Come discover what the pastor of one of the fastest growing UCCs in the country knows about setting oneself apart as a progressive Christian in a predominantly conservative community!
Saturday, March 5th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at The Fountains, a United Methodist Church, 15300 N. Fountain Hills Blvd. in Fountain Hills. Registration (which includes a soup and salad lunch) is $40 per person (or $100 for three people from the same church). Admission is $50 at the door.
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Cards may be sent to:
Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer
c/o United Church of Christ
700 Prospect Ave.
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Following is John's Message.
Dear Friends in Christ,
After taking a call from my brother on the ride home from work on Tuesday, and being told that my father – who had a week earlier gone into hospice – was not doing well and that I should think about getting here as soon as I can; I left Wednesday morning to be with him.
It took two days for all of his seven children to assemble, but one hour after his seventh child arrived, surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren, my Dad breathed his last. It was a beautiful death, with tears and laughter filling the room and lifting our hearts.
I want to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. They sustained us all in these hours. I also want to thank you for the permission to be here and share this amazing experience with my family. I want to especially thank the Collegium for their support; and Cheryl Williams – whose able leadership in my absence allows me to be here without fear of some very important things being left undone.
I will spend a few more days preparing funeral arrangements and burying my father. I anticipate being able to return to the office and my responsibilities sometime later next week.
I am going to remain off line until then. Cheryl will coordinate all of my continuing responsibilities.
I rejoice in the grace of God, and marvel that at my father’s passing my grief is met with such profound joy. May it ever be so.
In the abiding love of our tender Creator,
John C. Dorhauer
General Minister and President
This Sunday, 2/7/2016:
Michael Tucker Presents:
“Loving Yourself When Everything in Your World Says You Shouldn't”
Our environment is filled with illusions about what life means and falsities about who we are. From birth we are exposed to this "reality," and without questioning we accept it as truth. Included in these imaginings are ideas about our unworthiness of love and acceptance. Ignorantly, we expand on these untruths and build lives of limitation when it comes to loving ourselves.
Read MoreFebruary 10-12, 2016
University of Arizona
Environment & Natural Resources Bldg.
ENR2
Launching Tucson as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy
Sponsored By:
The Center for Regional Food Studies
City of Tucson
Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona
Edible Baja Arizona
Institute of the Environment
More than 70,000 same-sex couples have married in the United States since Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004. These marriages can pose unique challenges for both couples and their parents. In her new book, “When Your Gay or Lesbian Child Marries: A Guide for Parents” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), Clark Sociology Professor Deborah Merrill examines how same-sex marriage changes relationships between parents and their gay or lesbian adult children.
Read MoreThanks to grants provided by the Marshall Foundation and the County Fair/White Elephant, the Food Bank has been able to respond to The Good Shepherd’s commitment to cleaner energy and a lower carbon footprint. Panels installed on the roof of the Redman Room and the Library will
generate enough power to operate the two outdoor coolers, with a corresponding reduction in energy costs to the Food Bank. While the coolers are highly efficient units, specifically designed to operate in the desert, they nonetheless cost about $250-300 to operate each month. The coolers are separately metered, and the energy costs paid for by the Food Bank. With the addition of solar power, approximately 95% of those costs will be met. “That translates into more food for more people, and assures that funding the operation of the coolers will not be an issue in the future,” reports President of the Sahuarita Food Bank Board, Curt Ackley. “Our grantors have been impressed with the dedication of our volunteers to our belief that no children should go to bed hungry.”
Books, Books, Books, will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 3, in the Zuni room on the second floor of La Perla at La Posada. All are welcome. February's book is John Dominic Crossan's "The Power of Parable: How Parables by Jesus became Parables about Jesus". This is the theme of the weekend seminar with Crossan to be held at The Good Shepherd, February 19-20. If you have any questions about the book group meeting, please call Jane or Burt Eubank at 520-393-6593.
· Are you in a helping profession and ready to take the next step or are you looking
for spiritual direction training?
· Are you at the point where you want to explore deeper levels of the faith life?
· Have you ever asked - "I wish I knew how to be present to this person without trying to fix them?"
· Do you yearn for connection to community beyond "programmatic" offerings?
· Are you ready to go deeper with yourself, God and others?
If you have answered, "yes" to these questions, then:
"THE ART OF DEEP LISTENING" may be the place for you!
Using the practice of "Spiritual Direction/Companioning" as our guide, this 6-month
community will explore the gift of deep listening to God, self and others.
Visit the Pathways of Grace website for more information.
Sun Lakes UCC will celebrate its one year anniversary of its Open & Affirming vote on Sunday,
January 24, 2016. The service will include a congregational renewal of Sun Lakes' ONA Covenant,
along with some special hymns and the distribution of rainbow ribbons.
Black Mountain continues to offer Prayer Shawls thanks to the wonderful work of several in the
congregation. Anyone, in town or out of town, who would love the comfort of a prayer shawl, may contact the church to make arrangements. Much comfort comes from a shawl which has been made with love and sent off with the prayers and blessings of the Black Mountain congregation.
Last year excitement for the Super Bowl was high because the big game day was in Glendale, and
Desert Garden launched a Soup for Super Bowl drive as part of the excitement. Some may not
be as excited about this year's game, but the need for food has not changed at Valley View Food
Bank. Desert Garden is again collecting soup to fill the Soup Bowl for the Valley View Food Bank.
Seven Rincon members and friends representing Rincon stood in solidarity with our Islamic
brothers and sisters at the Islamic Center of Tucson's (ICT) prayer service, lecture and meal.
Members prayed with and met some women from their community who visited Rincon and shared hospitality and faith stories with us.
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.
