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Following Jesus together,
Nourishing one another in the Living Water of the Spirit,
Blossoming boldly with God's abundant love, healing, and justice, and
Transforming lives.
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To submit an article for Tidings, email Anne here by Mondays at 12:00 noon. | | |
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Pre-Budget Meeting
A special Zoom-only-Pre-Budget-Meeting is being offered for a smaller group of people on Tuesday, Jan 21st at 1:00 pm. This is presented by our Moderator, Owen Clymer with Dennis Thomas, Treasurer.
Click here to join the Zoom Meeting or use Meeting ID: 846 4183 4089 and Passcode: 599296.
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One In the Spirit
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
The two went down and prayed for them that they might
receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not
come upon any of them; they had only been
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).
Then Peter and John laid their hands on them,
and they received the Holy Spirit. – Acts 8:14-17
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“We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord/We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord/And we pray that our unity will one day be restored . . .”
The lyrics above are from a song sung often during my teen years in our UCC congregation. The song is titled, They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love. I remember thinking about the song all of those years ago, this song about oneness and love, and wondering why we needed our unity restored? What had happened to it? Why was it gone?
This past Sunday we reflected some on what is often missing from churches, from our lives, from the world -- the experience of God with and in us (what gets called in 12 step recovery “conscious contact with God”), often referred to as “The Holy Spirit.” Carl Jung observed that our religions are often a “defense against the experience of God,” which is the opposite of what Jesus taught and lived. The understanding and practice of Jesus and his first followers was to be immersed in God’s Spirit, and it was this experience and power that brought true unity. In many churches we have often educated children and adults in the stories and the theology of Christianity (Christian Education), but have not so much taught the spiritual practices that open us to encounter the divine, to experience the reality of God (Spiritual Formation) that would bring the unity we desire. I appreciate these words of German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer in this regard, “When God was merciful to us, we learned to be merciful with our brethren. When we received forgiveness instead of judgment we, too, were made ready to forgive our brethren . . . thus God taught us to meet one another as God has met us in Christ.”
The United Church of Christ has understood the importance of unity, has been founded on the prayer of Jesus that “they may all be one.” We long for a world in which divisions are mended and wars cease. How have you chosen this week to open to the Holy Spirit? How have you “practiced the Presence of God,” chosen to receive the mercy, forgiveness, and love of God in study, reflection, praise, meditation, community, giving, and more? How have you chosen to participate in the unity, the oneness for which we long?
Love in Christ,
Pastor Michael Bush
Click this link to They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love
Listen to or download the messages online: click here.
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Prayer and Meditation Retreat 2025 Registration
Register Now
The Prayer Retreat will be held at the Redemptorist Center on January 31st
and February 1st. The cost is $165.00 per person and includes all meals and your overnight stay. The retreat will begin at 4:00 pm on Friday afternoon and continue through early evening on Saturday when we will return home. There is an option to stay overnight on Saturday for an additional charge of $145. Commuters are also welcome for an adjusted fee.
If you are interested in attending, please complete the online registration form. A deposit of $35 is due at the time of registration and the balance is due by January 16th. Please make a check out to the church with Prayer Retreat on the memo line. Please contact Jean-Marie Huisjen for the cost for commuters and for an additional overnight stay.
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Continental Ranch Bike Ride
Saturday, January 18th
Our first ride in 2025 is coming soon. It is an easy 11.5 mile ride on bike lanes and The Loop, with one mile on a lightly traveled road through Continental Ranch.
We will meet at the Coyote Trail Elementary School, 8000 N. Silverbell Rd. at 9:30 am. After the ride, we will go to Just Breakfast for brunch.
Please wear a helmet, bring a water bottle, and bring a mask. For additional information, contact Charlie or Marj at 520-373-4248.
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Worship Arts Team Update
Two years ago, the Worship Arts Team was formed. The goal of this new committee is to have our worship space be complimentary of the liturgical seasons. We hope that you have enjoyed the progressive changes to the sanctuary during Lent, Ordinary times and Advent. We also hope that you have enjoyed the various banners (old and new) and the displays on the chancel shelf which reflect the current liturgical season or a particular Sunday in the church calendar.
As part of the ongoing creative plans of the WAT, a new high table was built to display donated fresh flower arrangements on Sunday mornings. The table will be in front of the pulpit any Sunday that there are donations of flowers. This placement will give both our in-person and on-line attendees a beautiful view of the flowers.
Thank you all for your support of the WAT and thank you Charlie Wippermann for creating the new table.
The Worship Arts Team
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Help Wanted!
Your Nominating Team is looking for a few great members to join our CAUCC Church Council in the following positions:
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Member at Large-Act as a liaison between church members/friends and the church by addressing questions, concerns, and compliments and sharing these with Council.
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Ministry of Community and Care Chair-Facilitate monthly meetings, provide monthly reports, and attend monthly Council meetings.
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Ministry of Worship Chair-Facilitate monthly meetings, provide monthly reports, and attend monthly Council meetings.
Please contact Amy Lincoln in person or through email or speak to the following Nominating Team members: Pat Brown, Gypsy Lyle, Jane Shurtleff or Wes Ward.
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Spiritual Formation Group with Pastor Michael
Tuesdays at 11:00 am, Room 3
(in-person or online) See article below New Year...
Centering Prayer with Pastor John
Tuesdays at 12:00 noon, Room 1
(in-person) Resumed Jan. 7
Pondering Class with Pastor John
Wednesdays at 10:00 am
on Zoom
More Epiphany Revelations...Everything you wanted and didn't want to now about the light revealed
Centering Prayer with Pastor John
Wednesdays, 12:00 noon
on Zoom
Spiritual Formation Group with Pastor Michael
(on Zoom) Thursdays, 6:30 pm
See article below New Year...
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New Year, New Books, New Opportunities
CAUCC has two Spiritual Formation Groups that meet weekly. The members of the groups have covenanted to be present for one another (and let each other know when they cannot make it), to share honest questions and experiences, to hold in confidence what other people share, and to pray for and with one another. Both groups move through various Biblical books as the centering place for conversation.
Both groups have new books we are starting this New Year! And this is a good time to try one of them out (although you are welcome to try out the groups any time).
The Thursday evening group begins the Gospel of Mark THIS WEEK. They meet via Zoom on Thursdays 6:30 to 7:30 pm, except on the second Thursday when our spiritual formation opportunity takes the form of Taizé worship in the sanctuary. This book, believed to be the first of our four Gospels written, helps us explore the life and ministry of Jesus and ponder what that means for us here and now.
The Tuesday morning group begins the Book of Acts in a few weeks. They meet in hybrid format (in person at CAUCC or on Zoom) Tuesdays 11-Noon. This book looks at what happens after Jesus is no longer physically with his disciples and how they continue the transformative work. We will then talk about how that connects for our own time and place.
Both groups are facilitated by Pastor Michael. If you would like to come to one of them, please let us know by clicking here for Tuesdays, and/or Thursdays, click link here.
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Thanks!
We want to thank our Casas Adobes friends for attending the celebration of our receiving the Pat Hirschman Spirit of Service Award from Tucson Habitat for Humanity, and for those sending congratulatory cards, your thoughtful words are very much appreciated.
Marj and Charlie
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Sunday series starts in February
Better Stories
Learning@11 on Sundays, Feb. 9 through 23 with Michael Bush
The stories we hear and tell inform and shape the stories we live and create. You are invited to join with Pastor Michael for a Sunday series that will lift up some of the stories we have heard about our world (might makes right, survival of the fittest, other conventional wisdom) and stories we have heard about ourselves (what did you hear from parents? Peers? Religious leaders?). Then we will look at stories told by those seeking divine purpose in our Scriptural and faith tradition. How do the God stories differ from the conventional wisdom?
Finally, we will explore ways we can both tell and live into better stories, ones that are life-giving for us and for those around us. How do we speak and live into stories of compassion, healing, justice, and love?
Pastor Michael will share some readings and videos ahead of time in preparation for the sessions, so please sign up if you plan to attend any of these Sunday mornings so that you will receive the materials. When you sign up, please indicate if you plan to be in person or on Zoom (and a Zoom link will be sent to you). Sign up by clicking here.
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Birthday Party Invitation
Save the date. You are invited to a party celebrating Gypsy and David Lyle's birthdays.
Saturday February 1st, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Brother John's Beer, Bourbon and Barbeque, 1801 N. Stone
Please RSVP by January 27th as we need to notify the caterer of the number to expect: Gypsy 520-869-7188 or David 520-981-0592. Home phone 520-887-4933.
No gifts, just your presence will be gift enough.
We consider our Casas Adobes UCC friends our extended family.
We hope to see you there.
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Donations from 2024 Rummage Sale | |
| Casa De Los Niños | $825 | | Casa Maria Soup Kitchen | $825 | | Interfaith Community Services (ICS) | $500 | | Keeling Elementary for 2025 Teacher's Appreciation Lunch | $1,000 | | La Casa Shelter | $825 | | More Than a Bed | $825 | | Our Family Services | $825 | | Primavera Foundation | $825 | | TIHAN | $400 | | Youth On Their Own (YOTO) | $825 | | CAUCC Campus/Office Needs | $1,000 | | CAUCC Good Samaritan Fund | $400 | | CAUCC Scholarship Fund | $500 | |
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| | Total | $9,575 | | |
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CAUCC Nametags, Birthdays and Anniversaries
The Good News Team wants to celebrate that we are ALL a part of the CAUCC community, members and friends! We encourage you to wear a name tag…so if you do not have one, and would like to have a one, please let the church office know, click here for email or call 520-297-1181) and we will order a nametag for you.
Also, if you would like to be included in our birthday and anniversary lists every month in Tidings, just let the office know. Click here to email to Jay.
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Memorial Service
The memorial service for Lou Cheek's brother, Roger Berry, will be held at Northminster Presbyterian Church located at 2450 E. Fort Lowell Rd, at 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 18th.
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What can I do beyond my strongly worded letter to the editor and my vote to influence the legislative process?
There is a way to turn your words into action. That way is to learn to use the Request to Speak system of the Arizona Legislature.
The Justice Advocacy Team is sponsoring on-line training sessions through Civic Engagement Beyond Voting (CEBV) for the use of the Arizona Legislature’s system called Request to Speak (RTS). This system allows citizens to comment both pro and con about bills going through legislative committees. Many bills in the recent legislative sessions contained positions contrary to many areas of concern shared by members of our congregation including but not limited to immigration, gun violence prevention, LGBTQ+ rights. The RTS training lasts about an hour and then you will be prepared to use the system. Each week, CEBV sends notices by email about pending bills. It takes just a few minutes of your time to comment on the bills of interest or concern to you. Each individual’s impact is immediate-the members of legislative committees considering bills watch the input from RTS live via electronic tracking during their sessions and the information influences their votes.
Directions from CEBV: “The first thing is definitely to get people to sign up for an account. You can use the link and we'll get their accounts set up. Next is to urge them to join a training. We have Zoom trainings every Monday in January starting Jan. 13th; sign up here for any date. If that isn't workable for some of your members, let me know. We might be able to arrange something in person.”
If you have questions about Request to Speak or have trouble getting signed up for a training, please email Kathy Boelte, click here, or call her at 520-990-1120. If you are participating in RTS, Kathy would like to know so that she can provide support during the legislative session with resources on bills or other questions. The Justice Advocacy Team would also like to have a metric to gauge our impact.
Submitted by your Justice Advocacy Group (JAG)
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Wednesday, January 15
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10:00 am Spiritual Life Group, Ponderings with Pastor John, Zoom Ponderings Link or Meeting ID: 622 421 179 and Passcode: 118704
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12:00 Noon Centering Prayer Zoom Click on Centering Link or use Meeting ID: 890 1364 9732 and Passcode: 769422
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2:00 pm Worship Arts Team Meeting Zoom
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6:00 pm Bell Choir Practice Bell Room
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7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary
Thursday, January 16
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8:30 am Men's Breakfast Beyond Bread on Ina
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9:00 am Stitch Witches Rooms 5/6
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6:30 pm Spiritual Formation Class w/Pastor Michael Click here to sign up
Friday, January 17
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10:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6
Saturday, January 18
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9:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6
Sunday, January 19
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9:30 am Worship Sanctuary Online Worship; click on the Livestream and Recorded Services box on that page. (click on the box after 9:25 am)
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10:30 am Turbo Time Rooms 5/6
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10:30 am Community and Coffee McNear Hall 7-10
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11:00 am Family Funday Zoom: Funday Link or Meeting ID 781 414 384; Password 883239
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11:00 am Class Series: Harmony: Art, Scripture and Verse Room 3
Monday, January 20
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3:30 pm Campus Cleaning Entire Campus
Tuesday, January 21
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11:00 am Spiritual Life Group Room 3/Zoom Click here to sign up
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12:00 noon Centering Prayer Room 1
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4:00 pm Council Meeting Zoom
Wednesday, January 22
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10:00 am Spiritual Life Group, Ponderings with Pastor John, Zoom Ponderings Link or Meeting ID: 622 421 179 and Passcode: 118704
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12:00 Noon Centering Prayer Zoom Click on Centering Link or use Meeting ID: 890 1364 9732 and Passcode: 769422
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6:00 pm Bell Choir Practice Bell Room
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7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary
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The easiest way to contact anyone on staff is to email them directly.
For intentional conversations, appointments work best.
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Barry, Building Maintenance Manager's hours:
Tuesday through Thursday till 3:00 pm.
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Scam Alert:
Always check the email address of messages received--
if the email is not from the ministers and office staff addresses above, SCAM!
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Staff Meetings are once a month on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 1:30 pm and the office is closed during that time. | |
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Council Meetings and Minutes
Council meetings are open to any member of the CAUCC community. Next meeting is January 21st, 4:00 pm on Zoom. Approved November meeting minutes are available, click here. Email Anne Bailey for the upcoming meeting Zoom link.
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To support the ministry and mission of CAUCC,
please donate online here:
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