|
SWC – In the Loop November 29, 2007
INTERIM INSIGHTS
For the past five years of doing interim conference ministry from one end of the country to the other, I have essentially been without a church home. Yes, I do belong to a local church in the UCC. However, I have seldom worshipped in one congregation for more than a couple weeks in a row when I’m not “working” on Sunday morning during these last years. It has been an incredibly deepening journey to experience the depth, breadth and width of ministry that is so faithfully being embodied by innumerable congregations and clergy through our church—here in the SWC and throughout the United Church of Christ. I am humbled, nourished and inspired by the extent to which the faithful are being the church as the body of Christ in our world.
And still, more often than not, I have felt like an exile. I miss the familiarity of being grounded in a community of faith that worships together, week in and week out, the nurturing spirit of the digging deep into the scriptures that comes with the task of preaching, the mystery of celebrating the sacraments and the sharing of the joys and the sorrows of God’s faithful in a particular time and place. Now, admittedly, there are some things I don’t miss, but most of all, I miss the liturgy….the rituals of Sunday worship and the rehearsing on a yearly basis from the first Sunday of Advent through the Reign of Christ how it is we are the people of the Stillspeaking God.
Advent is a time of exile. It is the particular time that we join our Hebrew sisters and brothers of faith who wait upon the Lord, who watch for the arrival of the Savior, who wonder and wander with the longing of coming out of the wilderness. Undoubtedly, one has only to listen to the aches and witness the wounds of our world to know that there is a part of us (as individuals, as communities, as a world) that always dwells in a barren land. And still, we light our candles that give witness to the saving, healing power of God’s constant gifts: hope, peace, joy and love. Once again, from the most remote corners of our hearts, we sing: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here….until the Son of God appear… rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.” Blessings for the Advent journey.
Shalom, Lark
WORLD AIDS DAY World AIDS Day is December 1. There will be a World AIDS Day service of Remembrance and Healing at First Congregational United Church of Christ, Phoenix, AZ, 1407 North 2nd Street (1/2 block south of McDowell), on December 1 at 4:30 pm. All are welcome, especially those living with HIV/AIDS, their friends, families and significant others. At 4:00 pm any clergy who would like to take part in the prayers for healing are invited to meet with the host pastors in the sanctuary of the church. Clergy will not robe; clerical collars are optional. Those participating in healing prayer are invited to wear blue or violet stoles.
Worlds AIDS Day is an important occasion for building awareness and joining our lives and spirits in response to the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The theme is STOP AIDS. KEEP THE PROMISE. You may download worship resources and other information from www.ucc.org/health/hivaids.
HUMANE
BORDERS DECEMBER 1 SEARCH FOR REMAINS
SCOTTSDALE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH HOLDING A DANCE Scottsdale Congregational youth are holding a dance on December 1 at 7:00 pm in the church fellowship hall, and they are inviting all of the UCC churches. Everyone, young and old, is invited to this fundraiser. There will be music for all ages with songs from the last century. The cost is $5 at the door, but if you bring three canned food items, it's $1 off! (The canned food items will be donated to Shepherd's Warehouse.) They hope to see you there!
THOMAS CALLS FOR UCC TO INTENSIFY ITS COMMITMENT The Rev. John Thomas, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, has called upon the UCC to intensify its commitment during the coming weeks to the pursuit of prophetic peace. As of November 27, there has been an amazing $40,131 received towards the January 6 goal of collecting $100,000 for Iraqi refugees. Thanks to everyone who has made a donation. Please help us meet our goal by telling your friends and family about our ambitious plans to provide shelter, food, clothing and schooling for Iraqi refugee families this holiday. (Control click on bolded text will take you to the ucc.org website.)
CELEBRATE OUR CALLING! CELEBRATE OUR FUTURE TOGETHER! Phoenix First Congregational United Church of Christ is hosting a celebration of the UCC on Sunday, December 9, 2007, 3:00 to 4:15 pm. The special guest MC, Ron Buford, is the creative genius behind the Still Speaking Initiative. The program will also feature “Still Speaking” theme compositions from our own Southwest Conference composers, choirs, musicians, and performers as well as inspiring Church Vitality news from this area. A gala reception will follow in the Church Hall. (P.S. It’s First Phoenix’s 90th Anniversary, too!)
CHURCH VITALITY EVENT FEBRUARY 1-2 Many of you attended the Church Vitality Event last February, jointly sponsored by Southwest Conference and Southern California Nevada Conference. We heard from many of you that the information and inspiration you got there was well worth the cost. We hope you agree that the 2008 Church Vitality Event will be an even better value. We have tried to make this year’s offerings even more helpful to churches. And with a year’s experience, we are introducing more flexible, and lower, pricing for the event.
You can learn about the event at http://www.scncucc.org/ChurchVitalityEvent.htm, or from the attached brochure. Besides the quality of this year’s Success Stories, Big Ideas, and Special Subjects, and their relevance to the future ministry of UCC churches, we have added a series of administrative upgrades to this year’s registration process:
Please note that hotel registration at the Conference rate is not available after January 10, 2008. For those people choosing not to register on-line, there is a registration form attached. Please make copies available to anyone interested.
Blessings, and hope to see you there … Gary Roberts (SCNC), Lark Hapke, and Randy Mayer (SWC)
THANKSGIVING ALIVE! 2007 A SUCCESS Thanksgiving Alive! was its usual successful weekend of work and play and prayer for the youth of the Southwest Conference. One hundred-sixteen youth and adults were involved and nine worksites were served. Thank you to EVERYONE who made this weekend possible—Michael-Ann Veziroglu and Josh Whistler, the event coordinators, the adult advisors, the youth, and especially the Church of the Beatitudes for being willing to host it. (A NOTE about “Lost and Found”: items are being held at the Southwest Conference office until Tuesday, December 4. Anything not claimed by then will be discarded.)
MISSIONARY NEWSLETTER Read Mark Behle’s most recent newsletter lifting up his mission work in Lesotho. (attached)
RESOURCES FOR MINISTRY WITH OLDER ADULTS In a Conference with a significant number of retirees and “snow birds,” churches may want to provide programming that addresses the needs and interests of older adults. The United Church of Christ website includes an excellent bibliography of resources for such ministry. Included in the bibliography are titles such as: Engaging in Ministry with Older Adults by Rev. Dosia Carlson of the Southwest Conference Winter Grace-Aging and Spirituality by Kathleen Fischer Designing an Older Adult Ministry by Richard H. Gentzler Jr.
To locate the entire bibliography: UCC Home Page (www.ucc.org) Church Stuff Education Older Adults Resource “box” – UCC Resources for Older Adult Ministries UCC Older Adult Ministries Bibliography link: older_adults pdf.
Also available to assist your church and volunteer leadership are the Southwest Conference Partners in Education: Northern or Central AZ: Susan Wadell 602-993-0050 or Dana Bender 602-264-1221 Southern AZ: Carol Wilson 520-296-9332 or Marie Bacchiocchi 520-297-1181 New Mexico or El Paso: Juanita Marken 505-268-2765
WINTER’S LIGHT STORYTELLING CONCERT The Arizona Ecumenical Council is sponsoring a Winter’s Light Storytelling Concert on Sunday, December 16, at 5:00 pm at Community Christian Church, 1701 S. College Ave, Tempe. It will include Holy Light stories for times of darkness from Jewish, Christian, Native American, Muslim, and Hindu traditions. The cost is $5.00.
PEOPLE NEWS C.A Kennedy, father of Marilyn Levine, passed away November 15 in Albuquerque. He was 90 years old. His memorial service will take place at Church of the Good Shepherd, 7834 Tennyson NE, Albuquerque, on December 8 at 11:00 am. Marilyn is approved for ordination pending call with the Southwest Conference and on the staff of the Church of the Good Shepherd.
DIRECTORY CHANGES Pg, 22, Marilyn Levine, 5601 Altima Pl NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120, 505-890-7621 (h)
CALENDAR December 1, World AIDS Day service at First Congregational Church, Phoenix, 4:30 pm December 1, Humane Borders search for remains in the desert December 1, Scottsdale Congregational Church youth sponsored dance, 7:00 pm December 3, Financial Oversight Committee, SWC office, 3:00 pm December 9, Celebration of the UCC at First Congregational Church, Phoenix, 3:00 pm December 13, COCAM, SWC office, 9:30-3:00 December 14, Justice and Witness Committee, SWC office, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm December 16, Winter’s Light Storytelling Concert, Community Christian Church, 5:00 pm December 20, East Valley Clergy lunch, Monti’s Restaurant, Tempe, noon January 2, UC News deadline for material for February/March issue January 6, Installation of Rev. Rebecca Delzell as Associate Pastor at The Good Shepherd UCC in Sahuarita at 4:00 pm January 10, Final Day to receive 2007 financial remittances and reimbursement requests January 12, Executive Committee, SWC office, 10-3 January 20, Installation of Rev. Pamela Hines as Pastor at First Congregational Church in Tempe, 3:00 pm January 26, Stewardship & Mission Interpretation Committee, SWC office, 10-2 January 27, Installation of Rev. Marie Bacchiocchi as Associate Pastor at Casas Adobes UCC in Tucson, 3:00 pm February 1-2, Congregational Vitality Event, Ontario, CA February 19, Pre-Retirement Seminar, Details TBA February 22-23, Polity Class (2nd half), SWC office February 23, Full Board of Directors Meeting, place TBA, 10-3 April 25-27, 2008, Annual Meeting at The Good Shepherd, UCC, Sahuarita, AZ
DATES FOR YOUTH MINISTRY AND SUMMER CAMPS Gathering of Youth and Young Adults, Dec. 9, Shepherd of the Hills UCC, 5:30 pm Senior High Tolerance Trip, Feb. 15-17, ‘08, Los Angeles, CA Junior High Retreat, Feb. 29-Mar 2, 2008 tentative, place to be announced Youth Rally, April 25-27, 2008, Sahuarita, AZ Super Camp for Young Juniors, June 15-18, 2008, Emmanuel Pines, Prescott, AZ Super Camp for Juniors & Junior High, June 15-20, 2008, Emmanuel Pines, Prescott, AZ Senior High Camp, June 29-July 5, 2008, Pine Summit, Prescott, AZ National Youth Event, July 24-28, 2008, University of Tennessee
|
