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Building Bridges of

Inclusion, Justice, and Spirituality

No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey,

you are welcome here!

Regular Church Office hours are Monday - Thursday, 9 AM - 3 PM

5 August 2026

Upcoming!

8/9 Spiritual Play for ages 9 to 12 begins 9 AM - 10 AM monthly (Liz Curry will provide schedule).
8/9 All Church Potluck following Worship.
8/16 Spiritual Play for ages 3-8 begins weekly 10 AM -11:30 AM.
9/13 Yoga resumes monthly.

Childcare

A friendly reminder that childcare is available from 9:00 - 11:30 AM for children whose parents are attending Sunday service at Shadow Rock.

We offer childcare as a kindness to our congregation members so they may be present in body, mind, and spirit for worship.

Introducing Rev. David Hodgson, Bridge Pastor

Greetings Shadow Rock Family,

As we announced last week, Rev. David Hodgson will serve as our Bridge Pastor from August 30 through October.

Rev. Hodgson is an ordained Presbyterian minister who spent 14 years serving a United Church of Christ congregation. His résumé is available here. He brings deep experience, thoughtful leadership, and a grounded pastoral presence that will bless Shadow Rock in the weeks to come.

David Hodgson is one of the very few pastors who simultaneously served as pastor of a church while holding public office as mayor of the city. While it all happened a lifetime ago, as he remembers it, he has chosen to live on the threshold where faith values converge with the policies that govern the common life of all. He has earned a doctorate in that delicate and necessary relationship and has participated in the public dialogues of the emerging democracies of Uganda, Ukraine, and Guatemala."

He’ll be joining us on August 9 for both the service and the potluck, and we hope everyone will take a moment to greet him and offer a warm welcome.

Linda Merritt, President

Welcome Back Potluck August 9

We’re kicking off our return from summer break with a Welcome Back Potluck on Sunday, August 9. After worship, everyone is invited to gather in Smith Hall for food, fellowship, and a chance to reconnect as we begin a new season together.

Please bring a dish to share—something savory, sweet, or whatever you enjoy making. We’ll provide drinks and tableware. Whether you’re a longtime member or new to Shadow Rock, this is a wonderful opportunity to catch up, meet new faces, and celebrate being back together. Contact Liz Curry with any questions about hospitality.

We look forward to sharing a meal and the joy of community on August 9.

Correction from August 2nd Worship Service

We are including the following corrected poem, "The Future is Open," written and shared by our fellow congregation member, Linda Pape in worship last week. We extend our apologies for the misprint.

The Future is Open

The Future is Open!

What will we bring to it?

How do we anticipate

The unknown?

Jesus said to Peter

"On this rock I will build my church"

So, in the shadow of the rock

It came to pass.

Shadow Rock began with

Resolve to restore

Dignity to those seeking

Justice & mercy

With a vision to move

Forward with understanding

And acceptance of all people,

Balancing words with deeds.

A Wedgeblade standing

Beside the Cross

The arrow pointing towards the unknown future:

The grains of sand from the past guiding us

While being fully focused in the present.

Will we bring spiritual awareness

And enthusiasm for life

To ourselves and others?

Will we have the courage to

Live our core values and stand for justice?

Let us lift our eyes

Unto this mountain,

Listening for our Creator's voice

From whence comes our strength

For God is still speaking.

Our Future is Open!

The pebbles of time

Continuing to constantly change,

Let us embrace it and live it

With love, hope, and compassion!

Written by: Linda Pape

Dedicated to: The Shadow Rock Congregation

June 15, 2026

Upcoming Youth Educational Opportunity

Dear Shadow Rock UCC,

Greetings from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix. I am writing to introduce an upcoming educational opportunity for youth in grades 8 and 9 and to invite your congregation to share this information with interested families.

Our Whole Lives (OWL) is a comprehensive, age-appropriate human sexuality program co-published by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. It has also been recently adopted by the United Methodist Church. The curriculum is designed to support informed, responsible, and values-based decision-making. It addresses human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual health, and society and culture in a structured educational setting.

We recognize that congregations approach youth programming in different ways, and we offer this invitation in a spirit of respectful collaboration. If this opportunity seems potentially relevant for families in your community, we would be grateful if you would share it with the appropriate parents, caregivers, or youth ministry contacts. Our poster Our Whole Lives (OWL) | Grades 8 - 9 | 2026-27 may simplify advertising.

We would also be glad to provide additional information about the program’s format, schedule, facilitators, registration process, and parent or caregiver communication so that interested families and leaders can determine whether it is a good fit. You can find more information on our website: phoenixuu.org/owl.

Thank you for considering this request and for the ways you support youth and families in your congregation. We appreciate your partnership in helping connect families with educational opportunities that may be meaningful to them.

If you are interested in learning about other OWL opportunities, please let me know and I can add you to our Google Group. We do plan to offer a class in the spring for Kindergarten and Grade 1.

Sincerely,

Janet Nash

OWL Coordinator

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix

owl@phoenixuu.org

NOTE: The Parent Orientation, scheduled for Aug 23, does not have many registrants. If we do not get a sufficient number of registrants, the class will be cancelled.

Upcoming B3 Performance at Shadow Rock!

Beginning August 21st, the B3 Theater group will perform "Perfect Arrangement" by Topher Payne here at Shadow Rock! We are excited to have them back. Please stay tuned for ticket information!

Inspired by the true story of the earliest stirrings of the gay rights movement.

Perfect Arrangement merges mad-cap sit-com style laughs with provocative drama as two closeted U.S. State Department employees struggle to maintain their cover -- and their sanity -- in 1950's America.