So many of our churches are responding to the call to help provide additional food to area food banks and other agencies that also provide food assistance. Thank you all! I want to let you know of another opportunity if you live in the east valley of the Phoenix metro area. University Presbyterian Church (Alameda and College in Tempe), in conjunction with the Tempe Resiliency Hub Initiative, has set up a drive-through food collection site on the next 4 Saturdays from 9am to noon, collecting food for the Tempe Community Action Agency and the Aris Foundation. –Holly
On Tuesday, October 21st, Desert Garden UCC’s Open and Affirming Team sponsored a showing of the documentary Reclaim the Flag, directed by designer Alexis Bittar and produced by Academy Award-winner Bruce Cohen. The 30-minute film explores the complex symbolism of the American flag through the lens of LGBTQ+ and other marginalized voices. There were about 45 people in attendance. The film is available on YouTube and it is recommended that a viewer watch it more than once.
Please join tess julianna on Thursday, November 20th at 10:00am in Fellowship Hall at Desert Garden UCC as she discusses her book, “Just Tess, a Trans Female’s Journey to Womanhood.”
“I just want to be a girl!” What happens to Jules, to his beautiful wife, and to their marriage when he uttered those words he could never take back? Did tess embrace her journey alone and was it one of tears and frustrations or a yellow brick road to her dreams? Is being a trans female really any different than being a cisgender female? In her talk she will answer these questions and questions from the audience.
Jazz Coffee House at Church of the Beatitudes
Sunday, Nov 16 Ted Goddard 10 Piece Band
Sunday, Jan 18, 2026, West By Northwest
Sunday, Feb 15, Todd Johnson Quartet,
Sunday, Mar 15, Beth Lederman Quartet
Sunday, April 19, Dave Schmidt Quintet
All concerts take place in Nelson Hall and begin at 6pm. a $10 suggested donation accepted at the door. Light refreshments served. Email media@beatitudeschurch.org for more information.
On Oct 18th, Weaving for Justice held a fundraiser for Maya youth in Belize, Chiapas (MX), and Guatemala at First Christian Church (FCC) in Las Cruces. Seventy generous donors gave clothes, linens, and other Latin American items to be sold to help Maya students pursue education. FCC sells donated textiles once a month for additional scholarships.
Shepherd of the Hills UCC is hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive on Saturday, November 30, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall. As we move through this season of gratitude and generosity, donating blood is one of the most powerful ways we can care for our neighbors and live out our call to love in action. Every donation can help save up to three lives—and the need is constant. Appointments are encouraged (and help things run smoothly!), but walk-ins are welcome as space allows. Click here to schedule your donatio
At the Good Shepherd’s (Sahuarita) annual meeting, the congregation voted to approve the creation of a Climate Emergency Center. The Center will be a safe place people can come to in the event of a prolonged and widespread power outage. Air conditioning will be available as well as electricity for other needs such as refrigeration of essential medications and cell phone charging. Air-conditioning in a heat emergency can be lifesaving. This week they are announcing the beginning of the Capital Campaign to fund this innovative project. Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the UCC and donations from a few generous members who contributed early, they have already raised $23,685 dollars of the $75,000 goal. With these funds they will be able to purchase and install a quality back-up power generator at the church.
Over the past month, the narthex at Church of the Beatitudes has featured the work of long-time member Melinda Wing, a print maker whose mediums include tea bag paper and hand dyed Shibori fabric. The church’s Arts Council offered Revs Dick and Sandi a piece from Melinda’s collection as a gift from Beatitudes to Congregational Church of the Valley. Sandi choose the piece; a beautiful cross entitled Reliquary. A reliquary is a special container for holding sacred relics, which are physical objects associated with a saint or a religious figure. The gift is in appreciation for CCOV sharing Dick and Sandi with them during their long and on-going search for a settled pastor. Making the gift even more meaningful is that the gift comes from CCOV’s parent congregation. Long-time Beatitudes members recall being involved in the planting and building CCOV. Sandi and Dick hope to hang Reliquary soon in either the narthex or sanctuary. Whenever folks look at it, may they see a reliquary of loving kinship between the two congregations.
As SNAP benefits are reduced and federal funding disruptions ripple through our communities, many of our neighbors are feeling the strain. In this moment, people of faith and conscience are called to act — to share what we have so that everyone has what they need. Arizona Faith Network is creating a Faith & Mutual Aid Resource Guide to highlight congregations, community organizations, and mutual aid groups offering support across the state — from food and cooling resources to pastoral care and safe gathering spaces. This guide will be featured on the AFN website to help connect families and individuals with nearby resources and strengthen the web of resilience in our communities. If your congregation or organization offers any form of care or support, please take a few minutes to add your information. Together, we can ensure that no one is left behind — and that our shared compassion continues to light the way for Arizona.
