New Hope UCC will celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of their pastor, Rev Dr Myra Taylor, with guest preacher Bishop Vanessa M. Brown. Brown is the Senior Pastor of Rivers of Living Water UCC of NY and NJ. She is an ordained minister of The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries and an authorized minister in the UCC. She also serves as the Chair of New Church Development of the Central Atlantic Conference of the UCC and on the William R. Johnson Scholarship Fund and was recently inducted into the Morehouse College 38th Martin Luther King Jr. College of Ministers and Laity. She is the creator and host/moderator of Beyond The Gatekeepers ™ a weekly broadcast discussing current events through a theological and justice-informed lens, bridging the gap between church and community.
New Mexico clergy, including Conference Minister Dr. Toni Hawkins, led an interfaith candlelight prayer vigil at Tiguex Park in Albuquerque for those impacted by ICE. People heard stories of neighbors affected by deportations and prayed for protection and peace for families who are living in fear and wrestling with the loss of loved ones. There was a table nearby where a pastor was available to bless animals, as it was the official Feast of Saint Francis.
First Christian Church in Las Cruces is involved with and welcomes many local groups onto their campus. Indivisible Las Cruces thanks the church for providing hospitality and support for their events held at the church. Singing Out Las Cruses was grateful to singers from FCC who joined them for their Musical Bingo Pride Event.
First Congregational in Prescott announces the next concert in their Copper Door series!
For those growing up in foster care, opportunities to learn to prepare balanced, healthy meals are far and few between. Many young people turn 21 having never prepared anything that does not come from a box. One former foster youth stated, “Mostly I rely on delivery services. In the group home, we were given prepared meals to make, but, I’ve never really cooked anything more complicated than pasta and box pizza.” Well, Congregational Church of that Valley UCC in Scottsdale, will now open their commercial kitchen (and their recipe boxes) for hands-on cooking classes. Young adults will work alongside congregation members and their mentors to learn practical kitchen skills, from prepping fresh ingredients to cooking complete meals. A budgeting exercising will be included to show how meal planning stretches dollars. In addition to their newly acquired skills, participants will leave each session with 4-5 ready to go meals for the week, new food prep and storage containers, new cookware, and a grocery store gift card.
Scottsdale UCC has started Phase I (Demolition!) of its Outdoor Space and Playground Project. From their Mission Statement: This outdoor entertainment center will be an extension of the church and its community. The outdoor entertainment center will focus on children of the community and house elements to include the adult, LGBTQ+, Arts, and senior communities. This will be a safe outdoor space that offers creative, healthy, and transformative elements. It will become an outdoor home.
J. Clinton McCann, Jr., renowned Psalms scholar, has been selected as the 2025 Sawitski Memorial Lecturer. The Rev. Dr. McCann, Jr., evangelical professor of biblical interpretation at Eden Theological Seminary, will explore spirituality for justice-seekers and peace makers in a live address on October 11th at 10 am in the Fellowship Hall of Desert Garden UCC. Dr. McCann’s research and writing have focused on the book of Psalms, and he is one of the leading Psalms scholars in the USA and the world. His most recent book is Reading the Psalms Again for the First Time: A Spirituality for Justice-Seekers and Peacemakers.
This month, First Congregational in Albuquerque will celebrate their 145th Anniversary with a Jazz Soiree on Saturday Oct 25th, 5 – 8 pm. They are excited to welcome Entourage Jazz! The event will honor Rev. Francis Rath who served the congregation for 27 years.
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
Join via Zoom on Sunday, October 12th, 3:00 pm AZ / 4:00 pm NM & El Paso:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89589455300?pwd=TQDoB7mxe1ONaYWrLUk0sL3YWZMgh2.1
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.
Arizona Faith Network will offer “Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life.” Presenters will be providing training to faith-based leaders in collaboration with the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (ACESDV) and Safe Havens.
A U.S. Department of Justice study reports that 11% of Americans 60 and older experienced at least one incident (physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional) of elder abuse in the past year. Often, these incidents go unreported, and older adults struggle to find support. Many elder abuse victims and survivors turn to their faith communities for help. Learning how to respond is important so that victims of late-life abuse have the resources and support they deserve. The training is a 2-part series. Part 1 will be virtual via Zoom on October 23.
In this training, those attending will learn about resources to:
• Recognize the signs of elder abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault.
• Offer support, information, and referrals to victims and survivors.
• Know where to turn for assistance.
Huston-Tillotson University, a Historically Black University (HBCU), and a United Church of Christ affiliated university in Austin, Texas will receive a $150 million gift over the next 10 years, the single largest gift ever given to a HBCU. In celebration of the university’s 150th anniversary, Ross Moody, trustee, and vice president of The Moody Foundation announced the charitable organization’s gift at the university’s opening convocation on Thursday, September 18. The donation comes on the heels of the Trump administration continuing to crack down on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at public universities across the country. Read
The Fall Yard Sale at Encanto Community Church will be held on Friday, October 24, AND Saturday, October 25. Yes, you read that correctly, this season’s yard sale will span two days instead of one! On Friday, they will open as early as possible and stay open until sunset. Then, on Saturday, they will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. As usual, the sale will feature all kinds of items including furniture, Halloween costumes, artwork, holiday items, collectibles, and clever gift ideas!