Starting on September 2, for the next 75 days, Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott and the members of Sun Lakes UCC are participating in a 75-Day “Renew & Strengthen” Challenge. This challenge is designed to deepen our spiritual lives, improve our mental and physical health, and strengthen our community bonds. Each day, we will engage in scripture reading, prayer, physical activity, and acts of kindness. This is a great way to be church with one another and connect through weekly reflection and support. We can grow, renew our hearts, and strengthen our faith.
To help everyone stay focused and motivated, Dr. Derrick has put together a daily checklist that includes spiritual, mental, physical, and relational tasks. This checklist is designed to support our growth throughout this journey.
Click here to download the checklist and we hope that you might consider joining Sun Lakes UCC on this journey towards spiritual renewal and personal growth.
Read MoreChurch of Beatitudes served up our annual Labor Day lunch at the Justa Center. This has been a long standing tradition. On Monday, about 100 meals were served to seniors, who are experiencing housing/day to day insecurities and staff members.
Everyone also enjoyed wonderful harp music performed by Joyce Buekers during this special meal time.
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.
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.
Read MoreWHAT’S IN PROJECT 2025 will be an in-depth look at the contents of Project 2025. This class is offered at The Church of the Palms on Saturday, September 28, 10 - 12 pm. Registration is required and the class is open to the public.
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.
Read MoreThe City of Tempe is seeing an unlikely pairing of faith-based organizations with disaster preparedness and resiliency.
According to Carissa Fowler, Desert Palm United Church of Christ is one of eight such faith-based organizations, doing its part by installing a community garden to help residents adapt, respond, and recover from the growing and potentially disastrous impacts of climate change.
In her role as a Heat Mitigation and Resilience Specialist for the City of Tempe, Fowler created and now manages the Tempe Resilience Hub Network, an initiative designed to empower communities to be better prepared for--and resilient to--three main hazards: heat, fires, and power outages.
So, what does that have to do with community gardens?
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.
Read MoreDesert Heritage Church invites you to a special screening of JESUS: A Deaf Missions Film on Friday, September 6, 2024, at 6:00 PM MDT. This inspiring film brings the story of Jesus to life in American Sign Language, and it's a powerful experience for both the Deaf and hearing communities.
Ticket pricing (plus applicable taxes and fees:
Adults $11
Kids $9
At Desert Heritage Church, we believe in the power of inclusion and strive to be a welcoming and loving community for everyone. We are committed to embracing the Deaf community, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their hearing ability, can fully participate in and experience the love, grace, and fellowship that our church offers. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to providing a space where everyone feels valued, understood, and connected to the transformative message of Jesus Christ.
So we welcome everyone to join us for this meaningful event. Popcorn and drinks will be available for purchase.
Get your tickets today.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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.
Read MoreYa’ll come!
Clergy are requested to wear robes.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Read MoreOn a vibrant and heartwarming day at Solstice Senior Living in Sun City West, residents and community members gathered to celebrate Pride and honor the incredible journey of our LGBTQIA+ elders. This third annual Pride event was particularly special, as it featured speakers from our very own United Church of Christ (UCC) congregations, including representatives from Desert Garden, Scottsdale Congregational, and First Church Phoenix as well as Rev. Christine Dance from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix. Church members from Desert Garden were also present.
The event was a testament to the enduring spirit and resilience of our LGBTQIA+ seniors, who have paved the way for the freedoms we enjoy today. Pastor Bill Utke from Desert Garden UCC, Christopher Schouten from First Church Phoenix, Rev. Christine Dance, and other community leaders shared messages of faith, acceptance, and love. They reminded us of the importance of bringing today's true gospel of love to a generation that has experienced weaponized faith.
We must never forget our LGBTQIA+ elders and the sacrifices they made to create a more inclusive world. Their stories and experiences are invaluable, and it is our duty to honor and celebrate them, ensuring they feel the love and acceptance they deserve.
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.
Read MoreFirst Congregational UCC of Albuquerque will host a book discussion group reading and discussing Sacred Self Care: Daily Practices for Nurturing Our Whole Selves by Chanequa Walker-Barnes on Thursday evenings beginning July 25 at 7-8pm Mountain Time (6-7pm Arizona time) via Zoom. This book is one of two books selected by the national UCC for an All Church Read. The book is structured as a seven-week guide to create habits tending to the mind, body, and spirit.
We’ll read the first week’s section for July 25. We will be meeting weekly through September 5. Attendance at all discussions is encouraged but not required.
Read MoreFrom the Church of the Palms:
If you are interested in a historical view of the development of Christian nationalism, it would be worth your while to watch he documentary Bad Faith. This feature length film explores the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States. It uses archival news clips, to present a narrative describing the secretive political machinery that has long sought to weaken and destroy American democracy and install an authoritarian vision of the United States. The film was released just this March 2024 and has a running time of less than a half hour. It is available on Amazon Prime and YouTube for 99 cents, as well as other streaming platforms.
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