Pastor Tom Martinez of Desert Palm has a new book out! Congratulations, Tom!
It is time for folks to sign up for the big Common Ground on the Border Conference that is held at the Good Shepherd UCC in Sahuarita on January 15-17th. It will be an amazing experience of border music, film, arts, food, lectures and fun. Folks will be coming from around the country to learn more about immigration and the border. You can find more info at the webpage.
The Youth Group at First Congregational in Prescott helped with the shopping this year for Angel Tree gifts! Who better to find the right gifts for kids- than kids!
The Tucson community is invited to gather for a delicious soup and salad lunch on Tuesday, December 16th at 11:30am at Rincon UCC. Thanks to a grant from the Southwest Conference and the addition of donations from the Rincon community, the church is able make this monthly lunch a reality.
For this year’s youth Christmas pageant, Scottsdale UCC will be looking at the ways we have heard the story of Jesus’ birth and the ways we build on it from year to year. From the mouths of babes, they will tell the story, and also from the mouths of tweens, teens and seasoned adults. How many times have we heard the tale? How has it changed? As the participants explore these questions, they will also be building the nativity scene with homemade giant Legos! Michele Mellott, you are so creative!
Members of Tucson’s Multifaith for Pride Coalition are celebrating the recent passage of a City Council resolution that reaffirms the rights of transgender individuals in our community while, at the same time, recognizing the “disproportionate risks of harassment, violence, barriers to essential services, and legislative threats that undermine their human dignity.” Rev. elle from The Good Shepherd in Sahuarita is a Coalition member along with colleagues from Unitarian Universalist, Lutheran, Methodist, and Episcopal traditions. The resolution passed with enthusiastic and unanimous approval and was accompanied by a proclamation from Mayor Regina Romero. The proclamation reads, in part, that “the City of Tucson honors the courage, resilience, brilliance, and cultural leadership of transgender and gender-diverse community members, and declares that Tucson will remain a safe, inclusive, and affirming home for all. Read the full text of the resolution here, and find the full story and link to the city council meeting on our blog.
Black Mountain UCC presented the Foothills Food Bank with 80 hand-tied blankets, 90 pounds of donated food, and 25 Monopoly games last week! The food, gifts, and other items will be distributed to families in the area.
Rev. Dr. Gloria Smith, First Church Phoenix, and Encanto Church have invited Beatitudes Church to a Blue Christmas Service on Wednesday, December 17 at 7 pm. Instead of emphasizing only healing from grief, the service will also emphasize finding hope and joy during these stressful days in our nation. The service will be held at Encanto Community Church.
The Doane University Choir will be visiting Albuquerque on January 16 and 20 as part of their tour of the Southwest. Doane, a small liberal arts college located near Lincoln, Nebraska, is affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Their fine choral program is directed by Dr. Kurt Runestad, who is part of the strong choral tradition of the upper Midwest. The choir will perform at 7:00 PM on Friday, Jan. 16th at First Congregational and on Tuesday, Jan. 20th at Church of the Good Shepherd. And on January 19th, they will perform at First Congregational Church in Prescott, AZ! Along with the concert choir, their performance will include their contemporary jazz choir, Jazz Unlimited and their tenor/bass ensemble, Doublewide. They will present a wide variety of choral styles, with something for everyone!
Through her role at New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, Pastor Clara at First Congregational in Albuquerque will be walking a “pilgrimage for our shared home” with other IPL staff members from Carlsbad to Santa Fe in January. It will be a 25-day walk and she will participate in about 15 days total. The walkers will arrive on February 5th at the New Mexico State Capitol for Climate Action Day. “This walk is born out of the incredible urgency we feel to take bold and symbolic action for our shared home in light of the terrible climate policies at the federal level and the stranglehold of oil and gas interests in our state politics.” You can read more about it here.
Time for another round of silly puns from Pastor Paul at Church of the Palms? Feel free to entertain your grandkids this holiday!
What do Santa’s little helpers learn at school?
The Elf-abet!
What kind of photos does Santa take?
Pole-aroids.
What does Santa use to keep his hands clean?
Hand Santa-tizer.
How much did Santa pay for his sleigh?
Nothing, it was on the house!
What does a snowman eat for breakfast?
Ice Krispies.
What do you call an old snowman?
Water.
What do you call a cat on the beach on Christmas Eve?
Sandy Claws.
What do you call a frog hanging from the ceiling?
Mistle-toad.
What do sheep say to each other at Christmas?
Fleece Navidad!
What song do dogs sing at Christmas?
"Bark! The Herald Angels Sing."
(Source: A.I. Christmas puns for kids)