Palm Sunday at United Church of Sun City was a day of great joy that included Pastor Brady’s privilege of officiating at the baptism of his great niece, Autumn. Big sister Linnea, their mom and dad, Jarod (nephew) and Karlea, and Grandma Betty were all visiting.
We are reminded by Pastor Talitha at United Church of Santa Fe that the Christian celebration of Easter isn’t just one day but 50 days of feasting and rejoicing in new life. Trusting God’s new life throughout Easter’s 50 days can take as much intentionality as any Lenten discipline. So, on Easter Sunday, church attendees received an “Eastertide Journal” with 50 blank pages to record at least one experience of new life each of Eastertide’s 50 days. It could be as simple as a new bud on a geranium in a window or as glorious as a Santa Fe sunrise. It might be a conversation with a good friend or something new you learned that day. Taking time each day to record one experience of new life is a way to strengthen our own trust that God is a God of life and that God is still at work in this world.
Last year's Flower Cross at Church of the Red Rocks reminds us of the many ways we welcome New Life during the Easter Season. I just loved this picture and thought it could be the first entry in my “Eastertide Journal”. (Holly)
Pastor Sarah from Church of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque will be defending her Doctor of Ministry portfolio on April 15. Her research topic is "Digital Ministry as Decolonial Praxis." It discusses digital tools for ministry and how we can use them to decolonize oppressive systems, amplify marginalized voices, and transform the church for the better. Click here to download the pdf guide to the website or just go to disorganizedreligion.fun and explore!
New Hope UCC soon will be the newest local congregation in the UCC Southwest Conference. First Church Phoenix has been the UCC sponsoring church during the last year, and at their annual meeting earlier this month, they voted unanimously to recommend New Hope be received as a new congregation within the Southwest Conference. Formal acceptance will happen at the SWC’s annual meeting at Shepherd of the Hills UCC in Phoenix on April 26-27. Pastor Myra is a force of nature. She grew up on the south side of Chicago and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master's degree in divinity, and is just about done with her doctorate in “womanist preaching.” Her UCC experience is extensive, most recently as Senior Pastor of Galewood Community UCC in Chicago.
Last Wednesday, the Black Mountain UCC Council voted to offer Rev. Dr. George Ault a 3 year Designated Term Call to serve Black Mountain effective April 1. Easter Sunday was the last Sunday for Transitional Minister Rev Dr. Tina Campbell and the church sends her out full of thanksgiving for her time with them.
Rev. Lorraine Ceniseros, Conference Minister in Kansas-Oklahoma UCC, was the liturgist Sunday at Church of the Red Rocks. Lorraine began her ministry at Church of the Red Rocks several years ago.
When a recent IHELP (interfaith homeless program) graduate found housing, their next question was “How do I furnish it?” Church of the Palms had the answer- the Empty Room Busters! Sun City Christian Church has a space where donations of furniture and household goods are stored. Volunteers from the two churches had the new apartment furnished within hours!
Shepherd of the Hills is excited to announce that their relationship with the Early Education Co-op (EEC) Preschool has moved forward with the signing of a five year lease! There are some building updates still taking place, but the EEC employees will be moving in boxes and other items in the next few weeks. They will stage, decorate, and enhance the preschool building over the summer and open for classes in August.
The Wedge (Art) Gallery inside Scottsdale UCC has received a fresh coat of paint and hung a new exhibit that opened on Easter Sunday. They will share artwork by their own SCUCC Youth! They have been working on the theme “What Was I Made For?” (song by Billie Eilish from the Barbie movie) for many weeks now, and part of that process was to make self-portraits. The point is less about the actual art piece and more about the process of exploring their own selves. The hope is that, by sharing their work, folks will get to know them a little better, and perhaps start a conversation.
The Green Justice group at First Congregational in Albuquerque is selling T-shirts using a design by their own Caryl McHarney. This is not a fund-raiser, but a way of promoting the church and its Green Justice work. Plus, they are ordering from a local, women-owned company!