Jottings 7/17/2023

Pastor Sarah feels totally overwhelmed with gratitude for the amazing people at Church of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque!  George Newby and Grace Grant courageously signed up as guests on Sarah’s first ever LIVE “Spilling Tea with Boomers (and a GenX)” on TikTok. The episode exuded humor, wisdom and genuine love for community. Check out her TikTok account here.



In May, Church of the Palms purchased a new bus. It is used for a myriad of purposes: transport to worship, transport IHELP guests, transport asylum seekers to the bus station or airport, special field trips or events.  What an asset to their mission!

Brendan Mahoney and Gordon Street from First Church Phoenix started cleaning out their closets and drawers and came up with their 1st round of of donations to Welcome Center. Can they be an example to the rest of us?


In the next UCC Nurture the Soul Summer Artist Series, you will be joined by musicians and songwriters from the Convergence Music Project. Listen to folks like Bryan Sirchio, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan and Tracy Howe share their latest work as well as exciting developments with CMP.   Thursday, July 20, 3:30pm ET - Summer Artist Series IV: Convergence Music Project



On Tuesdays, from July 25th through August 22nd,  from 6:00 - 8:00 pm via Zoom, join the Arizona Faith Network community for an 18-month series on Religious Nationalism- America’s Unholy Ghosts. This series follows the successful in-person events on Christian Nationalism held in June, 2023. The series starts with a five-part film series based on Joel Goza's latest book: "America’s Unholy Ghosts: The Racist Roots of Our Faith and Politics."  The series will explore religious nationalism’s impact on each of us. We’ll watch films and read books to include in-depth conversations followed by in-person trainings on how to engage with those who believe differently than we do. CLICK/TAP HERE TO RSVP


First Church Phoenix has a new idea for their newsletter.  Folks can turn in a “Shout Out” to someone and it will be posted for all to read.


Diana Winston from Scottsdale Congregational recently joined Eddie Chavez-Calderon and two others from Jews for Justice to make deliveries of water and other useful items to people living on the streets in downtown Phoenix. They also distributed about 100 tote bags, each packed with a shirt, hat, socks, a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and assorted snacks. When the tote bags ran out, they had brown paper bags filled with snacks. The group also provided dog food and extra water to several dog owners. Text on the side of the bus: “Let's Be Better Humans."



National Night Out, a neighborhood block party, will take place on 8/1 at 6pm in the church parking lot at First Congregational in Prescott. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community, bringing police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Millions of neighbors take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities from all fifty states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide on the first Tuesday in August.