Ktizo UCC received a $2,000 Neighbors in Need grant for their outreach ministry to Burmese Refugee children. Volunteers host a Homework Club, helping elementary school students with their English and other school subjects.
Read MoreIt is with joy and gratitude for your support that the search committee recommends to Church of the Beatitudes members that the Rev. Dr. Anthony Thomas Minear be named Senior Minister. Let this be your introduction to the person that we believe God wants us to have as our leader.
Read MoreUCC represented at El Paso city-wide interfaith prayer service for Witness of Dignity and Solidarity
"Standing in solidarity with all those who pursue justice and work for reconciliation, we recommit ourselves to work through encounter and dialogue to advance racial equality, economic inclusion, the protection of the migrant, the rights and dignity of women, fairness in our criminal justice system, the protection of our sacred earth, and compassion for the most vulnerable among us.”
Read MoreCarol is a Massachusetts native. Prior to this call, she was pastor of First Congregational Church in Millbury, Massachusetts, . Carol received her Master of Divinity degree from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. While in seminary, she interned at both a local church and the memory care unit of a local retirement community. She also studied spiritual direction with the Benedictine sisters of Benet Hill Monastery. Carol is an Ordained Minister with full standing in the United Church of Christ, was ordained on January 10, 2010. In her life before ministry, Carol worked in book publishing for 20 years, holding positions in editorial, inventory management, and warehouse operations at companies in New York City and Boulder, Colorado. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Bethany College in Bethany, WV.
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First Congregational United Church of Christ has been nominated as OUTstanding place to worship in ABQ. We would love to have your vote! You can click on the link and just vote for any category you wish (skipping the ones you don't know). Just make sure you click on submit at the end! Thanks for your support.
Read MoreFebruary 17 & 18th, 2017 (Fri & Sat) in Sahuarita,
Dr. John Dominic Crossan will present THE CHALLENGE OF THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE/How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian: Struggling with Divine Violence from Genesis through Revelation.
John Dominic Crossan is generally regarded as the leading historical Jesus scholar in the world and the author of several bestselling books. He is a gifted speaker that combines humor with scholarly insights and skillfully engages Bible scholars and lay people alike.
Rincon’s Justice and Witness and Faith Development ministry teams are offering a series of six sessions to discuss the idea of White Privilege. This is a continuation of our commitment to an ongoing Sacred Conversation on Race that Rincon began in October of 2015. Rev. David and Fran Buss will follow the curriculum developed by the United Church of Christ in which some readings are presented to give concepts and direction for reflection, followed by a good deal of time in conversation.
Read MoreIn case you and others are interested, this weekend both the Santa Fe New Mexican and the Reporter will run the following ad, signed by 200+ members and friends of the United Church of Santa Fe. It's one way we are seeking to offer a Christian voice and witness in this time.
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Ktizo has been in search of a ministry of transformation since we opened our doors. We believe we have found it in creating Sober Living House(s). You can ask nearly any family and somewhere in the family tree is Addiction, and it is devastating to the whole Family System...
Read MoreThese are the latest ministry changes around the Southwest Conference.
Read MoreThank you to the awesome folks who moved everything in to Ktizo Sober Living House. It looks wonderful!
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f you love cooler weather, and want to get away for a long day, please consider coming up to Flagstaff. This will be our 3rd annual Crafts of Many Colors, crafts from third world countries, from local crafts people, and members of our church. This year for the first time the Northern Arizona Celtic Society will be there to offer delicious food and beautiful items from Scotland. We hope to see you there!
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This year, Church of the Beatitudes is starting an annual tradition of a brand new choral festival, celebrating the choral masterworks of prolific contemporary composers. The inaugural concert will bring together members of the greater Phoenix community along with Phoenix Symphony musicians in a performance of the music of Dan Forrest on Saturday, November 5th, and will feature the Requiem for the Living (2013).
Read MoreShadow Rock United Church of Christ, which, according to church pastor the Rev. Ken Heintzelman, "was honored to host a gathering of people who have offered and experienced sanctuary," brought the group together to discuss the moral imperative to stop deportations and to draw attention to the case of Sixto Paz, who has been residing in sanctuary at Shadow Rock since early June.Read More
October 11th is National Coming-Out Day. Please keep in prayer all those for whom “Coming-Out” endangers/(ed) their safety and well-being. Also, prayerfully consider making a donation to Rebel & Divine UCC so that we can continue to provide a “family of choice” to those who need it most.
Read MoreImagining Our Next 100 Years.
First Congregational UCC Phoenix celebrates its 100th birthday in 2017. It has been an amazing 100 years: Three different sanctuaries built at our campus. Twenty-three pastors (including interims). Twenty-seven associate or assistant pastors. Thousands and thousands of members and visitors. Hospice of the Valley and Arizona School for the Arts started at First. We gave birth to North Church, now Church of the Beatitudes, which in turn birthed Shadow Rock. We at First look back in awe at the legacy given us.
As First imagines its next 100 years, the times are changing. First began in a thriving neighborhood that eventually became a slum, and most of it was demolished. First remained a beacon of hope in urban desolation and empty lots. Today, buildings are springing up all around us. In the next two years, First will have about 8,000 new residences within walking distance of the church. First no longer needs to even consider moving to a new neighborhood. A new neighborhood is moving to First. What other church gets this kind of miraculous second life? First now is eagerly imagining our next 100 years in downtown Phoenix.
Imagining Our Next 100 Years focuses on “why” – why are we members of First, and why is First relevant to the larger – and new – community around us. To answer these fundamental questions, First invited an awesome and remarkably diverse Vision Team, comprised of recent members as well as life timers, young and old, straight and gay, men and women, all races, ethnicities and religious backgrounds. The Vision Team spent months in prayer and study to identify what First is called to do, in particular what no one else is doing. First will vote on the inspirational and practical Vision plan on October 16.
In the meantime, we engaged a team of architects, engineers and historians to give us a complete diagnosis of the condition of our campus. Churches, especially those that rotate leadership, often react to building issues instead of planning ahead. First is no different, and we have a hefty deferred maintenance bill. We have the money to pay the bill, and then some, but we are in the process of asking ourselves whether our church buildings, as currently configured, will serve the mission of First for the next hundred years, or whether there are other options for our campus. We are in the fact-gathering stage and have not made any decisions.
Four of us attended the UCC Church Building & Loan Fund training even on September 23 and 24 in Long Beach. We learned many new things about other churches’ successes and failures, and also were encouraged to learn the path First is on is the usually the successful path. The UCC national setting has deep experience working with Congregations imagining the future, and we intend to use them.
It is an exciting time for us at First. All the change – and change that has not even happened – stir up anxiety. Rumors abound that “First is closing,” “First is demolishing,” and more. Paraphrasing Mark Twain’s retort to rumors of his death, “The reports of First’s closing (or fill in the blank with any other rumor) are greatly exaggerated.” First is blessed to have so many opportunities in front of it. We pray for wisdom to hear God’s call so we can be good stewards for present and future members.
Even as we at First thank our forbearers for their legacy to us, we imagine the next 100 years in which First is engaged, vibrant and relevant. We imagine a century from now when First members are thanking today’s members for the legacy we leave them.
Monday, May 15, 2017
Sun Lakes United Church of Christ
25635 Country Club Dr
Sun Lakes, AZ 85248
I am excited to announce that myself, Pastor Vernon Meyer of Sun Lakes United Church of Christ and Rev Jody Topping of Faith United Methodist Church, are planning an Ecumenical Pilgrimage to the Holy the Land in May, 2017. This would be my 25th pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Jody’s first tour. We would study the scriptures in the various places described in the Gospels and the Hebrew scripture and we will celebrate several memorable worship services. We are hoping to get together a group of at least 25 people for this trip.
The dates we are looking at would be a departure date of May 15 - May 24 for the Israel tour with a post tour extension to Jordan and Petra from May 24- 26. We would take off from and arrive back into Phoenix. The cost is estimated at $3716 based on a minimum of 25 participants, double occupancy (there's an extra charge for single rooms) and includes all travel(round trip from Phoenix), tips and gratuities, taxes, 7 breakfasts and 8 dinners (lunches and drinks are on our own).
Our tour brochures are available and can also be accessed via the Marantha website: https://maranathatours.com/wp-content/uploads/Meyer-Topping-Holy-Land-Brochure-2017-1.pdf
We want to extend the invitation to all pastors and their church members to join us on this pilgrimage that will be a once in a life time experience. If possible, would you post this in your church bulletin? You can contact me for more information, at Sun Lakes UCC, 480-895-6317. meyerv52@msn.com
On Sunday, August 14th, South Mountain Community Church celebrated the final service of its long and storied 104-year history with fellowship, stories, pictures and worship.
Read MoreOn July 16th, 2016 the inaugural gathering of the Southwest Conference Youth and Outdoor Ministry hit the ground running. Following a growing number of youth participants at the 2016 Camp in Prescott, members from around the conference representing youth and young adults have come together to launch the Southwest Conference Youth Program back into action. Beginning with a 2016 Youth Launch on November 12-13th, the UCC will find a reignited passion from youth and young adults to forge their own path along the walk of faith in the Southwest Conference . If you wish to join this committee of leaders and pioneers please contact Eli Johnson at the conference office (602-468-3830) for more information. The next meeting to plan the direction of the Southwest Conference UCC youth program will take place September 20th! All Youth and Young Adults from around the conference are welcome.
