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Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Northwest Tucson
3601 West Cromwell Drive, Tucson, Arizona
Our mission: to welcome, care for, and inspire.
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June's Liturgical Theme: BALANCE
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SUNDAY SERVICES
10:30 am
Children & Youth
Religious Education
10:30 am
Minister
Reverend Ron Phares
rdphares@gmail.com
579-7094, 661-0791
Office Hours:
T, TH, Fri. 9:00-12:00
Director of
Religious Education
Donna Pratt 441-0870
mklo@earthlink.net
Choir Director
L. H. Brown
579-7094
lbrownvh@yahoo.com
Congregational
Administrator
Donna Pratt 579-7094, 406-5121, (cell) 441-0870
office@uucnwt.org
Office Hours:
8 am - 1 pm MWF
Newsletter Editors John and Margaret Fleming
888-7059
margefleming@earthlink.net
Deadlines: 12th & 24th
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Board of Trustees
President:
Betty Meikle
1st Vice President:
Sybelle van Erven
2nd Vice President:
Jan Anderson
Secretary:
Elizabeth Reed
Treasurer:
Larry Jagnow
Trustees:
Jim Gessaman
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Circle of Life
Our thoughts and wishes go to the family of Roy Powley, who died May 14.
Memorial Service Thursday, 4:00
There will be a memorial service for Roy on Thursday, May 30, at 4:00 in the Sanctuary.
Please contact Reverend Ron if you know of anyone who needs to be on this list.
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Charity of the Month
The Charity for June is Arts for All.
Please remember to make checks out to MVUU and put the name of the charity in the memo line.
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New Office Hours
Reverend Ron will be switching to summer time office hours after Memorial Day: 9 :00-12:00 T, Th, F. Also, Ron will be out of the office attending General Assembly from Jun 17-23 and on a family vacation followed by a belated honeymoon from July 7-24.
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Oklahoma Tornado Victims
For those wishing to donate money to assist those affected by the recent Oklahoma tornadoes, please contact American Red Cross Southern Arizona Chapter, If you prefer to donate goods, World Care, worldcare.org, is collecting food, cleaning supplies, hand tools, pet food, and hygiene and health items.
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Sign Up for Daily Compass
Sign up for the Church of the Larger Fellowship's Daily Compass, a daily meditation and inspirational email that now offers and audio version with a response. To subscribe, go to the Daily Compass, dailycompass.org, scroll to the bottom, and add your email.
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GA Delegates Needed from MVUU
Registration for the General Assembly (GA) held in Louisville, KY from June 19-23, 2013 is open. Go to uua.org/ga/registration.
Please let Betty Meikle know if you are attending GA this year so she can add you to the MVUU GA Roster. Also, please let her know if you are interested in representing MVUU as a delegate. Betty can be reached at b_meikle@yahoo.com.
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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.
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Time and Talent
Please visit the Time and Talent Table outside the sanctuary for information about MVUU, all we have available to offer, and how you can participate. Or see Meg Kidwell, Ron Meikle, or Jane Paul.
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2013 Triple Match Challenge
For a limited time only, your gift to the Friends of the UUA will go three times as far! The grant makers from the UU Veatch Program at Shelter Rock and leaders from the President's Council will triple every dollar you give from now until June 30, 2013. Please give generously today at giving.uua.org
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MVUU Finance Study Group
Are you interested in understanding the recent history, current status, and potential future of MVUU finances? I am. Let's have a study group (this is not a committee, sad to say) to educate ourselves. All are welcome; 5 have so far indicated interest. Email me for more information and a detailed description. Tom Bunch, Stewardship, sparky9132000@yahoo.com
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Reverend Ron Phares Ordained and Installed
 In a beautiful and inspiring ceremony on May 19, our minister, now the Reverend Ron Phares, was ordained and installed. The opening music was by a barbershop group, of which our own Larry Castriotta is a member. Our choir, under the able direction of LB, was joined by several members of the UUCT choir, and performed a stirring anthem, "Celebration." Rouzbeh Tebyanian played his usual amazing improvisations. Stunning flower arrangements by Arnold Van der Heiden enhanced the ambience.
Many of Ron's fellow ministers came to participate: Rev. Theresa Novak, who preached the sermon, Karla Brockie, Andy Burnette, Diane Dowgiert, Susan Frederick-Gray, and Christiane Heyde, who all had roles in the service. President Betty Meikle and President-Elect Larry Jagnow
spoke on behalf of the congregation, and three of our youth, Steven Ballesteros, Ali Brennan, and Bibiana Van der Heiden had roles as ushers. Ron's family--his sister, his niece, his brother, his parents, his wife Katie, and his twin daughters Cora and Minnie--were all there to participate and celebrate with him.
The reception afterward was beautiful, thanks to Arnold's flowers, and the incredible efforts of Lara Brennan, Jan Hatunen, Sybelle van Erven, and many, many others who cooked delicious treats and helped prepare and clean up. Thanks to the ordination task force, who did an incredible job, and to everyone else for their support and assistance.
If you missed this stirring event, you can still see it on a video, recorded by John Fleming, assisted by Ron and Zack Bishop. Click here.
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We Need Your Help!
As part of our planning process for the next congregational year, which starts July 1, the newly elected MVUU Board of Trustees wants every member and friend to give us a hand--or, in this case, give us some brain power.
We invite you to submit by e-mail or in writing to our Office Administrator, what you think our congregation's top two priorities should be both internally and externally for 2013-14.
Internally means priorities pertaining to our congregation. Examples might be what you'd like to see done for our site and/or facilities, the way we conduct services, or how our organization is run.
Externally is how MVUU interacts with the greater Tucson community. Examples here might include specific social action programs, our web page, or other outreach programs.
We will combine your priorities with other members' and friends' thoughts, and see how many match up. The top two, or even three, in each category--internal and external--will be the basis for our board and our committees in goal setting for the new congregational year.
So start gathering your thoughts: What do you see should be our internal and external priorities for next year? And send them in to the Office. Our deadline is June 10, 2013. Thanks in advance for your brainpower.
Contact Larry Jagnow at aljagnow@msn.com if you have any questions. |
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MVUU Member Wins Sermon Contest
 Some time ago there was an announcement in the UU World about a national sermon contest on the topic of Israel/Palestine. Galina DeRoeck decided to enter it since she had just come back from a trip to Israel/Palestine with 9 other Tucsonans.
One of the conditions was that the sermon be presented at a UU congregation, so Galina requested permission from the Worship Committee to deliver her sermon, which she did in March. No doubt many of you remember it.
She sent in her submission and just recently received notification that she had won the national contest! There was an award of $500.00 which will cover much of the cost of her going to GA in Kentucky. So, those of you who will be there, look for her. If you can't go, click here to see the video.
Congratulations, Galina.
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Ice Cream Sundaes June 16
There will be an Ice Cream Sundae Fund Raiser for Interweave on Sunday, June 16, 2013, after the service. There will be ice cream, toppings and just good fun. It is also Father's Day, so all you dads who love ice cream, come over to the ice cream bar at MVUU. A suggested donation of $5.00 would be appreciated, but as usual nobody will be turned away. The proceeds of this fund raiser will be to help with expenses of having a booth at PRIDE again this year in October.
Thanks to everyone for all the support you have given in the past to MVUU's Interweave chapter. If anyone would like to donate ice cream, toppings, bowls, etc., please let me know, and thanks in advance.
Roberta Price
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Religious Education News
Sunday, June 2: Summer Program Kick-off
All students will meet in the Large RE Room, 10:30-11:30 am
Reid Gilbert will introduce them to mime. Lots of fun for all.
Saturday, June 8: RE Family and Community Outing,
5 PM at MVUU Community Garden
 Garden planting for kids. Conversation for adults. Potluck for all.
Please let Donna know if you didn't receive the email with details.
Sunday, June 9: YRUU-led Service (students will be in service the entire time)
Sunday, June 16: Flower Communion. Students will be in the service and take part in a skit.
Sunday, June 23: Cooking activity, Margaret Fleming
Sunday, June 30: Visit to Larry Jagnow's fabulous model railroad and communities.
Do you have a skill, talent or some knowledge that you can share with RE Students this summer?
If so, please consider signing up to be one of our guest facilitators. We are only asking for you to commit to one Sunday, and for just one hour. We hope to engage the children in hands-on activities, and the sky is the limit. In the past we have had everything from drumming to collage-making to cookie baking to jewelry making. We invite repeat guests, too. The kids always enjoy the summer activities, even if it is a repeat from the summer before. This is a quick and easy way for you to meet and get to know our sweet Religious Ed students, and your involvement will be greatly appreciated.
Please help us make our summer RE program a success--sign up now by e-mailing Donna at mklo@earthlink.net or calling (520) 441-0870. Many dates in July and August are currently open.
OWL
If you know of a child , (grades K through 3rd), who might be interested in attending an OWL Session at MVUU this Summer, please let Donna know. The child does not have to belong to MVUU. For more info on the OWL (Our Whole Lives) sexuality curriculum, please visit: http://www.uua.org/re/owl/
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If you have any questions, please call Donna, the Director of Religious Ed, at (520) 441-0870 or email her at cdpratt1@live.com
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Long-Range Planning Group
Mountain Vista UU needs a few visionary people with some business skills to form a long range planning group, which will gather information and report to the congregation. Its members will serve 2 or 3 year terms. See full text in April 15 issue.
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Bake House Planning
The Bake House group is planning silent retreats, courses on UU history and theology, and poetry. All are welcome to join this planning group. See full text in April 15 issue. Contact Kathy Kouzmanoff, kathykouzmanoff@mac.com, or Pastor Ron for more information.
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The Living Tradition Fund
 When Ron and I were living in Ogden, Utah, he was working as an intern. We had two beautiful infant girls, and an intern's salary, and food stamps. The Living Tradition Fund was a saving grace for us. It was there for us when we really needed some help.
This is what the Living Tradition does. It is there for ministers in their times of need.
There are many stories of lives changed by grants from the Fund of the Living Tradition. When a single working minister was diagnosed with terminal cancer, it was the Fund of the Living Tradition that brought a close collegial friend home to her. When a theological student, and single parent, was disowned by his family for his transgender identity, it was aid from the Fund of the Living Tradition that enabled him to finish his schooling. When a minister who spent his life serving his congregations retired with no pension, it was the Fund of the Living Tradition that helped him pay for food, utilities and prescriptions.
I am honored to ask you to give to a fund that truly makes a life changing difference in the lives of those ministers that will serve, are serving and have served our Unitarian Universalist Congregations.
If you are writing a check, please make it out to Living Tradition.
And from the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful for your generosity. Thank you.
Katie Phares
More information can be found at this link. If you would like to donate now, you can do so by sending a check to the church made out to Living Tradition. Or just place a check made to Living Tradition in the wooden bowls on Sunday. So far, close to $1,000 has been donated.
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Endowment Receives Gifts
The MVUU Endowment Fund received $100 in gifts recently, in memory of MVUU member Frances Pearson and in memory of Joost Korpel, son of Adrian Korpel and stepson of Ann Ellsworth.
The Endowment Fund was established by the congregation in 2000 to further its mission, fund special programs and help meet long-term goals. Gifts to the fund are meant to generate income for uses beyond the annual operating expenses. The gifts (principal) are invested and protected. Gifts in memory of those we love, gifts in honor of special occasions (eg. weddings, birthdays) and planned gifts in wills are encouraged and welcomed.
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Board Highlights
Keeping Everyone up to Date
Mountain Vista UU Board of Trustees
May 21, 2013
NOTE: These Highlights are from the draft minutes. Final minutes in their entirety will be posted outside the Office after approval and include all reports submitted.
- We now have 154 members.
- Treasurer Report: As of May 20, we have $57,046 in checking account and our income is ~$16,000 above expenses.
- Property update: our development plan is back on track because the barn permit has been located. This means we don't have to tear down the barn.
- The Goldblatt doors will be reconfigured by B&G to meet fire codes.
- New A/V equipment will soon be in the sanctuary; the Board voted to fund the proposal presented by the AV team.
- We are buying more hymnals. Soon we'll have 94 of each.
Next Meeting: 6:30 pm, June 18, 2013, Fireside Room
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Weekly Activities
 Sundays, 8:30 am, Book Discussion Group
Our current book is The Social Conquest of Earth
by Edward O. Wilson. This week's reading includes a chapter on human nature. Wilson writes, "Human nature is the inherited regularities of mental development common to our species." We will discuss this and other ideas from Wilson's book until June 9. On June 2 we will choose a new book. Please join us Sundays at 8:30 am in the small RE room. For more information contact John Clark at alvinjclark@aol.com.
Tuesdays, 12:00 noon, Bridge Club
Wednesdays, 9:30 am, Writers' Workshop
Thursdays, 6:45 pm, Tucson Women's Chorus
Thursdays, 7:00 pm, MVUU Choir Practice
Saturdays, 6:30 pm, AA Beginners Meeting
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Bi-Monthly Activities
1st and 3rd Mondays, 6:30 pm, Global Chant Group
4th Wednesday of the month and 2nd Tuesday, 7:00-8:30 pm:
"Sacred Poetry as Spiritual Practice," facilitated by Bob Wallace and Ron Phares.
bob@robertmwallace.com or 414-617-3914 See full text in March issue.
1st and 3rd Thursdays 4:30-6:00 pm, Grief Support
At UU Church of Tucson. Karla Brockie 269-9573.
1st and 3rd (and 5th) Fridays, 6:30 pm, Women's Circle
2nd and 4th Fridays, 6:30 pm, Spirit Circle | |
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Monthly Activities
Adult Religious Education May 29
6:30-8:00 pm: "Race and Ethnicity," facilitated by Chuck Tatum and Ron Phares. Last discussion until September.
Movie Night June 8
"Stories We Tell," Saturday, June 8, time to be announced, at the Loft, 3233 E Speedway. Peter Travers, Rolling Stone, calls this a brilliant film about the elusiveness of truth, as a daughter interviews family members to get at family secrets, a unique and unforgettable documentary. Supper at Gandhi Cuisine of India, 150 W Fort Lowell, before or after the show. We will aim for an afternoon or early evening showing. Please let John know if you are coming to be notified of any changes and for reservation purposes at the restaurant. john.wilcox2008@comcast.net or 531-1413.
Bookaholics Unanimous
There will be no meetings in June and July. On August 26 we take a quick trip to Antarctica to discuss Endurance, Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Alfred Lansing (1914, complete with photographs).
Welcome, newcomers and members. For more information contact: Anne Leonard anne@alartworks.com or 825-3449.
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Sunday Services for June
Liturgical Theme for June: BALANCE
June 2, 2013
"Religious Naturalism" Reverend Ron Phares Nature will balance of its own accord. How do we find balance within it's interconnected webs? How does bringing reverence to nature, of which we are apart, offer the possibility of transformation for ourselves and the world? June 9, 2013 "Art in Balance" YRUU Our own YRUU youth group will lead us in this week's service. The youth will share how art plays a role in each of their lives and helps us all to maintain balance in our day to day activities. June 16, 2013 "Flower Communion" Reverend Ron Phares Bring flowers! Just as water communion signals the ingathering of our community, flower communion signals its sending forth, its wilting and its flourishing. Flower Communion brings balance to our liturgical year. June 23, 2013 "Animal Planet: Fact v. Fiction" T.J. Boothroyd T.J. will explore the relationship between us and our animal brethren and show that what's good for the animals is good for us. June 30, 2013 "High Wire Without a Net: Why Religion Matters" Reverend Ron Phares
Why does religion matter? What are the stakes? What are the possibilities? What can we realistically hope to expect from our faith? And is balance the key to it all?
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