Newsletter:

Outreach

“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justice, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” From Rabbi Rami Shapiro’s interpretive translation in Wisdom of the Jewish Sages of Rabbi Tarfon, Pirke Avot 2:20 of the Talmud

Efforts at serving others sponsored by the Ministry of Christian Witness and Service and others.
Ongoing outreach efforts include:

Meal Ministry - meals are made for those who are ill or for some other reason could use short term assistance with making meals for themselves or their families.  If you would like to help with this, please contact the church office.

Tax Rebate give back - see home page for information on our effort to give back tax rebates for two worthy church supported projects.

Longstanding projects include:

1. Interfaith Hospitality Network. 4 times a year we host homeless families at the church for the duration of a week. We provide the dinner and breakfast meals, activities for children, respite and conversation for adults and overnight accommodations for each family. Interfaith Hospitality Network (ihnmadison.com) in Madison is part of a national organization. Our next week of hosting will be in December 2008
2. SpiritBuild Dominican Republic - March 2008. Please see blogroll for photos of this year’s trip. ORUCC and Madison Mennonite took 24 people for a week to build homes with Habitat for Humanity.

3. Fair Trade Sale. Each November, we hold our Fair Trade Sale featuring fair trade products from around the community and the world. ORUCC was one of the first church’s to hold such a sale almost 25 years ago. This year’s sale is tentatively scheduled for November 23, 2008

4. Nicaragua - Wisconsin Partnership. Every 2nd Sunday of the month we take a special offering for those celebrating that month. These funds support our longstanding participation in the Wisconsin Nicaragua Partnership in its effort to encourage and foster economic development in Nicaragua. For more information click http://wnp.uwsp.edu/

5. Compassion Offerings. Each Sunday, we collect loose change and other designated gifts for a worthy ministry or organization.

Other recent outreach activities

  • On April 6, 28 people participated in an Urban Bus Tour through Madison, learning about partner organizations who work with homeless families.
  • In February 2008, 10 confirmation students and adults participated in an Urban Immersion retreat in Milwaukee to work with a number of organizations serving homeless men and women.
  • In February 2008, students from the Crossing Campus Ministry held a pancake breakfast to raise funds for their Quest trip to Northern Ireland where they studied and taught forgiveness.
  • In 2006, ORUCC teamed with Good Shepherd Lutheran to build a home with Habitat for Humanity in the Twin Oaks Development. Together, we raised the money ($75,000) and built the home.
  • Each Thanksgiving we support the purchase of almost 50 thanksgiving meals for low income neighbors through a partnership with Joining Forces for Families and the Southwest Resource Center.
  • Support of GLBT rights. In 2006, the congregation passed a resolution urging the defeat of the “marriage amendment” on before the state of Wisconsin. In addition, we partnered with other churches and Fair Wisconsin to make phone calls, knock on doors and pass out leaflets in an effort to inform voters on the real impact of that vote. We continue to be a partner church in Coming Out Coming Together, a local coalition of welcoming churches.
  • Financial support to residents of the Allied Drive neighborhood through the Anti-Eviction Fund. Our member, Dianne Stevens, manages this fund. In addition, we sell greeting cards every Sunday to raise funds for this effort.
  • Support of Fair Trade Coffeegrowers. The coffee served at the church Just Coffee, roasted by a local Madison company.
  • Emergency Support for residents in our neighborhood through our partnership with the Southwest Neighborhood Resource Center on Russet Road.
  • Support and interaction with The Crossing, an ecumenical campus ministry at the UW. Each year we host a Sunday dinner for students after their Vesper service and invite college students to speak at various functions at the church. Rev. Winton Boyd and Barb Hummel, members of our congregation, have also helped to lead international trips with students to Israel and Northern Ireland.
  • Summer Mission trips for High School students. In the past few years, the high school group has traveled to Chicago (2006), Philadelphia (2005), Pescadero, CA (2004), Louisville (2003), Yakima, WA (2002), Red Lake Indian Reservation, MN (2001). This summer they will travel to Bay St. Louis near New Orleans from July 26-August 2. For more information contact Tammy Martens.