Desert Notes from Rev. Sarah

I am excited to share with you all that the Board of Trustees, the Committee on Shared Ministry and the Special Funds Committee have finalized arrangements to work with Rev. Dr. Samantha Wilson on a proposal to do deeper work on conflict resolution with the membership and leadership of VUU. We will be working with Rev. Dr. Samantha Wilson as a facilitator and leader. She has been working with one of our sister congregations in Tucson. One of their leaders, in reference to this work said “One of the most important things we learned was how what appear to be specific conflicts can actually reflect the systems of behavior that have become ingrained in how the church as a whole functions. We also learned how those systems of behavior can persist for decades after the primary original source of conflict.” In describing the impact of this work, they also said: “The outgoing and incoming boards gained an unexpectedly deep level of insight into what has led the church to be the way it is and into what past events taught the church about ministry, for example.” We look forward to sharing more with you as we develop our plans with Rev. Sam. Our hope is that this work will render our community with greater vitality and sustainability and solidify us as a beacon of hope and transformation.

Last week I referenced the book “Radical Curiosity: Questioning Commonly Held Beliefs to Imagine Flourishing Futures” by Seth Goldenberg. I will return to this book a few times; it is dense and long and connects these ideas to many aspects of our shared lives. I finished my reflection with these words:

This year the leadership of VUU and I are inviting you to develop the practices of radical curiosity. We’re going to lean into the places where we struggle–where we don’t think alike, where our solutions and ideas take us into different directions. We’re going to practice listening, catching ourselves in assumptions, and asking deeper questions. We’re going to notice how we are uniquely different and accept that these are part of what makes each of us sacred and worthy. Instead of running away or giving up when we notice the places where there is tension, we’re going to notice how uncomfortable and sometimes even painful it is when we don’t agree, how challenging it is when we want or like or even need different things. And then we’re going to remember that there is a unity beneath all of our differences that connects us, an interdependent community committed to caring for one another and staying the course…May we lean into these opportunities to be the ones we’ve been waiting for–to be curious and creative and critical and courageous, together.

Rev. Sarah

Special Funds Small Grants Program (2023-24 Fiscal Year)

The Special Funds Committee is accepting applications for its 2023-24 “Special Funds Small Grants Program,” that provides funds for special VUU projects. As of July 1, 2023 (the start of this new fiscal year) we had $34,566.48 available for grants (approximately 4% of the total in the Endowment Fund).  We received three worthy proposals right out of the gate and met twice already in July to approve funding for the following projects:

1. $2,000 to provide start-up funds for a new Cub Scout Pack at VUU

2. $11,200 for Congregational Conflict Engagement and Training

3. $8,000 outright + $6,000 in matching funds for the Immigration Welcome Team

We have already received a fourth proposal and hope more will be submitted soon. As of July 25, we still have $7,366.48 available for grants this fiscal year. All VUU members, committees, and staff are eligible to apply. Applications can arrive at any time. Grants will be awarded until the funding is exhausted. The application is simple: Who is going to do what, when, why, with what resources? The projects need to be “special” – that is, not something normally funded by the regular budget. Examples include technology upgrades, special landscaping projects, membership / outreach projects, outstanding speakers, training, and so on. Read the guidelines to be sure your application is complete: Send applications via e-mail to: specialfunds@vuu.org. To make double-sure we get your proposal right away, please also send a copy of your e-mail directly to Rick Hinrichs at hinrichs@asu.edu. Here’s the link to the guidelines: Current VUU Special Funds Grants Guidelines. Thank you!

Submitted by Rick Hinrichs, Chair, for the VUU Special Funds Committee:

Joanne McGrath, Treasurer  -  Anne Schneider, Secretary

Carl Anderson  -  Kama White

EastVuu Monthly Zoom mtg: Thursday AUG 10 6:30PM 

How has your sense of trust been affected lately? Has your trust in persons, beliefs and institutions changed? 

How can we bolster trust and be trustworthy for others? 

Additional Reading:

Trust - March, 2023 Touchtones

Join Zoom Meeting here

Save the Date! August 24 Social Night - TBA

Back to School Already!

The first day of school was August 3! Supporting teacher retention is a primary goal for PIE. We are asking you to support them too by contributing to a fund for classroom upgrades. Teachers will be preparing their classrooms for the new year in large part with their own money! The average teacher lays out approximately $500 to ready their classrooms. Adams is an older school with cinderblock walls and only one window per classroom. The teachers do everything they can to create stimulating and attractive classrooms. Please help support their efforts by sending checks made payable to Partners In Education to VUU. We now have a line item to collect donations through our congregation. Please let Perii (sperii1@gmail.com) of your generosity. Thank you, PIE Team

Immigration Action Team

VUU is excited to try to integrate all of its immigration action into one team. The folks helping our Afghan refugees and those helping our Colombian families recently met to join forces and resources. If you are a part of either of these two teams we welcome you to our new cooperative effort to do the best for those we serve. If you are a part of any other immigrant work and would like to make our efforts the most effective please join us...the goal is to best serve those in need and not duplicate the work necessary to achieve great things.

Please continue to sign up for the grocery gift card drive here to supplement the food the families get from food banks. The gift cards are appreciated because they allow the families to buy discretionary goods and those not covered by WIC or available from the food banks.

Phoenix area Asylee Shelters are in need of women's and children's gently used summer clothing. The need is for women’s lightweight clothing in sizes small to medium, both tops and shorts/pants. Children girls and boys starting with size 4. New underwear for all is also a priority need.

There will be a new bin in the sanctuary marked for Refugee Aid who coordinates supplies for four shelters. VUU members can bring items to Sunday services starting July 30th and each additional Sunday in August. 

Our member, Sharon K., will coordinate this Clothing Drive with Refugee Aid as well as ongoing border produce and Safeway weekend deliveries to Shelters. She and our VUU member drivers will be available at each Sunday collection service to answer any questions regarding impact of border immigration issues on shelters as well delivery of collected goods.