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3601 West Cromwell Drive, Tucson, Arizona
Our mission: to welcome, care for, and inspire.
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JANUARY's Liturgical Theme: CYCLES
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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 Editor
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Catalina Hall 572-1881
catalinahall_9@msn.com
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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
David Hatunen died December 10. Our thoughts and prayers are with
Desi and Jan and the rest of their family.
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Greeters Needed
Here's an opportunity to meet a new people on Sunday mornings. We currently need friendly people to serve year-round or part of the year as regular or substitute Greeters. Don't worry that our standards might be too high. A few minutes of training is all that's needed for you to join the ranks of the GREETERS.
To explore further please email Gene McCormick at genemick@comcast.net or phone at 520-297-9498.
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OFFICIAL NOTICE
Mountain Vista UU Congregational Meeting
Sunday, January 12, 2014, in the sanctuary at 12:00 noon
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MESSAGE FROM OUR MINISTER
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I love the New Year. I love all the top ten lists. I love the reviews of last year's news and entertainments. And I love the anticipation of what is to come. I love the expectations of a slate wiped somehow clean, or so we imagine, by the flip of a page on the calendar.
The new year is a time for looking forward and looking back. And while that can occur with all the flash and bang of our modern media delivery systems, it really is a very fundamental practice. Because underneath all the glitz of our cultural reviews and previews is a very personal, howsoever unconscious, urge to reflect on our lives and living. In that sense, the new year is a time to look within and that look always takes us back to basics.
The basics of church life is relationships. For some that means your relationship with that-which-is-beyond-you-that-includes-you (some have shortened this idea to the word God or spirit). For all of us it means our relationships with one another. To me, the relationship with the spirit of life is rather manic. It puts me in awe or in terror or in serenity or in tribulation. But as relationships go, it is a fairly overt one and not too complicated. That is not the case with interpersonal relationships, those between each other. Those are a bit more complex. So, while not as sledge-hammer dramatic as our relationship with the divine, our relationship with each other can be just as challenging. Of course, it can also be just as rewarding. Either one, divine or human relationship, takes careful attention, listening, generosity and a sense of humor.
As it so happens we have two opportunities to do this work in our immediate future. One is timely, one is on going. The one that is timely is the up coming Stewardship Campaign. Either you are a steward or you will be contacted by one. During that conversation, money will be discussed. But that is not the only thing that will be discussed. The Stewardship Committee is working hard to turn the campaign into an opportunity to strengthen our community. Our community is strengthened by healthy finances and generous giving. But that strength is empowered and dependent on the personal relationships that form this community. I encourage each of you to really take advantage of this opportunity to get to know someone new or get to know someone better or in a new way. Be generous with your personality. And listen. And laugh.
The on going opportunity is... well, me. I want to assure you that I love chatting with you. Sometimes people come see me because there is something personal on their mind that they want to talk out. Sometimes they just want to get to know me better and give me the opportunity to do the same. Sometimes you come to discuss, praise, object or otherwise communicate to me about a sermon or to discuss some aspect of religious life. All of these wind up being very real and, in that way, very satisfying conversations, at least for me. This also helps me be a better minister. As I know each of you better, I am able to fine tune my ministry. Please know that I am happy to spend time with you. I hope you take advantage of that.
Happy New Year. See you soon.
Yours in faith,
Rev. Ron Phares
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A Spaghetti Western
Service Auction January 10
 The Service Auction is the major fundraiser for MVUU and we count on your participation to make it a success!
Make your appearance
Bring out your inner cowboy or cowgirl and dress the part! Hats will be available for purchase at the Auction.
Make your reservations
We are now taking reservations for the auction evening,
A Fistful of Dollars. Since a dinner will be served, we need to order the right amount of food from Rosati's. Thus we need to know your plans. The $15 ticket for the auction will be included in your bill at the end of the evening.
Childcare? Free childcare will be provided for those who reserve it at the Auction Table, but you must reserve in advance.
Contact Anne Tatum (742-4007) ahtatum@mindspring.com
, or Michelle Vedus-Deeney (638-7516) mvedusdeeney@comcast.net, if you have questions.
Happy Trails!
Jane Paul, Chair
Service Auction Committee
janerpaul47@gmail.com
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Newsletter Changes Thank you so much Margaret and John Fleming
Margaret Fleming has retired from Newsletter Editor after six very professional, thought provoking and timely years. MVUU owes her and John Fleming a deep debt of gratitude. They spend so much of their time working to make our church better. They work on several committees and do the non-glamorous work that keeps us growing. And they have spent several hours with me to ensure that the newsletter goes on. I will try to carry on and will strive to keep their professionalism. But there will be some changes. Stay tuned. Catalina Hall
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BOARD HIGHLIGHTS-Keeping Everyone Up To Date
Mountain Vista UU Board of Trustees
December 17, 2013
Next Meeting: 6:30 pm, January 21, 2014 Fireside Room
Congregants are always welcome to attend meetings. Those who wish to speak will be allotted five minutes within an Agenda item or after the Treasurer's Report if not an Agenda item. Please contact the President at least one week before the meeting.
ˇ Treasurer's Report: Income is up approximately $70,000. Expenses are $5,500 over budget due to paying the UUA dues.
ˇ Name change: Article of Amendment changing name to Mountain Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation was mailed to the Arizona Corporation Commission on 12-4-2013.
ˇ January 4 Growth Seminar at UUCT: Participation is recommended to current and future leaders. $80 in scholarship funds are available through Rev. Ron.
ˇ Task Team: Process to determine whether we stay or move: The team will make their presentation in one Congregational meeting this March then continue in small groups for discussion, questions and suggestions.
ˇ A/V Update: Joe Bredau has communicated with A/V team as to his role as point person between the A/V Team and the Board. The need for a new computer is being investigated. Requests for A/V support for an event should be emailed to Wally Gerrard and a copy to Joe.
ˇ Justice Coordinating Committee (JCC) Update: Meeting was held December 8 in which the Social Justice Lens, Economic Disparity, was selected. Next steps are to focus in two areas: first responder efforts, and systemic change agents. The Committee will present their strategies at the January Congregational meeting. They will ask for endorsement of the plan at the May Congregational meeting.
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Tax Notice
Since 2008, members of the Congregation have joined together to direct almost 24,000 dollars of their Arizona Schools Tax Credit contributions to Davis and Laguna Elementary Schools in the Flowing Wells School District.
Your contribution of up to $ 400 per couple, $ 200 per individual, generates a tax credit to be applied to your AZ 2013 taxes. The district will mail you a confirmation to use for tax purposes. This is a credit, not a deduction. Call Steve Witherspoon at 624-3234 to make arrangements. This program is truly a tangible GOOD. I urge your participation. Thank you. SW
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Introduction to Latino and Latina Identity Chuck Tatum January 15, 29, Feb. 17, 26, March12, 26 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm MVUU Sanctuary How do Americans of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Domincan, etc., identify themselves and why? How are they labeled by others and why? What stereotypes are applied the U.S.'s fastest growing ethnic minority and why? Are there political differences between these groups and why? Are ethnicity and class factors? Are all Latinos Catholic? Do all Latinos speak Spanish? Latinos and the immigrant experience? Confused? Come and explore these and other questions in six two-hour sessions with Chuck Tatum who has taught and written extensively about Latino literature and other forms of Latino expressive culture for over forty years. We will devote our two-hour meetings to an historical overview of Latinos followed by discussions of literature, film, art, music, and food as expressions of identity, ethnicity, and history. You need not attend all six sessions. I promise not to overwhelm you with information but to give you a sabor, a taste of Latino identity and culture. Please contact me at 742-4007 or at ctatum@email.arizona.edu if you have any questions. |
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Café Justo
It's time to again treat yourself a few pounds of Café Justo-The Coffee for Social Justice and Ethical Drinking, Too!
The "Coffee Mission" is a Social Action/Justice project that supports a small co-op of Mexican coffee growers and roasters. Through your support and that of many other congregations, these folks are now earning a livable wage from Café Justo. This coffee is fair traded plus shade and organically grown. To learn more about Café Justo and view what's available, go to http://justcoffee.org and "meet" the coop members.
You may order regular, decaffeinated or a mixture; beans or ground. The coffee comes in dated, sealed 1-pound bags. Regular costs $9; decaffeinated and 50/50 blends cost $10. Mountain Vista UU does earn a few cents per pound sold.
To put yourself on the monthly "coffee order alert" list or to gather more info, Contact Elizabeth Reed at 520-269-3414 or reedeliz@gmail.com. Once you order, you will be contacted each month for your next order.
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MUSIC NOTES FOR JANUARY
Hymn of the Month-The Hymn of the Month for January is "Morning Has Come," #1000 in the teal hymnal. It's a beautiful piece written in 2001 by Jason Shelton, one of the recent superstars of UU music. It's written in the key of F, but takes a remarkable turn with an unexpected Eb chord (trust me on this one, it's really cool). If you'd like to hear an instrumental version of it, click on this link http://img.uua.org/stj/1000_MorningHasCome.mp3 . As always, Rouzbeh will play it on the first Sunday, the choir will sing it on the second Sunday and I'll teach it to the congregation on the third Sunday. We'll sing it again as a congregation on the fourth Sunday as the RE students go to their classes.
Choir-The choir will miss our good friend Dave Hatunen. Dave was a great musician with a beautiful tenor voice and was a reliable member of the choir for many years. Our hearts go out to Jan and Desi and the entire Hatunen family in their grief.
The MVUU Choir has had a great "first semester" and will continue singing on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month through March. In April and May we'll be on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. Our snowbirds have all returned and we've recently welcomed three new singers to the choir loft: soprano Anne Smith and basses Ron Meikle and Dave Weaver. Our anthems for January are the old gospel favorite "Will the Circle be Unbroken?" on January 12, and "Forever is Composed of Nows" on January 26. "Forever is Composed of Nows" is a setting of the Emily Dickinson poem which can be read at http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/182912. This reflection on the circle of life is well-suited to January's liturgical theme of Cycles. All are welcome to join the choir, just come to rehearsals on Thursday night at 7pm in the sanctuary. 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."
Wanderlust-The folk group "Wanderlust" will provide the music for the January 19 service. If you haven't heard them before, come check them out.
LB
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Finding Heart - New Groups to Start in January
Be on the lookout for new Finding Heart groups coming in January. Signups will be on Sundays January 5, 12, and 19 after services. Groups start after January 19th and run for 6 consecutive weeks or more. Plan now to be a part of MVUUs small group ministry. It's a great way to get to know folks better as you explore together meaning and values. Contact for this session is Elizabeth Reed at reedeliz@gmail.com.
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| | TAKE A HIKE
Is your New Year's resolution to get more exercise or do you need to work off some holiday calories? Join the intrepid First Friday Hikers to hike the Canyon Loop Trail in Catalina State Park. It is a 2.3 mi. circuit which is fairly level except for those 70+ stairs! For those who do not have an AZ State Park Pass, we will meet at the Chase Bank at Oro Valley Marketplace, which is just opposite the entrance to Catalina SP, at 10:15. It would be good if a couple of people who do have a pass could meet us there. Otherwise, we will meet at the main trailhead at 10:30. Following the hike we will have a picnic lunch back at the trailhead- dessert provided. If anyone still has energy after that, we can do the Romero Ruins Trail which is just .75 mi. Questions? Call Debbie Roberts at 781-640-1961. |
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Energy, Water, Food and UU Faith in Arizona: The Interdependent Web JAN 5TH SERVICE
In her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, former Tucsonan Barbara Kingsolver described her vegetable garden as "having a drinking problem." While the connection between food and water is more obvious, energy and water are also inextricably linked in Arizona. What does our Unitarian Universalist faith offer us as we make our daily choices regarding food, water, and energy? How can we put our faith into action with respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part?
Lisa McDaniel-Hutchings - After working as a religious educator for 13 years, Lisa McDaniel-Hutchings served as ministerial intern at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Surprise. She earned her Masters of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in May 2012 and was ordained as a Unitarian Universalist minister in April 2013. Since June 2012 she has been the Tucson Director for Arizona Interfaith Power & Light, partnering with diverse faith communities on energy efficiency and earth stewardship. Beginning this month she will be serving as Co-Executive Director (with Paul Mitchell) of the newly formed Unitarian Universalist Justice Arizona (UUJAZ), a statewide justice and advocacy network.
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Youth Religious Education Schedule
Upcoming Schedule
January 5 Regular Class
January 12 Regular Class
January 19 Inter-generational Service
January 26 Regular Class
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Weekly Activities
Sunday Morning Book Group, 8:30
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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January Finding Heart Groups.
Facilitator Gathering Saturday 10 am January 5
Sign Ups January 6 through January 19th
Groups start week of January 19th
Ron Meikle, "Our Values Our Lives"
Hobie Denny, "Heart to Heart"
Bill Casey, "Meaning and the Seven Principles"
Anne Leonard, "Sermons and Story"
Elizabeth Reed, "Our Values--What are they? How do we live them?"
TJ Boothroyd, "Friends of Animals exploring Inter-Species Relationships"
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Bi-Monthly Activities
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
Movie Outing: "Pirates of Penzance" 7 p.m., Sat., Jan. 25 at the home of Meg Kidwell and Lee Sims, 4815 E. Camino la Brinca. Long-time Tucsonan Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Kline star in this Gilbert & Sullivan masterpiece. Please bring a snack to share. We are limited to 12 persons by space considerations. Please let John know if you are coming and for directions at john.wilcox2008@comcast.net or at 531-1413.
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Services for January: CYCLES
Monthly Theme: Cycles
January 5 - See Article and Guest Speaker information elsewhere in this issue.
January 12
The Home of Your Soul
The new year is upon us. Let's begin it well, with our foundations set right, grounded in character, refined by community. Return to the home of your soul.
January 19
Beloved Community: Paradise On Earth
MLK Jr. spoke of the beloved community. Such an end requires a multifaceted and interconnected approach. Economics, Ecology and Compassion. In what ways may we change our selves to serve as the examples the world needs?
January 26
Cycles of Migration
We in the Sonoran Desert are lucky to be stop over for migratory birds. They make the journey and the return year after year. It makes our location one of the best for birding in all the land. We are also lucky enough to be home to people following this birdly wisdom, wintering here and summering elsewhere. Here too is a migratory cycle. Not only that, our board has determined that we, as a congregation, must begin to ask ourselves whether we should migrate or not? We will consider the interconnections presented to us by cycles and migrations.
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