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 charity for April is the Center for Biological Diversity. 

Greeters Needed      

Here's an opportunity to meet a new people. We currently need volunteers to serve as regular or substitute greeters. Don't worry that our standards might be too high. About three minutes of intense training is all that's needed for you to join the ranks of the GREETERS.

If you're interested please contact Gene McCormick at genemick@comcast.net

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.     

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

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

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.

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. 

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.

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.

For information and registration, click here. 

Annual Women's Retreat

Camp de Benneville Pines

The retreat is Friday, April 20th- Sunday, April 22nd, 2012. Keynote speaker is Rev. Jennifer Owen-O'quille. For more info, please go to uucamp.com

Painting Volunteers Needed

Announcing Our Ministerial Candidate

Dear Mountain Vista UU Community,

The Ministerial Search Committee is delighted to announce the candidacy of Ron Phares for the full-time minister of our congregation. We unanimously endorse this candidate after completing a thorough search process, which you asked us to undertake throughout this last year.

Ron and his family will be here in Tucson from Saturday, April 7th, through Sunday, April 15th for Candidating Week, when we will all get a chance to meet. We invite you to participate in as many of the planned activities as possible during that week so you will have the opportunity to get to know him. Ron will preach both Easter Sunday, April 8th, and Sunday, April 15th. Following the service on the 15th, the Mountain Vista members will vote on whether to call Ron Phares as our settled minister.

Presently, Ron is serving as a contract minister at West Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Glendale, AZ. He and his wife Katie have twin daughters and family ties in Southern Arizona.

We invite you to keep the enclosed brochure with more details and photos of Ron and his family, as well as the outline of the activities for the week of his visit. There will be social gatherings for all, as well as some business sessions and focus groups. We hope to see you at several of the week's events!

We are extremely excited about the future of MVUU and we know that after meeting Ron, you too will share our enthusiasm.

In peace and love,

Ministerial Search Committee

                        Peter Becskehazy

                        Evalyn Bennet-Alder

                        David Greene

                        Betty Meikle

                        Pat Reddemann

                        Anne Tatum

                        Sybelle van Erven

Interim Minister's Column       

Words of Joy

The future of the liberal church is almost totally dependent on these two factors: great congregations (whether large or small) and effective, dedicated ministers. The strangest feature of their relationship is that they create one another.     

                                                            -Rev. Jack Mendelsohn

Kudos to the Search Committee: I just wanted to take this time, as candidating week fast approaches, to offer a big Thank You to the Ministerial Search Committee for all of their great work this year. They have been meeting among themselves with great frequency, preparing materials, including the congregation's packet, communicating with the Unitarian Universalist Association and the District Ministerial Settlement Representative, poring through thick ministerial packets, and traveling to "neutral pulpits" to hear pre-candidates. Serving on a Ministerial Search Committee involves just about the most intensive committee work there is in our Unitarian Universalist congregations. And their work is not over yet, of course. There is ahead of them the job of shepherding their chosen candidate through the interesting, and intense, upcoming candidating week, when the whole congregation will have a chance to meet with the ministerial candidate in a variety of contexts.

It is required, and very important, that the interim minister "disappear" during candidating week, so that the parish ministry focus shifts entirely to the ministerial candidate. So I will be away from the office, and of course the pulpit, during that week-from April 7^th through April 15^th. For urgent business or in an emergency, I will be reachable during this time via my cell phone (520 262-8480) or email (revjoy@aol.com).

My best wishes to all of you as you go through this very important week with Ron Phares.

With fondness,

Joy

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

Bookaholics Unanimous    March 28, April 25 

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

Movie Night    April 29

"Footnote," Sunday, April 29, time to be announced, at The Loft, 3233 E. Speedway. Supper before or after at La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill, 3007 E. Speedway. Roger Ebert gives four stars to this fight between father and son in Israel over research and publication. Ebert says it is a smart and merciless comedy and a deep study of human nature. We will aim for a late afternoon/early evening showing. In Hebrew subtitled in English. Look for a poster, a review, directions and a signup at Mountain Vista. john.wilcox2008@comcast.net 531-1413 

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 

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.  

Candidating Week   

The week from April 7-15 will offer many chances to meet the minister in person during events, dinners, and more. All members and friends are encouraged to attend one or all of the following candidating week events:

• Saturday, April 7 4:30 pm-6:30 pm at MVUU: Social hour with Ron Phares
• Wednesday, April 11 4:30 pm-8:00 pm at MVUU: Wonderful Wednesday with Ron Phares. Open house.
• Saturday, April 14 5:30 pm-8:30 pm: Music and mingle with Ron Phares.

If you have issues with transportation to get to one of these events, please let the Ministerial Search Committee know. We will try to help you find a ride. If you know you can offer someone a ride, please do so!

Don't miss the services on Sunday, April 8 and 15 to hear the sermons by Ron. 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!

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

Congregational Meeting April 15

Immediately Following Services

Purpose: To vote on calling Ron Phares as our settled minister.

AGENDA

1. Motion by the President of the MSC, Anne Tatum, recommending a call to Ron Phares to serve MVUU as our settled minister.

2. Brief open discussion chaired by Conrad Paul, Board President.

3. Casting and counting of ballots.

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.

Board Highlights

Keeping Everyone up to Date

Mountain Vista UU Board of Trustees Meeting March 21

Note: these highlights are from the draft minutes. Final minutes in their entirety will be posted
outside the office after approval and will include any reports submitted. 

• Treasurer's Report--YTD deficit is $18,996. We are now $15,202 behind in income compared with last year.
• Recommendations from Finance Committee to save funds:
• all committees spend as little of their funds as possible.
• membership committee not spend the $4000 in their budget for marketing.
• not pay the balance of our fair share to UUA.
• These measures will accrue about $18,000 in savings--about equal to our current deficit. However, Finance noted that next year's budget will require difficult decisions
• Joy will form a group to review our Vision and Mission statements and have them for approval at the Congregational Meeting in May
• Strategic planning continues with results from the visioning workshop included.
• Congregational manual review and update is nearly complete.
• Spring pledge drive is under way. Those who did not renew or initiate a pledge in the fall will be contacted.
• Lincoln Statler's work was formally recognized as Community Ministry, as was his relationship with Mountain Vista UU, Voted unanimously to fulfill requirements so that he may be admitted as a lay minister in the UU Society for Community Ministry.
• Conrad will prepare a statement that explains how things changed during the negotiations with the candidate minister to allow us to be able to make a call for a full-time settled minister. 
• A Congregational Meeting will be held on April 15 following the services to vote on the candidacy of Ron Phares as our called minister.
• Delegates are being sought for PSWD (4) in April and GA (3) in June.
• Tom Bunch was approved as the new Chair of Stewardship.
• Update on Property Status--all forms have been delivered to Pima County for variances. The septic tank near the barn requires an approximately $955 repair, which was approved.

Next meeting: 7 pm, April 17 in the Fireside Room

Sunday Services for April

April 1, 2012: Palm Sunday

"Fools For Love"

Rev. Joy Atkinson

It's Palm Sunday in the Christian calendar, and it's April Fools Day! The two themes come together in a historical and unusual image of Jesus, which can speak to us in modern times.

April 8, 2012
"Holding Space"

Ron D. Phares, Candidate for Minister

It's Easter Sunday. It's also the first Sunday of candidating week. That's a potent and sticky concoction. Is there anything that can be safely held in common between the two? Yes. Emptiness. A new perspective on Easter and an introduction to your ministerial candidate, a pinch of theology, a sampling of Greek, and a little bit of nothing.

April 15, 2012

"Holding Space II"

Ron D. Phares, Candidate for Minister

April 22, Earth Day

"Earth Teach Me"

Rev. Joy Atkinson

The service will celebrate the 42^nd annual Earth Day and explore the principle of "biophilia"-our human sense of kinship with other living things that share this planet.

April 29, 2012

"I Am Awake: The Gifts of the Buddha"

Rev. Joy Atkinson

It has been the tradition at MUU for the last several years to acknowledge Hana Matsuri, the Japanese holiday celebrating the Buddha's birthday. This year, we will acknowledge another holiday, celebrated widely in other parts of the Buddhist world--Wesak-the Buddha's Awakening. We will combine these holidays and conduct a tea ceremony. You are invited to bring flowers for the altar.