Gail Bird and Jo Vredenburg received Champion Volunteer awards at the Arizona Faith Network Annual Meeting on May 1. 

Right now Congress is debating the Farm Bill. This massive piece of legislation authorizes most federal policies, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – our nation’s most critical anti-hunger program. The version of the Farm Bill being considered in the House of Representatives right now proposes damaging changes to SNAP.

Mark Behle's most recent newsletter.

As part of the monthly Creation Justice Webinar series, the UCC has teamed with GreenFaith to offer a webinar designed to assist churches who are interested in going solar. On May 30th, the Rev. Fletcher Harper will address issues related to technology, finance, physical plant, communications, and more.

The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter

United Church Funds (UCF) and the Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization Team (MESA) will host a webinar entitled “Women Investing Today – Seeking Justice in Our Financial Lives” on Tuesday, May 22, at 3:00 PM ET.

Clergywomen and women who sit on endowment committees will benefit from this webinar by gaining a better understanding of socially responsible investing (SRI) and how they can align their faith with their church endowment.

The week dates shown are Sunday through Saturday. Each Monday, at 2:00 p.m. in the respective time zones across the country, rallies will be held, followed by non-violent direct action from 3 – 5 p.m. With such a late start, Arizonans may or may not be prepared for a May 14 action, but this option is open for a while longer until Arizona's leadership team can decide. 

A meeting of Tucson-area people interested in the Poor People's Campaign (PPC) for Arizona was held last Thursday evening, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Global Justice Center, 225 E 26th St, Tucson, 85713.

People who attended the April 23 meeting in Phoenix reviewed their notes. We discussed how we wish to proceed with PPC activities. Repairers of the Breach has recruited someone in the Phoenix area to coordinate Arizona activities at the State Capitol from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.for each of the Monday's in the campaign (May 14 through June 18). However, none of us at the meeting had received any communications about how or if we would coordinate with others in the State.

The goal was 100 boxes of Cheerios. They collected 140! The cereal will be distributed at two of the Keeling food pantries. The monthly Keeling pantry is a newly established outreach program to supplement the food available to low income families at the end of the month when food insecurity may become an issue.

Join March for Our Lives Phoenix and Arizona For Gun Safety for a special screenign of the new film AND THEN I GO. In the cruel world of junior high, two friends suffer in a state of anxiety and alienation. Misunderstood by their families and demoralized at school, their fury simmers quietly until an idea for vengeance offers them a terrifying release. The film stars Justin Long, Tony Hale and Melanie Lynskey. 

From Scottsdale Congregational UCC:

Not too long ago Patrick Bentrott, Executive Director of The Foundation for International Development Assistance (FIDA), spoke to our congregation about his work and experiences in Haiti. He was inspiring, and during the Diving Deeper discussion offered the possibility of a tour of Haiti in 2019 for a small group interested.

Shepherd of the Hills received a special offering on May 6th to bless the Mohammadi family. The Mohammadi's, originally from Afghanistan, are a family that fled a war they did not want and left a home they had had for generations. Several members of Shepherd of the Hills have helped along the way to aid their transition. Jill Thomas or Rob Hart will share with us Sunday, May 6th prior to receiving the special offering a little more about this resilient family. The Mohammadi family will join us for Worship the following Sunday, May 13th.

Much of what passes as information about Islam is weed-like disinformation rooted in stereotype and watered by fear. In The Jesus Fatwah, Islamic and Christian scholars offer reliable information about what Muslims believe, how they live out their faith, and how we all can be about building relationships across the lines of faith. 

This event is a kickoff/organizing meeting to set the agenda for the newly formed Phoenix/Maricopa County wing of the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance (APSA) organization. 

Sunday, May 13, 12:15 pm
Church of the Good Shepherd, Albuquerque

Please join us for a community forum focused on Medical Marijuana. How does it work? What conditions is it used for? Is this just “snake oil” or a genuine modern medicine? Bring your questions to the presentation of the science behind this controversial, very old, but “new” adjunct to Western Medicine.

Thursday, May 3, 2018, 7 am

We will walk 7 times in silence the block around the ICE building.

YES, you may come to the training even if you’re not sure that you will be able or willing to do accompaniment. If your congregation has a guest now, or may have one in the future, it will be useful for you to understand what accompaniment involves.