Nathan Watts, has been called to serve as the pastor of First Congregational Church, Flagstaff. He will be ordained at The Good Shepherd UCC in Sahuarita on May 5, 2019, at 2pm. All are welcome and invited to attend.
The Rummage Sale Fiesta will return on May 4th at First Congregational (Albuquerque)
This is NOT just a rummage sale. It is also a Craft Fair.
AND it is a plant sale. East Central Ministries is known for their chile and tomato plants. AND the children will be selling plants.
AND they will have a food truck!
United Church of Santa Fe hosts the United We Run/Walk – Sunday, May 5 at 12:30pm. The Outreach Ministry Team hosts the annual 5k fun- run/walk (and 1k for children) to raise money for 3 community organizations making a difference in Santa Fe: NM Environmental Law Center, Santa Fe Dreamers, and BOOKKIDS. The 5k run/walk begins and ends at United on sidewalks, side roads and trails near the church. An all-church cookout follows the run/walk for participants, supporters, and anyone who is interested! (They obviously have cooler weather than in Phoenix!)
United Church of Santa Fe donated $2,545 for Tornado Relief through the SWC and $5,485 for Asylum Assistance to New Mexico Catholic Charities (assisting the 300+ asylum seekers who were recently sent oto Albuquerque).
Church of the Good Shepherd (ABQ) has an opportunity to help a large group of asylum-seekers arriving in Albuquerque on Sunday, May 5. Of particular need are medical professionals to do health assessments and Spanish-speakers to help all around. But, there are a variety of teams - people doing everything from intake to travel arrangements to playing with children to organizing clothes and handing them out to cleaning up after everyone leaves... Many hands and hearts are needed. This is a large coordinated effort - thank you COGS!
The Welcoming Prayer is a prayer practice of attending, letting go, and surrendering to God in the present moment of daily life. It is based on the teaching and wisdom of Fr. Thomas Keating and the 18th century work Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade. On May 11, 2019 from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., Shepherd of the Hills will offer a workshop presented by members of Contemplative Outreach of Phoenix. A donation of $20 may be made to Contemplative Outreach for the workshop, but is not required for attendance. To register contact: Sister M. Rachel Torrez at rtorrez@cox.net, call 602 944-2728, or visit www.contemplativeoutreach-phoenix.org
Join AARP AZ the last Tuesday of every month (4/30) in the Beatitudes Worship Center for a fun and interactive drum circle led by trained HealthRhythms® facilitator, Frank Thompson. Drum circles are a form of recreational music-making proven to reduce stress, boost the immune system, promote joy, a sense of well-being and to build community. All drums and percussion instruments provided. No musical experience required.
Pastor Derrick has reconnected with Kino Middle School. At his suggestion, Desert Heritage Women are collecting small balance, individual gift cards (movies, Dutch Brothers and Starbucks, Subway, Taco Bell, etc.) to give to the Principal for Teacher Appreciation Week May 6-10th.
Do you know a student who will be home this summer in the Tucson area and looking for something to do? The Rincon Migrant Shelter has a fabulous new Internship opportunity available!! This 10-week summer internship will provide high school (ages 16+) and college students with 16-20 hours a week of hands-on experience, supervision and training on immigration and migrant issues. This is an unpaid internship, but the experience will be priceless!
First Church Phoenix will host a "Know Your Rights" workshop on May 4th from 4-7 PM sponsored by the ACLU. It is important that activists and volunteers working with migrants know the laws and rights in order to provide safety and comfort to those in our care.
First Church Phoenix will host "Visibility Stories" on Tuesday, May 7th at 7pm. Enjoy an evening of storytelling from the the Transgender community by hearing from activists, family members, and allies, all sharing their lived experience advocating for education and rights of others.
Taos UCC held their first Interfaith Kids' Camp last Saturday with 5 children and 5 adults. Pastor Rebecca taught about Passover, everyone played with the Earth Ball and learned about Earth-based Spring practices, and then planted seeds and learned about Easter.
In thanksgiving for Desert Palm’s 40th anniversary, the Justice and Witness Team wishes to lend a hand to refugees who have been granted asylum status, through donations of Back Pack Kits to Gathering Humanity. Desert Palm can share a ray of hope with these refugees, acknowledging their 1000 mile plus trek to find a new home where their families are safe, and they are offered an opportunity to make a better life for themselves. During May, they will gather supplies needed to assemble 40 back packs.
United Church of Sun City reminds us of The Friendship Line, 1-800-971-0016, a phone number for seniors (60 years of age and older) who can call once a day, every day, if they would like social interaction or to ask health questions. They can even request a volunteer to make an outgoing call directly to a loved one who might be in need but is reluctant to reach out. Trained volunteers are available to take the calls and each year they make and/or receive 100,000 phone calls with seniors. Founded in 1985, The Friendship Line is sponsored by the Institute of Aging (IOA). This service is FREE.
Many of you remember Eric Elnes, previous pastor at Scottsdale UCC. Here is an update of his new adventure in Nebraska:
Easter is an important day for any church. For Countryside Community Church (UCC) in Omaha, Nebraska, it was perhaps the most significant in our 65-year history. Why? It was the first Easter in our new church facility on Omaha's Tri-Faith Initiative Commons, having opened our doors just three weeks ago. Now that our church has moved to the Tri-Faith Commons, we join a synagogue and a mosque who have already competed their facilities. We're together at last. The vision of the Tri-Faith Initiative is to move from interfaith dialog to interfaith community. We seek to create a world in which religious differences are seen as an asset and strength to be celebrated, where people realize the ability to overcome fear and stereotypes and embrace one another. [This is my favorite part!]. Coincidentally, a creek runs through the center of the 35-acre Commons, called Hell Creek. The synagogue sits on one side of the creek, and the mosque, the church, and a future community center sit on the other side. In order to bring the Commons together, therefore, we literally had to bridge Hell! We've done it in a dramatic way, too. We built Abraham's Bridge – a ¼ mile circle bridge that ties the whole Commons together, crossing the creek in two different places. Having been open for just a week, the bridge has already become a popular spot for neighbors to walk and children to ride their bicycles.
The Shrine of the Ages Choir is the premier large choral ensemble at Northern Arizona University. Don’t miss this concert on Sunday May 5 at 2:00 PM at The Church of the Red Rocks. This is free of charge.
Join Encanto Community Church for two Fridays in May for food trucks and movies! Each week, at 6:30 p.m., they will have various food trucks present in the front parking lot, waiting to sell their delectable treats to a hungry audience. Then, at 8 p.m., Encanto will show a different movie outdoors on their lovely front lawn. They'll bring the popcorn and cold beverages, you bring your lawn chair or blanket. Admission is free, and as always, ALL are welcome! The schedule for the May movies is: Solo: A Star Wars Story (Friday, May 3 - near Star Wars Day - “May the Fourth be with you!”), and Mama Mia, Here We Go Again (Friday, May 10 – in honor of Mother’s Day). Come join them for a delightful evening of entertainment and great food!