Please meet the Rev. Carlos Ramírez Sosa, new pastor of Church of the Painted Hills UCC in Tucson. We welcome you as a newly ordained minister to the Southwest Conference UCC!
It was a wonderful service, and the congregation of CPH congratulates Rev. Carlos on this step in his faith journey.
The Search Committee and Board of Directors of First Christian Church of Las Cruces, proudly invites you to join them as we celebrate the Installation of their new pastor, Rev. Patrick Crocker. They will celebrate this blessed occasion through a special service of worship at 3:00 PM on Sunday, July 28th. The service will include covenanting with the Christian Church of the Southwest, Disciples of Christ represented by Regional Connection Minister, Rev. Kim Fields-Haley and the United Church of Christ Southwest Conference represented by Dr. Rev. Toni Hawkins.
Free movie matinee: On Thursday August 8th, at 1:30, Desert Garden UCC in Sun City West will offer a complimentary showing of "God and Country," a film produced by Rob Reiner which offers insight into the pitfalls and dangers of American Christian nationalism. The film delves into how Christian nationalism affects American politics, education, law, and social issues. Through interviews, analysis, and storytelling the movie examines separation of church and state, religious freedom, and inclusiveness. With seating for about 100 viewers, the public is invited. Beverages and snacks will be served. It’s also available on various streaming services.
Each month, First Congregational in Prescott focuses on a different mission partner. In July, the emphasis is on SNAP (Special Needs Activity Program), created by the City of Prescott in the early 2000s to offer social, creative, and educational opportunities for Prescott area adults with developmental and/or cognitive disabilities. The SNAP program consists of: Dances, Bingo, and Crafts. The dances are held monthly and bring an average of 120 people together. Bingo is also held monthly and is a great opportunity for socializing with the average number of participants at 25. Craft nights provide an outlet for at least 25 participants.
Scottsdale UCC members will once again gather at Mingus Springs Camp on Labor Day weekend to experience cool mountain air, fun, fellowship, food, hiking, naps, worship, games, nature walks, laughter, pine trees, spiritual blessings, fishing, crafts, firepit evenings under glorious starry skies, the famous Talentless Talent Show, and the very best opportunity to develop deep and lasting relationships. An SCUCC tradition.
In keeping with “Plastic Free July,” the Creation Care team at Rincon handed out reusable sandwich bags yesterday morning. They are dishwasher safe, BPA- and PVC-free, and made from 100% food grade materials. In addition, two new books were donated to the church library that give lots of good ideas for going plastic-free:
• How to Go Plastic Free: Eco Tips for Busy People
• How to Give Up Plastic: A Guide to Changing the World, One Plastic Bottle at a Time
After worship last Sunday, members of Church of the Red Rocks gathered at a congregational meeting and voted unanimously to purchase a state of the art PV Solar System to be installed by Rooftop Solar of Flagstaff. David Stabenfeldt introduced the Solar Fund Committee, the theme, and the goal of raising $77,500 by inviting members and friends to "purchase" 100 solar panels at $775 each. The Solar Evaluation Committee brought this recommendation after learning that the proposed clean energy solar system will reduce CRR's billings from APS by $12,000 (or more) annually (from $17,500 to $5,500) with a proportional reduction in fossil fuel usage.
Church of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque is 2/3 of the way to their goal to fund the solar panel project for their church. They’re set to sign their contract and construction will begin. Additionally, Interfaith Power and Light’s consulting engineers began conducting an energy audit of the whole facility. Their recommendations may be very useful in continuing to move COGS toward being a sustainable and green church. The audit will make them eligible, if needed, for an interest-free bridge loan from Interfaith Power and Light.
Pastor Len Silvester and wife Liz sent greetings to Church of the Red Rocks (and perhaps all the other churches that Len has served!), from Lake Como, Italy. “Buongiorno ... we are in the village of Lenno for July, in an apartment that sits directly on top of a gelato factory/shop. No need to go anywhere! We are well and having a great summer.”
June was designated “kid month” for the Mission Committee at Black Mountain UCC. They collected school supplies and purchased 4 large boxes of diapers. Those items, along with a donated baby stroller and clothing, were delivered earlier this month to University Presbyterian Church, collection point for the East Valley Refugee Network. The Network supports Centro de Esperanza, a refugee shelter and resource center in Sonoyta, MX. July is “hair” month and 28 bottles of shampoo and conditioner were also delivered. The Mission team has also agreed to sponsor 50 washcloths per month to be included in the hygiene kits that are sent to Centro. Centro is handing the kits out to refugees that have been returned to Mexico without being able to claim asylum.
Urgent needs for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and help with transportation are on-going at the Casa Alitas refugee processing center in Tucson. The Compassion on the Border (CoB) team at Casas Adobes responds by purchasing and delivering approximately $500 of needed food items to Casa Alitas the first week of every month throughout the year. This month, the identified need was for soup cups. The photo shows CoB’s July donation ready to be delivered. In addition to providing food for hungry stomachs, CoB members seek to bring moments of joy to the children at the shelter by making dozens of soft, cuddly toy chicks. In order to provide the financial resources that allow the monthly donations, Compassion on the Border relies on the sale of items hand-crafted by CoB members. A new item recently offered for sale is a Doggie Bandana.
Come to the 2024 National Gathering of the UCC Open and Affirming Coalition under the theme “Resistance and Persistence: Hope Reigns.” This year’s event is a powerful call to embrace hope, patience, and perseverance as we navigate challenging times. Don't miss this inspiring gathering featuring dynamic speakers, insightful workshops, and meaningful worship experiences. Registration includes most meals (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches) and your ticket to the ONA Gala—a short program, banquet meal, and dance party! Topics include Community Organizing and Advocacy, Self-Care and Healing, Worship and Spiritual Practices, Pushing Back Against White Nationalism, and more. Everyone is welcome! Whether you're an individual, a church representative, or someone looking to connect with others in the LGBTQ+ affirming faith movement, join us. We encourage each church to send at least two representatives to receive guidance on organizing and expanding their ONA missions. This gathering is a unique opportunity to hear about and contribute to the future direction of the coalition. Representatives will help organize churches into geographical networks, fostering valuable connections and sharing experiences.
From United Church of Santa Fe:
For Students and Teachers Going Back to School . . .
May God give you the grace never to sell yourself short;
grace to risk something big for something good;
grace to remember that the world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love.
So, may God take your minds and think through them;
may God take your lips and speak through them;
may God take your hearts and set them on fire.
Go with our blessing. Amen
-Rev. William Sloane Coffin, Yale University Chaplain (1958 – 1975)
Benediction for Annual Opening Assembly