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Sunday, January 12
"Honoring the Gifts"
This service honors the gifts of music ministry received from the leadership of Director of Music Ministries, Katie Seiferth. Together with many singers and musicians, we’ll sing our goodbyes and dance our joys and sorrows.
A post-service celebration will follow the service (details below).
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IN THE EDUCATION BUILDINGS | |
FAITH FORMATION
This week in our continuing exploration of the Practice of Story, we explore how stories and friendship are connected. Children will explore how sharing stories about ourselves deepens the connections between people and leads to trust.
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DALAI LAMA AND FRIENDS
8:30 am Meditation
9:00 am Discussion
In person, in the board room, and
Via Zoom here
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🎶Join Us to Celebrate Katies's Music Ministry🎶
As we prepare to say goodbye to our beloved Director of Music Ministries, Katie Sieferth, we invite you to a special farewell potluck party on Sunday, January 12.
Katie has been a transformative presence in our music ministry, inspiring profound growth, fostering creativity and collaboration, and leading essential upgrades to our sound and tech systems. This gathering is our chance to honor her incredible contributions, share our gratitude, and bless her journey as she steps into the next chapter of her life.
Join us for:
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✨ Live Music & Jam Time. We want to highlight the music that has been meaningful to VUU which Katie has led. Please submit song requests that Katie and the band are already familiar with to help them be prepared for this special moment!
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🍽️ Potluck. Sign up to bring some edible love!
- 🕺 Dancing.
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📸 Photobooth & Scrapbook. Share your love for Katie with photos and messages to capture the joy of this special moment.
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🎁 A Gift of Gratitude. We're collecting donations for a congregational gift to honor Katie's profound impact and contributions to this community! Click here to Venmo Rev. Sarah your contribution (last four digits of phone number are 6779 for Venmo confirmation). Any amount above the gift will go toward a cash card for Katie.
Event Details:
📆 Date: Sunday, January 12
⏰ Time: after service
📍 Location: Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Let's come together to make this a heartfelt and unforgettable send-off for Katie!
For song requests, general questions, or to volunteer with event planning, please contact: Teri McGovern-Nintzel, Lynn DeMuth, or Noell Hyman.
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Love is our doctrine · Service is our prayer · Justice is our calling | | |
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Calendar
Thursday, January 9
- EastVUU Gathering 6p
- Ukester Friends 6p
Friday, January 10
- Singles Lunch Bunch 1:30p
- Paz de Cristo 4p
- Game Night 5:30p
Saturday, January 11
Sunday, January 12
- Dalai Lama and Friends 8:30a
- Sunday Service 10:30a
- Faith Formation 10:30a
- Farewell Potluck for Katie 11:45p
- Immigration Team 12p
- Monthly Theme Discussion 12p
- Coming of Age 12:15p
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Voices Lifted 12:15p
Monday, January 13
- VIP Core Team 9a
- Pastoral Care 6:30p
Tuesday, January 14
- Brown Bag Lunch 11:30a
- EastVUU Women's Group 1p
- Special Funds 6p
- Men's Group 7p
Wednesday, January 15
Thursday, January 16
- Singing Ensemble 3:30p
- Finance Committee 5:30p
- Ukester Friends 6p
- Page Turners Book Club 7p
Friday, January 17
Saturday, January 18
Sunday, January 19
- Dalai Lama and Friends 8:30a
- Sunday Service 10:30a
- Faith Formation 10:30a
- VUUJAZ 12p
- Coming of Age 12:15p
- Empathy Circle 12:15p
Click here for the most current calendar, to view locations, contact information details for above events
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Abbreviated information about upcoming events that are
further than two weeks out.
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FUUNd Donations - Now!
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30 Days of Love - Jan 20-Feb 14
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EastVUU Online - Jan 23
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AZCEND Food Bank - Jan 24
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Singles Dinner Out - Jan 24
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House Meeting - Jan 26
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Soul Matters Discussion - Jan 26
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I-HELP Meal Prep - Jan 27 (sign-up coming soon)
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New Participant Meal - Feb 1, Apr 5 RSVP here
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VIP Leaders Retreat - Feb 1
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Congregational Conversation and Soup Lunch - Feb 2
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FUUNd Auction - Feb 2-16
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New Participant Classes - Mar 22, Jun 7 RSVP here
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VUU Retreat - Apr 11-13 at Friendly Pines Camp in Prescott
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Both of our Christmas Eve services were special this year, and included a photo booth which Jamila Miqbel and Damian Pulliam’s family have shared with us on occasion. This year the family service featured the “No-Rehearsal” pageant, which allowed people of all ages to join in creating a tableau of the Christmas story, narrated by yours truly. It was fun and meaningful, and kiddos went home with stuffed animals donated to VUU. The evening service included music organized and led by Lynn DeMuth and an ensemble of singers. I shared a poetic meditation on Joseph.
Since then, I have been enjoying my family and especially a visit from my daughter, Ally, who has been living in Costa Rica as a Peace Corps volunteer. She gave a presentation about her service here at VUU the first Saturday in January, and it was wonderful to hear her talk about her service and learning. All of us have enjoyed getting out to museums and outdoor activities, favorite restaurants and movies. In particular, we saw “Bonhoeffer” and had a lively discussion about ethics, theology, WWII, and current politics. If you haven’t seen it, it should be streaming by now.
I returned to VUU this Sunday as a “visitor” and enjoyed helping prepare a soup luncheon to support the Coming of Age fundraising effort for this year’s crew, which includes my own HS student. Next Sunday we will celebrate the gifts we’ve received through the music ministry of Katie Seiferth and engage in the spiritual practice of “the good goodbye.” If you missed my letter about her departure, it can be found here .
Many of you have heard me talk about interim and/or developmental work. This important work is what organizations do when they experience major staff transitions or other events that call the organization to re-evaluate their core mission and vision and to review, revise and re-imagine the programs and services that bring these to life. It's a time that many find uncomfortable because it involves many layers of change and a sense of uncertainty as shifts in strategy and resources take place. Often organizations get caught in their own anxiety and avoid important questions and experiments. This can get in the way of important growth and insight. I invite all of us to consider the benefits of this work even as we may struggle with parts that make us uncomfortable. A change that is unwelcome for some may be very welcome for others, and it’s important that we understand why before we decide what to do next. A book I recommend about this is called “In the Interim.”
—Rev. Sarah
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Need More Val Pal Adult Sponsors
We need five more adult sponsors for children who have signed up to participate in our Val Pal program. How does that work again?
Adults sign up to sponsor a child. Parents sign their children up to participate in Val Pal. Between January 12 and February 9, adults will send weekly cards, stickers, riddles, and clues about who they are through the mail to their sponsored children. On Sunday, February 9 we will host an after-church snack party where the new friends meet each other and share some snacks, games, a few stories and make new friends!
Want to help? Contact Sara at faithform@vuu.org.
Also if you slipped a note under my door, it got lost! :( Please contact me.
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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.
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New Parent Area in Sanctuary
We are getting ready to certify with the UUA, something that we do every year. Adah and I have been tallying everything up, and we have 75 children and youth enrolled in the program and an additional 25 who attend regularly. This is fabulous! Many congregations would love to have programs with numbers this high.
At many congregations, attendance by young families has been dropping. To address this trend, we are doing our best to make young families and children—the future of our faith—feel welcome and accommodated. We are doing our best to accommodate young families in all of our programs.
Our new area for parents in the back of the sanctuary is getting a lot of use. Like most things that are new, this requires some community learning.
Dive deeper into the topic here.
As we continue to learn how to use and how to welcome this new space:
- Please share a smile and a welcome with the parents and children as you walk by the area.
- If you are distracted by noise or play, plan to sit on the west side of the sanctuary.
- If you are a parent using the parent/infant/toddler area, please do your best to keep the noise level to a minimum.
We are becoming a more welcoming congregation. Thanks for doing your part.
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FUUNd Together Auction: There's still time to donate!
Many thanks to all of you who have donated to the 2025 Let's Have FUUNd Together Auction so far. We can’t wait for everyone to see our FUUNd-tastic online catalog of dinners, outings, hikes, tasty treats, workshops, services, and many more FUUNd events! We are even planning to launch a brand new VUUniversity!
What? You say you missed the donation deadline. Well, please don't apologize. There is still time!!! You can fill out a donation form online at www.auctria.events/VUUFUUND2025 or phone Debbe S. at 480-244-6570.
Get your last minute donation in now, and get ready to bid! The online auction opens on Sunday, February 2 right after the service (P.S. Just like last year, there will be cake!)
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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.
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Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families is the UUA Common Read this year. This volume includes photos which are also part of a a traveling exhibit. Jozeppi Morelli, one of the people featured in the book, frequently accompanies the exhibit at public events led by congregations and other organizations interested in learning about and growing support for trans and nonbinary people. Currently a resident of the Phoenix metro, he is working with Rev. Sarah on programs related to this read. Stay tuned for more information. If you’d like to help with this project, please contact Rev. Sarah.
Discussion about these books will be announced soon.
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January Brown Bag Lunch with Rev. Sarah
Tuesday, January 14, 11:30 am-1:00 pm
in the Board Room
Bring your lunch, and chat with Rev. Sarah and other VUUers.
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Principles and Sources Added to By-Laws
The Board would like to thank everyone who joined us for the Congregational Meeting on January 5. During the meeting the Congregation voted to add the Seven Principles and Six Sources to our bylaws with a 2/3rd majority. The updated bylaws can be found on our website's Policy Repository page along with many other organizational documents.
—VUU Board of Trustees
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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
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Caring Ministries and Aging: Please fill out a Life Crisis Form
Last Sunday, Melissa Bush addressed the congregation about the work that the Lay Pastoral Care Associates are planning to do regarding the challenges of aging and its impact on the individual, their family, friends, and the wider community. Caring Neighbors is partnering with LPCA in this endeavor.
We are planning to have periodic discussions about aging and provide resources on this topic. For example, we will be sending out a short survey about caregiving, to identify those in the congregation who are caregivers and who may need support. We plan to have offerings over the coming year and beyond to explore these issues. We want to normalize the experience of aging and the need for more assistance. We hope to provide education to congregants to prepare for difficult conversations and provide support for adult children facing the aging of their parents.
Some of you may know, our congregation experienced the sudden deaths of two members recently, Liz Chain and Jodi Cicerello. The shock of these untimely deaths left us scrambling to find contact information to be able to notify family and friends. So, in order to improve our ability to contact loved ones, we are asking each of you to fill out an emergency contact form, titled "Life Crisis Form," to be kept in the office by Reverend Sarah. Our first project is spreading awareness about these forms and encouraging congregants to fill them out.
You can find the forms on the VUU website.
We are eager to hear your ideas and concerns. Melissa and I are looking forward to working with all of you to normalize these challenging and often uncomfortable topics.
—Joyce Donahue, Caring Neighbors Co-Chair
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Update on Gloria Masters
After her bad fall last month, Gloria Masters is back in town where her son Andre is taking good care of her. She has lots of therapy and doctors’ visits taking up her time. She doesn't want visitors yet, nor can she come on outings.
Cards would be a nice way to show you care. Her address is 2227 W Ironwood Dr., Chandler, AZ 85224.
—Claudette Wassil
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Fellowship and Social Activities | |
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
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Singles Lunch Bunch
Friday, January 10, 1:30 pm
Wildflower Cafe, 6428 McClintock Dr., Tempe
(Tempe Square Shopping Center on the SW corner of Guadalupe and McClintock)
BONUS: After lunch we’ll visit the Turnstyle Consignment Shop and/or Changing Hands Book store, both next door.
RSVP to Claudette by phone or text 973-768-6047. (Texts preferred.)
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Upcoming Empathy Circle at VUU
When: Sunday, January 19, 12:15–2:00 pm
Where: Room 5
Facilitator: Teri McGovern-Nintzel
Topic: “What are some tendrils of new growth you have been nurturing in your life?” (Or, whatever is alive in you)
RSVP Here (limited to 15 participants)
This circle will explore a unique format blending song, somatic practices, and storytelling with empathy buddies to connect us to embodied needs awareness--a source of vitality within and between us. Your presence and feedback would mean so much as I prepare to co-facilitate a music retreat using these practices.
Empathy Training Opportunity
The Empathy Center (TEC) in Santa Barbara is hosting a 2-day active listening-based empathy training in Phoenix, February 22–23.
Learn more or apply here.
—Teri McGovern-Nintzel
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New Leadership and Volunteers Needed ASAP
1. VUU has a booth at the upcoming Chandler MultiCultural Festival on January 18. We need volunteers to help run the booth. The person originally responsible for this has stepped down. If you are interested in helping promote VUU at a fun local event, contact Rev. Sarah.
2. VUU has applied for a federal grant to enhance the safety of our campus. We need a new volunteer to step in and serve as a liaison with one or more of the contractors as work begins. Please contact Todd Sirrine if you are interested in serving on this team, as it will be in coordination with his role on this team.
3. We need a liaison to work Corazon, an immigrant rights organization we support and work with. If you are interested, contact Rev. Sarah.
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AZCEND Food Bank Volunteering
Friday, January 24, 8:30-11:30 am
Wear closed toe 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. A new RSVP in sign up genius will be listed later this month.
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Happy New Year from VUU’s VIP Core Team!
We are a group of VUU members who work with teams from other VIP-member institutions to address problems affecting our members and their loved ones and neighbors across Maricopa County.
House Meetings. With VUU’s Caring Neighbors committee, we co-host monthly “house meetings,” small group conversations to help members of the VUU congregation connect with each other. All are welcome to meet your neighbors and join the conversation after the service on the 4th Sunday of each month. Next one is Sunday, January 26
Retreat. Building leadership skills is a key component of VIP’s mission. The next Leadership Skills Retreat is Saturday, February 1. If you are interested in learning more about VIP’s organizing and/or ramping up your leadership skills, RSVP for details about this opportunity.
Film Screening. We’re excited to continue organizing for affordable housing, mental health access, and immigrant rights in 2025. Please plan to attend the screening of the documentary film “Fault Lines—Inside the Housing Crisis” on Saturday, February 22 at VUU. The film is a great look at all sides of a Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) fight that mimics our recent work in Chandler.
Meeting. The VIP Core Team meets next on Monday, January 13 at 9:00 am in the VUU Board Room. You are welcome to join us!
—Kathy Melamed, David Melamed, Linda Stenholm, Kim Light, Bill Elliott, Nancy Egly, Amanda Schneider, Barb Quijada, and Nancy Wittenberg
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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.
Thank you to all who donated to make a successful I-HELP Christmas. We were able to do a craft activity with our guests, and they loved their gifts and gift cards. Your generosity went a long way as we were able to give out $15 gift cards!
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30 Days of Love
Save the Date! 30 Days of Love is a program of the UUA Social Justice arm, Side With Love.
Beginning Monday, January 20 through Friday, February 14. More information TBA!
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Paz de Cristo
January Donation of the Month:
- Canned Mixed Vegetables
- Canned Corn
- Canned Fruit
Pull tab lids preferred
Paz Donation List
Please leave donations in the "Paz de Cristo" box in the sanctuary foyer & gift cards in lockbox on wall.
Contact: Megan Kimball
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Border Support
Donations needed for asylum seekers at the border:
- Small handheld fruit cups
- Small handheld juice
- Veggie cups or squeezies
- Used clothing (all sizes, all seasons)
Please put donations in the "Refugee Aid" box in the sanctuary foyer.
Contact: Sharon Kopina
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Partners in Education
Adams Elementary's after-school support group for English learners (Rumbo al Exito) and their Art Masterpiece program need:
- School supplies
- Art Supplies
- Tax Credit Donation (Public School)
Bring donations to the Welcome desk after services.
Contact: Adrienne O'Donnell
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Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation | vuu.org | | | | |
