Encanto’s pastor apprentice ellie works with women at the Perryville Women's Prison. She became aware that positive books supportive to women are in short supply there, and is asking for donations from personal libraries or books that can be utilized for group book studies (multiple copies?). Specifically, she is looking for between 20-30 copies of Lisa Sharon Harper's The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right, available via Amazon Smile. Any churches out there that can help with this?
First Christian Church in Las Cruces is resuming its “Dinner 6/7/8” as a way to get to know folks in the congregation and as a way to renew relationships after the pandemic. Folks are invited to join into groups of 6, 7, or 8 (couples or singles). Once a month each group gets together, taking turns rotating Hosting duties. After 4 months, groups are shuffled and it starts over again.
On Aug 4th, a press conference was held at First Church Phoenix detailing the confiscation of personal articles by Border Patrol in Yuma. An article appeared in the Arizona Republic with details.
UCC “Join the Movement” Capital Campaign: The Pinnacle (viewing the world from a God-inspired place). This 3-year campaign will support anti-racism training, grants, leadership training, storytelling events, and collaboration with partners working to create a Just World for All. An endowment will also be created to ensure that the UCC carries out racial justice work for generations. The online public launch of the Join the Movement campaign will be on September 15, 2022, at 7:00 pm EDT. 3-year goal: $8 million. To read stories about, participate in, and be inspired by this campaign, visit Join The Movement. To witness the online public launch of this historic campaign, register here.
First Congregational UCC in Albuquerque held a service in memory of the four Muslim men killed in their city. Rev. Lynne Hinton wrote a powerful prayer that Pastor Sue read at the memorial. Click HERE to read it.
From Church of the Palms: Crucial Learning master trainer Justin Hale gives two outstanding tips that will instantly help you in conversations with people you disagree with.
Congregational Church of the Valley and Black Mountain UCC have long been supporters of UMOM. UMOM now has a 12,000-square-foot warehouse! The additional space with the new warehouse will make it possible for UMOM to accept a more expansive variety of donations as well as large pallet donations from big-box stores. UMOM will also be able to accept furniture and household items that we previously could not take due to limited space. Providing these types of items to clients as they transition from shelter to their new home will directly impact their stability and success. All donations will be received at the new location at 2107 E. Magnolia Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034, beginning September 1. The hours of operation will be Monday-Friday, 8-5 and Saturday, 8-3 pm. If you have questions, or would like to schedule a furniture pick up, please contact the donation center at donationcenter@umom.org or call 623.401.1939.
For many years, Scottsdale UCC worked with Family Promise of Greater Phoenix to host homeless families for 4 separate weeks during the year. During Covid, they suspended that mission, but are now beginning again!! The families arrive on Sunday afternoon and leave the following Sunday morning. During the week they leave the campus each morning to go to the Family Promise Day Center and from there many of the adults go to work or continue their job search while the kids go to school.
Desert Voices is Tucson's premier LGBTQIA+ chorus. They strive to bring quality performances and the harmony of community to Tucson, giving voice to those whose songs go unheard. Desert Voices begins its fall season with open house rehearsals on August 24th and 31st from 6:45 to 9:15 pm, at Rincon Congregational Church.
Shepherd of the Hills (SOH) is pleased by the progress they are making as they work with the Afghan family of 10(!) seeking asylum here. It takes a village, and SOH Is sharing the work of support with Community of Christ, Phoenix Congregation, the Arcadia Ward of the Church of Latter Day Saints and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. They have also been able to partner with organizations supported by Shepherd of the Hills to provide goods and services for the family. The Diaper Bank of Central Arizona has donated diapers for the youngest children, and Nourish Phoenix will provide food boxes for the family on a regular basis!