Thanks to the video mastery of Elijah Marquez, editing by Katie Bickley, and United Church of Santa Fe’s ever-creative congregation, each week children, families, and grandparents receive a short Children’s Worship video featuring a Biblical character (and they were all characters!) like “Nicodemus at Night.
Beginning Monday, April 12, Church of the Palms will be offering "Spiritual Connections" at 1:00 p.m. This is a recovery group which will seek to offer a safe space for support of people who are suffering from addictions, abuse, or other traumatic events through a variety of techniques based on Spiritual Principles. Gordon Street, Commissioned Minister from First Phoenix UCC, will be facilitating. An alternative session will be held at 7 pm on Thursdays, as well.
The Faith Development Committee from First Christian Church in Las Cruces is taking Earth Day seriously this year! Rachel from Backyard Farms will speak on Sunday, April 18th, sharing the story behind the creation of the garden on the church property, the ways it has evolved.
To keep from sinking into a post-Easter lull after Easter Sunday, Scottsdale UCC held their annual Holy Humor Sunday yesterday. I’m sure there were lots of G-rated jokes, funny songs, and skits to enjoy. Holy Humor Sunday was also featured at Church of the Red Rocks and First Congregational in Prescott.
First Church Phoenix has partnered with Refugee Aid to provide the Saturday evening meal at the Welcome Center, the Phoenix area refugee processing center. With assistance from the Unitarian Church on Lincoln and with other UCC churches here in the Phoenix area and in other parts of the country, they are purchasing food from a local restaurant and delivering and serving the meal. For the past five weeks they have ordered from the Salvadoreno Restaurant in Sunnyslope.
Check out the Spring Auction at First Congregational in Albuquerque! The auction began on April 10th and items include beautiful artwork, jewelry, gift baskets,, food, a day on the ski slopes next season, a motorcycle tour, and a tour of the fire station! Shop for unique gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and spring birthdays - or just for yourself! Auction ends May 1st. Website http://firstUCCabq.org.
Shadow Rock UCC held two successful vaccination clinics in their campus last week and 300 people were vaccinated!
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Scottsdale UCC collects food and Desert Palm created 35 Easter baskets for Iglesia Cristiana el Buen Pastor, a small Hispanic church in Mesa that hosts a food pantry every Saturday. Both churches are part of an East Valley network of worship communities working on immigration and other mission projects.
A few of our churches are beginning to open up some form of in-person worship with a variety of restrictions to keep people safe: Church of the Palms, Shepherd of the Hills, First Congregational of Prescott, Black Mountain, The Good Shepherd, Painted Hills, and Church of the Beatitudes.