It was “Red Sunday “ last week at United Church of Sun City. For Valentine’s Day, I’m sure.
First Christian Church in Las Cruces has welcomed Rev. Patrick Crocker for the next 6 months as their extended term pastor. His duties will include preparation and preaching for services and providing pastoral care for congregational members in need. The search committee will begin creating a church profile.
Since there have been many questions about the “Jesus...One of Us” ad campaign aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday, Casas Adobes spent some time yesterday analyzing the campaign language and funding. Would Jesus spend $100 million dollars on an ad campaign?
The UCC Open and Affirming Coalition's Leadership Team and Executive Director Search Committee are very excited to announce the new Executive Director of the Coalition: Rev. Dr. Katrina Roseboro-Marsh. After a months long search process with many excellent applicants, the Search Committee saw that Dr. Marsh was uniquely situated, with her skillset and experience, to lead the Coalition forward. If you'd like to learn more about her, you can view the press release here.
Join Shepherd of the Hills each Friday at 5:30 p.m. throughout Lent to pray the Stations of the Cross, a 14-step devotion that commemorates Jesus' journey to the Cross. The stations focus on specific events of His last day and are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage where folks experience each station with a modern-day bent. The 30 minute prayer pilgrimage concludes with fellowship on the church patio.
The Casas Adobes Congregational’s Justice, Advocacy, and Mission team is joining Pima County Justice for All in their petition drive. The goal is to place an initiative on the 2024 ballot that, if passed, would allow the establishment of legal services in Pima County for migrants going to Immigration Court. Only approximately 3% of people who appear without a lawyer are able to stop their deportation, but this percentage goes up to over 60% when an attorney is involved. On Sunday, Feb. 26, folks will have the opportunity to sign a petition if you are a registered voter in Pima County. There will also be extra petitions that folks can take and pass.
Desert Palm UCC is asking folks to consider identifying something they are especially concerned about (i.e. their health or the health of a loved one, the suffering of people in Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of the earthquake, or the victims in yet another mass shooting, etc.). Slips of paper to write on were available at church and will be at the Ash Wednesday service. On Ash Wednesday, those who would like to, can walk the labyrinth, placing their slip of paper in the flame at the center. The slips turned in earlier from others will be added. The ashes will be used in the short outdoor service which will include the imposition of ashes.
On the 3rd Thursday of every month, First Congregational in Albuquerque provides a meal of meatloaf, mac & cheese, green beans and apple crisp to feed 200 homeless at Hopeworks. Starting this month, they will supplement that meal with bananas, apples, and oranges, (a “Fruit Basket”) so the homeless have some nutritious fruit to take along with them after the meal.
And there was/is jazz!
Church of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque welcomed the Route 66 Revelers to worship yesterday. Folks enjoyed the toe tapping sounds of this fine, local Dixieland Band as they celebrated the last days before Lent “Mardi Gras” style.
Rincon’s Congregational Life Ministry will hold a Fat Tuesday celebration and Jambalaya Cook-Off Contest. Folks will have the opportunity to taste and vote (with their money!) for five jambalayas from five cooks and enjoy King cake and cornbread. All proceeds will support Rincon’s work in de-centering whiteness. There will be a mask making table and lots beads- and, of course, jazz will be playing!
First Congregational in Prescott welcomed Mood Swing as their musical guests yesterday. Mood Swing is a band that started in 2015 playing swing and jazz music at many venues in Northern Arizona. Selections included “What a Wonderful World,” “Amazing Grace,” “Pennies from Heaven,” and “Wade in the Water.” The sermon title was “Jazz and Theology”.
The Church of the Beatitudes Arts Council presented the Nicole Pesche Quartet at their Jazz Coffee House last evening.
Yesterday afternoon, Shepherd of the Hills welcomed a jazz group that performed early jazz tunes from American hotspots such as New Orleans and New York's Tin Pan Alley. The instruments included a banjo, a piano, an organ, bass, guitar, saxophone and even a xylophone- an eclectic mix of musical instruments unlikely to be found anywhere else!