This time, when the choir comes together at Synod, it won’t be through screens on Zoom.
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Conference News
New Pride Sunday liturgy available!
Pride Sunday is the last Sunday of June - June 25th this year. Get your worship resources now!
Read MoreReluctant to Ask Questions?
10 am on May 29 at Fair Trade Café, 1020 N 1st Ave, Phoenix Arizona
The Southwest Conference’s commissioned minister Gordon Street’s new monthly coffee chat, “What’s Brewing?” is a safe gathering to ask questions or just sip your beverage and listen!
Read MoreWebinar, resources will highlight ‘care for our whole selves’ during Mental Health Awareness month
The UCC Mental Health Network encourages congregations to have a Mental Health Sunday on the third Sunday in May, or any Sunday that works best for congregations, to highlight the topic. A library of litanies, prayers and resources are available, and Lund encourages congregations to incorporate testimonies where people can share their story about experiencing mental health and how they got support. Resources can also be used throughout the year.
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Strengthen the Church Offering - download these resources for your congregation
The Strengthen the Church (STC) Offering reflects the shared commitment of people across the United Church of Christ to cooperatively build up the UCC. Conferences and the national setting equally share the gifts given by members and friends through their local congregations. The funds raised support leadership development, new churches, youth ministry, and innovation in existing congregations. By your generosity to this offering, you build up the Body of Christ.
As God calls our congregations to be the church in new ways, your generosity will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches and develop the spiritual life in our youth and young adults. Most congregations will receive the STC offering on Pentecost Sunday, May 28, 2023.
Read MoreESTARL scholarship
Rev. Rock Fremont shared this with us: Arizona Eastern Star has an excellent little scholarship available for undergraduate and graduate students studying to be religious leaders. Every little bit helps!
The ESTARL scholarship is for students studying to be leaders (ministers/rabbis, musicians, education or youth ministry) in their church. The amount is up to $2500 per application, and paid out twice per year.
Click here to access the application.
Interested students can reach out to Amy Pate directly at amy.pate@asu.edu for guidance on the application.
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Ecumenical retreat - A Mile in My Shoes: Immigration & the Bible
The Desert Southwest Conference, United Methodist Church invites us to an ecumenical retreat.
October 22 - 27 at the Redemptorist Renewal Center in Tucson
It's a five-day engagement retreat with faculty presenter.
Visit their website for more information or contact Jerry Haas at revjhaas@gmailcom or 520-449-0327.
Read MoreGenerations United Federal Credit Union is Officially Chartered!
From Brian R. Bodager, President/CEO
"Supporting the United Church of Christ’s longstanding commitment to economic justice for all, the Pension Boards acted on a 2017 General Synod resolution that calls for the creation of a credit union that would serve UCC members and settings nationwide.
"I am pleased to share that on April 21, 2023, Generations United Federal Credit Union (Generations) was granted a charter and Share Insurance Fund participation by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).
"The formation of Generations was in part a response to the 2017 “Resolution of Support for Establishing Relationships Between United Church of Christ Settings and Community Development Federal Credit Unions,” which identified “the need for financial services to the historically underbanked or unbanked, as well as to victims of extortionate alternative financial-service industry models.”
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Calling ABQ-area high school youth
ONA Coalition newsletter
Calling all campers!
Pilgrim Pines Camp in southern California is one of the nearby UCC camping programs for which the Southwest Conference will offer 1/3 camp scholarships to anyone who would like to go.
The early bird registration deadline is May 21, prices go up after that. Campers don't need to pay the full registration fee by then, just register and pay deposit to secure their spot and the lower fee.
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URI Youth Connection Café with Venerable Tri Dao
URI Youth Connection Café
Sunday, April 23, 10:00 am MST via Zoom
Arizona Faith Network will be hosting the April URI Youth Connection Café. The topic for this Café is "The role of diverse religions/faiths/traditions in social and environmental justice." The Café will feature a special guest, the Venerable Tri Dao, a 34 year old Theravada Buddhist monk, who is well known on TikTok (@venerable_tri_dao) where he has garnered over 1.3M followers, educating his audience on Buddhism, meditation, and mindfulness. All are invited to join the call to meet new people and share insights and experience on projects of social and environmental justice.
RSVP TO RECEIVE ZOOM INFORMATION
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Hope This Earth Day: More Than Wishful Thinking
In the faces of environmental crises that can make one feel helpless, there is a particular power in stories that show another way is possible. For this reason, the theme for the first ever UCC Earth Day Summit is “What’s Possible? Earth Day Stories of Hope.” During this two-and-a-half-hour event on Saturday, April 22nd at 11 am ET, stories will be shared in a variety of formats.
Read MoreThese workshops will be the last of our free-of-charge anti-racism offerings
Antiracism workshops coming up in May:
Cross-Cultural Communication & Inclusivity [Inter-Ethnic and Cross-Cultural/Racial] and Mediation of Conflict & Difference: Wednesdays, May 3 & 10
The Doctrine of Discovery & Legacy of Colonialism: Wednesdays, May 24 & 31
These are FREE Zoom events, underwritten by the Southwest Conference to offer high quality education in antiracism and decentering whiteness.
These workshops will be the last of our free-of-charge anti-racism offerings.
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Can the Church Change Summit
Do you think the church can change?
Throughout the course of these conversations, we will identify important practice, action, and reflection space churches could take up when learning to decolonize their imaginations for a creative, flourishing future.
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PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc. Upcoming Courses
PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc. is a 501c3 program that grew from a program of the Southeast Conference UCC. It remains affiliated with the Southeast Conference. The program offers a full menu of courses for those seeking authorized ministry, for those wanting continuing education, and for those looking for a progressive theology, ethics, or practical church course. The courses are asynchronous, geographically unbound, affordable, and aligned with the UCC Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers. Please be in touch with any questions. You may apply online at pathwaystheological.org.
Read MoreScholarship for camp in nearby Conferences
We have expanded the Sow the Seed fund to offer grants to support new programs and ministries to those under 25 years, but we will continue to offer 1/3 camp scholarships to anyone who would like to go to a UCC camp in a nearby conference.
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2022-2023 Nollau Leadership Institute participants
Pastor Deb Beloved Church Consecrated as UCC Diakonal Minister
Along with 15 other professionals from health and human service organizations around the country, the Rev. Deb Beloved Church, Pastor of White Rock Presbyterian Church, was recently consecrated as a Diakonal Minister in the United Church of Christ, indicating the successful completion of the Nollau Leadership Institute.
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Applications open for 2023-2024 Governor’s Youth Commission
The Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family (GOYFF) is seeking inspiring youth leaders from Arizona high schools to serve on the 2023-2024 Governor's Youth Commission (GYC). The GYC brings together a diverse group of high school students from all fifteen Arizona counties to identify and address the greatest challenges facing Arizona’s youth by developing innovative community impact projects, establishing partnerships with young leaders across the state, and advising the Governor.
Commissioners are selected through a competitive application process. If you know a high school student with a passion for service and leadership, please share this unique opportunity to serve as an ambassador in a nationally recognized leadership program! Applicants must be sophomore, junior, or senior students during the 2023-2024 school year. Applications are currently being accepted until May 31, 2023, at 5:00 PM from Arizona youth in all fifteen counties.
Congratulations, ellie hutchison!
It is our great honor and pleasure to share that ellie hutchison, one of the MIDs in the Southwest Conference was unanimously approved for ordination pending a call.
Congratulations ellie, the best is yet to come!
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