Scottsdale UCC will begin a new antiracism book study by reading "The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America" on 3 Thursday mornings beginning October 24th from 10:00-11:30 am. The book was long listed for the 2019 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR NONFICTION. Grandin, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, presents a new and eye-opening interpretation of the meaning of the frontier, from early westward expansion to Trump’s border wall.
Andover Newton seminary awarded the Spirit of the Hill Award to Randy Mayer, pastor of The Good Shepherd in Sahuarita, for embodying the excellence in pastoral leadership that AN Seminary teaches. Well-deserved!
While recovering from an illness, Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer stayed in Cleveland but was able to participate in the National Council of Churches governing Board meeting by Zoom. He was elected Board Chair and will spend the next two years leading this historic body of courageous leaders. John prays "that the tolerance and acceptance of religious views long embraced by this body infuse the world with a desire for peace, love, and understanding." Congratulations!
When the congregation of Rincon UCC voted to establish a full-time migrant shelter, their initial commitment was to operate for six months with an evaluation at that time. They are now conducting that evaluation. But regardless of the outcome, thanks to the efforts, time, and generosity of many volunteers, over 1500 men, women, and children received a warm welcome, warm food, and warm showers on their journey to new homes.
First Congregational of Albuquerque held a Gratitude Dinner and Silent Auction yesterday. They decided to include the children in this year's auction by having a special Children's Corner where kids can bid on items that range in price from $1.00 to $10.00. There were plenty of items for everyone to bid on, and each child could only win 1 item so that nobody went home empty-handed.
At Church of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque On Oct 27th at 12:45 pm, Tom Schellenbach, a gay former Franciscan priest, will discuss his personal evolution while studying for and serving for five decades within the Catholic Church. His work as a priest took him from the verdant hollers of rural Kentucky to the spare, open beauty of Navajo country in the Southwest. As told in his unsparing memoir, THE BOOK OF TOM - A Journey to Authenticity, he offers a rare look into the life of a priest, revealing the loneliness and alienation many priests struggle with as they pursue their dedication to serve. He will detail his halting exit from the priesthood, and his coming out at a time when homosexuality was more commonly met with hostility and fear.
Witness for Justice at Church of the Red Rocks is collecting 2020 calendars for the Sedona non-profit, The Giving Angels. The Giving Angels provides Christmas gifts for local low-income seniors and would like to provide calendars for the 6-700 Christmas baskets they will make up this December. We all receive many free calendars every year; way too many to use. This is an easy, no-cost way to help a low-income senior.
This Tuesday, October 22, the folks at El Calvario United Methodist Church in Las Cruces are going to take 240 meals of hot dogs and beans to the asylum seekers being held in Mexico. Members of First Christian UCC/DOC will help by preparing pots of boiled pinto beans and taking them to El Calvario on Tuesday morning.
Throughout the year, First Congregational UCC in Prescott continues to help documented immigrant students needing assistance to meet their educational expenses. Most of their aid has been to assist Franceny, a junior at Prescott College and Franciso, a senior at the U of A. Donations to their DACA Fund are always welcome.
Shepherd of the Hills will be building with Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, November 16th to help build a home for the Garcia/Molina family. Raymond and Monique have three children; Raymond Jr., Jonah, and Gracie. Raymond has worked at a water company for the last three years, and Monique focuses on raising their children. They teach their children the importance of creating bonds in a community through being active in fellowship with their church.