March 20, 2026

Below are the weekly programs. Brief descriptions of these weekly programs are on our website.

Clickable links are in blue, underlined, and italicized.

SUNDAY Choir Practice

Contact Tom Ludwig, if interested. Practice is 9-10 am on Sundays before worship.

SUNDAY Morning Worship, 10 am in person and via Zoom

https://zoom.us/j/97010988439 Password: betogether

SUNDAY, 11:30 am Bible Study in person and on Zoom

https://zoom.us/j/262314649

MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, and FRIDAY, 8-8:30 am Morning Devotion, online only, https://zoom.us/j/94276813637

Below are the upcoming non-weekly events on the calendar happening at McFarland UCC for the next month.

Wednesday, March 25, 10:30-11:30 am, Creation Care Meeting (In person), Multipurpose Room

Sunday, March 29, 10:00 am, Palm Sunday Worship,

2:00 - 4:30 pm, Palm Sunday Walk, carpool from church

Thursday, April 2, 6:30 pm, Maundy Thursday Service with Communion (Communion will be distributed on Maundy Thursday instead of April 5.)

Friday, April 3, 6:30 pm, Good Friday Service

Sunday, April 5, Easter Sunday, 9:00 -9:45 am Continental Breakfast, 9:30 am Egg Hunt, 10:00 am Worship Service

Tuesday, April 7, 6:30-8:00 pm, Social Justice Collective Meeting (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Thursday, April 9, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, SaLT Monthly Meeting (In person & Online), Multipurpose Room

Sunday, April 12, Birthday Sunday

Sunday, April 12, 5:30 - 7:00 pm, Teen Youth Monthly Meeting at Memorial UCC, 5705 Lacy Rd, Fitchburg, WI 53711

Thursday, April 16, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, Singing Resistance with Social Justice Collective, Sanctuary or Fellowship Area

Prayer Requests? Contact Jean Duchrow.

Thank you to this weekend's volunteers!

Hospitality Hosts: Martha Olsen, Kathy Paulson

Greeters/Ushers: Jayne & Bruce Fischer

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.

Easter Flowers

Only 2 slots left...If you would like to donate toward the purchase of one or more of the flowers we use this year, please sign up here and indicate if they are in honor of or in memory of someone. Payments can be made online or via check with a comment "Easter Flowers." Flowers may be taken home after the Easter Sunday service.

Outreach Funds Support Migrant Shelter in Mexico

At its March meeting, the Outreach Funds Committee learned more about The House of Mercy and of All Nations, a migrant shelter located in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.

McFarland UCC has maintained a relationship with the shelter and its manager, Alma Angelica “Lika” Macias Mejia, since 2023. That connection began when the church supported Judy and Mark Emmrich’s attendance at an immigration conference in Arizona, which included a visit to the shelter.

Over the past three years, Judy has continued that relationship by leading a weekly language class via Zoom for shelter participants. More recently, Martha Olsen visited the shelter in person and shared with the committee details about the impactful programs and strong sense of community that Lika has fostered there.

Following this presentation, the Outreach Funds Committee unanimously approved a contribution of $2,500 for The House of Mercy. The shelter will use these funds to purchase three washing machines to support the 150 individuals who are at the shelter each day.

We are grateful to our donors, whose generosity makes it possible to support meaningful ministries like this one!

Thank You

A big “THANK YOU!” To everyone that participated in the game night and soup exchange. Everyone had fun, and 23 quarts of soup were donated to McFarland Senior Services! 

Weekly Creation Care Topic

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle

A Lenten exercise to consider In Honor of World Water Day (March 22) and in respect of the 1 out of 4 people worldwide who do not have access to clean drinking water. "Fast" from excess water use. Pay close attention to your water footprint to eliminate it as much as possible through conservation, eg, catch water that you are running to get it hot enough, then use the cool water to water plants. Sometimes we don’t actually see the reduction of water waste/use by our own individual action; eg, by reducing or eliminating meat consumption, you will save water as meat production is a main culprit in high water use. 

SaLT Spot

Highlights from March 12, 2026 Meeting

• Reviewed Document Retention Policy.
• Discussed youth activities including Palm and Easter Sunday and activities on the first Sunday of the month going forward.
• Received a progress update from the Settled Pastor Search Committee including that they will develop a survey to gain input from the congregation.  
• SaLT agreed to help the congregation know members of the SaLT team by taking turns offering the welcome.
• Facebook engagement was talked over and options for additional posting considered.

Free-will donations accepted with a portion going back to the church.

Jessica will lead us in a Shamanic Fire ceremony that is inclusive to all walks of faith. As flames flicker, we’ll create sacred space to reflect and plant seeds of intentions for the season ahead. After the ceremony, we hope you’ll join us in sharing a meal! Please bring a dish to share if you’re able. More details, including what to bring, can be found here.

Save the Dates

May 9, 8 am

Indoor/Outdoor Spring Clean Up

April 25, 2026, 7 pm

John Francis O'Mara Concert

He is an internationally known Irish American Singer-Songwriter. He's known for his poetic, spiritual, and social commentary songs and has played with Bill Miller, Loretta Lynn, Steve Earl, John Carter Cash, and many others. He is also an ordained Episcopalian Priest.

5710 Anthony St.

McFarland WI 53558

Business or Emergency Call: 608-838-9322 

Rev. Robert Koepcke, Interim Pastor

revrob@mcfarlanducc.org

Office Hours: Wednesdays & Thursdays 9am-1pm

Sabbath Day Off: Fridays



Ginger Hummer, Office Administrator

ginger@mcfarlanducc.org

Office Hours: Wednesdays & Thursdays 9am-1pm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Servant and Leadership Team (SaLT): Moderator - Walt Jackson (walt@mcfarlanducc.org); Vice Moderator - Lisa Schweitzer; Treasurer - Kathy Schwenn; Clerk - Diane Mikelbank; At-large members - Kristin Broderick, Amy Cavi, and Cody Dewayne Shingler.

McFarland UCC has an opt-out media policy. Click here to see the Media Policy.