As I travel and meet with church councils, search and call committees, clergy and laity in our Southwest Conference ministry settings, I experience and feel excitement, strength, and love for the United Church of Christ. We not only say we welcome those who are not welcome elsewhere, we actually do welcome all no matter who or where they are on life's journeys. I am so proud of be a part of who and what we are in a world where inclusion, on almost every level, is rare.
It is into this setting we welcome the Rev. Dr. Bill Lyons as our Designated Conference Minister who will begin his ministry among us on January 1, 2016. I can't wait for all of you to meet him and to get to know him. He brings years of pastoral experience, wisdom, humor, creativity, theological perspectives for today's church, and an authentic passion for social justice.
I continue to be honored to be your Acting Conference Minister during this transition time. My last day will be December 31st. I commute between Albuquerque and Phoenix and find it an easier task than I thought it might be. Our technology age makes this possible of course. Please do not hesitate to contact the Conference office to let anyone of us on staff know how we can best serve you and your ministry setting.
Blessings,
Lee
Teresa Cowan Jones at Parliament!
Our own Teresa Cowan Jones is attending and presenting at the 2015 Parliament of the World's Religions
Sacred Space executive director Teresa Cowan Jones will co-present Capturing the Stories of a Compassionate City and Community at the 2015 Parliament of the World's Religions, the oldest, the largest, and the most inclusive gathering of people of all faith and traditions.
The first Parliament took place in 1893. Since, this historic event has taken place in Chicago, USA • Cape Town, South Africa • Barcelona, Spain • Melbourne, Australia - and now in Salt Lake City, Utah!
The Rev. Dr. William M. Lyons is our Designated Conference Minister
September 23, 2015
Dear Colleagues and Churches of the SWC,
It is with a great deal of enthusiasm that I inform you that the SWC Executive Board has unanimously selected the Rev. Dr. William M. Lyons as our Designated Conference Minister. Dr. Lyons is scheduled to be in place to begin his ministry with us on January 1, 2016.
Bill, his preferred name, comes to us with 30 years of pastoral experience. He is currently the pastor of St. John’s U.C.C. in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he has served for the past 11 years. He was ordained in the U.C.C. on October 13, 1985. A more extensive bio will be in tomorrow’s In the Loop newsletter.
While he will officially be on board in January, Bill will be present in the SWC for two significant meetings: the Mission Planning Meeting (October 24) and the Clergy Retreat (November 9 – 11). It is my hope that his presence at these two pivotal meetings will encourage the attendance of those eligible.
I would be remiss not to thank both the Search Committee and the Executive Board for their intense and diligent work during this search process. Special thanks is extended to Dana Bender, the Chair of the Search Committee; to Holly Herman, the SWC Office Manager; and to the Rev. Dr. Lee Albertson, the SWC Acting Conference Minister.
I also want to thank each of you in advance for your continued support for our Southwest Conference and the United Church of Christ. As we step into the future, let us do so in the belief that God is already there waiting to greet us in Jesus’ Name.
Shalom,
George A. Ault
SWC Moderator
Read September 2015's "The Morija Times" - Missionary Mark Behle's latest dispatch from Lesotho.
Read August 2015's "The Morija Times" - Missionary Mark Behle's latest dispatch from Lesotho.
Read "The Morija Times" - Missionary Mark Behle's latest dispatch from Lesotho.
From Rincon UCC
Friends,
We are grieved to hear that Pastor Wendell Langrine of Marshallese Ministries died on Sunday July 26th at 11am of a massive stroke. He died in a hospital in the Marshall Islands.
Pastor Wendell was beloved by his congregation that meets at Church of the Painted Hills in Tucson and will be greatly missed. His sudden death was a shock to his family and everyone who knew him. At the time of his death, Pastor Wendell was forty-five years old and in good physical condition. Pastor Wendell had been a minister for ten years. Wendell is survived by his wife, Marciana and two children, Esa and Tara.
Please keep the family, extended family, and congregation in prayer at this time. There will be a memorial service for Pastor Wendell in Tucson sometime in August. Stay tuned for details. Condolences may be sent to Church of the Painted Hills, office@cphucc.org, 3295 W Speedway Blvd. Tucson AZ 85745.
From Faith United Community Church UCC - Dewey, AZ
SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE 2015‐2016
(SUPPORTING OVER 600 CHILDREN)
** Most Needed
[] Sturdy Pocket Folders
[] Single Subject Notebooks
[] 3 or 5 Subject Notebooks (w/ Pocket Dividers)
[] Wide/College Ruled Paper **
[] Graph Paper
[] 1.5” and 3” Binders **
[] Divider Tabs (8 set) **
[] Divider Tabs (5 set) **
[] # 2 Pencils (10‐12 ct) **
[] Pink Erasers (Large) **
[] Pencil Sharpener w/ Lid
[] Pencil Box (Plastic)/Pouch
[] Red/Blue/Black Ink Pens
[] 24 ct. Crayons
[] Colored Pencils **
[] 8 ct. Washable Markers
[] Highlighters
[] Glue Sticks ** (Disappearing Purple)
[] Bottle White Glue
[] Scissors (blunt tip/plastic handles)
[] Flexible Ruler
[] 3x5 & 4x6 Index Cards
[] 4 GB Flash Drive
[] Backpack (no wheels) **
School supplies may be dropped off at:
U.S. Bank – 1260 Gail Gardner Way Ste. 125, Prescott, AZ
U.S. Bank – 3030 Arizona 69, Prescott, AZ
Adult Center of Prescott ‐1280 Rosser Street, Ste. B, Prescott, AZ
Yavapai County Food Bank – 8866 E. Long Mesa Drive, Prescott Valley, AZ
Thank you in advance for your generous donation!
From Rincon UCC
Welcome to Our New Assistant Minister!
We are happy to announce that Pamela Denzer, a seminarian at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio and former Tucson middle school teacher has been offered and accepted the position of Assistant Minister at Rincon.
Pam will provide staff support for the Faith Development and Justice and Witness Ministry Teams, as well as some preaching, teaching, fellowship and service opportunities at Rincon and beyond. She’s excited to return to Tucson and feels strongly called to Rincon as she prepares for graduation and ordination in 2016.
From Church of The Beatitudes UCC
Attention! School Supplies
Faith in Action is sponsoring a drive for start-up supplies for Maryland School. Look for a Maryland School poster in the Narthex on Sunday mornings for the next month or so. You'll find a tree with attached leaves. Each leaf will indicate a request for school supplies for the beginning of the school year. If you wish to help, please take a leaf, purchase the supply indicated, and return it to a box under the tree within the next month.
- A big thanks from Faith in Action!
From Desert Palm UCC
Summer Food Drive - ‘Feed the Crowd’ for our Food Bank
Our Scripture selections for this Sunday, July 26, include John 6:1-21, the story about a boy bringing to Jesus two loaves and five fishes that turn into enough food to provide for the large crowd who had gathered to hear Jesus on that day. You are invited to share with others in the same way this Sunday, by supporting our ‘Feed the Crowd’ Food Drive for United Food Bank. Please bring non-perishable food goods, and let’s fill both our food barrels in one day and help with the summer shortage of food at the food banks. The Spiritual Life, and Community/World, Ministry Teams thank you for your generosity!
John Dorhauer's Book "Beyond Resistance" Has Been Published!
"Beyond Resistance is a template for those devoted to the the idea that faith should be just, generous and inspire commitment to the common good. The rise of postmodernity and its influence on the expression of faith are not the cause of religion's perceived diminishment in capacity, relevance, and impact. To the contrary ..."
Click here to read more, and order your copy!
The Moment After the Vote
From Sun Lakes UCC
Report on the Southwest Conference U.C.C. April 17-18, 2015
The Annual Meeting of our Southwest Conference was held April 17 through April 18, 2015. This meeting marked the Fiftieth Anniversary of the U.C.C. South West Conference. The meeting also marked the last SW Conference meeting for Rev. Dr. Dorhauer as Conference Minister. Rev. Dorhauer has been nominated to be the President and General Minister of the entire U.C.C. He will be moving to Cleveland to begin his new duties in late Summer. Pastor Vern and Audrey and Gil Hendry attended as delegates. The Conference was held at the Church of the Red Rocks in Sedona, AZ. It was well attended with over 200 delegates, speakers and Conference officials.