Desert Garden UCC, Sun City West remains active this summer. They will be sponsoring and assisting with a Techie Camp, in partnership with AZstrut and the Dysart Community Center. The high school participants will be introduced to the world inside of a computer and then given confidence to explore the possibilities that lie ahead. These inclusive Camps provide a hands-on STEM education experience and will result in participants taking a computer home to assist their educational efforts.
Church of the Red Rocks in Sedona is prepping for a Grilling Cookout immediately following their 8/14/2022 Sunday Worship Service. It will be the kickoff of their Second Sunday Lunches! The church will provide hamburgers, hot dogs & all the fixings, individual bags of assorted chips, drinks, plates, napkins & utensils. Others will bring a Side Salad, Salad, Dessert or Other Main Dish to share. It’s good to see some pre-Covid activities return!
From Sunday, August 7 - Saturday, August 13 via Zoom. Coordinated by the World Interfaith Network, the 6th Annual Interfaith Awareness Week will have virtual activities from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for seven days to help establish world-wide interfaith partnerships to help promote peace. With a theme of "Uniting our Interfaith Partners Globally," the event will bring together over 40 interfaith groups from around the world (including Arizona Faith Network)to present what they do. Zoom in for an hour, a day, or the entire week! Enjoy food from the Virtual Interfaith Awareness Week Cafeteria (calorie-free, gluten free, kosher, halal, and fun!) View the full program and more information at the World Interfaith Network website and mark your calendars!
From the Green Justice group at First Congregational in Albuquerque:
Chef Andrew Zimmern's top 3 easy ways to reduce food waste at home
Track Your Trash
It may sound simple, but keeping tabs of what you throw out can be the first step in reducing food waste in your house. Try putting a pad of paper near your garbage and log what food you discard for two weeks, from leftovers to spoiled foods. You’ll start to get a sense for your family’s trends and that’ll help you figure out how you can change your habits.
Reduce Your Fridge Space
Take one shelf out and remove one drawer. We tend to fill up all the space in the refrigerator, and that’s when food gets forgotten about. By taking a shelf and a drawer out, it forces you to buy less and you’ll be more aware of what you have in the fridge, which will reduce waste.
Shop for a Few Days of Food – Not a Whole Week
Instead of buying for an entire week, what if we just bought food for three or four days at a time? With less food purchased, you’re more likely to stick to your meal plans and waste less as well. Yes, you will make a second trip to the store – but instead of thinking of it as a chore, think of it as a fun, educational opportunity for the kids, or even an alternative date with your significant other. Your planet will thank you later.
ICS in Tucson is having a peanut butter drive during July. It appears from their newsletters that Rincon, Painted Hills, and Casas Adobes are all on board with this. Looks like a competition to me!
And speaking of Drives- The Sahuarita Food Bank & Community Resource Center, a mission of The Good Shepherd, is experiencing a significant increase in visitors seeking food. Along with that need is an increased need for diapers for little ones as well as incontinence supplies and feminine hygiene products for adults. These items are very costly for clients and are not covered by SNAP (food stamps).
Shepherd of the Hills is working with an Afghan family resettling in Phoenix. The five oldest children just completed a English class sponsored by the local school district and, for the next 2 weeks, two of the younger children will be attending Jumpstart, a school preparedness camp.
Ruminate on That! features in-depth discussions about religious topics with straightforward commentary from Tony Minear, Ph.D., Pastor at Church of the Beatitudes, Janelle Tapphorn, M.A, and Charity Gleason-Davis, B.S. for your consideration and reflection. Yesterday’s topic was: Where do we go from here? "When does the fetus acquire a moral status of a human being? The philosophy of ‘gradualism’ can provide answers". Read this article ahead of time and then listen to the podcast! READ HERE»
WATCH RUMINATE ON THAT! HERE»