Tuesday, Feb 7, 7:30 pm - Sanctuary Black Market Trust - AZMF

Tuesday, Feb 14, 7:30 pm - Gathering Place - Nicole Pesce - AZMF

Thursday, Feb 16, 7:00 pm – Sanctuary GCU Masterworks Chorale and Orchestra

Sunday, Feb 26, 3:00 pm - Sanctuary Sonoran Desert Chorale - Cathedral Classics

We are going to Europe (Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic) in October. It is not too late to sign up! Click here.

Speranta, a lifelong educator, has worked as a teacher and counselor. She now is an administrator overseeing post-secondary for West-MEC, a Career and Technical Education District.

An alto, Speranta has been a member of the La Casa choir for two years. She told us, "I hated singing during my youth. I grew up in communist Romania, and we were forced to sing hymns of praise for our communist leaders during unending parades and marches. We were forbidden to attend church, and we “snuck” in very occasionally with great fear of consequences. When my family and I arrived in the United States as political refugees, we could finally attend church and I began to appreciate the music. It took some time before I worked up the courage to join the choir, but I am so glad I did."

One of Speranta's favorite hymns is Blessed Assurance. "I find the message: 'Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, All is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blessed,' to be a timeless and reassuring message of Jesus’s love for me and all Christians."

The Women's Ministry, under the direction of Jennine Ulibarri, has many groups under its umbrella, and there is something for everyone. There are so many ways to enrich your life in this amazing community. Below are just a few highlighted ways to become involved.

For a complete schedule, go to our website, lacasadecristo.com/moms, or contact Jennine Ulibarri, julibarri@lacasadecristo.com.

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Four times a year, Night Out at La Casa takes place on our campus and is designed to inspire couples in large groups in a time of learning from experts. Join us on February 18 at 5pm. Dinner is provided along with our guest speaker, Ted Lowe, while the kiddos are having fun in childcare.

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Join one of the many Girlfriend Groups, special interest women's groups, which range from hiking to movie-going to knitting and many more! Click here.

January has been a fun month in our Children’s Ministry as we have kicked off the year with the series, You’ve Got Talent. We have learned that no matter if you are in the spotlight or behind the scenes, God uses you and the many gifts He has given you to worship Him. We continue to be blown away by the AMAZING children in our ministry who have memorized our verse of the month. Children as young as 3 are mastering the verse (including the book of the Bible, chapter and verse) and there is a joy in their eyes as they are excited and proud to share it with us.

February’s verse of the month is: I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14. 

Volunteer Spotlight: We have been incredibly blessed to have Marty Minter help us in Children’s Ministry for the past 24 years. He comes each Sunday with a smile on his face and is the first to jump in a game of ping pong with the kids. In his words, “I think that I get as much out of the lessons as the kids! Especially our songs; they actually stick with me throughout the week.”

I hope that your 2023 is starting off to be your best year yet. I thought we would have a little fun this month while keeping our brains active. Please enjoy the following puzzle which is being reprinted by permission from Memory-Improvement-Tips.com.

Donna Bosley

When a loved one is diagnosed with a serious condition, it naturally changes the dynamics of a relationship. When you become the “caregiver,” change is going to be a new and constant companion. Decisions will have to be made without the benefit of time, experience or foresight. Suddenly, you find yourself responsible for the well-being of a loved-one. There it is...caregiving: a new 24/7 job; no employee handbook, no training, no job description and certainly no new benefits package. The role of a caregiver can be demanding. But there are strategies and resources to help people manage new responsibilities. Preparing advanced directives such as a Medical Power of Attorney, living wills, and Do Not Resuscitate orders are the best gift you can give to a family member. It is important to talk with your loved one (if able) and the health care team about values and preferences and how those things could impact medical decisions. You can obtain information, documents and instructions by clicking here.

The more you understand your loved one’s health condition, the better you will be able to adapt and manage your day. Always start with a trusted source of medical information, reputable clinics or health websites sponsored by federal government agencies.

Keep watching the newsletter for upcoming workshops and classes that will be of benefit. La Casa de Cristo is initiating a cancer support group called Kindred Spirits on Feb. 8 at 1pm. There will be a Dementia presentation on Feb. 25 at 9am, then Brain Savers on March 12 at 9:15am, and Parkinson's presentation on April 23. For more information/questions, please contact Parish Nurse Jean Knowling.

480-948-1234 x1130 or jknowling@lacasadecristo.com. Blessings!