Annual Meeting

Join us for the SW Conference’s regional StoryCafés

Join us for the SW Conference’s regional StoryCafés

Join us for the SW Conference’s regional StoryCafé. We’ve scheduled regional sessions (one in the morning and one at night for folks who can’t participate during the workday) on most upcoming Mondays and Thursdays (and on Good Friday during Holy Week). The morning sessions will take place at 9 am in the AZ time zone, or 10 am if you’re in either New Mexico or El Paso, TX. Evening sessions will be held at 7 pm Arizona time (8 pm in New Mexico/El Paso).

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An Invitation – Let’s Get Busy!

An Invitation – Let’s Get Busy!

by Karen Richter, 2020 Annual Meeting Coordinator

As (I hope) you’ve seen, the theme for Annual Meeting 2020 is Stories That Transform. This is maybe the most human, most exciting theme I’ve experienced over the last decade of annual meetings. Sharing stories, listening to the stories of others, crafting meaning and connecting events: these are the things that humans do. Over days, seasons, and lifetimes, these story activities form family, community, and culture.

So what better way to prepare for Annual Meeting and share ideas and experiences than a Southwest Conference Book Club! But here’s the rub… when you ask churchy, bibliophile people what they recommend to read, you can get overwhelmed. Take a deep breath and check out the recommendations below.

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The fascinating musical guest at the Annual Meeting banquet

The fascinating musical guest at the Annual Meeting banquet

Natalia Serna, aka La Muna, is a Colombian-American songwriter and sociologist who has given much of her to walking with migrants, literally, on the trains through Mexico known as "La Bestia," through the mountains of Guatemala, and along the US/Mexico Border in the Sonoran Desert. She will present some of her work and music as well as reflections on the movement of people and what we need to live and thrive.

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Annual Meeting pre-event: border immersion trip

Annual Meeting pre-event: border immersion trip

Pre-event on Thursday, April 23! No cost—just need to provide your own transportation to the border and buy your own lunch. We will walk across the border so people don't need to worry about driving across. Wear good walking shoes and bring a full water bottle, sunscreen, and a passport or government-issued ID (drivers license is acceptable). Participants should be able to do some light walking; the shelter in Mexico is about one-third of a mile each way. We will not be driving into Mexico.

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Annual Meeting photos

Annual Meeting photos

The 2019 Annual Meeting of the Southwest Conference UCC is in the books! Thanks to all who contributed to its success. In addition to the photos she took, Wende crawled through your Facebook accounts and found some fantastic pictures. Image credits to: Doug Bland, David Huisjen, Jay Deskins, Cindy Parker, Gordon Street, JJ Johnson, and Bill Lyons.

If you have photos that you’re willing to share, please send them to Wende. Email wgonzales@uccswc.org, or through the SWC Facebook page via Messenger.

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Annual Meeting food truck menus

Annual Meeting food truck menus

After such a wonderful experience last year, we’ll continue the partnership of local businesses and food trucks to offer lunches for the 2019 Annual Meeting. You’re invited to choose and purchase items based on your dietary and budget preferences.

Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are available and on the menu.

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Hope Partnership and New Beginnings at Annual Meeting

Hope Partnership and New Beginnings at Annual Meeting

Four Questions Every Leader Should Ask

Presenter: Rev. Dr. Gilberto Collazo, President Hope Partnership

Churches that are making a difference in their context have a clear sense of their mission and purpose. These are discoveries that happen when we engage in transformational work. What are the questions we need to wrestle with to go from being a church for “us” to a church living God’s mission into the world—questions that change the focus of how we use our resources? Come and learn from stories of congregations who have named a future story that reflects God’s mission in their communities.

Hope Partnership has worked with over 1,300 congregations within many different denominational contexts to help them engage in this important transformational work.

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Proposed bylaw amendments to be voted on at Annual Meeting 2019

Annual meeting delegates will be asked to approve amendments to the Southwest Conference bylaws at the 2019 annual meeting to be held in Phoenix, AZ on April 4th,5th, and 6th.

Current Southwest Conference UCC Bylaws do not facilitate the application of SWC Travel Pool assistance for use by local church representatives who are required to participate at the Southwest Conference Mission and Church Vitality Committee Meetings. On November 15th, 2018 the Southwest Conference Executive Board enacted the following Bylaw amendment pending ratification at the next duly scheduled meeting of the Conference.

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