Rev. Winton Boyd – Senior Pastor
Winton and his wife, Tammy have three teenage children, Tallis (24), Kythie (21), Rein(20). They moved to Madison in 1999 from Fresno, California where Winton was Associate Pastor at First Congregational and Tammy was a elementary school teacher at Powers-Ginsburg. Tammy currently teaches reading in the Madison Metropolitan School District. Winton is originally from Edina, MN (suburb of Minneapolis). He attended the University of Vermont, the Ringerike Folk High School in Honefoss, Norway, and Luther Seminary in St. Paul. He served as a youth minister in two churches in Minneapolis, and lived at an ecumenical retreat center before being ordained in 1991. He served as a Community Organizer for Lyndale UCC in Minneapolis for 2 years and then 7 in Fresno.
His hobbies include running, reading, outdoor hiking and biking, shopping at thrift stores, and Monday afternoon movies! He enjoys helping make faith come alive through worship, theological discussion and hands on service/compassion work. He also has a passion for the Middle-East, where he traveled in 2003 and 2005; and finding new and diverse church music for the congregation to sing as part of the global Christian community. In recent years, Winton has become a facilitator for the Center for Courage & Renewal, and leads retreats for clergy and other professionals throughout the Midwest and the nation. Winton and Tammy are proud to be a drop site for the weekly vegetables for the Vermont Valley CSA farm.
Email: Winton@Orucc.org
Rev. Tammy Martens -Associate Pastor for Children, Youth and Families
Tammy and her husband Rob have two young children, Lily who is 5 and Gabriel who is 8. Tammy spent a couple of years at home with her children before starting at Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ in January, 2007.
Tammy is a graduate of UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse. She also received her Master of Divinity from Palmer Seminary in Philadelphia. She worked in campus ministry for 8 years and was an associate pastor for 6 years before taking a break to raise children. She enjoys working with children and youth and helping them to discover and experience the love of Christ. She also enjoys finding creative and meaningful opportunities for children/youth and families to deepen their inner faith journeys and exploring how their faith connects them to outward acts of service, the ethics of living, and vocation decisions. In her spare time, Tammy loves swimming, biking, walking, cooking, reading, and being with friends.
Email: TMartens@Orucc.org
Rev. Ken Pennings – Associate Pastor for Congregational Life
Ken joined the staff of ORUCC in August 2009. He was born and raised in Scotia, New York, graduated from Columbia Bible College, Columbia, SC in 1979, and received a Masters of Divinity from Columbia Biblical Seminary, Columbia, SC in 1985. He is ordained with the American Baptist Churches USA and received “privilege of call” with the United Church of Christ in June 2005.
Ken has served three Baptist churches as youth pastor, minister of evangelism & discipleship, and founding pastor.
In his early forties, Ken wakened to a new way of being in the world and transitioned out of Baptist fundamentalism. Now his highest ambition is to work with others to bring about a new economy of abundance in the world and a public life reorganized toward neighborliness.
Ken’s life partner is John Kenneth Leonard, professor of religious studies, Edgewood College, Madison. John is an accomplished gardener, chef and musician. The couple lives on the south side of Madison in a home they call “Emmaus House.”
Ken’s three children from a previous marriage are Matthew, Audrey, and Kathryn, all residents of Wisconsin.
Email: Ken@Orucc.org
Ms. Debbie Bauerkemper – Office Manager
Debbie joined our staff in the spring of 2004. She manages the office, the finances, the building and even at times the clergy! Debbie and her husband Dale are the parents of one grown daughter. Prior to moving to Madison, Debbie worked for the Association Minister of the Wisconsin Conference UCC in Eau Claire, WI.
Email: office@Orucc.org
Dr. Bruce Gladstone – Senior Choir director
Bruce joined our church in 2007 and became a permanent choir director in May, 2008. Bruce is Associate Director of Choral Activities at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he conducts the 85-member Chorale and the 34-member Madrigal Singers, as well as teaching the graduate Choral Literature and Performance Practice course and undergraduate Conducting. He also the director of the Festival Choir of Madison.
A Maryland native, Dr. Gladstone holds degrees from West Virginia Wesleyan College (Dramatic Arts) and Southern Methodist University (Sacred Music and Choral Conducting), and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Music from the University of Illinois. He has served as Director of Choral Activities at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia and taught at Eastern Illinois University and West Virginia Wesleyan College. He has also been a church musician and director in Illinois (for 6-7 years). He also teaches individual voice and conducting.
Email: BGladstone@wisc.edu
Ms. Vicki Nonn – service musician and choir accompanist
Vicki has served our church since 1973. Until the summer of 2007, she was our music director, when she changed her status to be the service musician and choral accompanist. She recently retired as the Music Director and afternoon host for Wisconsin Public Radio’s Madison station (WERN, 89.3 FM). She and her husband Marv have two grown children.
Email: VickiNonn@tds.net
Julie Mazer
Julie has lived and worked in Madison as a music teacher for the past nine years. She holds a Bachelors of Music in Music Therapy from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Her background includes work with early childhood, children with learning disabilities, adults/children with developmental disabilities, and the elderly. Julie has been trained in the Orff Schulwerk philosophy of music education which encourages children to be the creators of their own music through the assistance of movement and speech. Outside of Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, Julie is teaches music classes at Walbridge School and and offers private piano lessons and group music classes to homeschooled children through her business, The Music Lab. She is an avid reader, knitter, cross-country skier, and runner.
Email: Julie.Mazer@charter.net
Mr. Vance Nelson – Handbell director
For 9 years, Vance has been our handbell director. He has directed choirs at Asbury United Methodist and First Baptist. He continues to be a substitute director at First Baptist.
Mr. Tim Rotar – Custodian
Tim joined the staff in May 2008 as our part time custodian. He is also a custodian at Heritage Congregational Church in Madison. He in generally at the church on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Volunteer positions
Mr. Rob Martens – Leader of Tru Function
Ms. Mary Bucknell – Moderator
Mr. Rich Hamman – Moderator-Elect
Ms. Lori Miller – Treasurer
Ms. Barb Louden – Clerk