Desert Garden United Church of Christ in Sun City West continues a sacred dialogue about becoming an Open and Affirming Congregation. The next stage of our conversation includes a Summer of Storytelling. A couple of community leaders, as well as some of our own LGBTQIA+ members will be sharing the joys and struggles they have faced in their lives. We hope to be able to record some of these. If you are interested in learning more, or perhaps viewing a recording, please contact Pastor Bill Utke, pastorbill@desertgardenchurch.org.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Read MoreOn Wednesday, May 24th, twelve people gathered to be trained in the proper use of the defibrillators which are available in both our worship and fellowship spaces. We’d been feeling safe just to have the units there, until someone stopped to wonder who knows how to use them.
Our Chapel Board hired the Arizona Fire & Medical Authority to come teach us the proper use of the machine. The Captain answered every and all questions we had and stressed the two most important rules for us to remember: Rule number 1,” Turn the unit on.” Rule number 2, “Do what it says.”
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Read MoreEach year for Mother's Day, Church of Beatitudes tries to give a little happiness to Moms who are living with housing insecurities. This year we were able to fill 46 purses with daily essentials. These purses will be given to the moms who are navigating through the Family Promise process to a better life.
In addition, ShoeBox Ministries collaborated with Church of Beatitudes and also donated an additional 25 purses.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Read More“There are a number of people in Taos, N.M., who are happily surprised that Taos United Community Church did not shrivel up and blow away after the death of our founding pastor in October of 2021,” wrote the Rev. Julie Parmenter, a longtime hospice chaplain who stepped up to serve as the church’s interim spiritual leader after the sudden loss of the Rev. Pamela Shepherd. “It is this story of how the grant and its outcomes helped to strengthen our church community after the loss of its leader that needs to be told.”
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Read MoreJoin Shepherd of the Hills on Zoom for weekday prayer and/or a weekly book discussion.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Read MoreDesert Garden UCC is excited to share good news with our sibling churches in the Southwest Conference! Thanks to tremendous hard work by so many, and with gratitude to Jill White at the UCC Building and Loan Fund, we exceeded our goal for the Capital Campaign.
A Celebration Worship service and Brunch was shared April 16, 2023.
We are thankful to God for the courage to engage in this “Renewing for Our Future” campaign.
Thanks to Co-Administrators John Houlette and Gail Mattson and all who helped.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Read MoreAt the IRC Welcome Center, our First Church team continues to volunteer each Saturday, welcoming asylum-seekers on their journey through Phoenix from the border to their sponsors throughout the country.
So far this year, 6,403 asylum-seekers have arrived at the Welcome Center, coming from 66 countries and speaking 44 different primary languages.
Read MoreTuesday, April 11 at 1:30
18818 N. 128th Ave., Sun City West, AZ 85375
Desert Garden UCC in Sun City West is offering a public showing of the movie Gen Silent. It is a critically accalimed documentary about the challenges of older LGBTQIA+ people when they have to enter the healthcare or elder care facilities.
Read MoreOver the Lenten season, Church of Beatitudes had a Food and Clothing Drive. What better way to clean out our closets and help stock the shelves for Nourish PHX!
Church of Beatitudes has worked with Nourish PHX for many years and were really happy to provide: 495 lbs. of food, 790 lbs. of gently used clothing, and a cash donation of $380.00.
Read MoreRincon Congregational UCC in Tucson has been invited to stand with parents of transgender children at the next Catalina Foothills School District (CFSD) this Tuesday 4/11/23 at 6:30pm Valley View Early Learning Center, 3435 E. Sunrise Dr., Tucson. Those who can are asked to arrive at 5pm to fill the 125 spot parking lot with supportive people.
Here's why:
Earlier this week, there was a takeover of the CFSD school board by The Bridge Church and people from out of town. They subverted the agenda and started a debate about the rights of transgender students.The protesters were booing and hissing at students and carrying hateful signage.
This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate the love and compassion of Christ over the hateful message. Doing so on the heels of the celebration of Easter feels all the more necessary and right.
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