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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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September's Liturgical Theme: WELCOME
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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:
M, TH, Fri. 1:30-4:30
by appointment
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
Larry Jagnow
1st Vice President
Sybelle van Erven 2nd Vice PresidentGwen Goodman
Treasurer
Larry Castriotta
Trustees
Joe Bredau
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Circle of Life
* Edee Sobel is recovering from surgery and would welcome hearing from friends. Her summer address is P.O. Box 3587, Sunriver, OR 97707.
* Marion Erickson is now back at home.
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Charity of the Month
The Green Basket Charity for September 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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Service Changes
Starting in September, the service will run from 10:30-11:45. The ritual will be as follows.
All children will gather with Ron in Goldblatt 5 minutes prior to worship. Then, they will all process in. One youngster will carry a flame and one will carry our sacred waters. They will deposit these in the appropriate places.
The kids will sit on the floor in front of the pulpit and the teachers in chairs near the front.
They will stay for 15 minutes then, after the story, leave during a hymn to go to their classes.
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Reminder
The two trash bins beside the Tuff-shed in the back yard are for ALUMINUM CANS ONLY. Please comply with the posted signs.
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Attention Fry's Shoppers
It's time to log into Fry's so the church can continue to receive a percentage of your shopping dollars. If you are computer savvy, it should be easy. If you are like me, it will take some diligence. If you are hopelessly lost, get help or ask me. First you will need a V.I.P. Card from Fry's.
1. You will need to go to
and select 'create an account.' Follow all the instructions and you will get a confirmation email.
2. Go to
FrysCommunityRewards.com
and sign in. Hopefully you will have remembered your password. Select 'My Account' then select 'Account Settings.' Click on 'edit' under 'community rewards.' After filling out more info go to...
3. 'Select Your Organization.' Our number is 80134. Click on 'UU Church' and then on 'Save Changes.'
4. If this has been done right, you should find our church on your Account Summary page.
I will have a more detailed copy of instructions at the church.
Happy eating...Alberta Gunther
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Announcements
If you would like to submit an item for publication
in the Newsletter, Friday eFlash or the Sunday Announcement Sheet, please send it to Publications@uucnwt.org.
Announcements for the eFlash and Sunday Announcement Sheet should be submitted by 12 noon on Wednesday.
The Newsletter deadlines are the 12th and 24th of each month.
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MVUU Connect
A fun and easy way to stay connected to your UU Friends!
MVUUConnect@yahoogroups.com is our Electronic Community Bulletin Board. Use it to share short messages. Post any notices of interest to our community that would not be official MVUU announcements, newsletter articles, or posted on our website. This group is not intended for discussions on religious questions, church practices or policies.
If you have not received your invitation, and would like one, please let Donna know in the office, 579-7094, or email her at office@uucnwt.org
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SAWUURA Labor Day Family Camping Weekend August 30 - September 2
 Revel in the cool & quiet whoosh of the breeze through the pines, Enjoy the happy sounds of children playing, Share songs, tall tales & S'mores around the campfire, Stroll to sunset point & clap the sun down, Hike to pioneer or ancient ruins, Relax along the creek with a sprig of wild mint, Play games or relax in a hammock, Read that summer book you've had to put off, Take a solar-heated outdoor shower, Experience darkness and stargaze, Worship in the Sacred Grove Of The Ancients, Help with a Service Project, Lead your own event.
We hope that you will join us for this celebration of the end of summer. Food is included (bring your own snacks) and the registration fee is $45 per adult ($35 for members) and $25 per child under 16. (Some children's scholarships are available, if needed. Please talk to Jan Hatunen.)
For more info and to register, go to www.SAWUURA.org. If you have questions, please talk to Jan Hatunen, Lara Brennan or Eb Eberlein. |
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Let's Have Lunch--September 8
Join your fellow MVUUers for fun and good food after the Water Communion Service on September 8. The theme for this lunch is "International Foods". We will be raising funds to support our Our Whole Lives program. We have just finished teaching the OWL course for levels K-3rd grade. The YRUU group will be doing OWL this fall. Two of our members are going to a training to facilitate OWL for the Adult level. All of this means that the funds for OWL need to be replenished. A $5 donation is requested, but as usual, no hungry person will ever be turned away!
If you are able and willing, please bring some main course, salad, drink, dessert, or whatever you can like (from another country).
And as always, please label your food (with ingredients if possible), so eaters will know if something is vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, etc.
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Adult Religious Exploration
2013-14 Church Year Schedule
Each session of a series will be on alternating Wednesdays. So keep all your Wednesday evenings free. Classes 6:30-8:30 pm in the Sanctuary (Note exception for time on first series). Childcare provided.
Track A (Begins September 11)
Owning Your Religious Past
Ron & Fran Bishop, facilitators
5 sessions:
9/11, 9/25, 10/9, 10/23, 11/6 (This series will be from 7:00-8:30 pm) See August 15 issue for detailed description.
UU History (movies)
Marge Fleming & Rev. Ron, facilitators
3 sessions: 11/20, 12/4, 12/18
Latino Identity
Chuck Tatum & Rev. Ron, facilitators
5 sessions: 1/15, 1/29, 2/12, 2/26, 3/12, 3/26
UU History (movies)
Marge Fleming & Rev. Ron, facilitators
3 sessions: 4/9, 4/23, 5/7
Track B (Begins September 4)
Sacred Poetry
Bob Wallace & Rev. Ron, facilitators
5 sessions: 9/4, 9/18, 10/2, 10/16, 10/30(5th Wed.)
12 Steps to a Compassionate Life
6 sessions: 11/13, 11/27, 12/11, 1/8, 1/22, 2/5
Sacred Poetry
Bob Wallace & Rev. Ron, facilitators
6 sessions: 2/19, 3/5, 3/19, 4/2, 4/16, 4/30
Not on Wednesdays
3 more silent retreats: 10/19, 1/25, 3/29---Kathy Kouzmanoff, facilitator
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All-Council Meeting September 14
The first All- Council meeting of the church year is scheduled for Saturday, September 14 9:00-12:00 in the Fireside room. If you chair a committee this meeting is for you. Also invited (but can choose to be represented by committee chair) are those who head a task force, chapter, or other group. All meetings at MVUU are open to all members, so feel free to come and hear what's cooking! Committee Chairs, please submit to your respective Council head (Rev.Ron, Gwen, Sybelle) any items you'd like to see on the agenda.
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Music Notes
Hymn of the Month
The Worship Associates and the Music Team are implementing a "Hymn of the Month" this year to help us get to know our hymnals better. Each month, a less familiar hymn will be chosen to fit the liturgical theme, and then featured every Sunday that month. By the end of the year, we'll have nine new hymns in our repertoire to supplement the worship experience.
 The Hymn of the Month for September is "Come and Go with Me" #1018 in the teal hymnal. It's an African-American spiritual of hope, peace and freedom. Many of you may remember the version Peter, Paul and Mary recorded in the 1960's. Like many spirituals, it shows the parallels between escape to the north, life after death and the escape to Canaan by the Children of Israel. Rouzbeh will play it as one of his selections on the first Sunday of September, the choir will sing it as an anthem on the second Sunday, we'll sing it as the preparatory hymn with me as song-leader on the third Sunday, and sing it in other hymn-slots on the 4th and 5th Sundays. It's an upbeat piece that I think you'll enjoy learning.
Bad News, Good News
Dorothy Jacobs and Jane Paul have both asked to lighten their loads for services. They aren't going away, and will still be playing memorials, weddings, and the occasional Sunday service. They've done a wonderful job helping lead worship for many years, and I hope you'll join me in thanking them for all the work and artistry they've contributed. The good news is that Rouzbeh has agreed to fill in on the other Sundays, so expect to see him at the keyboard almost every week this year. Wanderlust, the MVUU band, will also be providing service music several times this year.
Choir
The MVUU Choir will start rehearsals again on Thursday August 29 at 7pm in the sanctuary, and sing in the service on September 8. We've got a very exciting year planned. The only requirement is an interest in music and a desire to contribute to the worship experience. There's no audition or need for any previous experience, so drop in and check us out-we can always slide more chairs into the "choir loft."
LB
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Religious Education News
September 1 Art Projects. Kids huddle with Ron at 10:25 and process into the sanctuary for service. They will stay there for the first part of the service, then go to their class.
September 8 Water Communion. Kids in service entire time
RE Committee Meeting
Wednesday, September 5th, 4:30 PM, Fireside Room
EVERYONE is welcome! If you have an interest in helping our religious education department to grow and thrive, whether you have children or not, please consider attending our monthly committee meeting. We especially encourage all parents and teens to attend and give input. For more info, please email Donna at cdpratt1@live.com.
New Teachers Needed
The RE Department is recruiting new teachers for the upcoming 2013-14 school year. It's a fun and easy way to help. No experience is necessary! Please contact Donna if you would like to help.
Wish List
Our snack closet is near-empty. Please help by donating some healthy and simple snacks. Suggested items include raisins, popcorn, pretzels, granola bars, goldfish crackers, teddy grahams, etc. We also need canisters of powdered lemonade. THANK YOU!
OWL
An Our Whole Lives (OWL) class will be offered this fall for high school students (10th-12th graders). Watch for upcoming details.
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Prickly Pear Project
If you would like to help in the prickly pear jelly-making project, you can pick the fruits, which are now ripe. Use tongs and put them in a paper bag lined with a plastic bag to prevent stains. Then you can freeze them whole or make juice and freeze it.
To make juice, wash the fruits and put them in the pot with about 1/4 inch of water. Cook on very low heat until soft--about 3 hours. Then mash them and strain the juice through cheesecloth. If you want to be in on the jelly-making, please contact Margaret Fleming or Betty Meikle.
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Social Justice and Action Is Reorganizing
In his August 15 column, Rev. Ron gave several examples of the energy at MVUU that he had experienced during his first year and that he saw carrying over into his second year and beyond. Among these was the launching of a process of reorganizing social justice and action endeavors "to focus our justice efforts without compromising the diverse areas of interest already served by members of our community." He cited TIHAN, Primavera, Native Elders, and our Prison Ministry, to which we could add our Animal Ministry, Private Prisons, and Immigration Education.
A step towards launching this reorganizing process has been the formation of an ad hoc Justice Coordinating Committee (JCC), consisting of Lara Brennan, Debbie Gessaman, and Chuck Tatum, which met in early August with Rev. Ron to formulate a preliminary plan to, in Ron's words, "seek to discover, in conversation with our entire community, an issue of justice that we can enter into, as a whole congregation: where we may work to transform the world and find ourselves transformed in the  process." The JCC's advocacy responsibilities would include: search for community agencies with which to coordinate; build bridges and locate potential projects; look for educational opportunities and advocacy occasions; and get training in congregation-based community organizing. We decided it was important in broadening our social action efforts within MVUU, as well as locally, nationally, and globally, to introduce the congregation to several process models that other UU congregations in Arizona have already developed to bring justice-seeking awareness to their congregations.
The JCC discussed several models and found that the process developed by Beacon UU of Flagstaff merited our attention. Over thirty members of this congregation attended Justice GA in Phoenix a year ago and, fired up by the experience, a new social justice group was formed to develop a carefully planned effort that over the next several months included one-on-one conversations within the Beacon UU community as well as with leaders in the larger Flagstaff community. This process culminated in June 2013 with a unanimous congregational vote "in support of families of undocumented immigrants" in the Flagstaff area. Learning about the Beacon UU process would serve to start a conversation among us about how we might want to proceed. Each congregation is unique, so we may want to adapt features of their process as well as others that we learn about.. It's important that this conversation involve as many members of our congregation as possible. To succeed, our process will be developed from the ground up.
Roz Clark, a longtime Beacon UU member, was instrumental in organizing, guiding, implementing, and sustaining this year-long process. She has graciously accepted our invitation to meet with our community on September 15th to share with us the Beacon UU process. The JCC invites all to attend this informal meeting in the Sanctuary shortly after our Sunday service. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Chuck Tatum at 742-4007 or by email (ctatum@email.arizona.edu).
In love,
Justice Coordinating Committee
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Weekly Activities
Sunday Morning Book Group, 8:30
Through Sept. 8 we will continue discussing Quiet, The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. "Quiet" is a book that presents an understanding of the "place of introverts in culture and society." The author "explores introversion through psychological research old and new, personal experiences, and even brain chemistry, in an engaging and highly-readable fashion". On September 1 we will choose a new book. Check the mid-September newsletter to see what we will be reading. Come join us Sundays at 8:30am 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
Saturdays, 6:30 pm, AA Beginners Meeting
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Bi-Monthly Activities
MVUU Growth Group
After a bit of a break, we begin Holy Conversations; Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations by Rendle and Mann, on Monday August 26th at 6:30. The book is about 200 pages so let's break it into 50 pages per session.
August 26th-- Intro through page 34.
September 2nd-- pages 35-90.
September 16th-- pages 91-153.
Either September 30th or October 7th-- 154-the end.
1st and 3rd Mondays, 6:30 pm, Global Chant Group
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
Bookaholics Unanimous
The September meeting is on Monday the 30th. The book will be Jack Kerouac's On the Road, a classic. We will also be selecting books for the next season. You are welcome to participate.
Welcome, newcomers and members. For more information contact: Anne Leonard anne@alartworks.com or 825-3449.
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Sunday Services for September
Liturgical Theme for September: WELCOME
September 1, 2013
"Welcomed Work"
Rev. Ron Phares
This weekend we celebrate Labor Day and recognize the monumental, self-sacrificing effort and risk undertaken by the labor movement. They secured standards of compensation, safety, and time that allowed working people to have a welcoming environment in which to labor, and created a nation where all classes could have dignity and self-determination. Have we lost that for which they sacrificed?
September 8, 2013
"Welcoming Water: Ingathering Sunday"
Rev. Ron Phares
Water Communion! All across the land, UU's of every stripe will be participating in this annual ceremony that celebrates the many welcomed streams that make our community. There will be a brief homily and the ritual of adding water gathered from your summer. As you add your water to the community water, you are invited to name the quality or character of the events and place from which you bring the water. This collected character will be used throughout the year in blessings and to hold our joys and sorrows.
September 15, 2013
"The Welcomed Struggle"
Rev. Ron Phares
Standing on the Side of Love Sunday! It is time to challenge ourselves as a congregation to engage injustice in the world. In working to transform the world, we shall see ourselves transformed as well. Let us celebrate our current endeavors and seek to commit, witnessed by one another, to a renewed devotion to struggling for the good, by engaging with love.
September 22, 2013
"May Your Heart Be Filled by My Welcome"
Rev. Ron Phares
Religion is all about connection. Community is about each other. Faith is all about renewing promises. We are a religious community keeping faith. Seeking connection with each other, we renew our promises. Covenant and small group ministry. Welcome to your next step.
September 29, 2013
"Welcoming's Many Manifestations"
Chuck Tatum, Chair, Membership Committee
Membership Committee members will comment individually on the varied ways in which welcoming has inspired them or how they have been personally affected by the welcoming generosity of others.
Liturgical Theme for October: MYSTERY/THE UNKNOWN
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