At Our Best and Most Resilient

"When we are engaged in acts of love, we humans are at our best and most resilient… If the goal was to increase the love, rather than winning or dominating a constant opponent, I think we could actually imagine liberation from constant oppression.

We would suddenly be seeing everything we do, everyone we meet, not through the tactical eyes of war, but through eyes of love. We would see that there's no such thing as a blank canvas, an empty land or a new idea - but everywhere there is complex, ancient, fertile ground full of potential.”

adrienne marie brown, Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds

I come into October 2025 seeking resilience. Living through these hard times, witnessing what America stands for replaced with overt cruelty and malice, I need some patience, hope, and healing to keep me going, and perhaps even thrive. I'm looking for resilience.

As you've read above, adrienne marie brown believes that our best and most resilient humanity emerges from acts of love. This month at MVUU, we will not only imagine more resiliency for tomorrow, but we will be engaging in all kinds of acts of love within our church house and out in our community to bring it to life today. 

October 5, "The Future is Resilience"

Living into a better future requires first that we envision it. Our faith teaches that we are a "prophethood of all believers," that can imagine a new tomorrow into being. 

Rev. Matthew, Maria Menconi

October 12, "The Raven" Multigenerational 

Our annual reading of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is back! This year our response to Poe's gothic poem is written by Robin Crary. 

Rev. Matthew, Alex Stucky

October 19, "(re)New UU"

As we celebrate new members joining MVUU, we will look at what is renewing resilience in our faith tradition today.

Rev. Matthew, Jerry Leggett

October 26, "Turning the Wheel of the Year, Celebrating Samhain"

As Northern European Pagan traditions remember our ancestors, we will celebrate the turning of the year with a Samhain celebration.  

Please bring something to represent your loved ones who have passed to the next life - a photo, a small item that had belonged to them, or a small amount of a food they loved - to place on our altar table during the service.

Rev. Julie Olson of Southern Arizona Covenant of UU Pagans & Samar Adi 

Who Makes Social Change?

Social activist and strategist, Bill Moyer (not the journalist), in his book, Doing Democracy, writes, "There are four different roles activists and social movements need to play in order to successfully create social change. Each role has different purposes, styles, skills, and needs and can be played effectively and ineffectively." 

Here are his four roles, as you read, ask yourself which one feels most like you.

Citizen

Being a Citizen is important for the expression of legitimate political power. This means sharing liberation alongside others in a multicultural democracy. The ineffective Citizen is either naive, unwilling to share in the responsibility of democracy, or a "super-patriot," only interested in their personal freedom.

Reformer

This role orients around advocacy in the legislative and judicial arenas. This is most effective when lobbying elected officials, crafting or supporting lawsuits, and demanding local leaders take action. If not carefully tended this role can seek too little from those in public service or cut out the breadth of community shareholders from the process.

Rebel

With non-violent direct action this role brings focused attention to the most important issues with their strategic public actions. This role can come to power quickly, leaving it open to developing ego-centered strategies and shortsighted planning putting people at risk.

Change Agent

This role works to build connections among interested individuals and existing organizations. When this role fails to keep social change at heart of its action, it can build bubbles of complacency with "it's not impacting us" attitudes. 

All of these are necessary roles for real and lasting social change to happen. They work together, but are active at different times through social movements, supporting one another until social change occurs.

I'd love to hear from you which of these best fits who you are, and what you are active doing in that role: matthew.funkecrary@mvuu.ord.

With love as our guide,

Rev. Matthew

MVUU Art Group meets on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 10am - noon. We learn, create and visit Art.

              No experience or talent necessary! For more information, please contact Ginny Stack at (630) 841-8705 or tellginnycounseling@gmail.com.

Save the Date: October 18^th No Kings

We were there for No Kings Day June 14^th. We’ll be there again on October 18^th. Save the date and join us (Details will emerge soon). Check out the pictures of MVUU’s street spirit from last Saturday and the last No Kings Day.

Lots of ways to engage before October 18^th can be found at https://www.takeactiontucson.org/

Prefer to engage with your representatives? Check out the “5 calls app” wherever you get your phone apps. Google it and learn more.

In Struggle,

Tom & Ruth, Lee, Mike, Bonnie & Chris, Samar, Paula, Jerry, Mary Nell, Jane & Conrad, Ann, Curtiss, Kaaren, Katie, Eb, Melanie, Jennifer, Cheri & Allen, Lisa & Jim, Dan, Pat, Cathy, Suzy, Michael, Joel, Betty, Michelle & Ray, Elliot & Corrine, Melody, Vince, Renate, Judith

tom.bunch@mvuu.org

Baja 4 Halloween Movie Night 

October 18th, 2025

7:00pm-9:00pm  | UUCT at 4831 E. 22nd St

Sanderson Sisters calling! Creep on down to join your fellow witches in the children's courtyard for an outdoor PG movie showing! Light treats and crafts will be provided but feel free to bring a snack to share! Costumes encouraged and be ready to boogie during the movie dance number. All ages welcome! 

For any questions, contact Lily at dre.uuct@gmail.com

Baja 4 Humane Society Collections

Visit on October 25th 12-2pm

This is our last weekend taking collections for the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. Please make sure all your donations at in the box in the front to the church. A huge thank you to all those that donated items to a very wonderful organization. We hope you are able to join us on October 25th 12-2pm to give our donations, take a tour, and help pack food for their pet food pantry program. All are welcome to join!!! Contact Stacie for questions and/or directions.

Bookaholics Unanimous

We are a group of enthusiastic readers who meet the last Tuesday of the month at 2 pm. Our next meeting will be on October 28.  The book will be:  Play by Jess Taylor.  Anne Tatumwill be leading the conversation. We meet by ZOOM. If you are interested and would be new to the group contact Anne Leonard at anne@alartworks.com or call 520-307-8045

First Aid and CPR Training Day: Same Class, Two Locations!

November 1, 2025

9:00am-12:00pm | MVUU at 3235 W Orange Grove Rd

2:00-5:00pm  | UUCT at 4831 E. 22nd St

Ready to help keep your community safer? Want to help others when an emergency happens? We’ll help you prepare!

Class will be taught by LP Health Directions (https://www.lphealthdirections.com/contact) and includes CPR/AED and first aid for adult, child, and infant. 

Join at whichever time and location works for you!

To register, please complete this form https://forms.gle/dYdKVSk8QQeRu53V8

Or contact Lily Waer at dre.uuct@gmail.com. The registration deadline is October 29 at 5pm.

In order to keep this training accessible, we are asking that folks contribute the amounts they are able. The full cost is $25 per person. Friends and Members of the Baja 4 will NOT be turned away for their ability to pay. For non-Baja 4 participants, scholarships are available by contacting Lily. Any amount above the program cost will go to help others who are unable to pay.

Payments can be made by sending a check to 

UUCT 

C/O First Aid

4831 E. 22nd St

Tucson, AZ 85711

LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR 

FINDING HEARTS

1. At church in the Oasis Room. Alice Hutchison will be there to take your Sign Ups on October 12 

2. Send to your request to Alice Hutchison by telephone: 520-329-2298 or Email: ahutchison87@gmail.com by October 15

Resume with "FALL SESSIONS"

Sign Up for these groups starting October 1, 2025 in any of the following ways:

1.     Send to Alice Hutchison your Sign Up request via:

a.     Telephone: 520-329-2298

b.     Email: ahutchison87@gmail.com

2.     At church at a registration table in the Oasis Room after church. Alice Hutchison will be there to take your Sign Ups on October 5 and October 12.

FALL SESSION OFFERINGS

Exploring the Poet Within-

Facilitated by Alice Hutchison and Ann Bowling. Group size limited to 8.  

Friday mornings at 10am, 4 wks 10/31-11/21. 

Location: Homes of Alice and Ann. 

Description: Digging into your Expressive Self, exploring various forms and styles. 

Show & Tell-

Facilitated by JoAnne Sorenson. Group size: . 6- 10. 

Wednesday's at 5pm 10/15-11/5. Location: MVUU

Description: Bring a memento, an object, an experience or a story to share that has meant a great deal to you. The purpose is to get to know each other in a small, intimate group where we share our stories.

Elder Tales: Fairy Tales for Adults- 

Facilitated by Rev Matthew FunkeCrary. Group size 8-10. 

Thursday evenings 6-7pm 10/23-11/13.

Location: MVUU.

Description: "And they lived happily ever after...." might be the end of popular children's fairy tales, but it is never been the end of the story. Our

Lives continue on beyond these endings into experiences, journeys and adventures which inspire growth, wisdom, and lead us to our own Eldering. Our final session will be our sharing and recording of elder tales as a gift back to our congregation. 

Science and Spirit- 

Facilitated by Tom Sawyer and Alice Hutchison.  Group size of 8

Wednesday afternoons, 2pm 10/29- 11/19 

Location: Mesquite Room at MVUU

Description: Group will be focused on discussing these topics.  How are Science and Spirit connected? What experience and thoughts do you have about their connection/disconnection?  Do you see conflicts in believing in both at the same time? How do these ideas affect your world view?.

LOOKING AHEAD

Winter Groups will begin January 12, 2026 for 4 to 6 weeks.

Submission to lead a group in needed by December 12, 2025

What's percolating with the coffee crew? First of all, Donna Bougie is now the lead person for this social justice effort, and she is, like her predecessor, looking for a partner to assist. It's a fun and rewarding and minimal commitment job, so reach out if this is you! Secondly, we'd like to remind you that we sell coffee on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month. Finally, remember that this delicious coffee is a great host/hostess gift!

Attention book people!

Since we now have a Little Free Library, it behooves us to keep it stocked with good children's books. Stacie Sosa and I are teaming up to help with that: check out the spiffed up laundry basket in the Oasis Room by the library. The children have decorated it to remind us to bring our children's book donations to the Little Free Library. Stacie will make sure that our LFL is replenished often enough to encourage repeat book-lookers. 

Yours in community reading, 

Melody Luepke and Stacie Sosa