All are invited to experience the United Church of Sun City annual Christmas cantata! Singers will be accompanied by members of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra as they present "Let There Be Christmas" by composer Joseph Martin.
The four-week series on the UCC’s Nurture the Soul, starting Nov 30th, will bring us deep into the Advent story, from escaping the violence of Herod, to journeying through the desert, to being left outside to give birth. Hosted by Rev. Tracy Howe and featuring guests from across the National Setting of the United Church of Christ and Local Church pastors around the country, we will consider how these stories are still unfolding in the forms of repression, migration and the housing crisis.
Ready to make Christmas happier for some children, the members at Casas Adobes kick off their annual Keeling Elementary School Christmas toy drive.
Casas Adobes will also discover Advent anew through visual art and poetry. Designed for everyone (no art experience necessary -- just curiosity!), this interactive presentation invites folks to explore a different artwork each week for four weeks by imagining the Advent character’s perspectives, moods, and feelings through close-looking, deep questioning, and reflection. Participants will ponder the extraordinary in the ordinary and consider how Advent speaks to each of us individually and in community.
The Church of the Painted Hills (CPH) Crop Walk Team was one of seven church teams that participated in this year's Crop Walk. Once again, this small church had a lot of generous support to help end hunger in Tucson and around the world. Of the total $8872 raised for the Tucson Crop Hunger Walk, CPH raised $1351. Congratulations!
At First Congregational in Albuquerque, on Sunday, December 3rd, Adrien Lawyer, of the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico, is giving a Transgender Fluency training after church. This powerful training will surprise attendees with what they don’t know! And pizza will be served!
The Rincon community is exceedingly generous and has always stepped up when asked to donate food to those in need. But how does someone without a kitchen, or without kitchen tools open a can of food? To make canned food more accessible, the Faith Development Ministry team will be collecting manual can openers during each Sunday in Advent. New or used, these simple tools can make a huge difference. The can openers will be donated to ICS to distribute to those in need of such a tool.
This week, Pastor Rock had the opportunity to welcome the boys and girls, coordinators, leaders, and staff of the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts of America into the Shepherd of the Hills sanctuary on their Duty to God Hike. This 10-stop, 5.7 mile hike took the group to faith communities throughout Arcadia to discuss "The Commandments of God." As stop #4, SOH broke open the commandment, "Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy," and talked about Shepherd of the Hills' varied ministries and commitment to the community, hoping to instill the spirit of service to the group.
In 1997, The Church of the Palms started hosting a Thanksgiving meal. Pastor Len and his wife, Liz, provided the heart and soul and the stuffing, with the congregation providing the rest of the food and the welcome. The radical hospitality of that tradition continues to this day (and Len and Liz still provide the stuffing!). This year was the 25th anniversary of this community event.
The time has come to register for Common Ground on the Border at The Good Shepherd UCC in Sahuarita! The Friday night concert will feature Namoli Brennet. There will be border lectures, making murals with Sr. Lika, and the wonderful new film about Samaritan Shura Wallin. See all the details at www.commongroundontheborder.wordpress.com.
Rev. Dr. Marvin Morgan’s last Sunday at Church of the Red Rocks was November 26. He has finished his Intentional Interim work and will be heading out of Sedona for his drive home to Atlanta. Rev. Len Silvester will “bridge” until a new pastor is called. His first Sunday will be December 3, 2023.
