The UCC ONA Coalition celebrates First Christian Church in Las Cruces, NM being added to their list of Open and Affirming churches! FCC is both Disciples of Christ and UCC and originally voted to be Open and Affirming in 2004! Since they are also UCC, they are now listed as ONA church #1,820! Thank you for being a blessing in your community, FCC!
Reverend Randy Mayer from The Good Shepherd UCC has invited the members of Oro Valley UCC to take a trip to Mexico just south of the border to see the border wall, visit La Casa de Misericordia, and enjoy lunch together in Mexico on Saturday, July 15th.
Send your old cloth masks to The Good Shepherd - they are collecting old cloth masks that will be washed and recycled into dolls and stuffed animals for the shelters in Mexico and in Tucson. (The Good Shepherd UCC, 17750 S La Cañada, Sahuarita, AZ 85629)
In addition to Storehouse West and Haven House, St Paul's UCC in Rio Rancho, NM has added St Felix's Food Pantry to their outreach missions. St. Felix distributes food five days per week and assists Rio Rancho residents who need help with their mortgage payments, utilities or rent.
Some suggested summer reading:
June's book of the month at Rincon is The Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land.
Summer reading at Casas Adobes is Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell and Don Golden.
General Synod begins this week. Before the big vote, meet GMP nominee Karen Georgia Thompson and hear her “vision of hope” for UCC.
Shepherd of the Hills will be worshiping with their friends at Prince of Peace Lutheran during the month of July! Starting next Sunday, July 2, 2023, Prince of Peace friends will join Shepherd on their campus for worship, and the following week Shepherd will pick up and go to their campus. Prince of Peace is located right around the corner on 56th Street.
The kids at Scottsdale UCC are planning a “Circular Recycle” outdoor event for Sunday July 2nd. At 11am. All things circles and recycling. Sounds fun.
Suggested “circles of fun” so far:
Hoops Basketball with prizes
Drum circle with homemade drums and percussion instruments
Ring Toss with prizes
Musical Wet Chairs with prizes
Mask painting
Pokemon trading card table
Fortune teller hut
Dance circle
Throw the dart in the circle game with prizes.
Dunk a duck in a circular pool
The Arts Council at Church of the Beatitudes will be dedicating 3 paintings on July 2nd.
"Reflections" by Norm Wilson
Norm had a career as an educator in the Peoria District. He and his wife Ann are 50 year members of Church of the Beatitudes and now residing at the campus. After retiring, Norm resumed his art career, becoming active in prestigious organizations.
“Red Leaf" by Tomy Deny
Tom is an architect and a Navy Vet. He lives at the Beatitudes campus. Tom and wife Arlene joined the church early in their marriage. Tom uses gold leaf in his work and Red Leaf is no exception.
“Nor'easter" by Julie Frye
Julie has been an active member of CoB for 50 years. Julie is on the Arts Council and was a long time member of the choir.
Arizona Faith Network recently collaborated with partner organizations to organize and present events in both Tucson and Phoenix on the important issue of Christian Nationalism. Amanda Tyler, JD, executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty) and lead organizer of the BJC's Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign, spoke at both events, which drew a combined audience of over 300 people.
The Phoenix event included a panel discussion including Amanda Tyler, Dr. Jason Bruner, and Rev. Caleb Campbell, moderated by Rev. Dr. Dontá McGilvery. Partner organizations included BJC, Christians Against Christian Nationalism, Secular AZ, and Disarming Leviathan.
Click/tap here to watch a Zoom video recording of the Phoenix event
First Congregational in Albuquerque is sharing alternative versions of the Lord’s Prayer each Sunday this summer. (This is one of my favorites, so I include it for you to ponder. Holly)
Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever.
Amen.
~ New Zealand Prayer Book
On a lighter note, Ten Summer Prayers- offered by United Church of Santa Fe
God, make it warm enough so my tomatoes will grow but not so hot that I can’t sleep with the window open.
Help me not to hyperventilate in a secluded place where I can’t get cell phone service.
Lord, I know you “send rain on the just and unjust,” but please not the week I’m off.
May the hammock be soft and the book absorbing.
Please remind me of the vacation message I put on my email: “Thank you for your email. I am away from my office/desk/computer/phone.”
I pray to remember nobody really cares what I look like in my bathing suit...right, God?
Make me tolerant of others on the road and attentive to my own driving.
Please God—no mosquitoes, no poison ivy, no airport delays, no deer ticks.
Help me relish the gift of your Sabbath time.
A sudden thundershower, fresh peaches, a mouthful of watermelon seeds, crushed mint, new corn, a Frisbee game: For these I give you thanks, O God.