In mid-August, the Early Education Coop Preschool (EECP) kicked off their second school year on the Shepherd of the Hills campus, serving 50+ children each week! The school still provides one classroom completely dedicated to children on the autism spectrum - a real service to many families. The preschool grounds got even greener last week as EECP families started planting in their garden beds. The school's Fall Festival will take place on Saturday, October 25th. EECP has invited SOH to host the pumpkin painting table plus donate baked goods. All profits from the event will be donated to Nourish Phoenix!
The Peace Patrol is a committee of The Good Shepherd in Sanuarita. It is tasked with developing best practices and safety protocols to enhance the safety and comfort of members and friends. It was organized following the identification of the Good Shepherd by Homeland Security and the Southwest UCC as a prime soft target. They want all participants in all functions of the church, including the adjacent Food Bank and Samaritans, to feel safe and comfortable. In concert with local law enforcement departments and the Good Shepherd Administration, multiple safety and security issues have been assessed and addressed. These include a safety fence enclosure, security cameras, securing electricity and other utility areas, and the development of Usher Guidelines. Several training courses on de-escalation techniques have been held.
One of Pastor George Ault’s missions at Black Mountain UCC is to build the church’s membership. BMUCC has added 6 new members so far in 2025. Now he has invited a number of former Church of the Red Rocks members to attend a "reunion" at BMUCC on November 2nd. They all live in Scottsdale, but have no current church affiliation. So far, 14 have signed up to attend worship that day. This is great outreach!
Pastor Ken delivered letters of support from Shadow Rock to asylum seeker Lily's attorney, Jasym K. last week. Jasym feels they have a very strong case for Lily to be granted asylum. Part of the strength of her case is the support of the Shadow Rock Community. The next step is for members of the church to accompany Lily to her court hearing. (Take it from experience, it makes a good impression on the judge.)
The WISE Team from Shadow Rock extends a huge thank you to all who helped make this year’s NAMI walk such a success. Susan Glynn and Michael Curry received Walk Star awards for being the top 3rd and 4th fundraisers out of 993. Shadow Rock’s team came in at 3rd place out of 90 teams. These funds will continue to support the top goals of the team by providing educational resources and helping to reduce the many stigmas associated with mental health.
Thanks to their Open and Affirming Team and Mission Outreach Committee, Desert Garden is proud to announce the showing of the newly released documentary, “Reclaim the Flag”. The film will be shown at Desert Garden United Church of Christ on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 2pm in Fellowship Hall. This 30-minute film will be followed by a period of discussion. In an increasingly divided nation, the American Flag has evolved for many from a symbol of unity, freedom, and patriotism to one of fear and tension. This shifting attitude against a once-beloved emblem is what inspired designer Alexis Bittar and award-winning producer Bruce Cohen to investigate how people, especially LGBTQ people, can “Reclaim the Flag.” The documentary interviews nearly 50 leaders, many from the LGBTQ+ community, asking them to share their stories of resilience and how they might Reclaim the American Flag as a symbol of freedom and unity to honor the rich diversity that makes America a country worth celebrating.
UCC News profiles three UCC clergy who are running for political office, answering the call to serve beyond the church. A really good READ!
United Church of Santa Fe is experiencing a change in their music ministry. They express their deep thanks to Director of Music Bradley Ellingboe for his decade of leadership in developing both the Sanctuary Choir and United’s overall music ministry. They also give thanks for pianist Dr. Michelle Schumann upon becoming the new Director of Music, and welcome Dr. André García-Nuthmann as Choral Director. In addition to being an excellent pianist, Michelle has extensive experience in music administration and programming, most recently as the Artistic and Executive Director of the Austin Chamber Music Center. Her church music experience is equally broad. Dr. André García-Nuthmann recently retired from New Mexico Highlands University after 25 years as Professor of Music and Coordinator of Music Program and Vocal Studies.
New Hope Church UCC will be hosting a social justice awareness event in the Beatitudes Church parking lot on Friday, October 24. The event begins at 4pm and is $15 per person. Come support Rev. Dr. Myra Taylor and her congregation.
Rincon will host a “Concert Service” on November 9th. A member of the Yaqui people of Southern Arizona, guitarist Gabriel Ayala, is a classically trained musician, composer and award winning artist. He performs regularly throughout the United States and internationally. Gabriel was a featured performer at President Barack Obamaʼs Inaugural Celebration, and he had the great privilege of playing for Pope Benedict XVI in Rome, Italy. In addition to classical music, Gabriel writes and performs many diverse genres of music which include jazz, flamenco, tango and most recently JazzMenco – his own, original genre of music. JazzMenco can be described as the driving rhythmic force of flamenco with the improvisational feel and chord structure of jazz.
The Arizona Corporation Commission has voted to repeal the Renewable Energy Standards. But there is still time to let your voice be heard. Arizona Interfaith Power and Light (AZIPL) invites you to speak out at one of these forums. Since the Renewable Energy Standards and Tariff (REST) were implemented in 2006, utilities have ramped up investments in clean energy and created 65,000 clean energy jobs in Arizona.
Monday, 11/10, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, in-person or by telephone
• In-person: 400 W. Congress Street, Room 222, Tucson, AZ 85701
• More Tucson event details here.
Wed. 11/12, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM, by telephone only
• More event details here.
Thurs. 11/13, 10:00 AM - 12 PM, in-person or by telephone
• In-person: 1300 W Washington St, Hearing Room 1, Phoenix, AZ 85007
• More Phoenix event details here.
Note that you will need to sign-up to request to speak in advance. Comments are limited to three minutes, but be prepared with a two-minute version. If you haven't commented before, we'll show you! Scroll down to "AZIPL events" for details on how to organize around the ACC.