services are held at the West Side Businessman’s Club, comer of Odana Road and Whitney Way.
1958 - Board of Homeland Ministries of the Congregational and Christian Churches of America approve a $5000 grant and a $30,000 second mortgage loan for building construction for the worship hall.
1959 - May 10th marks the ground breaking ceremony for the worship hall. Everyone brings a shovel, so the project begins and continues as a group effort.
1961 - Rev. Roger Knight begins serving the church until December 1971.
1962 - March, the church name is legally changed to Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ (Congregational) to reflect the merger of the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. Membership now stands at 170.
1967 - Dedication service is held for the completed education wing. Orchard Ridge Nursery School opens through the support of ORUCC.
1971 - Rev. William Wineke serves the church as interim minister through December 1971..
1972 - Rev Dan Apra begins serving the church until December 1979.
1973 - Vicki Nonn hired as organist and choir director
1979 - Rev. Stanley York serves the church as interim minister through June 1980.
1980 - Rev. Tim Kehl begins serving the church until October 1995.
1984 - Benevolence giving exceeds our OCWM obligation for the first time. Membership now stands at 345.
1989 - Rev. Karla Schmidt serves as Associate Pastor through 1999.
1993 - Congregation becomes an “Open and Affirming” congregation of the UCC, publicly welcoming people of all sexual orientations
1995 - Rev. Doug Pierce serves as Interim Minister through 1998.
1997 - Congregation adopted “Living in Love in Times of Disagreement” after a year long mediation process with the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center.
1998 - Rev. Winton Boyd called as Senior Pastor (began in January 1999).
1999 -Congregation raised $400,000 in a special Capital Appeal for renovation and mission work. Susan Schneider Adams serves as interim Associate Pastor until June, 2000
2000 - Rev. Deborah Dean was called as Associate Pastor
2000-2002 - Worship Hall is remodeled, new organ and piano purchased.
2001 - Congregation commits $36,000 to Interfaith Hospitality Network in an effort to assist families seeking to move out of homelessness.
2002 - Second Capital Appeal, “Extending our Welcome,” held to renovate the bathrooms and lounge and to install Air Conditioning.
2004 - Congregation votes to become a Safe Sanctuaries church, commiting itself to the protection of children from abuse of all kinds.
2005 - Congregation agrees to build a home with Habitat for Humanity in the Twin Oaks Development. The project, titled SpiritBuild, is done jointly with Good Shepherd Lutheran church. Construction takes place during the summer of 2006.
2006 - We adopt the new vision statement: ORUCC - Spiritually Alive, Joyfully Inclusive, Committed to Justice.
2006 - Rev. Deborah Dean-Ware resigns. Revs Ree Hale and Tammy Martens are hired as interims working with adults and children/families, respectively.
2007 - Congregation embarks on the Next Generation Initiative
2007
