To help with Sunday morning hospitality, click here.

Abbreviated information about upcoming events that are

further than two weeks out.

• 30 Days of Love - Jan 20-Feb 14
• New Participant Meal - Feb 1, Apr 5 RSVP here
• VIP Leaders Retreat - Feb 1
• Congregational Conversation and Soup Lunch - Feb 2
• FUUNd Auction - Feb 2-16
• Grief Covenant Group - Feb 9-March 23
• EastVUU Potluck at Tempe’s Friendship Village - Feb 13
• VIP Documentary Film Screening - Feb 22
• New Participant Classes - Mar 22, Jun 7 RSVP here
• VUU Retreat - Apr 11-13 at Friendly Pines Camp in Prescott
• UUA General Assembly - Jun 18-22

This weekend we will celebrate the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in a myriad of ways, including our Sunday service. This is the first January since I’ve been here that our Sanctuary hasn’t been under construction, and I am excited to experience a full service together in honor of him. I think sometimes we don’t take the time to really orient the way this commemoration impacts us differently based on our identity–our racial identity, in particular. There’s a tension around wanting to honor him using cultural expressions that come from the Black/African American community (I know folks feel different ways even about naming identity!) because in a congregation where the minister and musicians may be white or mostly not Black/African American, the context, meaning and importance of these cultural expressions may not be as clear or as nuanced as they really deserve to be. 

If you’ve never been in a predominantly Black church and sung the Black national anthem (Lift Every Voice) you might not have experienced the true power of this song and the depth with which it can be sung. I have vivid memories of this powerful song and the voices singing it with devotion, determination and depth.  In my experience, many white folks barely know this song. It references the history of slavery and its violence, as well as the incredible strength it took and still takes to survive, heal and thrive the generational trauma and institutional impacts in our country from this experience and history. I know I don’t know the depths of this experience. So when I sing it or hear it sung, it is with a sense of humility and honor and commitment–an understanding that I must listen and learn and then show up to the work that needs doing to continue to dismantle institutionalized racism and forms of white supremacy that benefit me even as I am trying to dismantle them. 

This Sunday we humbly offer a service in which we will sing this and other songs, and in which we will honor and remember a legacy that continues to beckon us into deeper work and commitments. It is my prayer that all of us will hear a call to service and action. For those of us who are not Black/African American, I hope you will also hear an invitation to lean in and listen for a call to learn and to grow in awareness of how systemic racism continues to impact our community and our country, especially anti-black racism. 

With love and commitment,

Rev. Sarah

Thank You For Eating Soup!

Coming of Age made $1000 on our Soup Lunch this past Sunday. Thanks to all who participated. Mark your calendars for the first Sunday of every month for more delicious homemade soup, bread and salad. Next one is Sunday, February 2.

Get Ready for the 2025 FUUNd Auction - February 2nd

The Let’s Have FUUNd Together auction is VUU’s largest annual fundraiser and one of the best ways members can spend time having FUUN celebrating old and making new friends. This year’s auction opens at noon following the service on February 2nd. There will be tables set up on the Sanctuary patio displaying pictures and descriptions of all the fantastic opportunities you can bid on this year. We guarantee you will be amazed at the depth and breath of what has been donated!

Be ready to bid the minute the clock strikes 12pm by pre-registering at www.auctria.events/VUUFUUND2025. (You will be asked to provide a credit card number on our secure website in order to bid.) Bidding will take place entirely online. Place your bids via your cell phone or computer.

Thank you to everyone who has donated to the 2025 FUUNd and to all of the volunteers who are working overtime to make this year’s FUUNd auction the very best ever! Please join us on February 2nd – THERE WILL BE CAKE!!!

Read with Rev. Sarah: Transforming Conflict & Authentic Selves

Join Rev. Sarah in reading Rev. Terasa Cooley’s book, Transforming Conflict: The Blessings of Congregational Turmoil. Rev. Cooley believes that it is possible for “conflict experienced in the context of faith [to] transform both us and our congregation.” She says that “today’s world requires all of us to learn new ways of being in relationship to one another that is not just yelling over the fence at each other or running fast the other way.” As we work our way through change and difference, we may observe that when we are dealing with these challenges, it is easy to “conflate discomfort with threat, to mistake internal anxiety for exterior danger, and in turn to escalate rather than resolve.” If these ideas resonate with your experience of conflict, it’s time to pick up this very accessible read and join me in thinking about how we can be a community that transforms conflict into engaged relationships that work together for solutions. 

Soul Matters Monthly Theme Discussion

The monthly theme discussion for January has been rescheduled to Sunday, January 26 on the patio. 

Living Love through the practice of Story!! 

Board of Trustees Survey: First Look

The Annual VUU Board of Trustees Survey that ran from October 31 to December 16, 2024 is currently being analyzed. There were 154 survey respondents. Thank you everybody!

To view the initial results in more detail, click here.

If you desire a copy of the slides shown on Sunday, January 5, please email assessment@vuu.org. The report of qualitative data will be made at the February 2 Congregational Conversation.

—Nancy Egly and Katie Hurstwicker, Co Chairs

Also: Tom Briggs, Mary Erickson, Paul Schneider, David Sheh

Join Us for the VUU Music Ministry Retreat

Saturday, January 25th | 12:00–4:00 PM

VUU Sanctuary

Please join members of the VUU Music Ministry Team in discovering the musical possibilities during this period of interim ministry. Learn more about what this means and how you might offer your musical gifts to VUU. Whether you’re already part of our music ministry or curious about sharing your musical gifts, this retreat is for you.

We’ll tell stories, share ideas and experiences, make some music together, and plan for the future of Music Ministry at VUU.

Please send an email to Lynn DeMuth to let us know you’ll be participating. Please include whether you’re a new or returning music ministry participant.

Photos from Katie's Farewell Party

Last Sunday, January 12, we bid a heartfelt farewell to our Director of Music Ministry, Katie Seiferth. The service was a beautiful celebration filled with music, song, and deep gratitude for the time and gifts she shared with us. Katie's dedication and passion have blessed our community in countless ways, and while we will miss her dearly, we send her off with love and best wishes for her next chapter.

Click here to see more photos.

Phoenix Martin Luther King Jr. March & Festival

March with Doug Nintzel and other VUU friends at Unity Initiative in the MLK March! The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March & Festival in Phoenix is a cherished tradition. Hosted by the Arizona Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee, this event unites city leaders, schools, businesses and community organizations in remembrance of Dr. King. Doug says, "I have been joining this march for about 15 years, and it is always a wonderful experience."

Date: Monday, January 20

For the March, arrive early (around 8:30 am) to get good parking at

Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, 1401 E Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85034

The MLK 2025 Commemorative March begins at 8:45 am. From Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church to Margaret T. Hance Park, is a distance of about two miles and culminates with a festival at Margaret T. Hance Park

The Festival is from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at

Margaret T. Hance Park, 67 W. Culver St., Phoenix, AZ.

The festival includes speakers, stage performances, poetry, booths, and food vendors. Coordinate your return to Pilgrim's Rest Church with your group, possibly using light rail. 

Please email Doug Nintzel or text 480-468-7649 if you will participate.

To carpool contact: 

Denise McLeod to carpool from VUU.

Karen Stucke to carpool from the Tempe Library.

—Hosted by VUU's UU the VOTE

Environmental Action Team

VUU's Environmental Team will not meet this January. However, there are some valuable opportunities for those of us who care a lot about Arizona and our environment. This Friday, January 17th from noon to 1pm, the Sierra Club will have a presentation on  Water and Climate Change in Arizona.

There is another one on Extreme Heat in Arizona and Heat Relief Funding - Thursday, January 23rd, at noon. And there will be others on Democracy, Environmental Justice, and AZ Bills in the near future.

Most importantly, Sierra Club's Environmental Day at the Legislature will be on Wednesday, February 17th from 10:00am to 4pm. Tamales will be served and all are welcome to attend.

If you can't get in to either of the above seminar links and you still want to attend, or if you have any questions about Environmental Day, you may text or call me, Linda Stenholm, at 480-849-2649.

AZCEND Food Bank Volunteering with Rev. Sarah

Friday, January 24, 8:30-11:30 am

Wear closed -oe shoes and comfortable clothes. Meet at AZCEND on 345 S. California Street in Chandler at 8:30 am. Sign in and make a nametag at the Food Bank desk inside. Rev. Sarah will be there! Sign up here.   

I-HELP Volunteers Needed

If you are interested in learning more about I-HELP, we'll be training on Monday, January 20 and Tuesday, January 21 at 5:00 pm in the sanctuary kitchen. On-the-job training for new volunteers. Contact Adrienne O'Donnell or Rev. Sarah.

VUU's night to bring dinner for I-HELP is Monday, January 27. Help us make this a great Taco Night! Sign up to bring food here.

Donation Coordinator Needed to Help Paz de Cristo

VUU collects donations for Paz de Cristo's emergency food box program, and I am looking for one or two people to take over the duties right away.

This is a wonderful way to volunteer if you're busy and don't have much time. The responsibilities are simple:

• Post a suggested donation in the newsletter each month
• Collect donated items whenever you can and deliver them to Paz de Cristo

This is a great opportunity for new families looking to get involved, for those who prefer to work alone, or for someone with a busy schedule! If you’re interested, please reach out. I’ll train you and ensure a smooth transition. Thanks!

Please note that this role is different from the monthly meal preparation that we do on the second Friday of every month at Paz, and which you can sign up for here.

-Submitted by Megan Kimball