ROCK THE WEEK
28 April 2021
~Peaceful Eastertide Greetings~
Covenant Is Beautiful

40+ congregations and communities in our United Church of Christ Southwest Conference! This past weekend was the SWC Virtual Annual Meeting. The United Church of Christ has many ministry settings, including local congregations, conferences, and the national office. We celebrate our covenantal ties with them and the work of the Annual Meeting.

The agenda of the Annual Meeting included resolutions on immigration and COVID-19 and changes to the conference by-laws. Thanks to Shadow Rock delegates Susan Glynn, Peg Hesley, Stephanie Moffatt, John Pierce and Joyce & Gordon Schneider; conference staff from Shadow Rock Michael Curry and Karen Richter; and authorized clergy Ken Heintzelman, Liana Rowe, and Patrica StandTal Clarke. We were well represented!

The educational component of the Annual Meeting focused on developing and enhancing hybrid church: in-person and online. We look forward to learning more, bearing the good fruit of our covenants.
Our Community This Week
Wednesday (4/28): Connections Count on Zoom at 7:00 pm
On Wednesdays, we share our love and concern with one another through prayer and connection. Zoom is the space for bringing our celebrations and our sorrows. This time together keeps us joined at heart! Click here TONIGHT at 7:00 to participate.

Thursday (4/29): Spirituality Thursday
A preview of Thursdays in May and June, along with a prayer of blessing for the day - this is what to expect on Spirituality Thursday this week, live on the Shadow Rock Facebook page. Catch this short video live or tune in later to watch the recording.

Sunday, May 2
Adult Spiritual Formation will be meeting on Zoom and in the Multipurpose Room this Sunday at 10:00 am. In May, we'll be looking at the ABCs of Spiritual Literacy. Bring your curiosity and your favorite letter with you at 10 o'clock. Everyone is welcome.

Worship In-Person: 9:00 am and 11:00 am
Worship on Zoom or Streaming: 11:00 am
Make the reservation form part of your weekly routine! Click the big button below to let us know that you're coming this week. It just takes a moment, and it can also be a reminder to hold our community in prayer in the middle of a busy week.

After the 11:00 am service, Zoom folks and in-person folks can both dive into Ken's sermon topic with a discussion question or two. Join us in the Multipurpose Room or just stay on Zoom for a deep diving Afterparty!
Learn and Explore
Delegates to 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting heard from church leaders close by and far away, as we all move toward making church happen in multiple formats. Guest presenters on Friday, April 23 told the stories of their congregation's response to the pivot toward online church. You can visit those congregations virtually:

Stay tuned to learn more about next steps at Shadow Rock as well as things to celebrate about our own virtual presence.
It's time for some thankfulness! AARP has expressed their appreciation and thanks for the use of the Shadow Rock campus for tax preparation assistance this year. They were able to help about 375 taxpayers, most of whom were low income. They had positive feedback for us, related to our physical space and our sense of hospitality.

The Southwest Conference announced totals for the RIP Medical Debt campaign. Churches, including Shadow Rock, raised over $15,000. The Conference donated another $15,000... Our combined efforts wiped out over $3 million in medical debt in Arizona, New Mexico, El Paso Texas, and the Navajo Nation.
We're using Rock the Week to share anti-racism resources as our congregation continues work to de-center whiteness and reckon with our nation's history of racism and colonialism. This week, why not look to our streaming services for some anti-racism formation? Amazon Prime has Just Mercy and Netflix has 13TH. Both of these films explore the relationships between and among race, criminal justice, and the legal system.
Let's do it!

The percentage of Arizonans who are completely vaccinated continues to climb. We are doing our part for the health and well-being of our community through our vaccine events. The final push for our vaccine parties is coming soon: May 1 and May 8 (8:30 am to 12:30 pm both days). For both of these Saturday mornings, we'll be giving first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine (second doses for anyone who is 28 days or more beyond their first vaccination). Appointments are available online here. Spread the word!
Supporting Shadow Rock
Thank you for your love and support of Shadow Rock! The Shadow Rock General Fund makes our ministry possible. If you have questions about giving electronically, contact Heidi. You can give to the General Fund and to special offerings by clicking the yellow donate button below.
Rock the Week is published each Wednesday, and covers the upcoming week and future special events. To submit content or offer comments, please email [email protected].