Recently Desert Garden UCC’s Cycles of Kindness program received 32 more bikes, 27 of which came from Rich and Sheryl Hoyt’s friend, Bryce, who purchased them at an auction in Winslow, AZ. They also provided a bike for a man without any transportation who is going through a drug and alcohol program called Life Line. Dr. Gwen Maxfield, a Commissioner for the Veteran’s and Health Services with the City of Surprise, and her husband picked up the bike for this man and presented Desert Garden with a commemorative coin from the City of Surprise recognizing our ministry through the Cycles of Kindness Program. Thanks to your support, Desert Garden is helping meet needs of people in our community.
Read MoreSt Mary’s Food Bank wastes none of the produce it collects. It goes first to food banks in AZ, extra goes to food banks in other states, if it is not edible for humans, it goes to livestock, and if not ok for livestock it goes to Compost. For years, Desert Garden UCC has spent 10 weeks or more gleaning for St. Mary’s with homes around Sun City West, Arizona. We are thankful to help reduce the amount of food insecurity and our neighbors in SCW are very thankful for the knowledge it isn’t being wasted.
Read MoreDesert Garden UCC's 2025 Electronic Recycling Event just concluded and it was a successful four days of collecting broken and used electronic devices and cables of all types. We collected 10,064 pounds of electronics that will not end up in a landfill. This was the fourth year for the recycling and over the course of those four years we have collected 53,685 pounds of electronics.
We are grateful to AZ StRUT who has partnered with us in this program and receives all donated items. We want to express our appreciation to Rich and Sheryl Hoyt, Doug and Patty Nordahl, Tim Anderson and Tab Bomhard for being there on days of recycling to help unload donated items. A big thanks to John Houlette for making posters and flyers for the event. All of you made this the success that it was.
Read MoreWith 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 MoreDesert Garden United Church of Christ in Sun City West continues a sacred dialogue about becoming an Open and Affirming Congregation. The next stage of our conversation includes a Summer of Storytelling. A couple of community leaders, as well as some of our own LGBTQIA+ members will be sharing the joys and struggles they have faced in their lives. We hope to be able to record some of these. If you are interested in learning more, or perhaps viewing a recording, please contact Pastor Bill Utke, pastorbill@desertgardenchurch.org.
Read MoreDesert Garden UCC is excited to share good news with our sibling churches in the Southwest Conference! Thanks to tremendous hard work by so many, and with gratitude to Jill White at the UCC Building and Loan Fund, we exceeded our goal for the Capital Campaign.
A Celebration Worship service and Brunch was shared April 16, 2023.
We are thankful to God for the courage to engage in this “Renewing for Our Future” campaign.
Thanks to Co-Administrators John Houlette and Gail Mattson and all who helped.
Read MoreDesert Garden UCC, Sun City West, in an effort to improve the lives of refugee youth in the Phoenix area, has received a grant award from the UCC’s Global Hope Initiative, through the Ministry for Refugees and Migration Services. The $2000 award, along with gifts from Desert Garden, will allow 50 refugee youth to attend a Techie Camp where they will receive training on the workings of and use of a computer, and be able to keep a newly refurbished laptop after the program.
This is a partnership including AZ Strut, Chicanos Por La Causa, and Desert Garden UCC.
Read MoreMarch 20-23, 2023, 9am-noon at Desert Garden UCC, 18818 N. 128th Ave., Sun City West
Have old electronics taking up space? They are outdated? Don’t work? Need repair or you’ve just moved on? Desert Garden UCC will offer one week of recycling of all electronics. This is a partnership with AZStrut out of Mesa, AZ.
Read MoreDesert Garden UCC in Sun City West has this beautiful stained glass window adorning our narthex. The plaque below reads, “This Window is a Gift from First Congregational United Church of Christ, Tucson, AZ. 1881-2011.” We at Desert Garden UCC are grateful to share in the beauty which God allowed to shine into that faithful congregation.
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