SUNDAY SERVICES

10:30 am

Children & Youth

Religious Education

10:30 am

Minister

Rev. Joy Atkinson

revjoy@aol.com 

262-8480

Office Hours:

10 am - 3 pm, T, W, Th

 
Director of

Religious Education 
Donna Pratt  406-5121

mklo@earthlink.net   

Choir Director

Lyle Brown

579-7094

lbrownvh@yahoo.com 

Congregational

Administrator

Donna Pratt  579-7094,   406-5121

office@uucnwt.org  

Office Hours:

8 am - 1 pm  MWF

Newsletter Editors John and Margaret Fleming
888-7059

margefleming@earthlink.net 

Deadlines: 12th & 24th

Board of Trustees

President:

1st Vice President:

Treasurer:

Jim Gessaman 

Charity of the Month

The Green Basket Charity for March is Interfaith Community Services. Their mission is to help seniors, disabled individuals and people in crisis achieve stable and independent lives through support from volunteers, faith communities, and the community at large. For more info: www.icstucson.org

Interweave Fund Raiser and Star Night March 17

Where: at MVUU

Dinner: 6 pm - 7 pm

Star Gazing: 7 pm - 8:30 pm

Dinner Menu: Corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots

Vegan and vegetarian dishes also provided

Suggested donation: $5.00 per person

Remember: No hungry person will be turned away.  

Librotraficante Caravan Smuggling Banned Books Back to Arizona  

Need a Small Job?

A member couple can use an assistant to help with housecleaning, cooking, shopping etc. Call Rev. Joy if you are interested (520) 262-8480

Firewood for Sale

Help SAWUURA raise funds to protect the 100 acres owned by UUs of Arizona:

Please ask friends and neighbors if they need firewood. Trailer load is $150 for ¾ cord and can be divided into ¼ cord deliveries.To arrange a purchase, please call SAWUURA Board Member Eb at 520-622-6966 or email eb@dakotacom.net

SAWUURA is the Sierra Ancho Wilderness Unitarian Universalist Religious Association. The SAWUURA-owned camp is located five miles south of Young, Arizona at an altitude of 5500 feet. SAWUURA is a
beautiful 109 acres of wilderness nestled in the heart of the Sierra Ancha Wilderness and surrounded by thousands of acres of national forest. For more information, visit http://www.sawuura.org  

Film Series at 22nd St.  

Free Community Sing

Sunday March 18, 1-3 pm

Sonora Co-housing Common Room, 501 E Roger Rd.

So we're here. It's the month that comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. (Let's assume the lion doesn't leave with lamb in its jaws or belly).

This is a month to sing. Songs of Ireland (St Parick's Day), songs for farmworkers (Cesar Chavez's birthday), for International Women's Day, to acknowledge the nuke hazards (the Fukushima tragedy for one thing ) and much more.

I'd love for you to join me. No need for songbooks or guitar. No cost. Refreshments provided. All ages welcome, of course.

Ted Warmbrand

Directions? The Common Room is at the third driveway west of 1st Ave on north side of Roger. For more info, call 623-1688.  

Free Social Justice Forum at UA

Mind the Gap, the 6th Annual Social Justice Symposium at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health is designed to engage students, faculty, health professionals, and community members in dialogue to cultivate awareness and encourage action in the pursuit of equal justice for all people in every aspect of our society. The event is entirely student-driven with support from MEZCOPH and other sponsors.

Friday March 23, 2012 - 8:30am - 1:30 pm, Drachman Hall, Free and open to the public. Lunch is included with registration. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Preston Reynolds, Professor of Medicine from the University of Virginia College of Medicine, whose research has been devoted to race discrimination within healthcare and medical education. Closing Speaker: Kathe Padilla, a Tucson native, has been working as an activist for over 60 years. To Register  

Lending Library

After the service, please feel free to check out books from the lending library in the Fireside Room. The lending library is open to everyone. It's easy! Select the book you want to borrow, sign the card inside the book, place the card in the plastic bin and that's it. Return the book when you are finished, and replace the card in the book. There's a wide selection of topics to explore. 

Aluminum Cans

Please bring your empty aluminum cans to church and place in the special bin.. Proceeds from cans go to the Camp de Benneville Pines Scholarship Fund. Thank you to Emily Ricketts for sponsoring this worthwhile project.

Sunday Attractions

This Sunday during the service there will be:

* a special announcement from the Ministerial Search Committee

* a "mystery guest," and


* an Activity and Committee Fair during coffee hour, featuring information about our many activities and groups.

Religious Education News

For Connection Sunday March 11, the TAMS and Tigers connected with the earth by planting some seeds and small plants in our Community Garden plot. Afterward they had snacks under the big palo verde tree and watched the fish in the pond. Thanks to Betty Meikle, who organized and supervised this activity and to Bibi Van der Heiden, who helped.  

Weekly Activities

Book Group on Sundays, 8:30 am 

Based on the popular blog of the same name,

You Are Not So Smart is a celebration of self-delusion. It's like a psychology class, with all the boring parts taken out, and with no homework. You Are Not So Smart collects more than 46 of the lies we tell ourselves everyday,

Anyone interested in writing is invited to join the Writers' Workshop on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 to 12:00. Participants share their writing, critique each others' work, and offer suggestions for such aspects of writing as plot development, organization, tightening, and word choice. Come any time for one session or a series of sessions. If you have writing to be critiqued, please bring at least 5 copies.

For more information, contact Margaret Fleming at 888-7059 or margefleming@earthlink.net .  

Games on Thursdays, 1 pm 

Come play games with us every Thursday at 1:00 pm. We have a lively group that meets in the Fireside Room to play games together. It's fun and casual. Games are a great way to improve memory, too. No need to sign up in advance. Just show up ready to enjoy yourself! If you need more info, contact Clare Toth at 887-6240.

Monthly Activities

Movie Night March 24

"Brassed Off," 7 pm, Saturday, March 24 at Larry and Martha Castriotta's, 1055 W. Ironwood Valley Dr., Oro Valley. This is an English comedy about the survival of a mining community and its brass band. Look for a poster, review, directions and a signup in Goldblatt. Please bring a snack to share. We are limited to 14 persons by space considerations. john.wilcox2008@comcast.net 531-1413

Bookaholics Unanimous March 28 

March 28th: The Pickup by Nadine Gordimer

April 25th: Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi

May 30th: A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley

Contact: Elaine azbooklover@comcast.net 290-1026

Hiker's Group April 7 

Our next hike will be on Friday April 7. We will hike the King Canyon trail. The trail head is on Kinney Road just north of the Desert Museum. The parking lot is on the opposite side of the road from the museum. We will meet at 10 am. Hopefully there will still be a display of wildflowers. Wear weather-appropriate clothing, strong shoes; bring water and a lunch. Walking sticks recommended.

Contact: Hobie Denney at hobied@gmail.com or call 253-857-5171  

OWL to Begin March 23  

OWL, Our Whole Lives sexuality education classes, for ages 9-12 will be offered in two overnight sessions:

Friday-Saturday, March 23-24, 5:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Friday-Saturday, March 30-31, 5:00 pm - 2:30 pm

 

Inquirers' Meeting March 25

Newcomers and/or folks who have an interest in learning more about the Mountain Vista church and Unitarian Universalism are invited to attend an "Inquirers Meeting" on Sunday, March 25. It will be in the small RE room in the Goldblatt Building, beginning at 12 noon. Learn more about our church community and UU beliefs. Reverend Joy will lead the discussion and there will be light refreshments and the chance to meet other inquirers.

If you are interested please contact Anne Leonard at 520-825-3449 or Martha Castriotta at 520-262-7073. We hope to see you there.

 What is Earth Hour? It is a time on March 31, 2012, from 8:30-9:30 pm, when all of Tucson is being asked to turn out all their lights, turn off computers, TVs. etc. to show our commitment to a sustainable future.

Last year 135,000 people from around the country and foreign countries did this. If you would like to be part of this great program, click on the link below. WE at MVUU are asking you to participate in this program to help us be more aware of going "green" and to help with a sustainable future.

This year WWF chose to host an Earth Hour reception in El Presidio Park in downtown Tucson (it's free!). The family -friendly festivities will include live music, a candlelit celebration, food and drink vendors, T-shirt giveaways, great speakers, and a giant light switch that city leaders will flip when the lights go dark.

To learn more about the Tucson event, visit http://www.worldwildlife.org/TucsonEarthHour. To learn more about Earth Hour, visit http://www.EarthHour.org.  

Come Camping!

Easter Weekend, April 5-8, 2012

Eb Eberlein of KXCI Radio, The Unitarian Universalist Church of Northwest Tucson and Eb's Camp Cookin' invites music lovers to a music weekend at the SAWUURA Camp near Pleasant Valley, Arizona on Easter weekend, April 5-8, 2012. Enjoy fellowship around the campfire as a player or a listener, and relax in the mountains. While playing and listening to music is the focus of the weekend, bird watching, hiking, meditation, star gazing and great conversation will also be enjoyed. In the evenings, the music can move inside to the cozy winter cabin.

The Sierra Anchas Wilderness Unitarian Universalist Religious Association (SAWUURA) is a 109-acre camp nestled on 7 Mile Creek in the heart of the Sierra Anchas Mountains of the Tonto National Forest. About a 4 hour drive from Tucson or Phoenix, this remote and beautiful valley is lush with pine, juniper, oak, walnut, manzanita, and wildlife of all kinds. The stream is usually flowing at the start of April and this winter's precipitation to date seems to promise that again this year.

There is no charge for this weekend. Eb will provide 2 meals for everyone attending; one breakfast and one dinner. The remainder of the meals will be potluck. A cool part of camp is that there is no electricity; a well supplies drinking water and two solar showers.

As the location is remote with about an hour of dirt road driving please contact Eb at (520) 622-6966 or AZTrails@comcast.net to confirm directions and details.  

If the weather is inclement we'll have a get-together at our home in Tucson on Saturday, April 7th.  

Candidating Week April 8-15

Don't miss the services on Sunday, April 8 and Sunday, April 15 to hear the sermons by our candidate for called minister. A congregational meeting will follow the April 15 service. At that time we vote on whether to call this candidate. Make sure to be part of the vote.

The week from April 8-15 will offer many chances to meet the minister in person during events, dinners, and more. Please take advantage of these opportunities. 

For questions, please see any of the Ministerial Search Committee members.

Trip to Northern Arizona

Registration is now open for an exciting trip to Northern Arizona October 13-20 to visit Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, and the Petrified Forest among other interesting sites. This trip is sponsored by and is a fundraiser for the 22nd Street church, UU Church of Tucson. You will travel on a comfortable tour bus and stay at moderate hotels such as Best Western and Holiday Inns.

The trip departs from Tucson on Oct. 13, but home hospitality will be available the evening before the trip and the evening we arrive back in Tucson for people who come from other locations.

We have space for 24, and the cost is $1099 per person for a double room. Single room rates are also available. If you register now, you can cancel until July 1st, but after that we are committed to paying the hotels, etc., so no refunds after that date. Payment must be made in full by August 19.

The itinerary and registration form can be found at http://www.uuctucson.org/index.php/sponsored-tours/ . Or contact Carolyn Saunders, c_saunders1@msn.com  or Julia Mehrer, perujourney@gainbroadband.com  for more information. 

GA/DA Reminders

By Carolyn Saunders, District Board VP and District Coordinator for GA

Important Dates

April 27-28  District Assembly, First Unitarian Church, Las Angeles  For more information, click here.
June 20-24 General Assembly, Phoenix
For more information, click here. 

Registration and Volunteer applications are available on the website. Full adult early registration is $320; late registration (after April 30) is $365.

The main GA hotels are the Hyatt and the Renaissance where 1000 rooms have been blocked for UUs at $125 a night. But registration at these hotels must also be done online through the UUA housing office.

District Executive Ken Brown reminds us that as we get nearer to General Assembly, our own PSWD web site has a section on Migration and Border Issues which keeps getting bigger. This section is a resource for individuals and congregations in the PSWD and across the nation. Most of the material is there because in some way the issue or report may be part of events or education at GA and maybe our own District Assembly.Click here to access it.

Attending GA on a Budget

Planning to attend General Assembly in Phoenix this June but concerned about the cost? Here are some ways to attend some or all of GA on a budget:

Go for One or Two Days Only
Registration is $320 for adults attending full time ($365 after April 30th) But you can register by the day--$130 per day ($145 after April 30th).

Go by Chartered Bus for a Day
An option from the UUs in Green Valley:?The UU Congregation of Green Valley is arranging to have a chartered bus take people to Phoenix on Sunday, June 24, to attend the GA Sunday service (open to the public whether registered for the conference or not) and browse the exhibit halls (also open to the public that day). The cost per person would be $30 or $20 depending on the size of the bus. Pick up time would be approximately 7 am and return time approximately 6:30 pm. Contact Loretta Carmickle (carlor3344@q.com) or Charles Burkholder (cburkholder2@cox.net), co-chairs of the Justice Action Network of the Green Valley congregation for questions and indications of interest.

Be a GA Volunteer
The General Assembly (GA) Volunteer Committee provides GA registration in exchange for volunteer work at GA. Volunteer Applications must be submitted by March 31. Adult volunteers are required to contribute 24 hours. Youth (grades 9-12) volunteers and those who qualify for reduced registration rates are required to contribute 14 hours. Online Volunteer Application Applications are due March 31. Volunteers are notified of their acceptance in April, before the May 1 registration rate increase.Please do not register for General Assembly while your volunteer application is pending.

Stay at a Local Hotel and Drive to the Convention Center
The two official GA hotels (Hyatt and Renaissance near the Convention Center) cost $125 per day, and parking is extra. You can find a local motel to drive to the convention center from. Parking at the Convention Center is $12 per day.

Stay at Arizona State University Residential Facility, 120 East Taylor Street, $260 for fixed 5 night stay Arrival Wednesday 6/20, Departure Monday 6/25. All double rooms; roommate matching is not provided. You can stay in a double as one person and not utilize the second bed, but the price remains the same. No cooking, laundry, pets, alcohol, or smoking. All rooms have two single beds with bedding provided. Cleaning, towel, and linen services are not available during the five-night stay. Free wireless Internet. All ASU reservations must be made or reservations cancelled by May 10, 2012. UUA will charge your credit card for the full fixed room rate amount of $260 for your room reservation on or around May 11th. UUA needs to prepay for the dorms in order to secure them. No refunds will be provided after May 10. 2012.

Gateway Project

The Gateway participants have been learning how to use the video camera for a documentary video about immigration. They are now learning how to edit and put in musical background. One song about immigration has already been created, and more will be included as part of the project.  

Plans are to post the finished video on YouTube, our website, and other social media, and to have a DVD available for viewing at GA.

Volunteers of the Month

Pat Desai and Sanjay Desai

Pat Desai is one of those low-key people who do a lot but aren't always visible. She has been a member of our congregation from the beginning, served on the Board, and was President for two years. She has been active in planning and serving Primavera Dinners for years and continues to function as a team leader. Every year she offers an Indian meal for the service auction, and it is eagerly attended. Most of us probably know her best as a coordinator, where her cheerful smile makes everyone feel welcome.  

Pat's husband, Chandrakant, is Indian, so Pat is our resident expert for R.E. on all things Indian and Hindu. She often comes to R.E. classes, tells the kids about India, and demonstrates how to put on saris, which they always enjoy.

Pat and Chandrakant's son, Sanjay, is also a valued member of our congregation. Being younger than many of us, he has great rapport with our teens, and has served as both OWL and YRUU facilitator a number of times. Sanjay and Pat are currently our liaisons to TIHAN.

Introducing the Ambience Committee

We would like to introduce ourselves to give you all an idea of our mission and keep you up to date on what we are doing. Our mission statement is: "Our sanctuary is a cared-for sacred space evoking feelings of warmth and coming home." Our immediate task is to make our current sanctuary meet this goal.

We have been meeting since last fall. We first set out to develop a logo that distinguishes our congregation. One has been carefully chosen and now graces our literature and stationery. We are now in the process of redesigning our space arrangement to make it quieter and less cluttered, setting the tone for the services. We are also working to replace flooring, paint walls, improve lighting, and design a focal point for the services. This will be done within the constraints of budget, balancing current needs with future plans. The first step has been to remove all the literature about events etc. to the Goldblatt building. Next will be to move the name tags outside and provide a space there for all the greeting and chatting that goes on before the service.

These plans are in process and we welcome your ideas and suggestions. Also note that an additional responsibility for the ambience committee is to manage physical gifts (artwork, furniture etc.) that are donated to the church. For questions or donations contact Darcey Spears, 520-408-7141, darcey.spears@gmail.com. Or you may speak with any of our other members: Connie Armstrong, Steven Ballesteros, Robert Brewer, Charlotte Engvall, Sher Hakes, Catalina Hall, Christiane Heyde, Cheryl Hiller, Anne Leonard, and Emily Ricketts.  

Sunday Services for March

March 18, 2012

Canvass Sunday:   "Why the World Needs Unitarian Univeralists"

Rev. Joy Atkinson, Stewardship members and others

This service will explore the value of Unitarian Universalism and this UU community to each of us and to the world at large. Suppose there were no religious community like ours? We need each other and this world needs us! Irene Sattinger is Worship Associate.

March 25
"Friendship"

YRUU Members

Come explore all aspects of friendship with the members of Mountain Vista UU's YRUU group (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists). Friendship is universally important to all people, regardless of age. Before the service contemplate friendships in your life, then think about it more and maybe a little differently, after you leave. Steven Ballesteros is Worship Associate. The choir will sing.

Consider bringing a friend to the service!