News from UUCNWT

* Ardith Dickason, who has received a pacemaker and is now recuperating at Sabino Canyon Rehab Center, 5830 E. Pima St., Tucson, AZ 85712. The phone number is 722-5515.

* Liz Cook, who is undergoing chemotherapy

* Vicky Grossack, who is recovering from a skiing accident in Switzerland

Rev. Virginia Knowles, mother of the late Jeff Knowles, died late in January. For more information, you can contact her friend Marge Owen at 301-345-1572 or lowellandmarge@verizon.net.

Adult R.E.

The Voluntary Simplicity course scheduled to begin March 22 has been cancelled because not enough people signed up. There has been a lot going on, so maybe the time wasn't right. We will offer it again, possibly as soon as this summer. Let Sybelle know if you have an interest, and also tell her what times are best for you. uusybelle@gmail.com

Rev. Joy will be offering a course, beginning in April, but the schedule will be changed slightly from what was previously announced. Stay tuned.

Diary of a Long Distance Gardener

by Alberta Gunther

veggies

Once again I'm in Oregon, and my garden is in Tucson. My radishes, lettuce, carrots, and a little bit of spinach were doing well when I left. All Don has to do is water and eat. Of course I had some radishes the size of apples that I told him to leave alone. I was going to let them go to seed. So he pulled some. But there will be more, so no harm. If only everything grew as well as radishes. I quickly planted some zucchini, cucumbers, and beets before I left. So far apparently nothing has come up. My track record isn't good. Every time I plant something before I leave, nothing comes up. But I always hope.

Around here everything is dormant. Well, almost everything. I've seen some shoots that would be early bulbs, and just yesterday I saw some small crocus in bloom. Planting bulbs in Oregon is neat. Once they are planted, you can forget about them. They not only keep coming up each year but they multiply. The weather has ranged from 40 to 60 for highs and mid 20s to low 30s for lows. Some sun, a lot of wind, some rain, and a lot of cold. That's Central Oregon for you.

That's all for now. I'll see you all in April.

Members' Art Exhibit

Attention Mountain Vista Members and Friends.

uu entry

You all are invited to participate in the Seventh Annual Mountain Vista UU Art Exhibit. The exhibit will be hung Saturday April 2 and close Saturday May 14. Share your pictures, paintings photos, collages, textile work, and computer art with the congregation. Art may be for sale or not at the artist's discretion. Please stay after church on April 3rd for a gala reception. (You can buy books and art!)

Artists: bring your art Saturday morning April 2^nd, 10 AM to noon. It must be in hangable condition and labeled on the back with title and artist's name. We will have you sign in with artist's name title, medium and price (or NFS, not for sale) information. We will make the placards to be placed by the pictures. Artists should also bring a brief bio (a paragraph) about themselves, which will be displayed during the exhibit. Contact Anne Leonard for more information: anne@alartworks.com, 520-825-3449.

Karla Brockie's Ordination

Karla Brockie

Karla is UUCNWT's student minister and has been a member since 1998. Karla also served as VUU's ministerial intern 2007-8. We've witnessed her journey to become a Unitarian Universalist minister, and now is the time to celebrate!

The ordination service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson (22nd St and Swan) at 5:30 on Sunday April 17, with a reception to follow. The Rev Rod Richards, minister, UU Congregation of SE Arizona, will lead the service; Kellie Walker, Director of Music Ministries (VUU), will lead the music with combined choirs. We hope many of you will join with us in this celebration.

To RSVP and to request childcare for the event, please email BrockieOrdinatn@cs.com .
We are raising funds to support this wonderful event (about $4,400)!! Send your donations to UU Congregation of NW Tucson. Make out the check to UUCNWT, and put "Brockie ordination" in the memo line.

TIHAN Orientation

TIHAN (Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network) volunteer orientation will be March 26 from 9 am to 1 pm. RSVP 299-6647 or www.tihan.org. Other TIHAN questions, contact Pat Desai, 577-9642.

brunch

Brunch Service Kicks Off Pledge Drive

Those who came to the service on Sunday, March 13, were treated to an unusual experience. They found the sanctuary set up with tables and a delicious brunch provided. Everyone was encouraged to eat during the service. After the sermon, canvassers at each table handed out pledge forms and information and encouraged their tablemates to make pledges then and there or to take the forms home to complete and return. A good time was had by all.

FREE Workshop March 19

Old-timers--are you confused and bewildered by all the new social media in use these days?

Young people--are you willing to help the older ones learn about Facebook?

Please, all of you, come to the Facebook workshop on Saturday, March 19, at 10:00 in the large R.E. room.

On the two following Saturdays, there will be workshops on video recording and video editing.

If you have questions, contact John Fleming at 888-7059 or elfuturo@earthlink.net

"Triple S" Lunch March 20

Prepare to stay after the service on Sunday March 20 for another fabulous lunch! This time it will be Soup, Sandwiches, Salad. For a $5 donation you can eat to your heart's content and visit with your friends and get to know other congregation members better (and no hungry person will be turned away, of course).

If you can help with any of the food items (especially sandwich fixings), please let us know.
We look forward to many of you eating, laughing and visiting in the Fireside room and outside on the patio!!

Sybelle: 471-3557 or UUSybelle@gmail.com and Lara: 247-3272 or larabuggy3@gmail.com; AKA as the PSWD Camp de Benneville Pines Scholarship Fundraiser people.

Activities and Events

Movie Night, Friday, March 18

"Get Low," 7 pm, at Ron and Betty Meikle's, 3053 N. Camino de Oeste.

Robert Duvall plays a Depression-era hermit who decides to throw a funeral party-his own. Look for a poster, review, directions and a signup at Mountain Vista. We are limited to 12 persons by space considerations. Please bring a snack to share. john.wilcox2008@comcast.net

Bookaholics Unanimous March 30

Being assigned a section of a partitioned tent and told it was "home" for the foreseeable future: that's what life was like for Japanese Americans in WWII America. But being their friend left behind wasn't easy, either. Jamie Ford explores these situations in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Come share your reactions to this situation and opinions of how your government acted; we'll meet at 6:45pm in the Fireside Room on March 30th. Our next book choice is Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer. Americans were enthralled by this bigger-than-life young man. Investigating what really happened to him is a story few could tell truthfully and well. His story is our April 27th book choice. Read ahead for May 25th: The Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cosse. Just think: If you didn't have our book suggestions, you'd probably be reading lurid romances, darling.

Contact: Elaine Harris azbooklover@comcast.net

290-1026

GA in Charlotte June 22-26

General Assembly 2011 will take place June 22-26 in Charlotte, North Carolina. General Assembly registration and housing reservations are open. Financial aid, accessibility services, and children's programs are available.

This GA will mark the 50th anniversary of the merger of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. Join thousands of fellow Unitarian Universalists from across the country as we remember the persons and events that brought into being the Unitarian Universalist Association in May 1961, to reflect on our denomination's relevant achievements and struggles since then, and to chart new aspirations for the future we are determined to shape.

The opening ceremony on June 22 will be given over to a celebration of that anniversary. One of the highlights will be a hymn commissioned for the occasion, Holding Together, with words by the Rev. Thomas Mikelson and music by composer Tom Benjamin. After the opening worship the wall dividing the plenary hall from the exhibit hall will be rolled back and a party will commence in the exhibit hall.

Anniversary events later in GA will include a lecture on the past and future of Unitarian Universalism, a panel discussion on UU social justice history, and a "New Epiphany Revival Show," led by UU song leader, composer, writer, and performer Nick Page. Members of the UU Musicians' Network will also lead a "big sing" Saturday night before the Ware Lecture.

This is just a sample of the people who be sharing their message:
. The Ware Lecturer this year is Theologian Karen Armstrong.
. The Service of the Living Tradition will be led by Rev. Dr. Michael A. Schuler of the First Unitarian Society of Madison, Wisconsin.
. Rev. Kaaren Anderson and Rev. Scott Tayler, from First Unitarian of Rochester, New York, will preach the Sunday Morning Worship.
. The UUA Presidents Forum will include Rev. O. Eugene Pickett, Rev. William G. Sinkford, Rev. Robert Nelson West, Rev. John A. Buehrens, Rev. William F. Schulz, and Rev. Peter Morales.
. Feisal Abdul Rauf, Imam of the planned Islamic community center to be built in Lower Manhattan
. Rev. Jacqui Lewis, Ph.D., author and sought-after speaker on the multiracial/multi-cultural congregation
. Nick Page, composer, conductor, author, and song leader
. Linda Stout, activist, visionary, author and director of Spirit in Action
. Nina Perales, Southwest Regional Counsel for MALDEF, the leading Latino legal civil rights organization in the U.S.
. Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed, retired UU minister, author and scholar
. Enrique Morones, internationally acclaimed human rights activist and founder of Border Angels
. Gary Dorrien, professor of religion, author and Episcopal priest
. Tim Wise, prominent anti-racism writer and activist

If you are interested in being a delegate from our congregation to this year's GA, please contact Conrad Paul, President of UUCNWT.

Our Community Garden Is Growing

green rows Take a walk over to the Community Garden some day soon, and you will see encouraging signs of growth. About six of the plots have been allotted and planted. There are rows of tiny leaves springing up, punctuated by green onions. There are tomato plants that have been brought in and transplanted. One plot is dotted with minuscule yellow seedlings just breaking through the dirt. tomatoes

Some folks have asked how the plants are protected from critters. The answer is that we have a protective barrier that starts underground and comes up about a foot on the outside of the chain-link fence. The underground portion of it curves outward to thwart burrowers.

One plot is being reserved for R.E. kids and their parents. Betty Meikle is organizing some Sunday work parties to plant seeds and care for the garden. If you would like to be a part of this, or if you would like to rent a plot of your own, contact Betty at 743-0064 or b_meikle@yahoo.com

RE News

Tigers: (pre-school -4th grade) Thank You to the wonderful 2nd Semester teachers, Peter Becskehazy, Margaret Fleming, Gwen Goodman, and Anne Tatum for their tireless and kind dedication in the classroom. Thank you to Alberta Gunther for her behind-the-scenes classroom support.

TAMS: (The Awesome Middle Schoolers) A HUGE Thank you to Lara Brennan, Romy Fouad, Jim Gessaman, Clinton Ponder-Gilby and Morgan Riddle!!!! We put out the word that we needed teachers for the 2nd semester, and these wonderful people answered our call for help. The semester kicked-off on January 16th, and will continue through May. Teachers will be using a brand new curriculum guide from the UUA, "Heeding the Call: Qualities of a Justice Maker".

YRUU: (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists, for students in grades 9-12), meets the 2^nd and 4^th Sundays of the month, 10:30-11:45, in the Goldblatt Building. Many, many thanks to the sweet and dedicated facilitators: Dori Klass, Niki Davis and Sanjay Desai.

Substitute Teachers: We occasionally need substitute teachers in our RE classes. It is a fun and valuable way to contribute your time and knowledge to the children of our congregation. No experience is necessary. If you would like to be added to the Substitute Roster, please see Donna.

Story for All Ages: On the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, the RE Students will start off in the sanctuary and be present for the first part of the service, including a Story for All Ages. Following the story, students will file out and convene in their classrooms in the Goldblatt Building.

Connection Sundays: The 2nd Sunday of each month is Connection Sunday. The RE Students will have a chance to connect with the congregation, the community and nature through a variety of activities, field trips and guest speakers.
April 10: Tucson Wildlife Center (guest speaker)

May 8: Wither's Sheep, Llama and Goat Ranch (field trip)

RE Landscaping Project: Planting will begin in the Spring. Coming soon: a wish-list of plants. Thank you, Josh Gormally, for your continued support of this project.

RE Committee Meeting: Wednesday, April 13th, 7:00-8:30 PM in the Goldblatt Building. Everyone is welcome.

Wish List: We need snacks (Goldfish, Wheat Thins, Ritz crackers, Pretzels,etc). All donations greatly appreciated!

Thank you: A big thanks to Dorothy Fausey for donating cookies. And thank you, too, to all the others who somehow sneak in their donations! The RE Department really appreciates your help!

If you have any questions or suggestions for the RE Department, please contact Donna anytime at mklo@earthlink.net or 867-1400.

Welcome to a New Member

Edita Tomory

I moved to Tucson from Capitan, New Mexico, eight years ago after the collapse of my marriage. I came here to join my two daughters and my newborn grandson, Bruno.

I was born in Tuebingen, Germany. My mother was a German Evangelical Lutheran, and my father was a Hungarian and member of the Hungarian Reformed Church. When I was five years old, my family moved to Caracas, Venezuela, where we lived for ten years before moving to the U.S.

In Venezuela I attended a Catholic school; even though we were Protestant, because it was safer than the public schools. This was the time I started questioning religious teachings. I had to keep secret the fact that I wasn't Catholic, because of the general belief that non-Catholics would go to hell.

From my teenage years until recently, I joined and I attended various Protestant churches, but none seemed to satisfy the need in me, until now.

I got my Spanish/German high school teaching certificate from Montclair State University in New Jersey, in 1966. I taught high school for over 20 years in New Jersey, three years in New Mexico, and two years in Tucson, including several Spanish classes at Pima Community College. I am now retired, but I still substitute-teach pretty regularly at Tucson Magnet High School.

I have three children and four grandchildren. I feel very blessed to have been here in Tucson for the home birth of two of my grandchildren, Bruno (8 years old) and Stella (almost 2).

I have many interests; movies; especially foreign movies, reading, sewing, baby-sitting for my grandchildren, hiking, preparing healthy food and meeting all kinds of people "with heart."

Sale Dates

Barn Sale Saturday, April 2, 2011

7 am to 1 pm. This is our annual de-clutter your house and donate stuff to the church sale.

Book Sale Sunday, April 10, 2011

9 am to 1. Open to the public before, during, and after church.

Drop off your donations at the church on Sundays or at the barn on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 1 - 3 pm, until the Yard Sale on April 2 and the Book Sale on April 10. We will need volunteer help to sort, set up, sell and take down. Call Catalina, 572-1881.

Sunday Services

March 20, 2011

"Spring Equinox"

Eb Eberlein and Lincoln Statler

Equinoxes and solstices have been celebrated through the ages by earth-centered religions. The spring equinox is associated with growth and awakening, new life and spiritual awareness. Our own pagan UUs Eb and Lincoln will lead us in celebrating it in this service. Eb's band will provide the music.

March 27, 2011

"The Rainbow Struggle through the Ages"

Christiane Heyde

Christiane will share a sermon on the history of the gay and lesbian struggle, and how it impacts us today. She offered a sermon topic at the UU fundraising auction last fall, and this is the result. Come and join us for a unique view of the GLBT movement through the ages, and see how we as UUs stand on the side of love and accept, support, and empower minorities today. The choir will sing. Romy Fouad is Worship Associate.