Tuesday, October 21, 2:00 pm at Desert Garden UCC, Sun City West, AZ
Reclaim the Flag is a bold and timely documentary that explores how the American flag—once a symbol of unity—has become a contested emblem in today’s cultural landscape. Through deeply personal stories and historical insight, the film invites viewers to reflect on what the flag means across different communities. One of the film’s most powerful threads highlights the LGBTQ+ experience, examining how queer Americans have both challenged and embraced national symbols in their fight for recognition, rights, and belonging. From Pride flags flying alongside Old Glory to protests that reimagine patriotism, Reclaim the Flag amplifies voices that have often been left out of the national narrative.
Whether you're passionate about social justice, civic dialogue, or simply curious about how symbols shape identity, this documentary offers a compelling lens into one of America’s most iconic emblems. Watch Reclaim the Flag and join the conversation at Desert Garden UCC, Sun City West. It’s not just about reclaiming a symbol—it’s about reclaiming the promise it represents.
Read MoreThis year, during the Season of Creation, First Congregational United Church of Christ in Albuquerque, NM dedicated an entire month of Sundays to exploring the sacred relationship between faith and the environment. Guided by the Green Justice Team, our congregation entered into a time of reflection, reverence, and renewal, celebrating the beauty of God’s creation while acknowledging the urgent call to care for it and the extinction crisis.
Throughout the month, our worship services focused on different aspects of the natural world, each one revealing new layers of spiritual meaning and ecological awareness. We began by meditating on the desert, a landscape that holds both scarcity and promise. In the dry and rugged places, we were reminded of God’s power to bring renewal, just as rain revives the parched earth. From there, we turned our attention to the trees, ancient and steadfast witnesses to God’s creation. As some of the oldest and most significant of Earth’s companions, trees invited us to consider our own rootedness in God’s love and our responsibility to nurture life wherever we are planted.
Click through to read more!
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreJames is one of our beloved elders. He began visiting Luther House around 2014 during his undergraduate years at the University of New Mexico, and he continues to be an integral part of our community today.
“I am a cradle Lutheran, as they say, and I was expected to visit Luther House in college,” James recalls. “I didn’t know what to expect, but there was free food, so I decided to try it.”
What James found at Luther House was a place to belong. He discovered community and friendship in a world where those can be hard to find. “There aren’t that many places where you can go just to try to get to know other people,” James says. “This campus ministry is somewhere you can go, not spend money, and really get to know people.”
“When I first started coming to Luther House, I didn’t talk much. After becoming more comfortable with the people, I talk a lot more. It has really helped with my social skills.” James remembers fondly the many friendships he has formed at Luther House. “I really like the outings that we go on together,” he recalls. In fact, he met his fiancée after attending a Christmas play with a friend from Luther House. “It’s a great way to make friends and find a community. You never know who you are going to meet,” he says with a loving glimmer in his eye.
Read MoreFirst Church UCC is thrilled to welcome acclaimed singer-songwriter Stephanie Anne Johnson (they/them) to sing in worship on Sunday, October 12 at 10:30 am.
This special worship service will weave music, storytelling, and reflection into a celebration of creation, spirit, and belonging. All are welcome!
Click through to read more.
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreSixteen months in, Desert Garden UCC’s Cycles of Kindness bike donation program is thriving. To date, nearly 270 bicycles have been received, each carefully inspected and given basic repairs by a member of the Sun City West Bicycle Club. Once ready, the bikes are donated to individuals and families in need of affordable transportation.
These bicycles have opened doors to new opportunities, helping people commute to work and job interviews, shop for groceries, attend school, participate in sports and extracurricular activities, and so much more.
If you live in the northwest valley of the Phoenix area and have a bicycle you would like to donate, please contact Desert Garden office@desertgardenchurch.org or 623-584-1795.
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreSunday, October 12th, 3:00 pm AZ / 4:00 pm NM & El Paso
Join folks from across the Southwest Conference, invited by Desert Palm UCC, in a conversation with Rev. Dr. Sarah Griffith Lund, Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice - Education for Faithful Action Ministries (EFAM), United Church of Christ, National Ministries
Watch for the Zoom link in our weekly newsletter, The Loop.
This event is hosted by Desert Palm UCC in Tempe.
Rev. Sarah Griffith Lund is one of the national leaders of the WISE movement, which seeks to broaden the UCC's welcome by reducing the stigma around mental illness including those experiencing neurodiversity. Neurodiversity pertains to "the range of differences in brain function and behavior among all humans.” Historically, people with a brain that functioned differently were punished or excluded. More recently, they were included. Yay! But it was, and still is, commonly felt that these brains need to be fixed so that the humans with these brains can function in society as we know it. Rev. Lund helps us appreciate their brains and de-stigmatizes them, inviting us to find ways for them to participate more fully in our congregations, communities, and families.
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreFrom 2015 - 2019 Jazzin' 4 Justice grew into a phenomenal success, with each event drawing more attendees and fostering a deeper connection among those who gathered. The pinnacle of our journey came in 2019 when we welcomed our largest audience yet—600 people—who joined in an unforgettable evening of music, inspiration, fellowship and advocacy.
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreShadow Rock Congregational Church seeks a part-time bookkeeper to oversee financial operations across multiple ministries, including the Church, Preschool, Foundation, and Festival Garden.
Key responsibilities include payroll processing, accounts receivable/payable, donor record management, financial reporting, and support for budgeting and audits.
This role is a great fit for a seasoned accounting professional who is detail-oriented, mission-driven, and eager to contribute their expertise in a collaborative, faith-based nonprofit environment.
Read about duties, requirements, nice-to-haves, etc. HERE.
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreThe scriptures connect us to our shared history and faith—anchors we need more than ever in this moment. Join Pastor Sarah (aka @disorganized.religion) and Church of the Good Shepherd UCC to read the entire Bible in one year!
The Rev. Dr. Randi Walker put together a fabulous schedule that begins with the "good stuff" (the Gospels) and continues into the prophets and beyond. The goal is to not get stuck in Numbers or Deuteronomy, as so many of us have in the past.
You can subscribe to their email newsletter and join in the conversation here.
The goal is to complete our first reading (the Gospel of Mark) by September 14, 2025. If you're just hearing about this now - don't worry! You’re welcome to jump in any time! See the schedule below to know what we're reading.
We’ll also be hosting optional gatherings on Zoom on the first Sunday of every month to discuss what we’ve read. If you'd like us to assign you a conversation partner to discuss the text with more frequently, you can also sign up at the link below. The link also includes the Zoom link for our regular meetings and the complete schedule of readings.
Click here for the Reading Schedule, Meeting Link and Conversation Partner Sign-Up
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreDoing Grief Community Healing Project at First Church Invites you to Community Art Share
Sunday, August 24 at noon - First Church - 1407 N 2nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
There are many ways to tell our stories of grieving and healing. The arts are one such path to share the grief we suffer and the ways we transform it. Art Share is usually celebrated in a small group where each participant brings a work of art that provides healing for them.
The Community Art Share event includes a potluck meal and the opportunity to experience healing through the arts shared by others - as community members offer expressions of visual art, music, photography, poetry, storytelling, dance, the written word, and more.
We will sing together, create a collaborative work of art, and engage in a simple folk dance that speaks of the healing power of belonging in community with others. Each artistic offering tells a story about a passage or transformation that provides a sense of wholeness and healing for those who share it.
RSVPs to attend are kindly appreciated: email Connect@DoingGrief.org.
Read MoreHolly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
What’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
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