Having a church website is non-negotiable in 2025, yet some churches are still hesitant to invest in their digital footprint and make sure their website reflects who they are and communicates what faith seekers need to know. The UCC has put together the top five reasons to have a current church website, which you can build with the help of UCCEverywhere, a state-of-the-art website builder for church leaders within the UCC, for just $45 a month. Learn more.
Some possible books to add to your summer reading list - recommended by local churches:
-St.Paul’s in Rio Rancho, NM: One Breath At A Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps by Kevin Griffin.
-First Congregational UCC in Prescott: Sacred Earth Sacred Soul! by John Philip Newell
-The March Trilogy, co-authored by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, is the most recent addition to the Rincon Banned Book cart.
-Rincon: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
-Church of the Good Shepherd: Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart by Brian D. McLaren
First Congregational UCC in Prescott is getting their float ready for the 4th of July Parade!
The 9th Annual Peanut Butter Party Food Drive is underway! Rincon (plus Oro Valley, Casas Adobes, and Painted Hills) is fighting hunger by helping ICS collect over 10,000 jars of peanut butter before the drive ends on August 1. Peanut butter is a staple at ICS food banks—every household that receives food also receives a jar. It’s a versatile, protein-rich food that requires no refrigeration or cooking, making it especially valuable for families with children and for people who are unhoused or living in temporary housing. Demand is highest in the summer, when children who normally receive free or reduced-cost meals at school are home without access to regular breakfasts and lunches.
On June 13, the Musical Summer Camp at Congregational Church of the Valley headed by music director Larry Loeber and choreographer/director Tina Khalil presented two performances of "Jukebox Jubilee." It was a great turnout and the performers were fantastic!
First Congregational in Albuquerque celebrated Juneteenth last week with the dedication of their new Black Lives Matter sign. Their previous sign was destroyed.
Arizona Faith Network offers Election Protection Arizona Trainingon July 2
Join Election Protection Arizona (EPAZ) to help answer voter questions during the CD-7 elections! Election Protection Arizona volunteers act as nonpartisan poll monitors and help answer voting process questions in real time. This training is virtual through Zoom and will last approximately 1 hour. Completing this training is a prerequisite to serve as a poll monitor. Upon completion of the training, volunteers will be allowed to sign up for an in-person shift on Election Day. AFN is working in partnership with EPAZ to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to vote and have that vote count. NOTE: the training events have been extended to July 8—details at this link.
The Manual on Local Church is here! The manual is for all settings of the UCC and includes the Congregational Code, a three-part covenantal framework centering Local Churches; Marks for Faithful and Vital Local Churches, designed to affirm and expand your ministry; Local Church Governance, including tools for building and sustaining healthy leadership; and Standing Support and Accountability, processes for Associations and Conferences in covenant with Local Churches, and other vital resources for new and affiliating local churches. Order here.
Casas Adobes is blessed to help 1st-graders learn to read -- at a school where help is needed. The team of volunteers works throughout the school year (mid- October through April) at the school, Keeling Elementary. It's as rewarding to the tutors as it is to the students. Interested in helping? All it takes is 1 and 1/2 hours once a week. Experience is welcomed but is not necessary. All you need is a willing spirit. For more information, please contact Wendy Gilman at her email or call her at 617-835-0949.
Americana
She is a white picket fence. A manicured lawn. A shiny car.
She is a foreclosure sign, a broken home,
a child who lost her innocence far too young.
She is self-determination, freedom of choice.
She is bans on books, bans on bodies, bans on truth.
She is opportunity. Hope. A brighter future.
She is a closed border, a family separated,
a dream crushed like a seedling underfoot.
She is serenity, refuge from violence.
She is bullets tearing through a classroom.
She is a shining model of diplomacy. A miracle of providence.
She is broken treaties,
echoing screams of a people removed, murdered, silenced.
She is equality, acceptance, a door open to all.
She is corruption, discrimination, slurs hurled like rotting fruit.
She is a radiant example of progress. Liberty and justice for all.
She is memories of shackled wrists, pleas for emancipation,
stolen labor, stolen lives.
She is history soaked in blood and tears,
concealed and painted over with red, white, and blue.
She is a paradox of restricted freedom, divided unity.
God bless America.
-Sasha Smucker, United Church of Santa Fe member and high school senior
Two action alerts from the UCC Office of Public Policy and Advocacy:
Protests continue in Los Angeles, California against ICE’s mass detention and deportation of our immigrant neighbors. In response, the President recently sent the National Guard and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles in violation of current law and without consulting local or state officials. Meanwhile mass deportations by ICE are causing chaos and pain for immigrant families and communities across the country. But President Trump’s detention and deportation campaign is expensive, and the administration is running out of money. The Senate is now preparing to vote on the budget reconciliation bill, otherwise known as the “One Big Evil Bill” to fund the President’s immoral immigration program. Learn more and take action here.
In the next few days, the Senate will be voting on a bill that is poised to threaten the existence of rural healthcare institutions, putting lives and communities at risk.
Protecting rural healthcare workers is a profound expression of our faith’s call to care for one another, especially the most vulnerable. Click here to take action!
Tuesday, July 1st at 5:30 PM, Arizona Interfaith Power & Light will have their monthly S.A.G.E. Roundtable. This month, they'll be talking about...
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is repealing rules.
Carbon Pollution Standards
Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS)
Strategies for advocacy and outreach in your faith community.
Whether you're an AZIPL newbie or a long-standing member, they'd love to see you there.😁 Register for the Zoom link.