Rock the Week for December 15
Your Wednesday Dose of Shadow Rock News
Update on the Elham Family

The Elham Family is moved in. Their oldest child is in preschool. They celebrated a child's birthday. There is a small return to a life of safety and normalcy. The family is grateful!

We have made a list of tasks and goals that equip the family to navigate life in our country. The list includes bank accounts, state identification cards, and internet connections. These are basics that we take for granted and getting all the documents and jumping through all the hoops is not easy. The Elham family is showing great resilience and initiative. They are wonderful partners in our ministry together.

One of the essential services we provide is transportation to all the appointments, stores, and services. We created a "driving force" for good. If you would like to be a part of this elite group of chauffeurs, please contact Pastor Ken by email.

Celebrating Coffee Chat

It was so fantastic to be together this past Sunday. Thanks again to Rick & Barbe Stuart and Nanci Campbell for their cheerful service. Stay tuned for the details on January Coffee Chat, tentatively scheduled for January 9. We are grateful for the opportunity to be together and rejoice in belonging and celebration that continues into 2022.
Holiday Happenings
We're full-tilt into Advent and Christmas at Shadow Rock. Here are all the happenings of the season:

  • Our Advent offering is dedicated to our refugee resettlement fund. Look for special seasonal offering envelopes if you worship in person.
  • Christmas Eve offering at 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm will replenish the Pastor's Charitable Fund. This fund is used to help people in crisis and has provided groceries, utilities, rent assistance, and car repairs.  Additionally, the fund is used to help families bridge a financial gap between periods of employment, thus preventing situations that could lead to homelessness. We have provided thousands of dollars of food assistance to African refugee families enduring periods of underemployment because of the impact of COVID-19 on their workplace. This fund provided pumpkin pies and whipped cream for refugee families in the Welcome Center and a bed for a mother and her child. We have done big things and small things in the name of Shadow Rock UCC. We do this because we share compassion, vision, and resources. In every instance, we do our best to maximize the stewardship of your support to the Pastor’s Charitable Fund. You have been generous every year but especially over the past two years as the needs of our neighbors have grown. Thank you for perceiving and responding generously and faithfully. Our community is grateful. Thank You!
  • Secure online giving for both Advent and Christmas Eve is available at the button below.
  • We will have two Christmas Eve worship opportunities: 5 o'clock and 10 o'clock. Our early evening Christmas Eve service will be at 5:00 pm. This will be a traditional service incorporating candlelight and a choral reading. The 5 o'clock service is available in person and on Zoom. Our late Christmas Eve service will be at 10:00 pm. This is a new kind of service, an outdoor candle vigil which can be experienced in person and via Facebook Live. Questions about Christmas Eve? Just click reply to connect with the church staff.
  • The church office will be closed following worship on December 26 for the following week. See you at worship in the New Year on January 2. Office hours will resume the normal schedule on Monday January 3 (9:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday through Thursday).
January 2022 Electronics Recycling

AZStRUT's electronics recycling is back! If you have electronics around the house that are no longer being used, bring them January 7 through 9. Besides being diverted from our landfills, they will be disassembled and repaired for use by local nonprofits and also used to educate young people. It's a win for everyone! Mark your calendars now:
January 7: 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
January 8: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
January 9: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm
Here's a reminder about the kinds of equipment that AZStRUT accepts.
Rock the Week is published each Wednesday. 
To submit content or offer comments, please email karen@shadowrockucc.org.