Rev. Dean Hokel died this past Saturday, September 21. Dean served the COM A well as the chairperson and very recently facilitated a great discussion about Project 2025 with the retired clergy. We offer our prayers and heartfelt condolences to his husband Craig and their community. May he rest in peace and love everlasting.
Members of First Christian Church in Las Cruces are helping support a mother and two sons from Afghanistan by purchasing homemade bolani. Bolani is a delicious fried Afghan flat bread stuffed with potatoes, leeks and cilantro. As with most refugees, the mother Majan has suffered terrible losses—her husband and father were killed in the war in Afganistan and she lost her 12-year old son after being separated from him at the Turkish border. With her two remaining sons, she was finally given refuge in Turkey and from there came to Las Cruces.
Last Sunday was an important service as Shepherd of the Hills gathered to ordain now Rev. Scott Borgeson through the International Council of Community Churches. Surrounded by family, friends, and the SOH congregation, Pastor Scott was blessed and sent forth to serve as a hospital chaplain at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center. Shepherd is incredibly grateful to be able to support him in this vital ministry to the community and have him be a part of the SOH congregation.
United Church of Santa Fe welcomes back composer and pianist (and friend of United’s Brad Ellingboe) Ken Medema for an afternoon of “Cookies, Conversation, and Concert” the second Saturday of November. United has sung Ken’s music for many years, which sings of God’s beauty, grace, and care. On Sat. Nov. 9, at 4 pm, Ken offers a concert of his music, including songs he will make up on the spot from attendees’ stories. Dessert at 3 pm will precede the concert.
New Hope UCC invites all in the Southwest Conference to their Bad Faith watch party on Saturday, September 28, 12 - 2 pm. New Hope is located at @Beatitudes Church, 555 W. Glendale Avenue, Phoenix. Learn more about this documentary and watch the trailer.
In case you missed the 2024 Sawitzki Lecture at Desert Garden UCC on September 24 by Rev. Caleb Campbell on Christian nationalism, you can watch the recording here.
Desert Palm will be celebrating the ministry of its former pastor, Rev. Dr John Herman, on Oct. 26th at 3:30 pm. John and wife Holly were interviewed a few weeks ago and the video of that conversation will be shown, then posted on the church’s website. A potluck will follow the presentation. A video with the church’s founding pastor, Rev Dr Don Arey with wife Lois, was filmed a year ago and celebrated at that time.
Church of the Painted Hills will host a Red Cross Blood Drive on Friday, October 11th from 9:00am to 2:00pm. To make an appointment: Call: 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Arizona Faith Network is asking folks to join Election Protection Arizona as a nonpartisan, volunteer poll monitor for the 2024 General Election! As a nonpartisan volunteer poll monitor, you will assist voters on Election Day should they encounter any problems voting. You will make a crucial difference for voters — connecting them with trained legal professionals and resources they need to safely and securely cast their ballots. Election Protection Arizona (EPAZ) helps at all stages of voting from registration to voting at the polls on Election Day. Join us in helping voters overcome any barrier from getting the right voter ID to voting from jail! Sign up to be an EPAZ volunteer at allvoting.org/afn202.
Arizona Faith Network is hosting an Arizona Corporation Commission Candidates Forum on Sunday, September 29, 2:00 - 3:30 pm at Community Christian Church
1701 S. College Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
Join as faith communities come together to learn about the work of the Arizona Corporation Commission and hear from candidates for this important body. The commission makes decisions that impact all Arizonans from how corporations are regulated to what utilities charge for energy and water. As people of faith strive to care for one another and care for the earth, how does the work of the commission reflect our values?
In addition to the in-person event in Tempe, gatherings are being organized in other locations in Arizona. Please RSVP.
Early October marks the celebration of St Francis of Assisi. Many churches do this by holding a Blessing of the Animals. First Congregational in Prescott, United Church of Sant Fe, and Church of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque are all inviting their furry, feathered, gilled, or otherwise adorned pets for special recognition and adoration events in the next couple weeks.