We have heard encouraging movements regarding Afghan refugee families overseas whose situations we're tracking. We hope to share good news with you all very soon.

Pastor Ken recently sat down with KJZZ's Matt Casey to talk about our work with Afghan families. Check out the story of the Qaem family at this link!

This can be discouraging work... knowing that we can't help every family in need, knowing that sometimes, systems are in play that don't prioritize human flourishing. But we do what we can, as often and as generously as we can. Your gift to the Refugee Resettlement Fund helps. If you have questions about this ministry, please reach out to Pastor Ken. If you have questions about giving, please email Heidi Zinn, our financial officer.

The Shadow Rock community will gather to celebrate the new life of Easter on Sunday, April 17. We'll have two services (8:00 am and 10:15 am) with celebrations and fellowship in between. Breakfast, hosted by the Shadow Rock Board, will be available from 8:45 am to 9:30 am. Children ages 10 years and under are invited to an egg hunt on the playground at 9:45 am. We're starting our egg preparation! If you would like to contribute candy or small prizes for the egg hunt, please bring them to the church office before April 5. Thank you!

The UCC Southwest Conference is working with Healthcare Rising Arizona to address the economic justice issue of predatory debt collection. This effort includes gathering signatures to required to get the Predatory Debt Collection Act on the November ballot.

In Arizona, interest rates of medical debt can increase by as much as 10% per year. Families can lose their homes, cars, or have their wages garnished by predatory debt collectors, even if they have done everything right. The Predatory Debt Collection Protection Act fixes these problems by:

We will be collecting signatures after Sunday Service for the remaining Sundays of Lent.

We've long known that exciting new technologies have a downside. Please be aware that new voice cloning technologies are making phone scams harder to detect. Identity thieves and other scammers can mimic a loved one's voice and even make a call seem to be coming from their phone number. Learn more and help vulnerable friends and neighbors avoid being taken advantage of.

As the temperature gets warmer, travel-size toiletries are greatly needed. Zip locked bags of soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, and toothpaste are distributed to unhoused folks who visit Ktizo each Wednesday afternoon for Dinner and a Movie.

Travel-size toiletries, plus clothing, new underwear, and socks can be left in the shopping cart stationed downstairs by the elevator. The cart can be stored in the Narthex. Is someone willing to take it down via the elevator for easy collection, then return it to the Narthex each Sunday, or even one Sunday per month? Please contact Peg Hesley if you would like to help with our Ktizo partnership.

Friends and family of Carol Shipman are gathering this coming Saturday in the Shadow Rock sanctuary at 11:00 am to celebrate her life. We are thankful for Carol's values and witness and hold those closest to her in our thoughts and prayers.