From Church of the Red Rocks UCC in Sedona:

In spite of the hot summer days and so many people having escaped to cooler climes, we continue to make progress with Hope House of Sedona. Following are some of the items we are currently addressing

This month the Department of Labor issued a proposed rule extending religious exemptions to federal contractors, which dramatically expands the definition of who is a “religious exercising” organization. The rule, if finalized, will result in the ability for those organizations to base employment decisions on “religious tenants,” meaning that employment can be conditional with meeting an employer’s religious belief. At the heart of this rule would be the allowance of discrimination toward a variety of vulnerable groups including the LGBTQ community, religious minorities, and other marginalized groups.

Most UCC congregations will receive the Neighbors In Need offering on October 6, 2019 as part of their World Communion Sunday observance. However, some local churches select another date.

Saturday, September 21, 1 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Prescott

1. A Master of Divinity graduate from a Methodist Seminary who is also a professor at Boston University teaching graduate classes on the subjects of immigration and theology.

2. An immigration attorney

3. A holocaust survivor

4. Dan Streeter, Humboldt Unified School District Superintendent and Board member of the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce.

5. Representative of “No More Deaths”, a humanitarian organization based in Southern Arizona.

6. Member of the local immigrant community

7. Community organizer and graduate student at Prescott College who has researched local law enforcement practices in Yavapai County.

“Following a May 23 call to action from Greta Thunberg and 46 youth activists in a Guardian piece, the FridaysfortheFuture movement initiated a youth-led global movement challenging the failures of officials to respond to climate change. Since the inaugural global Friday walk-out this spring, youth from around the world have asserted the need for strong measures regarding the climate crisis and the disruption of business-as-usual. Building on this momentum and positioning our movement as an intergenerational one, youth activists have sought to call-in and hold accountable adult allies and accomplices by declaring a September 20th General Climate Strike, followed by a week of direct action and civil disobedience, and calling for mass participation from students, workers, business owners, and community leaders by stepping out of their schools and workplaces for the day.”

Fred Taylor, the Director of Special Programs & Community Engagement for the Office of the Arizona Attorney General, would like to connect with faith communities to offer training and resources involving opioid abuse. Training can include how to identify persons abusing Opioids, and how to utilize Narcan for people who have overdosed and other treatment possibilities. Mr. Taylor is especially (but not exclusively) interested in connecting with Spanish-speaking faith communities.

Saturday, September 7, 2019, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Student Pavilion, Ballroom, Arizona State University, Tempe campus

This event is for middle school, high school and university students.

This is the first Arizona Youth Climate Summit, led by Arizona Youth Climate Strike and GreenLight Solutions, a day of workshops empowering students and providing them with new skills to address the climate crisis in their own communities.

Want to know more about the asylum process of our guests? See below or click here to open a pdf graphic, courtesy of CWS, of the process that explains it pretty well.

Thanks to Rincon Migrant Shelter for the heads up on this. They are still looking for more drivers and still hoping to move all drivers to WhatsApp for a more convenient communication method. Email Sarah to volunteer or for more information.

Update: If you have visited the shelter within this past week you'll have noticed a difference - we've been FULL! The Monastery moved to their new location at the Juvenile Detention Center this past week and they are primarily serving at this time as a Welcome Center., meaning guests are not staying there but going out to the Shelter Locations. This means we have received a new group pretty much every day.

United Church of Christ ministers and congregations play prominent roles in two current documentaries about progressive religion: a feature-length film on an "unlikely" success in Oklahoma and a shorter video news piece on immigration policy in Arizona.

Our Whole Lives (OWL) is set of human sexuality curricula across many age levels that is published jointly by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. OWL combines accurate and straightforward information about sexuality with a set of core values:  self-worth, sexual health, responsibility, and justice & inclusivity. OWL facilitators are trained specifically to lead this program and teach in teams.

Saturday, August 3, 2019, 2:00pm - 4:00pm

First Congregational Church, 740 North Turquoise Dr., Flagstaff, Arizona

Can science and religion agree on the most urgent issues of conservation and climate change?

The First Congregational Church of Flagstaff and Northern AZ Climate Change Alliance (NAZCCA) are hosting a film, presentation, and discussion to explore the details of this question.

On the heels of Trump barring refugees from seeking asylum if they travel through another country to reach the U.S. southern border, some administration officials have proposed resettling zero refugees in 2020 - all during the worst refugee crisis in history, with more than 25 million refugees worldwide in need of safety.

We are calling on Members of Congress to do everything in their power to end the administration's attacks on asylum seekers and return refugee resettlement to historic norms—95,000 refugees per year. The administration has already dismantled the U.S. asylum system and refugee resettlement program. Zeroing out refugee resettlement would amount to a full refugee ban, with grave long-term implications.

3 p.m., Sunday, August 18th at First Church UCC Phoenix

This event is open to everyone and the goal of the community conversation is to define shared terms and understand each other (why white people call the police when they are afraid and people of color’s fears of calling the police), and to break bread with each other.

Mind, Body, Spirit: Linking Lives for Health and Wholeness
The Wellness Ministries of the UCC Newsletter
(formerly The Faith Community Nurse Health Ministry Newsletter)

From Repairers of the Breach:

We are calling on faith leaders and people of faith whose conscience compels them to join us. We are calling on all congressional leaders who similarly are compelled by their conscience and our Constitution to join us.

RSVP online now: https://www.breachrepairers.org/moralmondayborderlands

From Sarah, migrant shelter manager:

Don't live locally? Here's how you can help:

We are partnering with CCS to create a country-wide support network for asylum seekers. We are looking for two things.

Many of you remember Holly Herman as the Administrator of the Southwest Conference office for several years. See where Holly’s leadership gifts have led her. (Thanks to Rev. Dr. Tina Campbell for the heads up.)