To help with Sunday morning hospitality, click here.

Abbreviated information about upcoming events that are further than two weeks out. Events that occur sooner may have a full article below.

Choir Rehearsal - on summer hiatus

Spirit of Life Reading Circle - on summer hiatus, to reconvene in September

EastVUU Social Night - August 22

All Community Water Ingathering - August 25

Congregational Conversation - 9/1, 10/6, 11/3

New Participant Welcome Breakfast - 9/7, 11/2, 2/1, 4/5 RSVP here

Read with Rev. Sarah - October 16

VIP Public Action - October 24

New Participant Classes - 10/26, 12/7, 3/22, 6/7 RSVP here

Rev. Sarah visits Friendship Village!

Last week I took half a day and visited Friendship Village. It was a wonderful opportunity to see ten of our VUU’ers, take a tour of the facilities, enjoy lunch, and talk about end of life planning as well as enjoying life while we can! I got to see Gaylee Fretz, Jayne Burgess, Bev and Carter Rogers, Jeanne and Joe Gerber (and their lovely granddaughter!), Nancy and Jim Nielsen, and Sally and Bob Buntschuh. What a beautiful place, with many new buildings and services! We agreed to set up some more meetups out there so I could get the full experience. It was a great opportunity to get some one-on-one time in while also seeing the group. If you live out there and missed us, let me know so we can include you next time! If you want me to come visit your neck of the woods and see a group of VUU’ers in a place of your choosing, let’s make a plan!

Rev. Sarah out in the community

I also attended a board retreat for Azcend last week. Azcend provides direct services to Chandler and Gilbert residents that includes a food bank, supports for two senior centers and meals for seniors, early childhood education and school readiness supports, rent and utility assistance, emergency shelter via IHELP, and much more. I’ve been on their board for a year; this is the non-profit that we work with to house folks through IHELP in our sanctuary a few times a month. I am currently serving as the Vice President of the Board. 

We have an upcoming gala event on Friday, October 11 at 6 p.m. The event will feature dinner and drinks, a live auction and casino games. I’d love to have a VUU table! Let me know if you plan to attend, donate toward the live auction, or make a donation in lieu of attendance. For more information, visit https://azcend.org/gala/.

October 16 we’ll also host an Empty Bowls event at the Chandler/Gilbert Community College campus where you can learn more about Azcend as well. The bowls are $10 apiece and lunch is an affordable soup and bread. If you live out that way, this is a relaxing way for us to meet up, as well. Helping raise funds for our partner organizations extends our shared work, values, and commitments in our community–we help more of our neighbors together in ways we can’t alone.  

-Rev. Sarah

More Updates

Temporary Help Cleaning the Sanctuary Needed This Week!  We need volunteers who can help sweep, mop, and clean the bathrooms this week.  Next week we have a paid cleaning team coming to work with us, but until then we need a little help.  If you’re willing and available before Sunday, please contact Rev. Sarah at minister@vuu.org 

Ushers Needed Ushers do various tasks on Sunday morning: greet people in the lobby, prepare the joys and concerns candles, count people, count money, take collection etc.. The usual commitment is one recurring week per month (1st Sunday, 2nd Sunday, etc.) but there is room for all levels of involvement. Collectors don’t necessarily have to count money and if you can’t commit to a specific recurring week, floaters are always needed. Also needed: dedicated money counters and greeters (these individuals don’t necessarily need to help with collection). If interested, please email usher@vuu.org.

Sunday Service Set up and Clean up Nick Carr could use some extra hands on Sundays, including training someone to take his place on days when he can’t be at VUU (it doesn’t happen often, but when it does no one else knows what to do!) Come at 9:30 on Sunday and get some on the job training!  

The VUU Library Donna Long is organizing a small group to help get the library organized and deal with excess materials. Have some time to help? Contact Donna.

Brown Bag Lunch with Rev. Sarah: Second Tuesdays beginning August 13 through December. Bring your lunch, feel free to bring something to share too. We’ll meet in the boardroom from 11:30 to 1:00. Come when you can, leave when you need to. Bring your questions, ideas, stories, and chocolate.  

Read with Rev. Sarah: I’ve been reading “On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World” by Danya Ruttenberg and it seems like a great book to discuss after the work we engaged with Rev. Sam last year. Pick up a copy from the library or a bookstore or a digital copy and prepare for a conversation. RSVP for October 16 6:45-8:15.  

-Submitted by Rev. Sarah

AZCEND awarded Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency

AZCEND, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing help and hope to neighbors in need, has been awarded the prestigious Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency. This recognition conveys AZCEND’s commitment to responsible stewardship, excellence in delivering programs and transparency.

The Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency is awarded to nonprofit organizations that complete rigorous and detailed accounting of strategic goals, measurable impact, financial accountability, leadership and governance as well as diversity. According to Candid, fewer than 1% of all nonprofits in the United States have been awarded the Platinum Seal of Transparency as of 2023. Read more here.

Hello VUU! 

I’m Sara Sautter and I am your new Interim Director of Faith Formation. I hope to see many of you on my first Sunday, August 11. 

I’ve worked at six UU congregations over the past 25 years. This will be my fourth interim congregation. 

Thank you for your patience as I learn about your congregation and your faith formation program. During my first week I have been focusing on getting children and youth enrolled as well as making sure we have volunteers in each classroom. 

In particular, we lost staff in the nursery and we need an adult in there to help our teens that help in this room. This Sunday, August 11, has been covered (thank you Angela Bennett!), but if you want to play with babies or in any other age groups over the next couple of weeks, please click here to sign up. Volunteering is not just for parents. We need you!

It's Enrollment Time in Faith Formation!

Are your children enrolled in Faith Formation yet? It’s that time of year. If you have already signed up on Cognito form, thank you! If you have not yet signed up your children, please use this enrollment form found in Breeze. Enrolling with the Breeze form automatically links your children with your Breeze profile and alleviates the need to re-input data from an outside source into Breeze.. 

Enrollment provides us with much needed safety information for our child. THANK YOU!

Parent Open House - Sunday, August 18

Parents! Plan to attend class with your children on Sunday, August 18 for our Parent Open House. Meet your child’s teacher, meet our Interim Director of Faith Formation, Sara Sautter and find out what your child will be learning this year. We’ll be making home chalices to take home!  Plan to leave with your children after the Time for All Ages.

Caring Neighbors

Seeking: Two Caring Neighborhood Coordinators

Are you someone who enjoys connecting helpers with congregants in need of help? Are you willing to send emails and/or make calls to make these connections?

There are two neighborhoods in need of a coordinator: Ahwatukee South (85045, 85048) and Gilbert South (85295, 85297, 85298)

You do not have to live within the zip codes listed above to be a coordinator.

If you are interested and would like more information, stop by the Caring Neighbors table at the rear of the sanctuary before or after service on Sunday. You may also reach out to Nancy Wittenberg (480) 283-4725 or Joyce Donahue (480) 221-6837. We will be happy to chat with you.  

-Submitted by Joyce Donahue 

Labor Day Weekend Camping with UUs at SAWUURA

August 30 - Sept 2

No fee and no crowds! 

Camp has water, composting toilets, an outdoor kitchen and ramada. Bring tents, sleeping gear, and your own food. High Clearance Vehicle recommended.

Families, children, friends all welcome!  Information & registration at SAWUURA. 

SAWUURA is a 100-acre property owned by UUs located in the Sierra Ancha mountains near Young, AZ

VUU the VOTE Letter/Postcard Writing Party

Join us to write Get-Out-the-Vote letters and postcards to registered voters. It’s more important now than ever! Bring your downloaded list and letters from Vote Forward (see instructions below) or just show up and we will provide you with what you need for letters and/or postcards.



DATE: Sunday, August 18

TIME: 12:00 Noon – 1:30pm

PLACE:  VUU Board Room (in the Office Building across the parking lot)

For more information and to RSVP, please email Denise.

To download list and letters: Visit UU the Vote’s letter-writing partner, Vote Forward. Register and download the names of 20 registered voters who need encouragement! Print the letters and addresses out and you’re ready to go.

Thank you!

VUU’s UU the Vote Leadership Team     

Submitted by Denise McLeod

Paz de Cristo

More Volunteers needed this month!

Continuing the Tradition… Keeping the Commitment… Living our Principles

August date: Friday, August 9, 4pm - 7pm

Location: 424 W Broadway Rd, Mesa, AZ

Click here for the sign up link

Families welcome!

Please join us as we keep VUU’s 34-year tradition of serving the evening meal to Paz de Cristo guests on the second Friday of August, 8/9/24. Volunteers gather at the Paz kitchen/dining room from 4 to 7 pm to prepare several items for, and then serve, the evening meal. Additional tasks include cleanup of dishes, sweeping and mopping of floors. If you are joining us for the first time, don’t worry, Paz staff and experienced VUU volunteers make the work easy and fun and the evening goes fast.

Seventeen volunteers are needed for the evening and can range in age from 12 on up. Volunteers must be able to stand and participate in tasks during the entire evening. Have questions? Contact Joanne at 602-620-3100. Please sign up for this rewarding experience.

-Submitted by JoAnne McGrath

Environmental Action Team

Join us for an Environmental Action Team (EAT) planning meeting on Monday, August 19. We will meet on Zoom at 6:30pm. We’ll discuss the upcoming national elections and the things we can do to get involved to promote a healthy climate, plus any other concerns you may wish to address. Please RSVP Linda Stenholm, 480-849-2643 (text) or by email for a Zoom link and/or with any questions.

Our 7^th Principle: Respect for the Interdependent Web of Existence of Which We Are a Part

Partners in Education (PIE)

Service is our prayer. School is open. More volunteers are needed.

Can you believe that our English learners only receive a half hour of special support each day, with a teacher who is not allowed to speak Spanish, and does not speak Spanish him/herself?

Our program is essential! Only 45% of English learners graduate from high school! We need to give these kids a chance to succeed and we need you! We are excited to return to our Rumbo al Éxito students. We need more volunteers to respond to Adams' request to assist many more English Learners. Please help us by volunteering and spreading the word to your friends and family members who might be interested. It is a wonderful opportunity to give these kids a chance to succeed. Please let us know if you, or anyone you know, would like to join in this important effort. Contact Beverly, Perii or Randal.

We are also looking for volunteers for the Art Masterpiece program and Arts and Craft projects. LOTS OF FUN! No art experience is necessary. Contact Perii for more info.

Donations are needed for RUMBO al Éxito materials and Back to School classroom upgrades. Let's help the teachers create stimulating environments for their students. Teachers generally spend $500 out of pocket each year! Mail to Todd, 6400 W. Del Rio St, Chandler, AZ. 855226 or look for our table after services.

-Submitted by Perii Skolnick