First Congregational provided haircuts for 35, and lunch for 150, homeless
individuals, on Dec. 22nd!
Dogs and cats get cold, too! First Congregational's Pet Ministry is collecting used blankets and
towels to donate to local shelters, for animals in need of end of life comfort.
KTIZO is having a Harmonic Happy Hour the Sunday before Valentine's Day (Feb 7th).
Women of all ages are invited to a Happy Hour presented as a gift of love. The event is being
planned and executed by men and sons with their loved ones, mothers, wives, friends, sisters in
mind. The Ktizo band is creating a program that is sure to warm the heart. The men from
beginning to the end will do the rest, creating an assortment of good things to eat, waiting tables, and sharing special special talents worthy of the occasion.
A sweet note was left in First Congregational's church mailbox recently...
First Congregational is also collecting doors to paint and put outside with a sign that conveys the
message "Our doors are open to EVERYONE!!"
Family Promise of Greater Phoenix is coming to Shepherd of the Hills January 24th-31st.
Shepherd of the Hills is looking forward to hosting homeless families again!
Wanted:
Grand Piano Desert Palm UCC in Tempe is looking for a grand piano in excellent
condition from 5' 4" to 5' 9" in length to fit our current space and with either wood grain or a color that would complement our sanctuary. Please keep Desert Palm in mind if you know of a piano that would fit our needs. Contact: Jon Sywassink, Minister of Music, jsywas@aol.com.
Desert Palm Youth are sponsoring Souper Bowl Sunday on February 7th, Super Bowl Sunday.
Soup and bread will be provided after worship, and fans can root for their favorite football team both before and after worship by donating to the AFC bowl, the NFC bowl, or their favorite team.
Donations will be divided between a local community service organization chosen by Desert Palm
Youth, and the Heifer Project.
Border Issues Fair
The Border Issues Fair is just around the corner, Sat. Jan. 16, beginning at 8
a.m. with exhibits and registration. Presenters: Margaret Regan, journalist and author of "Detained
and Deported: Stores of Immigrant Families Under Fire"; Jenny Johnson, Washington, DC, border
policy advisor for the Southern Border Community Coalition; and Dr. Abby Wheatley, border
activist and researcher, speaking about "Migrant Mobilities: Reframing Life and Death on the
Arizona-Sonora Border." $10 donation requested. Please bring warm gloves, hat or jacket for
those in the desert.
Crossan Seminar, February 19 & 20
Don't miss the seminar with John Dominic Crossan, at the Good Shepherd, February 19 & 20. Crossan is widely known for his work with the Jesus Seminar.
The theme of the seminar is "The Power of Parable: How Parables by Jesus became Parables
about Jesus." The seminar begins Friday, Feb. 19, at 7 PM, with registration and refreshments. At
7:30 Crossan will speak about "The Types of Parable: Riddle, Example & Challenge." Saturday
there will be two morning presentations and one following lunch. Registration flyers are on the table in the Narthex or go to www.thegoodshepherducc.org at the events tab.
You are invited to be part of a special project by sharing in just a few words how God
spoke to you...changed you...blessed you through a special person, along with a picture of
both of you.
Your short paragraph and picture will be transformed into poster-sized art along with other
voices throughout our conference. The completed project will be available to display and
share at any of our conferences churches who wish to do so. We may even find community
spaces where the project will be shown and others can see and hear how God is still
speaking through our family, friends and even strangers. Please consider sharing your
story.
For more information or to participate please contact the project coordinator, Phil Shea, at
philipshea@justicestar.org or 602-663-5065.This project is sponsored by a grant from the
Scottsdale Congregational Beyond Jesus Project and other individual donors.
United Church of Christ General Minister and President the Rev. John Dorhauer has
written the foreword to a major article on religious liberty in our country that investigates
how the religious right in America - evangelical Protestant Christians and U.S. Roman
Catholic bishops - is using the term "religious freedom" to infringe on people's civil rights.
...Dorhauer writes that progressive faith communities can't allow American Christianity to
be hijacked. "We can't allow the Religious Right to twist the meaning of religious liberty to
the point that it becomes the means by which their theocratic vision is finally and fully
realized," he writes. "For decades now, they have fought to erode or redefine the very
freedoms the Constitution was written to protect. It would be unwise of us to either turn a
blind eye to their machinations or to dismiss the ongoing effectiveness of their efforts."
Read the full article here.
MESA and its predecessor bodies have long been a part of Professional Church Leaders (PCL), an annual convening of ecumenical denominational leaders. PCL is pleased to announce that it will host a conference, “Bi-Vocational Ministry in the 21st Century,” April 15-16, 2016 at Epworth by the Sea on St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. This conference is designed for bi-vocational ministers and for governing body and judicatory executives, with workshops and keynotes at a beautiful location.
Registration is now open! http://events.uccpages.org/bivocational2016.html
Contact Elizabeth Dilley (dilleye@ucc.org) if you have any questions.
Each year United Church of Christ Association Committees on Ministry are invited to nominate their Members in Discernment to be considered for a “Make A Difference! Educational Support Award.” The application is now online and opened January 1, 2016. Nominations are due by 11:59 PM on March 1, 2016.
The application form is found at http://www.ucc.org/ministry_education_scholarships. Award amounts vary by year and fund availability, please see website for eligibility requirements. Questions can be directed to Pat Lyden in the UCC Office of Philanthropy and Stewardship (lydenp@ucc.org).
Isolated elders living in their own homes throughout our community have wonderful stories to share, yet often yearn for visitors. Duet volunteers provide the gift of lifting spirits while also meeting very special people. Service options also include grocery shopping, offering rides to medical appointments, and more.
Call 602-274-5022 to register for a Duet volunteer orientation set for
Saturday, January 16, from 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM at
Dove of the Desert UMC
7201 W Beardsley
Phoenix, AZ 85308
OR
Saturday, February 20, from 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM at
La Casa De Cristo Lutheran Church
6300 E Bell Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Visit www.duetaz.org for more options. Our members who no longer are able to drive are welcome to request free-of-charge volunteer assistance. Thank you!
The application process for Back Bay Mission’s Shari Prestemon Social Justice Internship is open!
This internship provides a unique opportunity to members of the United Church of Christ between the ages of 19 and 35. During this 10-week summer internship, participants will:
We recognize the value of our interns and the financial burdens that can come with taking on an internship. The Mission covers the cost of travel to and from Biloxi and interns stay in Mission housing (the Cottage) with other long-term volunteers. In addition, we provide a generous stipend of $250 per week.
Interested people can learn more about the Shari Prestemon Social Justice Internship and download the application on our website.
They can also read about the experiences of previous interns on our website.
We the Council Members of the Church of the Good Shepherd, United Church of Christ in Albuquerque, New Mexico, hereby state our concern about the growth of racism and intolerance toward the Muslim community. Recent rhetoric by Donald Trump and other presidential candidates has exploited the fears and ignorance of many of our citizens, including those in Albuquerque. Mr. Trump has suggested that our nation issue special identification cards for Muslim-Americans, that there be a national registry of Muslims, that mosques be closed and Muslims be prohibited from entering the United States. Such measures are unconstitutional and morally reprehensible. While many public officials and news commentators have spoken out against these ideas, it is imperative that we, as a faith community also make our opinions known.
We are reminded of the words of German pastor and theologian, Martin Neimoller who wrote of a previous era of intolerance:
“First they came for the socialists and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Finally, they came for me and there was no one left to speak out.”
We support Muslims and people of God everywhere who reject terrorism and work instead for peace. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in faith who are Islamic and pledge to do all in our power to protect them from discriminatory laws, acts of violence, intimidation and social isolation. We call upon all in Albuquerque and New Mexico to do the same.
Church Council
Church of the Good Shepherd, United Church of Christ
Albuquerque, New Mexico
December 14, 2015
Tucson Marshallese Ministries
Pastor Mack Aikwij is in need of a vehicle. Any donations would be greatly appreciated. Please email Carlson Takiah at ctakiah@hotmail.com for information or to make a donation.
Silver City, UCC
Silver City UCC will host a special Open House, on 12/27/15 from 2-4 pm at the Silver City Women's Club. This event is to commemorate our time with our spiritual leader, Rev. Tyler Connoley, our founding pastor, to say goodbye, or perhaps aloha...til we meet again.
Let us come together in celebration of the man who said yes when his community called him to step into leadership. Let us celebrate how we have all grown and been blessed by the process of building Silver City UCC with him.
The Good Shepherd UCC, Sahuarita
The Good Shepherd UCC is hosting the 12th Annual Border Issues Fair & Concert,
Friday & Saturday, January 15 & 16, 2016. The concert features Lance Canales and the Flood, Friday, January 15, at 7 PM. Tickets are $20, and for ticket availability, call 520-625-1375. The Border Issues Fair will take place on Saturday, January 16, 8 AM-12:30 PM; attend for a $10 donation.
The Good Shepherd UCC, Sahuarita, will also host a weekend seminar with the noted Biblical scholar and writer John Dominic Crossan, Feb. 19-20, 2016. The theme for the seminar is "The Power of Parable: How Parables by Jesus became Parables about Jesus." Click here for registration info.
First Congregational Church, Albuquerque
Family Promise presented a plaque to First Congregational UCC that says: "Thank you for hosting Family Promise of ABQ for 12 years. Together, we sheltered 273 families and 1200 individuals (412 parents and 788 children). You have changed their future!"
First Congregational Church is participating in the Youth Group Epiphany Project. Albuquerque Public Schools currently has over 3,000 students who are homeless. There are many families in the community that don't have a lot of the things that most students have. First Congregational's Youth Group is creating "Jet Kits" for Jefferson Middle School students. They will be putting together the Jet Kits in early January at an Epiphany Party with the youth groups from Monte Vista Christian and the Mennonite Churches. Items for the Jet Kits may include hygiene items, socks, chapstick, hair ties, and hand sanitizer.
First Congregational UCC, Phoenix
Join First Congregation United Church of Christ for our new monthly "First at First" event sponsored by the Southwest Conference! Fridays in Phoenix are a great opportunity to check out all the amazing artists, musicians, and vendors in the Valley of the Sun! We're collaborating with community artists, musicians, and vendors to put on our very own version of "First Friday" at First Church! This event is FREE and open to ALL!
First Congregational is also hosting a special showing a film from PBS that will help viewers understand the autism spectrum and individuals living with autism and their perspective and search for love, "Autism in Love," on January 7th at 6:00 pm. It is a beautiful movie and First Congregational is partnering with ASU Project Humanities. The showing is also sponsored by SW Conference Widening the Welcome Team.
Four adults at different places on the autism spectrum open up their personal lives as they navigate dating and romantic relationships. Eye-opening, first-person portrayals show that despite many challenges faced by those with autism, love can find a way. Join us for this special preview of the PBS documentary followed by a panel discussion.
View the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXYv1lLZ6fU
Click here for the flyer.
First Christian Church, Las Cruces
First Christian Church in Las Cruces is participating in the Carry the Future campaign to collect soft baby carriers (like ErgoBaby and Baby Bjorn) for Syrian refugees. They're collecting through December 20th.
If you'd like to participate, send slightly-used or new baby carriers to First Christian so they can be sent where they need to go. You can also give money to the cause.
You can learn more about the First Christian project here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/649619768512416/
You can learn more about Carry the Future here: https://www.facebook.com/carrythefuture
Church of the Painted Hills, Tucson
Church of the Painted Hills shared this story: The Marshall Islands Are Disappearing
This is the title of the article that appeared in the December 2nd New York Times. For us at CPH and for our sister congregation, Marshallese Ministries, this disappearance brings Climate Change close to home. Click here for the article:
Shadow Rock, Phoenix
Shadow Rock is collecting ELECTRONICS RECYCLING, working with ARIZONA StRUT, collecting "not needed any longer" electronics.
A donation of used electronics will...
1) Create more space in your home
2) Help young people learn a trade
3) Help schools get needed equipment and
4) SAVE OUR LANDFILLS
Arizona StRUT is a 501 3 c (non-profit) organization. Visit their web site at www.azstrut.orgfor more information about their mission and the work they do.
From Church of the Painted Hills:
"Sarah King spoke to our congregation in April of 2014. She celebrated the sacred dimension of the natural world and encouraged us to protect the environment for future generations. Her personal style, passion for the environment, and reflections about her granddaughter were well received! So, the CPH mission focus group asked that we invite Sarah back in 2015.
Sarah is Chair of the Arizona Faith Network Earth Care Commission and board member of Arizona Interfaith Power and Light. She also chairs the Earth Care Subgroup for the Desert Southwest Conference, United Methodist Church Board of Church and Society. Ms. King earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Illinois College in 1973 and a Master’s in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago in 1976.
Sarah King has worked as a counselor and social worker, freelance writer and steel drum music teacher. A passionate earth care advocate, Sarah has also volunteered for over 30 years with various faith-based and secular environmental groups, devoting many hours to educating faith groups and members of the general public about environmental issues. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, biking and playing the tenor pan in her steel drum band. Sarah is married and resides in Flagstaff, Arizona with her husband and dog.
Sarah will meet with people after church who are interested in forming a CPH partnership with Arizona Interfaith Power and Light.
Welcome back to CPH Sarah!"
We have seen an increased number of our neighbors needing assistance. The stock on our shelves is dwindling, and we are asking you for donations. Just drop off your peanut butter, canned vegetables, cereal, pasta and sauce, canned fruit to the Church office. We thank you for your generosity in continuing this ministry.
Sunday, November 8th, 11 First Church members and friends -- and three dogs! -- participated in the 3-mile Phoenix Crop Walk, which began and ended in their courtyard. Thanks to all who helped raise awareness of hunger both around the globe and here in the Valley.
Read MoreLove Halloween? Love food trucks? Enjoy both at this creepy and fun event. This year in conjunction with our Harvest Festival, we will host our big Fall Food Truck Roundup. Invite your family, friends, and neighbors! Community Life Ministry, Karen Kradle, and the staff would like to give a huge thank you to all those that donated candy for the Harvest Festival.
Shadow Rock, Phoenix
FABRIC RECYCLE DRIVE begins October 18th
Clean out your closets! Shadow Rock Preschool is holding their semi-annual Soft Goods Recycle Drive! Bring fabric of ANY kind in ANY condition on Sunday, October 18th, through Thursday the 22nd. We really mean ANY condition - rips, tears, stains are all ok! Any donations that are not resellable will be broken down to their fibers, cleaned, and recycled. The preschool is paid per pound collected, so they appreciate your contributions.
Scottsdale Congregational Church
Scottsdale UCC is looking for donations for I HAVE A NAME project--an exhibit of photographs by Jon Linton of the homeless on the streets of Phoenix. They are looking to collect $500 to frame the photos and stories in this exhibit. Jon will then give the exhibit to Scottsdale UCC and they would agree to let the exhibit travel around to other UCC churches that would be interested in displaying it as part of their Justice ministry to the homeless.
For more information about the artist and this project, click on www.ihaveaname.org. If you would like to contribute to this project, please contact Susan Unmacht, 480-747-7614.
Desert Garden, Sun City
This year Desert Garden Church reaches two milestones in its service to the greater West Valley community: 35 years as an established United Church of Christ Congregation and
the 25th anniversary of the installation of our Rogers organ.
These milestones will be celebrated at Desert Garden Church on Sunday, October 25, 2015. We invite all members past and present, friends and visitors to share in a morning of festive music and sharing of community outreach.
Casas Adobes Congregational Church, Tucson
Casas Adobes is hosting the Third Annual Morris B. Ewing Memorial Golf Outing on October 30th at SaddleBrooke Ranch Golf Club. A portion of revenue from the event supports the Youth Fund of the Southwest Conference United Church of Christ. Click here for additional details and here for the flyer.
Church of the Beatitudes, Phoenix
Please join us on Sunday, January 24th, when Dr. Harvey Cox, Hollis Research Professor at Harvard Divinity School, will be preaching the 9 am worship service at Church of the Beatitudes. Dr. Cox is a permeant theologian and scholar on the interaction of religion, culture and politics. Some of his many written works include When Jesus Came to Harvard: Making Moral Decisions Today, The Future of Faith, and Religion in the Secular City. Click here to watch Dr. Cox discuss his text "The Future of Faith."
United Church of Angel Fire, NM
The Firewood Angels cut, stack and deliver firewood to needy folks in the Moreno Valley. Preparations for Firewood Angels begin during the summer. This year three different groups of helpers from the Lutheran Church helped UCAF members to move massive quantities of logs from a donor in Hidden Lake. This amounted to about $3500 that needy folks did not have to spend. With all the help, we were able to supply the firewood needs of all our clients throughout the winter. This summer the Firewood Angels have cut, split and stacked 32 cords of wood and are well ahead of the game! Preparations are now underway to deliver wood to the needy before the first snow falls.
Rincon Congregational Church, Tucson
Rincon is hosting an event-filled weekend promoting Sacred Conversations On Race: Exploring Whiteness, October 23-25. Click here for details.
Join us for a special movie event, the groundbreaking documentary about the epidemic of rape in the military, "The Invisible War," November 20th at Rincon. Click here for the flyer!
The Good Shepherd UCC, Sahuarita
The Good Shepherd United Church of Christ in Sahuarita will welcome Dr. Larry L. Rasmussen, Reinhold Niebuhr Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary, NYC and Nautilus Book Award for 2014 for Earth-honoring Faith, on November 20th and 21st. He will be joining us for a CREATION JUSTICE WEEKEND.
For more information, click here.
Rebel & Divine OWL Retreat
A young adult fall retreat will be held November 6-8, 2015, at Chapel Rock Camp in Prescott, AZ. This is an opportunity for young adults to explore their values around sexuality using the Our Whole Lives (OWL) program.
First Congregational Church, Phoenix
Join the inaugural "First at First" event on the First Friday in November at First Congregation United Church of Christ. The event will run from 6-10 PM and focus on the Southwest Conference. There will be live entertainment, market vendors, and ways to connect with other churches in the conference! We are still looking for artists and vendors. If you are interested, please email nelson@phoenixucc.org. We invite your congregation to send a delegation to set up a table and talk about your church for the other attendees!
For more information, contact Nelson Kristoffer Mendoza at 602.509.5581 mobile or email nelsonkristoffer@outlook.com.
Sacred Space, Tucson
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.
Click here to read more.
First Samoan Congregational Christian Church, Phoenix
Sina Ahsoon, secretary of First Samoan Congregational Christian Church in AZ, recently attended a meeting of the Church Building and Loan Fund (CBLF), a part of our national setting that works with building loans to new and young congregations. Sina spoke to other new church representatives about how CBLF not only granted them a loan to purchase their building, but, when they ran into difficulties, worked with them to save their building.
