The soil’s going into the raised gardens at Desert Palm, part of their project in collaboration with the City of Tempe’s “Resiliency Hub Network.” Thanks to Master Gardener Dr Sue (and daughter Lee) for their leadership!
Arizona Faith Network’s Annual Gathering and Faith & Community Fair! On Monday, December 9, 2024, join us at the beautiful Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, AZ, or online as we unite diverse faith communities around this year’s dynamic theme: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers: Peacemakers in Action. Get ready for a memorable morning with keynote speaker Rev. Eugene Cho, President/CEO of Bread for the World, as we dive into what it truly means to be peacemakers in an increasingly divided world. To register as an individual attendee of the 2024 Annual Gathering, visit this link and click on REGISTER.
Recently Desert Garden United Church of Christ partnered with AZStRUT and the Area Agency on Aging to hold a Techie Camp for senior refugees. Eleven refugees from the Area Agency on Aging’s MOSAIC Senior Refugee Program participated in the Techie Camp along with the director of MOSAIC program and two case managers who acted as interpreters. Among the students there were three different languages-- Dari, Ukrainian, and Russian. Each student learned the different components of a computer and then received a refurbished laptop computer. Several students had not used a computer before. Therefore, they received instructions on the basics of turning on a computer, using a mouse and learning how the internet can be utilized to work in their native language. Renee Weiss, director, from Area Agency on Aging said that to her knowledge this was the first program of its type in the Phoenix area for senior refugees. Funding for this Techie Camp was provided by Desert Garden’s Mission Outreach Ministry
Right now, the Open and Affirming Coalition of the UCC is tracking over 530 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that threaten the mental, emotional, and physical health of our community. These harmful laws aim to silence and marginalize LGBTQ+ people. The Justice 100 Campaign is a powerful call to action for friends, family, and allies of the Coalition. The Coalition is looking for at least 100 individuals, churches, and organizations to form teams and raise $1,000 each by asking 10 people to contribute $100. The goal is to raise a minimum of $100,000 in new funds, directly supporting the work to affirm dignity, create inclusion, and build justice for LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized communities. If starting a team isn't your thing, you can still make an incredible impact by donating to the campaign.
Pastor Michael from Casas Adobes met Bobby Joe when he performed for the Wild Goose Festival in North Carolina. In addition to being an award-winning singer/songwriter, Bobby Jo has a compelling story about his own spiritual journey and the importance of affirmation and inclusion in our faith communities. He is currently on a national tour, singing primarily in open and affirming churches, now I’m living Casas Adobes!
The weight of this week falls with heaviness and heartbreak upon many of us. Pastor Sue from First Congregational in Albuquerque passed along that the UCC has an Election Season Spiritual Care Package (Soul Nourishment in a Time of Life-Denying Rhetoric).
Send Christmas greetings while also providing friends and family a practical tool to prepare for disasters. These Christmas Cards from UCC Disaster Ministries include a complete list of what to include in your ‘Go-Bag’ when disaster strikes. Order
Good Shepherd United Church of Christ will host “Common Ground on the Border,” a three-day conference in Sahuarita, Arizona, 15 miles south of Tucson, on January 16-18, 2025. This year’s theme is “From Border to Belonging: A celebration of commitment, compassion, and community across the US/Mexico borderlands.” The United States-Mexico borderlands has always been a beautiful mix of culture, language, cuisine, economies, and people. It has also been a place of struggle, high and low temperatures, a fragile environment, and the push and pull of immigration.
The Borderlands is the perfect place to explore the arts, touch the culture, and have deeper conversations about the complicated issues that collide here. Common Ground is especially important this year as we move into a different Administration. The conference includes field trips in the border area, keynote addresses, classes, a concert, and an evening with Delores Huerta, organizer with Caesar Chavez of the United Farmworkers Union. Registration fee of $125 covers participation in conference events and two dinners. More information and registration here.
Javarita Coffeehouse at The Good Shepherd UCC in Sahuarita will feature The No Label Jug Band on Friday, November 15th at 7:00pm. The No Label Jug Band is an ensemble of talented musicians and multi-instrumentalists from Tucson AZ performing a repertoire of music drawn from the early 20th century, specifically 78" rpm records. From ragtime and blues, to waltzes and fiddle tunes, the No Label Jug Band curates a fun and entertaining experience. Tix $15.
Thank you Rev. Lynne Hinton for posting this:
I know you are tempted
To stay home this Sunday,
to wear your pajamas
and keep the kettle warm
and sit alone on your sofa.
If you can find the strength,
if you can muster up the courage,
If you can yield not to the temptation of isolation and self-pity and sorrow,
go to church.
Your pastor needs you
Your friends need you
And even though it seems highly unlikely to you right now,
you need them too.
Warble out the hymns
Light the candles
Pray in unison
Kneel and bow your head
next to another.
You don’t know their trouble
but they will know you’re there
and in the warble
and the prayers
and from the light of more than one candle
you will know they are there
too.
Pastor Guillermo from Church of the Red Rocks and Pastors Michael and John from Casas Adobes offer you these words written by tennis player, Venice Williams, an African-American woman.
You are awakening to the
same country you fell asleep to.
The very same country. . .
Continue to do the good work.
Continue to build bridges not walls.
Continue to lead with compassion.
Continue the demanding work
of liberation for all.
Continue to dismantle broken systems,
large and small.
Continue to set the best example
for the children.
Continue to be a vessel of nourishing joy.
Continue right where you are.
Right where you live into your days.
Do so in the name of
The Creator who expects
nothing less from each of us.
And if you are not "continuing"
ALL of the above,
in community, partnership, collaboration?
What is it you have been doing?
What is it you are waiting for?
If the registration fee is out of your reach, please email Rev. Derek Terry, Coalition Program Director to see if any scholarships are available: ONA@openandaffirming.org
"November is for Indigenous Theology and Decolonization!"
Friends,
As you know, we are learning about and connecting with God through multiple theological perspectives this year. November is for Indigenous Theology and Decolonization!
On Thursday, November 14, we are hosting a campfire and open discussion around Decolonization 101. Come learn, listen, question! We will be serving "walking tacos" and a s'mores bar around a warming campfire...if the weather permits.
Finally, Thursday, November 21 is our annual Friendsgiving Reunion! Students, Alumni, Friends, and Board Members old and new are all invited for a holiday potluck. Bring a friend and a side dish from your culture, country, or heritage to create a beautiful potluck.
Take some time to check on each other this month. When hate is loud, love must be louder.
Blessings,
Pastor Rhonda, Open Table Connection