"I will put my teaching in their minds and write it on their hearts..."
Jeremiah 31:33
| | | Calendar of Upcoming MUCC Events | | |
Below are the weekly programs. Brief descriptions of these weekly programs are on our website.
Clickable links are in blue, underlined, and italicized.
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SUNDAY Choir Practice
Contact Tom Ludwig, if interested. Practice is 9-10am on Sundays before worship. No rehearsal Dec. 7, 2025 & Jan. 4, 2026.
| | Below are the upcoming non-weekly events on the calendar happening at McFarland UCC for about the next month. All events are on the McFarland UCC calendar with Zoom links and additional information in the details/description area. Click the event on the McFarland UCC calendar to see the details. | | |
Sunday, December 7, Communion and Birthday Sunday, 2nd Sunday of Advent, After Worship: Decorate the Christmas Tree after worship, 12:30 pm: Carpool for caroling, if desired, 1:00 pm: Caroling at Charter Assisted Living, 5601 Burke Rd, Madison and 2:00 pm: Caroling at Drumlin Assisted Living, 139 E Reynolds St, Cottage Grove
Sunday, December 7, 4:00 - 7:00 pm, Teen Meeting, 4:00 pm: Meet at Target, 6321 McKee Rd, Fitchburg, 5:30 pm: Dinner, wrap, and fun at Memorial UCC, 5705 Lacy Rd, Fitchburg
Wednesday, December 10, CANCELED - Contemplative Service with Prayers for Healing (see article below)
Thursday, December 11, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, SaLT Monthly Meeting (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room
Sunday, December 14, 3rd Sunday of Advent, Befrienders Commissioning
Sunday, December 21, 4th Sunday of Advent, The Christmas Fund Collection, No Practice Christmas Pageant
Wednesday, December 24, Office Closed
Wednesday, December 24, 5:00 pm, Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with Rev. Susan Shands
Thursday, December 25, Office Closed
Thursday, December 25, 11:00 am-1:00 pm, Community Christmas Meal, Merry Christmas!
Thursday, January 1, Office Closed
Sunday, January 4, Communion and Birthday Sunday, Teen Meeting in evening
Tuesday, January 6, Social Justice Collective Meeting(In person & Online), Multipurpose Room
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Thank you to this weekend's volunteers!
Greeters/Ushers: Kathy Paulson & Ann Walsvik
Hospitality Hosts: Cody DeWayne, Amy & Peter Cavi
Worship Lead: Rev. Susan Shands
MUCC online calendar indicates Sunday worship leads.
| | Resolve to get involved at McFarland UCC! Volunteer on Sunday. Join a ministry such as Social Justice Collective, Creation Care, Befrienders Care Team, SaLT, Youth ministry, Building & Ground Team, or others. Find out more by clicking here. | | |
News at McFarland UCC
Note: Clickable links are blue, underlined, and italicized.
| | This Advent season, join in the watching and waiting together with church friends and loved ones. We have many opportunities for worship, fellowship, and service throughout the weeks leading up to Christmas. Rev. Susan Shands is joining us for the remainder of Advent and the Christmas Eve candlelight service. Celebrate the season with us! | |
Children's Activities Throughout Advent
Advent season is here! There are many opportunities for children and families to participate in the joy and wonder of the season, and we would love to see many young faces at church throughout Advent!
December 7: Christingle (orange) candles to spread the light of Love
December 14: Christmas projects in the Fellowship Hall focusing on Joy
December 21: No-practice pageant — a time for all to share the birth of Jesus with laughs, love, and joy.
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Decorate the Tree
All are invited to decorate our Christmas tree after worship on Sunday, December 7. Since it is Birthday Sunday, there will be cake too.
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Christmas Caroling
On Sunday, December 7, at 1:00, all are invited to do a Christmas Carol-a-long at Charter Assisted Living, 5601 Burke Rd, Madison, and a repeat “performance” at Drumlin Assisted Living, 139 E. Reynolds St., Cottage Grove, at 2:00. Loretta Martin lives at Drumlin and would be pleased to see everyone.
We'll carpool from church, leaving at 12:30 for those interested in doing so. We are hoping to have a nice group interested in going. Young or old, all are welcome!
If you plan on going or have questions, please contact Jean Duchrow in person or via email.
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Teen Youth Group
Sunday, December 7: in 2 parts!
4 pm - We will meet at the Target on McKee Road at 4 pm and be shopping for gifts for people in the community.
5:30-7 pm. Everyone is invited to be at Memorial UCC to help wrap the gift, enjoy dinner, and celebrate Christmas - a little early!
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Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
December 24
5:00 pm
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Opening Our Hearts to College Students
Now -Sunday, December 14
Submitted by Social Justice Collective Ministry
Let the spirit of peace in this 2nd week of Advent move you to consider a donation to the Edgewood University Pantry. Shelf-stable proteins like tuna and chicken, shelf-stable milk, instant rice, canned veggies or fruit, granola bars, and hygiene items are simple ways for us to actively promote justice to those in need this holiday season. There is a bin in the fellowship hall to collect items; please make sure financial donations are marked for Edgewood Univ pantry. Donations collected through Sun. Dec. 14.
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Giving Tree 2025
Submitted by Maryanne Raese
Please remember that all Giving
Tree gift cards need to be dropped off at the McFarland Food Pantry by December 6. Thank you all so very much!
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Sound Bath - Canceled
Araceli Wehr and Trish Kalhagen have canceled the Sound Bath scheduled for Saturday, December 6, with apologies for any inconvenience.
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Contemplative Service with Prayers for Healing
The Contemplative Services with Prayers for Healing are being discontinued. A special thank you to Cameron Macdonald and her faithful Healing Prayer Team!
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Sound Bath - Chakra Balance and Affirmations
Sunday, December 14, 1-3 pm
Judy Taber has a connection with Karen Jedele and helped coordinate this opportunity.
What is a Sound Bath?
A sound bath is a meditative experience where participants lie down or sit comfortably while sounds and vibrations from various instruments are played. These instruments can include singing bowls, gongs, chimes, drums, and other harmonic tools. The term "bath" implies that the participants are immersed in the sounds, allowing the vibrations to wash over them, promoting relaxation, stress reduction, and sometimes even spiritual or emotional healing. The intention is to create a therapeutic environment where individuals can let go of tension, quiet the mind, and enter a state of deep relaxation or meditation. Click here to register.
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Winter Solstice Fire Ceremony & Potluck With Shamanic Practitioner Jessica Riphenburg
Sunday, Dec. 21, 3:30- 6:30 pm
We'll gather around a big fire outside at our fire pit and enjoy another solstice fire ceremony and prayers with shamanic practitioner Jessica Riphenburg. Enjoy some prayers from the Celtic Christian tradition and the fire ceremony from the shamanic tradition. Bundle up and join us as we acknowledge the longest night of the year, and welcome the return of more and more Light! Afterward, there will be a potluck. Please join us!
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Blue Christmas Service
The Advent and Christmas seasons present a special challenge to individuals who are grieving, lonely, or anxious about events in the wider world. If that describes you, consider attending a Blue Christmas service designed for those who don’t have the heart for holiday cheer. The Wisconsin UCC Conference Older Adult Ministries Team is offering a virtual Blue Christmas service at 7 p.m. on Monday, December 22.
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Community Christmas Meal
The Befrienders Care Team is once again serving the Community Christmas Meal on Christmas Day 11 am-1 pm. It is one of the ways McFarland UCC builds community and shows it's "a church with heart."
Volunteers will once again be needed to prepare food, set up, clean up, and serve. There is a separate signup focusing on the ministry of hospitality for the meal. If you are available, please consider how you could help this season. Questions? Contact Judy Taber, Lynn Belleau, or Jean Duchrow for the meal signup and Lynne Toseff for the hospitality signup.
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Christmas Poinsettias
MUCC has purchased poinsettias through the McFarland Lioness Club fundraiser to decorate the sanctuary. Would you like to purchase one or more of our church’s poinsettias to honor or memorialize a loved one? The honored person(s) would be listed in the Pulse. Purchasing a poinsettia helps defray our church costs.
The suggested donation for the small (6 ½” pot) plant is $14, and $23 for a large plant (8” pot).
To contribute toward a poinsettia (which you may take home after the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service), sign up via SignUp Genius or contact Ginger (Office Administrator) or Jean Duchrow.
There are two payment options:
Pay online into the General Fund with the memo “Christmas Flowers.”
Pay by check – drop it in the offering basket on Sunday or mail it to the church with the memo “Christmas Flowers.”
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Weekly Creation Care Topic
Reduce/Reuse/Recycle
Got Broken Holiday Lights? As we decorate for the holiday season, most of us have likely found strings of lights that no longer work; what to do with them? First, do NOT place them in the recycling cart, as they will get tangled in the machinery. They are considered e-waste and cannot go into the landfill. Drop them at Dane County Clean Sweep at no charge, 7020 Maahic Way, Madison, or any Goodwill donation center. Ensure the box/bag is labeled broken or recycle only.
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Shalom
The Southern Region of the Wisconsin Conference UCC publishes Shalom, a monthly e-newsletter featuring events and happenings within the Conference. Click here to check it out!
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608-838-9322
5710 Anthony St.
McFarland WI 53558
Office Hours: Wednesdays & Thursdays 9am-1pm
Ginger Hummer, Office Administrator
gin...@mcfarlanducc.org
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For Pastoral Care, contact Jean Duchrow (608-335-3772, jeandu...@gmail.com) with the Befrienders Care Team.
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Servant and Leadership Team (SaLT): Moderator - Donna Grossman (do...@mcfarlanducc.org); Vice Moderator - Walt Jackson; Treasurer - Kathy Schwenn; Clerk - Diane Mikelbank; At-large members - Lynn Belleau, Colleen Krattiger, Lisa Schweitzer, Cody Dewayne Shingler, and Judy Taber
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McFarland UCC has an opt-out media policy. Click here to see the Media Policy.
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