Mango (Service dog in training of Pastor Sarah of Church of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque) passed her final set of tests! She’s official! Training will be ongoing (we all continue to learn and grow!) but she has the skills she needs to work as a pro.
Below is a picture of unity among various faith traditions taken at the Arizona Week of Prayer for Christian Unity gathering. SWC Conference Minister Rev. Toni says “Let's pray for oneness that is more than a photo op but live it by faith in action. What a blessing to be in worship and fellowship with my judicatory colleagues and bishops! Thank you Rev. Rock Fremont for inviting me to be a part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.”
The Zero Waste, City of Phoenix, Green Business Award goes to First Church Phoenix! Congrats!
A five-week Lenten Zoom study series on The Greatest Prayer, by John Dominic Crossan will start at United Church of Santa Fe on Tuesday, Feb. 20th. Widely regarded as the foremost historical Jesus-scholar of our time, Crossan believes the Prayer is “both a revolutionary manifesto and a hymn of hope.”
As part of the Super Bowl activities at Encanto Community Church, they will be collecting soup to send to Nourish Phoenix. The Rev. Brad Smith started this “Tackle Hunger project” in 1990 with a prayer that, “as we enjoy the Super Bowl may we remember those who are without a bowl of soup to eat.”
This year, Encanto Community Church UCC will be joining First Church Phoenix and New Hope UCC in gathering for Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday. First Church UCC will host all three churches on Ash Wednesday and the music will be provided by musicians from First Church and New Hope. Rev. Susan Valiquette, Rev. Myra Taylor and Rev Gloria Smith will lead the service. Encanto Community Church UCC will host Maundy Thursday with music provided by their musicians. These three Phoenix churches will share a soup supper prior to the Maundy Thursday service.
First Christian Church of Las Cruces submitted their Church Profile to the appropriate UCC and DOC judicatory bodies in December and have begun to receive profiles. The anticipate taking a few months to receive profiles and then begin the process of discernment.
Access to, and discussion of, reproductive healthcare is not only a political concept, it is a religious one. This will be the focus of a special online event on Sunday, Feb.11 from 3 to 5 p.m., featuring the Rev. Rebecca Todd “Toddie” Peters. Peters will explore the intersection of faith and issues of reproductive justice. This webinar is sponsored by the National UCC. Read
First Congregational in Albuquerque is thrilled to be steps closer to making the dream of a courtyard mosaic come true. Under the expert design and guidance of artist Lisa Domenici, they plan to complete the “tree of life” themed piece in time for their courtyard dedication in late August. The mosaic will be a representation of the heart of the church, including the various branches, always growing, of First’s ministries and outreach. Lisa will lead a series of “working workshops” where anyone can come learn to create many of the elements of the mosaic.
Nurture the Soul webinars from the National UCC office:
Thursday, February 8, 3:30pm ET - “Woke” Lent 2024: Join the Movement’s Lenten Series Launch
Thursday, February 15, 3:30pm ET - Reading for the Soul, “I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church!”
Thursday, February 22, 3:30pm ET - Thriving in Rural and Small-Town UCC Churches & Ministries (1 of 3)
Desert Palm has received an invitation by the City of Tempe to become a “Resilience Hub,” one of nine in a pilot project the City is carrying out. Participation would mean in times of emergency they’d become a resource for the community. So think emergency planning, disaster preparedness and community involvement. You can read more about the program here:
https://www.tempe.gov/government/sustainability-and-resilience/resilience-hub
IT’S MARDI GRAS TIME!!!! Congregational Life Ministry of Rincon invites you to join their Mardi Gras Celebration and Jambalaya Cook-Off Contest. No tickets or reservations are necessary. You will have the opportunity to taste seven different jambalayas prepared by members of the Rincon family and then vote for your favorite with your money. All proceeds will go to Rincon’s Primavera and Casa Maria feeding programs.
Desert Garden is looking for house watchers for the Men’s Fellowship house watch program. House watchers, on a weekly basis, visually inspect the outside of the customer’s home and sweep sidewalks when necessary. Inside the home inspection includes inspecting for water leaks, running water in sinks and baths and flushing toilets. The price for this service is $55/month. Funds generated are used for church projects, i.e. parking lot resurfacing, the church sound system and service streaming equipment, Fellowship Hall lighting, etc., and contributions to local charities such as the Valley View Food Bank.
Climate Hope Summer Fellowship Grants
Grants of $2,500 are given to UCC churches, conferences, and associations as well as UCC-affiliated theological schools and non-profit organizations for the purposes of developing and furthering the work of youth and young adult leaders in the movement for climate justice. Grant applications are due March 1st. Apply now.