With the desire to be good stewards of God’s beautiful creation, and the benefit of saving on their energy bills as they harness the abundance of Arizona sunshine, Desert Garden United Church of Christ recently installed a 47 kW solar array. With 114 panels, this solar system will save the church over $700K on energy bills over time that they will invest into their involvement with local social and environmental justice initiatives, such as those that support safe housing for those experiencing homelessness, zero-emissions transportation and hunger relief.
On Sunday, February 23, join Desert Garden UCC, in partnership with RE-volv and Capital Energy, for a solar energy celebration. There will be food, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an opportunity to learn how to go solar at your home or nonprofit. The celebration will begin at after the 9:30 worship service. If not attending the service, please come around 10:15 to find a place to park.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Tag SWC and Wende on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreTragically, the devoted servant of God, Pastor Tulafono Maga of the First Samoan Congregational Christian Church Toafa o le Talalelei EFKAS of Wittmann, passed away near Christmas time, leaving both his family and church community grieving and uncertain about their future. On top of their emotional loss, his family faces a significant financial burden, as Pastor Tula was known for his generous support of his family.
If you would like to contribute to help the family with their essential needs, please consider a gift to the “Pastor Tula’s Family” fund at Desert Garden UCC. You can send a check with “Pastor Tula’s Family” in the memo line, and 100% of your donation will be directed to the family’s needs.
Checks can be made out to (and sent to) Desert Garden UCC, 18818 N. 128th Ave, Sun City West, AZ.
Read MoreScottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ has released its Local Church Profile for a part-time Bridge Interim Position.
If you are interested in the local church profile for this position, please contact the Rev. Dr. Gloria J. Smith, Associate Conference Minister for Search and Call / Church Transitions at gsmith@uccswc.org.
If you are interested in Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ as a Ministerial Opportunity, you must request your Ministerial Profile be released to the church by the Southwest Conference Office.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Tag us on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreChurch Bookkeeper/HR Administration (5-10 hours per week).
Part-time staff position in an open & affirming progressive Christian church.
Click through for the position description.
To apply, please contact Pat Ezerski at pezerski@beatitudeschurch.org
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Tag us on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreAn invitation from Beatitudes Campus:
The 68th Annual VNSA Book Sale will be held on Saturday February 15 from 8AM to 6PM and on Sunday February 16, from 8AM to 4PM. On Sunday, almost all books will be HALF-PRICE.
(VNSA = Volunteer Nonprofit Service Association)
Since February is Black History Month, we have assembled close to 50 boxes of books - fiction and nonfiction - by and about African-American people. All the books are in very good to excellent condition; some are by famous authors (James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Colson Whitehead) and others are by less familiar authors. These books are priced at $2-$4 each, with some rarities priced up to $10. Books of which we have multiple copies are displayed together for ease of shopping. Many are “collectibles.” The entire collection is found in the category called RELATIONSHIPS.
The sale is held in the Agriculture Building at the Arizona State Fairgrounds,1826 West McDowell in Phoenix. There is NO CHARGE FOR ADMISSION. However, the Fairgrounds charges $12 per car for parking.
Read MoreAlice and Karl Stambaugh of Scottsdale UCC shared some reflections from their participation in the Border Fair at The Good Shepherd in Sahuarita.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Tag us on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreCongratulations to Rev. Dr. Guillermo Marquez-Sterling, newly installed pastor of Church of the Red Rocks. Welcome (officially) to the Southwest Conference!
To watch a recording of the installation service, click here.
Photo credit: Gordon Street III
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Tag us on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Tag us on Facebook and Instagram to get our attention so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Tag us on Facebook and Instagram so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreJoin First Church Phoenix UCC in their Fellowship Hall on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at noon for a transformative workshop with Rev. Dr. Beverly Dale, author of Who Told You That You Were Naked? Rev. Dale will guide us in exploring how faith and sexuality intersect, challenging shame-based theologies and offering a liberating, affirming vision of embodied spirituality.
In this two-hour session filled with laughter and personal reflection, we will discover how to embrace the sensual gifts of our sexy bodies as sacred gifts from God. We will also explore tools to heal from the harmful messages so often tied to Christian teachings about the body.
Whether you’re a lifelong church member, new to First Church and curious about our community, someone navigating a journey of faith deconstruction, or a member of another UCC congregation in the area, this workshop offers a brave space to explore, reflect, and grow. Lunch will be provided, so come with an open mind, a hearty appetite, and a friend as we reclaim the joy and wholeness of living as beloved, embodied children of God.
Register here
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Tag us on Facebook and Instagram so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreJanuary 4, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. in-person and on Zoom
Shadow Rock UCC, 12861 N. 8th Avenue Phoenix, AZ
Zoom registration link
Shadow Rock UCC's pastor Ken Heintzelman will participate in a panel discussion about Christian nationalism at the Secular Summit 2025.
This annual event draws members and supporters from around Arizona for a day of education, advocacy, inspiration and activism, all centered on the theme of building bridges within the secular community and beyond.
Speakers include Matthew Taylor, author of The Violent Take it by Force: The Christian Movement that is Threatening Our Democracy; Talia Lavin, author of Wild Faith: How the Christian Right is Taking Over America, a panel discussion featuring faith leaders committed to fighting Christian nationalism, and more. Food included!
Learn more and register.
Read MoreSun Lakes UCC collected toys again this year for Matthew’s Crossing, a local food bank located in Chandler, AZ. The mission of Matthew’s Crossing is to provide food and other basic necessities to our neighbors in need as we work to unite our community in the fight against hunger.
The age range for the toys was infants to teenagers so Sun Lakes collected a wide variety of items such as dolls, toy cars, books, basketballs, and footballs that volunteers delivered to Matthew’s Crossing prior to Christmas.
From the bounty in these photos, Sun Lakes UCC feels that many children in the Chandler area will have a very happy Christmas.
Read MoreWhat’s happening at YOUR church? Tell us about it! Just write up an article and submit it to Wende by Thursday at noon to have it included in the following Monday’s Loop.
Holly Herman reads your church newsletters and other materials and compiles the highlights to keep us up-to-date on the amazing work happening at the Southwest Conference churches and beyond. (Thanks, Holly!)
Tag us on Facebook and Instagram so we can share your posts! We’re @swcucc and Wende is @yeswende.
Read MoreAFN would like to thank the many people who made the 2024 Annual Gathering a success.
If you weren't able to attend, here's a link to the Annual Gathering Program and here's a YouTube recording of the program portion of the event (here's a link starting at the beginning of the keynote address from Rev. Eugene Cho)
Read More
