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Hope Floats

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

This Lent we name what feels bound up – grief we can’t shake, relationships strained, habits that hold us, worries about the world and our own futures. We are 3 weeks into our theme, “Unbound: Longing for Wholeness”, which reminds us that God meets us in our longings.

Christian hope trusts that God is present and working even when we cannot yet see how the story will turn. In Lent we walk with Jesus toward the cross, but we do not walk without promise. The One who enters suffering also brings life.

That’s why the image in my photo – a rainbow peeking out from a cloudy sky – has stayed with me. Can you see the hint of the rainbow reaching out from the clouds? The clouds don’t instantly vanish. The sky isn’t suddenly perfect. Yet color breaks through, quietly announcing that the storm is not the only truth. God’s covenant still stands. Mercy still holds. Hope floats mid-air.

One of my favorite 90’s films, Hope Floats, comes to mind. When life comes undone, the path forward isn’t a quick fix; it’s a return to what is real, a rebuilding, a learning to begin again. In Christ, God keeps doing that kind of work – unbinding what has wrapped around our hearts, healing what is broken, and drawing us toward wholeness.

This Lent, may we watch for hope – sometimes small, sometimes sudden – like a rainbow breaking through ever so slightly. And may we trust that in Jesus, hope truly floats.

Peace,

Pastor Andrea

Borderlands Produce Rescue

Next Distribution Date: March 21st

Desert Cross Tempe Site

Distribution Time: 8:00am – 10:00am (first come, first served)
***Please note that due to the heat warning we're ending an hour earlier than originally scheduled.

Volunteers Report at 5:45am (Volunteers must sign up ahead of time – see below for more details)

Desert Cross is partnering with Borderlands Produce Rescue. They rescue delicious, healthy produce and distribute it throughout Arizona. If you'd like to volunteer for an upcoming event, you can sign up through Borderlands volunteer sign-up program. For more information, use the link below.

You, your family, and your friends are invited to come pick up a produce box at our event. A $15 cash donation gets you up to 70 pounds of produce. Do you want to keep good produce out of the landfill? Then come pick up a box! Do you want to eat healthier food? Then come pick up a box! Do you want to stretch your food budget? Then come pick up a box!

You can preorder and reserve a box beginning the Monday before our distribution event. It'll cost a little more, but the box will be waiting for you. Use the link below for more information.

If you have any questions, please contact Denise McClellan at dmcclellan@desertcross.org or 480-730-8600.

Kids Connect!

Sunday, March 22nd

1:00pm – 2:30pm

Gilbert Campus, Suite 104

All children, ages Kindergarten through 5th grade, are welcome to join us for some fun and games! Bring a friend!

Questions or interested? Please contact Ari Nannenga at anannenga@desertcross.org

STOP! Don't Trim Your Palms Yet!

Please don’t trim your palm trees just yet! Once again, we'll be using palm fronds to decorate for Palm Sunday. So if you're planning to trim, wait just a bit longer and bring them to the Tempe Campus by Thursday, March 26th.

Thank you for helping us prepare for our Holy Week celebrations!

Easter Sunday Help Wanted!

We’re currently looking for volunteers to help serve our fellowship brunch on Easter Sunday at the Tempe campus, happening in between worship services. The brunch will begin at about 9:30am, and it's a wonderful opportunity to share in the joy of the day by helping create a welcoming and hospitable space for our community to gather and celebrate together.

If you’re interested in lending a hand or would like more information, please contact Ashley Hope at a4hope@yahoo.com.

Staffing Update – Medical Leave

As announced at all worship services last weekend, our Parish Nurse, Denise Viker, had unexpected major surgery. She is home recovering and will be out on medical leave for at least 6 weeks. Please contact the church office and/or Pastor Andrea and Pastor Thadd for any needs in her ministry area until further notice.


At this time the Viker family is not receiving visitors and does not request a meal train as they focus all their energy on healing. Please know how gratefully all your well-wishes have been received. Please lift Denise and her family in your daily prayers for healing and recovery.

Thank you,

Pastor Andrea

A Letter of Thanks from the Grand Canyon Synod

We recently received a letter of thanks from Bishop Deborah Hutterer and Synod VP Mark Myers of the Grand Canyon Synod, expressing their gratitude for Desert Cross’s continued commitment to mission support. Their message highlights how our congregation’s generosity helps strengthen shared ministry, support communities in need, and grow faith-filled leadership across the Synod and beyond. We invite you to read the full letter and see how our congregation is helping make a difference through this partnership!

Join us for Lenten worship Weekends & Wednesdays for “Unbound: Longing for Wholeness” by Church Anew.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and carries us to Easter. Our Unbound theme asks us, “What if the opposite of being bound is being whole?” Our world is filled with things that hold us captive. These things that bind us prevent us from living the whole, abundant life that God has promised us. Through the stories of regular people encountering Jesus, and being drawn to the wholeness that Jesus provides, we can learn about our own longings and be drawn into wholeness.

Lent 5 (March 21/22)

Theme: Longing for Authenticity

Verses: John 11:1-45

Midweek Wednesday Services follow Joseph's story from Genesis:

Week 5 (March 25)

Theme: Bound by Guilt

Verses: Genesis 50:15-21

🐰🐣 Hop into Easter Fun at Desert Cross Gilbert!

📅 Sunday, March 29th (Palm Sunday)

🕢 10:40am (after worship)

📍 Desert Cross Gilbert Campus

Easter is coming and all children are invited to the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Gilbert Campus following worship on Palm Sunday. Join us for worship and the hunt, then stay for crafts and fellowship. It’s sure to be a ton of fun!

Invite your neighbors and friends! We hope to see everyone there!

SHOWER NEWBORN BABIES WITH LOVE! 👶🏼🌟

March Community Outreach Mission

Once again we are assisting Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest, as they partner with The Family Resource center in Mesa to host their annual Community Baby Shower. Many parents of newborns have no family support, so the goal is to set them up for success. In addition to parenting workshops, services, and ongoing coordinated care, each family will be given a fully stocked diaper bag.

And that’s where DCLC can help! Our hope is to provide items still needed to help supply their 60 diaper bags. Here is the Family Resource Center’s list of needs:

• Baby receiving blanket
• Board books
• Diapers size 1 - 4 
• Baby rattles or toys
• Diaper bags

Hunger Jar donations help too! Just $4 buys a toy, $10 buys a baby blanket, or $15 buys lots of diapers!

Donations will be accepted anytime from March 1st – March 29th.

At our Tempe Campus, place your donations of needed items in our designated box in the Narthex, or donate through the Hunger Jar. At our Gilbert Campus place your items in the donation area set up in the Fellowship Hall, or donate through the Hunger Jar.

Memorial Garden & Columbarium Update!

There’s been a lot of buzz and anticipation happening in and around the Memorial Garden and Columbarium. HAVE YOU NOTICED THE BEAUTIFUL TILING ON THE FOUNTAIN? There will soon be construction to install shade sails over the structure and refreshment of landscaping around the immediate area outside the wall structures (see sample photo above).

These plans were approved some time ago and with generous designated gifts, we are moving forward to installation and completion of the plans.

Please be respectful and be careful around construction areas. Thank you!

– Memorial Garden/Columbarium Renewal Committee

Vacation Bible School

Mark your calendars ...

VBS is scheduled for June 8th – June 12th, 9:00am – 12:00pm!

This VBS is going to be an amazing adventure! Rainforest Falls VBS will be a week of wonder as we explore the powerful nature of God!

Kids 3 years old through 5th grade are welcome to participate.

We need lots of volunteers to make this week successful! Thank you for considering!

More details, registration, and volunteer forms are available on our website at the link below.

Youth Group Meetings

Next Meeting: Sunday, March 22nd at 5:00pm

The Youth Group, grades 6-12, meets on Sundays from 5:00pm – 6:00pm. We will meet in Room 104 at the Gilbert Campus.

If you have any questions, please email Tessa Faust at tfaust@desertcross.org.

Pastor Class with Pastor Steve

Lenten Perspectives on the Life of Jesus

March 26th

Thursday @ 7:00pm – Tempe Fellowship Hall

During this five-session class we'll examine the meaning of Jesus' baptism, wilderness experience, ministry, death, and resurrection.

As part of our study we'll be asking difficult questions, considering some answers, and perhaps arriving at a new and refreshing way of expressing faith in him as our Lord and Savior. There is no book to read, but do bring your bibles. We'll be comparing gospel passages and looking at the record left by Jesus' earliest interpreters.

For more information and to sign up, contact Pastor Steve at

sholm90@gmail.com.

FMSC Packing Site Location

1100 West Grove Parkway

Tempe, AZ 85283

***Parking is limited so please carpool if possible!

Feed My Starving Children Packing Event

📅 Saturday, April 25th

🕢 2:30pm – 4:00pm

📍 FMSC Packing Site in Tempe – 1100 W Grove Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85283

Desert Cross has spots reserved for a FMSC Packing Event on Saturday, April 25th. We'll gather at the new FMSC Packing Site in Tempe 2:30pm – 4:00 pm to pack meals for hungry people around the world.

March 29/30, April 5/6, April 12/13, and April 19/20 Hunger Jars will support this event.

If you have any questions or need help making your reservation, please contact Denise McClellan at dmcclellan@desertcross.org or 480-730-8600.

Vitalant Blood Drive (Tempe)

📅 Date: Saturday, April 25th

🕢 Time: 7:30am – 12:00pm

📍 Location: Tempe Community Center

💉 Donation Options:

- Whole Blood

- Power Red

🅰 Urgent Need for:

- Type O Negative

- Type A and B Positive

🎁 Rewards Await:

Earn points for prizes with each donation!

Let's come together to save lives and make a difference. Your contribution matters!

🔗 Schedule Your Appointment:

Visit Vitalant.org and use sponsor code "desertcross" (all one word)

👤 Contact for Sign-Ups:

Art Krzyzewski will be reaching out to past donors.

📋 Sign-up sheet available in the Narthex at Tempe.

📧 Email: krzyarty@cox.net

🔗 Schedule Your Appointment:

Visit Vitalant.org

👤 Contact for Sign-Ups:

📞 Speak to Meghan Lundberg or Susan or Glenn Tischaefer.

Vitalant Blood Drive (Gilbert)

📅 Date: Monday, April 27th

🕢 Time: 3:00pm – 6:30pm

📍 Location: Gilbert Fellowship Hall

💉 Donation Options:

- Whole Blood

- Power Red

🅰 Urgent Need for:

- Type O Negative

- Type A and B Positive

🎁 Rewards Await:

Earn points for prizes with each donation!

Join us at our Gilbert Site to help save lives!

In keeping with the theme of Lent and our Wednesday night Soup Suppers, this month we are featuring a Crockpot Chili recipe. We invite everyone to join us on Wednesday nights before Lenten service at both campuses for some soup and fellowship!

Crockpot Chili

Submitted by: Laurie Selby

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (cooked) or protein of choice

2 cans red kidney beans

1 can garbanzo beans

1 large can stewed tomatoes

1 package dry chili mix

Approx. 1 cup water

1 can Hatch green chilis*

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to a crock pot.

Cook 3-4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Enjoy!

That's it, super simple and always a crowd pleasure!

In this space, you will find the musical offerings for the upcoming worship services. Please come and enjoy!

TEMPE CAMPUS

MARCH 22nd

Ringing Praise – My Savior's Love

PALM SUNDAY (March 29th)

Ringing Praise – How Majestic is Your Name

Sanctuary Choir – Come, Sing Hosanna



GILBERT CAMPUS

MARCH 22nd

Ari Nannega, vocal duet with her grandmother – Lamb of God

Junior Choir – Dry Bones

PALM SUNDAY (March 29th)

Chancel Choir & Jr Choir – Blessed is He (intro to All Glory Laud)

Instrumental Ensemble – All Glory Laud accompaniment

Chancel Choir – Hosannas in the Highest

Instrumental Ensemble – O Sacred Head Now Wounded

"Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music..."

Psalm 95

Gilbert Hospitality Volunteers Needed

We are seeking volunteers to help with hospitality at the Gilbert campus. This includes assisting with Sunday service fellowship setup and cleanup, as well as providing support for special events that involve hospitality. Volunteers may serve on a weekly, monthly, or special event-only basis, depending on availability.

If you’re looking for a way to help and connect, we would love your support! To volunteer, or with any questions, please contact Dana Hargis via call or text: 480-708-5984.

Volunteers Needed!

We are currently looking for volunteers to help with funeral receptions and/or provide cookies or bars as needed!

If you’re interested in lending a helping hand, please text Carol Hageman at 480-444-9684.

If you are interested in having your child baptized, please reach out to Pastor Thadd at tbook@desertcross.org.

Do you have a news item, upcoming event, or ministry story you'd like to share? Please send the information to Wendy at wwilliams@desertcross.org. The deadline is TUESDAYS for same-week inclusions.