It’s nearly monsoon season again! Heavy rains in Albuquerque mean that we will likely see the streets flooded with stormwater. After the flood waters recede, have you ever noticed what gets left behind on the sidewalks, roads, and ditches? In the wake of rains, there is often trash, debris, sediment, chemicals, and other undesirable objects that remain littered throughout the landscape. All of these contaminants are considered stormwater runoff pollution.  Where all of that pollution goes may surprise you.

National Call for a Moral Revival

Non-Violent Moral Fusion Direct Actions are being planned for Mondays through June 18th.

ONE Community Foundation invites all to its First Annual Diversity, Inclusion, and Equality Interfaith Summit!
 
Come learn more about ONE Community Foundation's groundbreaking educational work and about the state of LGBTQ rights in Arizona, participate in their dynamic Unity Journey curriculum, and hear from an expert panel of clergy from around the state who are leading the conversation.

Over the course of ten days, seventeen fissures have opened in the Puna district on big island of Hawai'i, spraying molten rock up to 250 feet in the air and disgorging slow-moving lava flows, some within residential neighborhoods. Three UCC congregations are located close to the affected area. This week, over forty religious leaders came together in nearby Hilo to coordinate their response. Prayer services and a chaplaincy rotation are coming together as the eruption continues.

From Rev. Pamela Shepherd of Taos UCC:

Hello, Poor People’s Campaign Supporter!  Here's an update about Monday's planned Taos Event from our friend, Jai Cross. I hope you'll join me Monday on Taos Plaza at 11:30--1:00 to lift our voices against racism and economic injustice!  

At the Interfaith Power and Light Council for Climate Justice meeting last week, the Rev. Gerald Durley spoke of his journey as a veteran civil rights movement leader to climate justice leader. 

Gail Bird and Jo Vredenburg received Champion Volunteer awards at the Arizona Faith Network Annual Meeting on May 1. 

Right now Congress is debating the Farm Bill. This massive piece of legislation authorizes most federal policies, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – our nation’s most critical anti-hunger program. The version of the Farm Bill being considered in the House of Representatives right now proposes damaging changes to SNAP.

Mark Behle's most recent newsletter.

As part of the monthly Creation Justice Webinar series, the UCC has teamed with GreenFaith to offer a webinar designed to assist churches who are interested in going solar. On May 30th, the Rev. Fletcher Harper will address issues related to technology, finance, physical plant, communications, and more.

The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter

United Church Funds (UCF) and the Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization Team (MESA) will host a webinar entitled “Women Investing Today – Seeking Justice in Our Financial Lives” on Tuesday, May 22, at 3:00 PM ET.

Clergywomen and women who sit on endowment committees will benefit from this webinar by gaining a better understanding of socially responsible investing (SRI) and how they can align their faith with their church endowment.

The week dates shown are Sunday through Saturday. Each Monday, at 2:00 p.m. in the respective time zones across the country, rallies will be held, followed by non-violent direct action from 3 – 5 p.m. With such a late start, Arizonans may or may not be prepared for a May 14 action, but this option is open for a while longer until Arizona's leadership team can decide. 

A meeting of Tucson-area people interested in the Poor People's Campaign (PPC) for Arizona was held last Thursday evening, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Global Justice Center, 225 E 26th St, Tucson, 85713.

People who attended the April 23 meeting in Phoenix reviewed their notes. We discussed how we wish to proceed with PPC activities. Repairers of the Breach has recruited someone in the Phoenix area to coordinate Arizona activities at the State Capitol from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.for each of the Monday's in the campaign (May 14 through June 18). However, none of us at the meeting had received any communications about how or if we would coordinate with others in the State.

The goal was 100 boxes of Cheerios. They collected 140! The cereal will be distributed at two of the Keeling food pantries. The monthly Keeling pantry is a newly established outreach program to supplement the food available to low income families at the end of the month when food insecurity may become an issue.

Join March for Our Lives Phoenix and Arizona For Gun Safety for a special screenign of the new film AND THEN I GO. In the cruel world of junior high, two friends suffer in a state of anxiety and alienation. Misunderstood by their families and demoralized at school, their fury simmers quietly until an idea for vengeance offers them a terrifying release. The film stars Justin Long, Tony Hale and Melanie Lynskey.