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22 JANUARY 2025

The stories of our human lives are small stories between birth and death. This includes kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, members of Congress, judges, and billionaires. All of our small stories unfold in the context of God's big story of love and God's higher purposes of reconciliation and healing of all Creation. Not everyone knows their story is a small story within God's big story. Some people think their story is the most important and only story that counts. I am glad I know better. It gives me hope. ~ Pastor Ken

Building Bridges of

Inclusion, Justice, and Spirituality

This week's issue of Rock The Week includes news about claiming new members. We also have a lovely note from the Spiritual Play program leaders. Keep our immigrant friends in your prayers and see the latest note about their status in these uncertain times. All of this and more in this week's Rock the Week!

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

you are welcome here!

This Sunday at Shadow Rock


9:00 am

  • Childcare is in the Blue Room
  • Spiritual Play is gathering in the Lime Room (ages potty-trained to 8 years old)
  • Sunday School for ages 9 and up in the Green Room
  • Adult Spiritual Formation and Kindlings in the Multipurpose Room. We continue our exploration of Family Systems Theory and look at the "Nuclear Family" and the common strategies of managing stress in families.
  • Hospitality Cart with coffee and cookies in the Parlor.


10:15 am

  • Worship in the Sanctuary (childcare is offered in the Blue Room of the Education Bldg 10 - 11:30 am)


11:15 am

  • There will be NO Sermon Reboot after worship. We encourage everyone to attend the Initiative Planning Groups Town Hall in the Multipurpose Room.

Yoga is February 2nd at 9 AM



Future Food and Fellowship Opportunities for Your Calendar


Our next event is a potluck that will feature chili. Is that with or without beans? Come and see.


We are also looking for people to bring crackers, cornbread, onions, cheese, and fritos.


Anyone who might be interested in bringing something on Sunday please give Liz Curry a call or email her. Remember we are a nut-free campus.


  • Feb 23 Potluck-chili
  • March 9 coffee chat
  • April 20-Easter breakfast managed by SR Board
  • May 18 Coffee chat
  • June 29 Potluck Send off to Sabbath

This is our informational meeting for people who want to learn more about Shadow Rock and explore what it may mean to join our fellowship. We will meet in the multipurpose room in the education building after worship, February 9th. All are welcome!

On February 23rd we will be celebrating the people who claim us and our claiming of them. Claiming each other is the way we talk about membership and formalizing our relationship with each other. We do this during our worship service and it kicks our joy meter into the red zone. Contact Pastor Ken if you are interested in joining Shadow Rock and being a Shadow Rocker.

FYI. We collect used reading glasses and pass them on to the Lion's Club to be distributed to people who cannot afford glasses. We collect them in the Parlor/check-in cabinet as we have designated a drawer for used reading glasses.

SPIRITUAL PLAY HAPPENINGS!

WE CELEBRATE THE ENROLLMENT OF 15 CHILDREN FOR OUR INNOVATIVE SPIRITUAL PLAY PROGRAM! SEE BELOW FOR WHAT IS NEXT.

We had another wonderful day of All Creatures Great and Small! 


Our theme was “planting seeds of hope” so we read a sweet story called Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni. Our conversation was all about hope- what is it and what do we hope for? We talked about small hopes and big hopes, how it feels to be hopeful, and then I asked each child for one hope they have to write down. 


Next we did our art/projects for the day. There were 3 stations. First, each child was invited to color a picture of “planting seeds of hope” for a nationwide UCC contest. I will reach out directly to each family to see if you’re interested in entering the art they made. Second, we decorated old CD’s (reusing for the win!) to hang as garden art. Then, we planted Mexican Sunflower seeds in a baggie with a wet paper towel. We will let the seeds germinate and then we’ll transfer them to soil. At this station we talked about how planting seeds gives us hope and the hope we have for the future plant. We will also discussed what a plant needs to grow and then I asked, “what do you need to grow?” 

When it was snack time we started a new ritual- saying a blessing before eating. Rituals are important for young children because they establish a sense of identity and belonging. 


Here’s the blessing we will say every week: 

When we were done eating we moved to the parlor and spent some time on our yoga mats. We started on our backs taking some deep breaths. We moved through some yoga poses that were garden themed. We started as seeds (child’s pose) and moved all the way up to a full sunflower plant (tree pose). A lot of the kiddos still had some “sillies” in them so then we did an impromptu dance party. We returned to the classroom and spent some time coloring. 


SAVE THE DATE: Saturday March 1st at 10 AM we will be hosting a special Creature Encounter for the kiddos with the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary. You won’t want to miss it! More details to come :) 


Can’t wait for next week! As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. 


--

You are loved! 

Danielle Heckel

Lead Wonder Wizard 

Spiritual Play

PROMOTION VIDEO FOR DESPERADO LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL

Click on the Link Below for More Information

Desperado LGBTQ+ Film Festival - Phoenix, Arizona


January 24, 25, and 26 at Paradise Valley Community College

Pastor Ken is monitoring the status of immigrant friends as immigration enforcement ramps up their activity and more draconian measures. Some of our friends are in good standing and safe as long as they carry their documents with them at all times. Some of our friends are vulnerable for deportation and their families are at risk of being fractured.


Part of this monitoring is communicating with attorneys and representatives in legislative offices.


We will have a meeting to discuss options and strategies this Sunday in the Multipurpose Room at 1 PM.


All are invited. Contact Pastor Ken if you have questions.