November 26, 2024

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. 

To submit an article for Tidings, email Anne here by Mondays at 12:00 noon.

The Advent of Truth

Pilate asked Jesus, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king.

For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Pilate asked him, "What is truth?"

– John 18:37-38

In Jesus’ own religious language of Hebrew the word for truth does not mean “factual,” but rather has the sense of “supporting.” For Jesus, living God’s “truth” is about supporting what God is doing by living congruent with God’s action in the world. The reign that Jesus proclaims is one of truth - - a kingdom of being in on what God is doing.

This is a different kingdom than the ones with which Pilate and the rest of us are so familiar - - kingdoms in which we fulfill or support the doing of our workplace or keeping up with the Joneses or our sports commitments or our patriotic duties or unconsciously living out broken relationship patterns, etc. We likely let these powers reign because we believe on some level that they will still the voices of chaos and emptiness and/or bring meaning and order to our lives and our world. But the witness of Jesus (and the psalmist in our other Sunday reading) is that when we align with these other kingdoms we do not create new life out of chaos or emptiness, but we tend to just displace the chaos - - squeezing it onto someone else, or sending it away until it comes crashing back in on us again. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said.

We are called by Jesus to a different kingdom reigning, one of “truth.” He says those who listen to his voice are the ones who belong to truth. In other words, as we listen to Jesus, we follow in the way that empowers us to get in on what God is doing. As we turn from life on our own, turn intentionally from other reigning powers and turn to God, as we receive the Spirit in listening prayer, worship and praise, study, fellowship, and more we become part of truth, formed in the ways of compassion, the vision of justice, and the strength to birth mercy and healing. This is the reign that is not about managing what is around us, but receiving and living from the Spirit alive in us. In this reign we are led to what we need and we help others receive what they need. We are changed and we bring God’s healing change in the world. 

As we move into Thanksgiving this week and into our Advent season this Sunday, we can choose to be seekers of truth, to give thanks to the Author of truth, to be those who walk in the way of the One whose birth we will celebrate, so that we will receive and embody the Reign of God that brings more of God’s healing, transforming, hoping truth into the world.

Peace and love,

Pastor Michael Bush 

Listen to or download the messages online:

the Message from Sunday 11.17 is unavailable, but there are others! ...click here.

11:00 am to 12:00 Noon

Begins Sunday, December 8th



Sign up for the class here, letting us know if you will be in-person or on zoom.

Click here to read about your hosts, Brigid and John.

Office Hours Change

Due to staff schedules, the office is closed through Sunday, December 1st, then back to regular hours.

Toys for Kids at Keeling Elementary

No wrapping necessary!

Ready to make Christmas happier for some children? The annual Keeling Christmas toy drive is now under way! Toys, stuffed animals, Barbies (and other dolls), Lego sets, sports equipment (soccer and basketball are popular), fidgets, diaries/journals, Pokémon items, science and craft kits, Transformers, trucks, and board games are always good choices, but go for anything you think will bring a smile to a child's face. Please bring unwrapped gifts to Sunday worship services on November 24th, December 1st or December 8th. Families will "shop" for their kids after we deliver them to Keeling on December 12th.

If you prefer, you can make a financial donation instead, now through December 5th. 

Quiet Christmas Service

Our Taizé service on Thursday, December 12th at 6:30 pm will incorporate elements of a quiet Christmas service.

It will be a time of music, prayer, scripture, and silent reflection in the tradition of a Taizé service, Blue Christmas and a Service of the Longest Night.

In the Sanctuary

Have you registered for the

2025 Prayer Retreat??

The Prayer Retreat is scheduled for the weekend of January 31st/February 1st at the Redemptorist Center. Pastor Michael will be the facilitator. Please join us for an inspirational time in a beautiful setting. The cost is $165 per person and includes your room and meals throughout the weekend. Please register HERE. Please make your check out to the church and put Prayer Retreat on the memo line. There are options for being a commuter student as well as staying over an extra night from February 1st to February 2nd. Please contact Jean-Marie Huisjen for any questions or for what the commuter options/extra overnight options cost. If interested, Jean-Marie will be available to answer your questions during the coffee hour on Sunday, December 1 or contact her at (520) 237-1639.

Men's Breakfast Hiatus

Men's breakfast, Thursday mornings, will be on hiatus through November 28th.

Been Considering One of Our Spiritual Life Groups?

The Thursday evening group is looking at the birth story of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke in December on the 5th and 19th at 6:30 pm via Zoom. Then in January we will begin the journey with Jesus through the Gospel of Mark. This is an especially good time to try it out! Sign up here to receive the link. 

Join Us for One of Our Weekly Spiritual Life Groups!

These groups covenant to connect regularly in community, Scripture reflection, and prayer. You are welcome to try one out at any time!

Centering Prayer

 Centering Prayer with Pastor John - In person!

Tuesdays at 12:00 noon, Room 1

Centering Prayer is a method of Christian meditation which has a strong emphasis on interior silence. People who practice centering prayer feel it helps them be more present to God and adds a sense of balance to their lives.

Pondering Class

with Pastor John

Wednesdays at 10:00 am on Zoom

November 27: IMAGO D. E. I.: Hearing Indigenous Voices

Check the calendar at the end of this e-newsletter for Zoom links.

For these and other Events, click here!

Sound and Vibrational Healing

Next Time:

Thursday, December 5th, 10:30 am, Sanctuary

If you have been to a Yoga studio lately, or browsed your local recreation center brochure, you may have discovered a new kind of activity, often referred to as a "sound bath." If you have, I bet you have wondered what this might entail. Sound and vibrational therapies are based on the practice of Yoga Nidra which involves a guided meditation with sound, experienced in a reclining position, and is designed to move the participants into a deep state of relaxation.

During the session, you will have your own space on the floor or on a pew and you will be guided during the entire session. These experiences do not involve any movement on your part nor will anyone touch you during the session. We will be silent as we experience the sound together.

Come and experience this newly emerging way to meditate and relax.

Click here for biography on Rev. Rebecca McElfresh, your host.

ESPERA!

Quiet Day offer intentional time with God to honor our deepest selves, the self that God created us to be. Away from the noise of Christmas season, we attune ourselves to the sacred sound of God’s whisper. Spiritual practices, prayer, scripture, and a hands-on activity will help hone our hearing and spiritual vision. This day will be in-person only. Click here to sign-up!

Join John Cheek and Brigid Waszczak for Espera! on Saturday, December 7 from 8:30am to 12:30pm. Open to parishioners, friends, family, and neighbors.

John is an Arizona native who grew up in the small farming town of Elfrida, about 25 miles north of Douglas. In his first career, he was a police officer for twenty-four years, serving the Douglas Police Department, the Pima County Attorney’s Office, and the Tucson Police Department.

When he was in his mid-forties, John experienced a call to ministry. He began attending Fuller Theological Seminary in 1996, graduating in 2004. In 2005 he was ordained as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament. He has served as an Associate Pastor or Interim Pastor for five congregations in Presbytery de Cristo. John also serves as a volunteer on the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team, entering his thirteenth year of disaster response. John is married to Lou Cheek, a retired audiologist, and he has three sons and four grandsons.

Brigid is a seasoned retreat author and facilitator, spiritual director, and ordained Episcopal deacon who believes the stillness of Advent invites us to listen for soft whispers of hope (Espera!) as we anticipate the arrival of the Light of the World. She encourages you to make space to slow down, reflect, and prepare for Advent in the company of friends. Brigid concurs with Edward Hays that:Advent is a winter training camp for those who desire peace. By reflection and prayer, by reading and meditation, we… make our hearts a place where a blessing of peace [and hope]… desire to abide where the birth of the Prince of Peace might take place.

Practical Tips and Discussion on Helping Immigrants

Date: Sunday, December 8th 1:00 pm (will go about 1-1.5 hours)

Location: Goldman Immigration Law Office, 1575 West Ina Road, Tucson, AZ 85704 (you can park in front of the office, on the cul-de-sac or even the parking lot just west of my office, which is a house. That lot has plenty of parking and the address is 1603 West Ina Road)

Presented by: Maurice “Mo” Goldman (possibly others)

RSVP: to Mr. Goldman, click here (so he can estimate the number of folks that intend on attending)

Refreshments will be served.

This meeting can be attended live or via zoom. Zoom link:

Join Zoom Meeting or use Meeting ID: 892 1764 1289 and Passcode: 979927.

Click here for Agenda.

From our Justice Advocacy Team

Casas Adobes Lay Ministry (C.A.L.M.)

As many of you recall, Called To Care (C2C) disbanded in 2022, mainly due to the pandemic.

Since then, we have welcomed several new congregants, but also lost several. Making contact with people to let them know they are being thought of is vital for the life of the person and the church. To have a reason to make contact is meaningful, but "just because" is also helpful and means a lot, or sometimes more! 

In 2023, at our Congregational Conversations, we said, "Being in touch with one another via cards, emails, and phone calls" is a desired vision. From this vision/request, C.A.L.M. was created. What is C.A.L.M. you ask? C.A.L.M. is a volunteer group of fellow congregants who offer to fulfill contact services when requested by you. 

1. We send birthday cards if you have given your birth date to the office, and greeting cards on major Christian holidays, Easter and Christmas to all members and friends of CAUCC.
2. By your request, we will call you, make home visits and send email greetings and cards.
3. Our pastors Michael and John and our Parish nurse, Ida Heath are available for visits and communion.

If you would like any of these services, contact the church office, 520.297.1181, and tell them you would like a C.A.L.M. volunteer to contact you.

We welcome you to join us, especially if you:

• like to meet new friends
• enjoy helping
• love others as Christ loves us.

For additional information, contact through these links: Spencer Elliott or Rosalie Shelton.

Habitat Build Day Change of Date!

Casas Adobes UCC members and friends are encouraged to sign up for this this second special Habitat for Humanity build day. 

Veterans Build 5400 S. Old Nogales Highway and the sign in time is 7:30 am  (Irvington Road near the rodeo grounds) date change to

Saturday, December 7th.

Volunteers can sign up soon. Watch here for more information.

Interfaith Community Services (ICS) 

Our support of ICS shows. Here is what they need most, but all food items are welcome (fresh food should be taken directly to ICS at 2820 W Ina Rd.).

Items they need the most:

· Spaghettio's, Chili or Ravioli In Pop-Top Cans

· Canned Meat and Tuna

· Soup

· Instant Mashed Potatoes

· Rice

· Dry Pasta (Spaghetti, Macaroni, Macaroni And Cheese)

· Spaghetti Sauce in Cans

· Canned Fruits and Vegetables

· Breakfast Cereal

· Jams and Jellies

Bring your food items in and leave them in the ICS Food Bin in the narthex on Sundays.

Christmas Fund Special Offering

"And the glory of the Lord shone around them..." —Luke 2:9

The Christmas Fund (Veterans of the Cross) offering has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years. It supports emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December for our lower-incomed clergy and lay employees who are retired.

You are part of the community of The Christmas Fund, whether you donate at Christmastime, benefit directly from its grant or leadership programs, or simply believe in its mission to help secure the financial foundation of those engaged in the life of the church. Please consider donating today to ensure more healers receive the loving support of the Church in their moment of deepest need. Your gift is more than just a testament to your belief in the values of the United Church of Christ, it is a critical lifeline for those who depend on the Fund’s grant programs for care and support. 

Donations continue through December 22nd. Donations may be left in the Sunday collection plate or mailed to the church office. Please note on the memo line that the donation is intended for the Christmas Fund. You may also donate online, again noting that the donation is intended for the Christmas Fund offering. Your generosity to those in need is especially important and appreciated at this time of year!  

Money Matters

• Donations and checks from this week will not be deposited and recorded until December, due to staff schedules.
• Reminding you that all donations must be in to the office no later than December 24th in order to be credited on your 2024 statement.

Click here for the October Treasurer's Report!

Welcome Back Snowbirds!



Please let the office know when you have returned to Tucson so the office can update your mailing address. Email Jay at jay@caucc.org. Thank you! 

Wednesday, November 27 Office Closed

• 10:00 am Ponderings with Pastor John, Zoom Ponderings Link or Meeting ID: 622 421 179 and Passcode: 118704 
• 6:00 pm Bell Choir Practice Bell Room
• 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary

Thursday, November 28 Happy Thanksgiving

• No Men's Breakfast (Resumes Dec. 5 at Beyond Bread on Ina)
• No Stitch Witches today
• No Spiritual Life Class this week

Friday, November 29

• 10:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6

Saturday, November 30

• 9:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6

Sunday, December 1

• 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)
• 9:30 am Turbo Time Rooms 5/6
• 10:30 Coffee and Community McNear Hall 7-10
• 11:00 am Family Funday Zoom: Funday Link or Meeting ID 781 414 384; Password 883239

Monday, December 2

• 3:30 pm Campus Cleaning Entire Campus

Tuesday, December 3

• 11:00 am Spiritual Life Class Room 3/Zoom Click here to sign up
• 12:00 noon Centering Prayer Room 1

Wednesday, December 4

• 10:00 am Ponderings with Pastor John, Zoom Ponderings Link or Meeting ID: 622 421 179 and Passcode: 118704 
• 12:00 Noon Centering Prayer Zoom Click on Centering Link or use Meeting ID: 890 1364 9732 and Passcode: 769422
• 6:00 pm Bell Choir Practice Bell Room
• 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary

Other room rentals may be on campus, but not on this calendar.

The easiest way to contact anyone on staff is to email them directly.

For intentional conversations, appointments work best.

Anne on vacation through December 1st.

Scam Alert: always check the email address of messages received--

if the email is not from the ministers and office staff addresses below, SCAM!

Michael: michael@caucc.org

John: john@caucc.org

Anne: anne@caucc.org

Jay: jay@caucc.org

Darryl: dalking@email.arizona.edu

Ida: imhgnp@msn.com

Member-at-Large, Amy Lincoln: mal.caucc@gmail.com

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.

Council Meetings and Minutes

Council meetings are open to any member of the CAUCC community. Next meeting, November 19th, 4:00 pm on Zoom. Approved September meeting minutes are available, click here. Email Anne Bailey for the upcoming meeting Zoom link.  

2023 Annual Report

Click here to see our accomplishments last year.

To support the ministry and mission of CAUCC, please donate online here: