MVUU Newsletter

July 24th, 2026

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Our newsletter is growing! Make sure to fully scroll down or click on "Read Entire Message" in your email so you see all that is happening at MVUU!

MVUU's Current Airborne Communicable Disease status is

MEDIUM Risk in Arizona

As per our policy, our building use is unrestricted, but we strongly encourage using masks when two or more are gathered. We will have masks available for Sunday services. We will continue to have Sunday Fellowship, all food and drink will need to be on the patio.

Weekly Calendar


Sunday, July 26th Service & Fellowship Hour

"At the Twilight's Last Gleaming"

10:30 am  Join Zoom


Sunday, July 26th

Peer Grief Group

12:30 pm in the Loft


Tuesday, July 28th

Men's Night Out (Virtual)

7:00 pm Join Zoom




 

"We Craft Democracy Together"


Spirit of Life and Love,

In this time of uncertainty

Of fear and angst

Our nation holds its collective breath


In this time

When rhetoric blusters about

And words are used as weapons

Our nation clenches its fists

Tightens its shoulders

Eyes squeezed shut

Some are preparing for a fight


May we remember we are a people of resilience

We have faced uncertainty before

We have weathered storms

We have been consumed by flames

We have risen like the phoenix from the ashes

And we will again

We the people


May we remember our shared humanity

Our universal kinship; our interdependence

As we unclench our fists and breathe together

Breathing in love and breathing out peace

May we recognize the spark of the divine inside all of us

Even those we are not quite sure about


In this time of uncertainty

We remember the good will go on

As we work to move forward together

We the people


Seeking that which unites us

With our arms reaching out wide

For life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

May love prevail.


In the name of all that is holy we pray, Amen.

by Rev. Sara Eileen LaWall


On Sundays through the month of July, MVUU will be engaging, loving, and transforming how it is that "We Craft Democracy Together." Inspired by the multifaith project Faith 250 which sought to discover who we are as Americans of different faiths, we will be exploring American secular sacred texts to better know who we are as Unitarian Universalist Americans. 

 
july-fourth-sparkler.jpg


July 26 "At the Twilight's Last Gleaming"

With our Democracy suffering under authoritarian attack are we at its twilight? Or are we in the long night before a new day? "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" by Frederick Douglass will be our guiding text to discern our way forward. 


july-fourth-sparkler.jpg

What I'm Doing on My Summer Vacation...


Dear MVUU Folks,


I'll be in Philadelphia from July 14-25th. I have the opportunity to go thanks to Stephanie's work there this month. I will be touring Independence Hall and the President's House to learn our early US history, our multicultural history, which our government is trying to erase there. I'll share what I've gleaned and witnessed on Sunday, July 26th.


And, I will be walking in the footsteps of Nicholas Cage in his role as Benjamin Gates, Jr. from the movie "National Treasure."


I promise that I will not steal the Declaration of Independence. (I know it's in Washington DC, but it's the best line from the movie.)


If you have an emergency, please contact our office:

(520) 579-7094

administrator@mvuu.org 

Kahleia our MVUU Administrator will get back to you at the next earliest opportunity and help address your needs by getting you in contact with those who can help you immediately.


With Love as our guide,

Rev. Matthew


Here are 8 Resources for Social Justice Work!

Please use liberally (pun intended)!! For more information, reach out to Melody Luepke at melodyluepke@gmail.com or 651-925-6837.


1. Take Action Tucson: takeactiontucson.org 

email: info@takeactiontucson.org


2. Resistbot: text messaging; send text Resist to 50409 to start


3. Phone app: Climate Action Now for immediate climate events


4. Legislative District 20 Democrats: ld20democratsaz.com

      other districts follow the same format


5. Arizona Luminaria, a nonprofit news source: azluminaria.org



6. PeaceKeepers of Tucson website: pkot.org


7. Derechos Humanos website: derechoshumanosaz.net

email: coalicion@derechoshumanosaz.net


8. Indivisible Tucson Action Alliance:  https://www.indivisibletucson.org/join-itaa.html To join the email list, contact http://eepurl.com/hk4ewL



 


BOOKAHOLICS UNANIMOUS


We are a group of enthusiastic readers who meet the last Tuesday of the month at 2 pm by ZOOM. We select a variety of books based on what has intrigued members. The one who suggests the book generally leads the discussion of that book.  The next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 28. The book is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. If you are interested in learning more about the group and perhaps new to ZOOM, contact Anne Leonard: anne@alartworks.com or 520-307-8045.



Café Justo is back!

After months of difficulties, Café Justo is getting back on their feet, and caffeinated varieties are available once again! As you enjoy your coffee, snacks, and company after the service, purchase a bag of Café Justo to bring home, and support the members of the coffee-growing community that brought it here! Café Justo is sold on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month.



MVUU Art Group meets on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 10am - noon. We learn, create and visit Art.

              No experience or talent necessary! For more information, please contact Ginny Stack at (630) 841-8705 or tellginnycounseling@gmail.com.


Attention book people!


 Our Little Free Library is doing well! Please continue to bring good children's and adults' books and drop them in the laundry basket in the Oasis. Stacie will continue to monitor our LFL so that returning book lovers will always find something new. The Little Free Library is located in the upper parking area on the west side.



Yours in community reading, 

Melody Luepke and Stacie Sosa

The Sunday Book Group on Zoom



ATTENTION: We will be taking a Summer Vacation after the meeting on 6/28/26. We will return 9/13/26. Thank you!


On Sunday September 13 we will begin discussing our new book: The Story Paradox: How our love of storytelling builds societies and tears them down by Jonathan Gottschall.  “Humans are storytelling animals. Stories are what make our societies possible. Countless books celebrate their virtues. But Jonathan Gottschall, an expert on the science of stories, argues that there is a dark side to storytelling we can no longer ignore. Storytelling, the very tradition that built human civilization, may be the thing that destroys it. In The Story Paradox, Gottschall explores how a broad consortium of psychologists, communications specialists, neuroscientists, and literary quants are using the scientific method to study how stories affect our brains. The results challenge the idea that storytelling is an obvious force for good in human life. Yes, storytelling can bind groups together, but it is also the main force dragging people apart. And it’s the best method we’ve ever devised for manipulating each other by circumventing rational thought. Behind all civilization’s greatest ills—environmental destruction, runaway demagogues, warfare—you will always find the same master factor: a mind-disordering story. Gottshall reveals why our biggest asset has become our greatest threat, and what, if anything, can be done

We will be discussing this book into October..


 For more information contact John Clark at alvinjclark@aol.com


REMINDERS

Peer Grief Group


The Peer Grief Group will meet at 12:30 p.m. in The Loft on Sundays.


AV SQUAD


Anyone can sign up to run camera or work as Zoom service host. I can train on the spot. If you feel more comfortable training first or would like to learn any of the other positions, please sign up for the trainee slot. (Due to space constraints we can only have one trainee at a time.)


We look forward to working with you!


Email Lee Hickey for more information and to sign up!

leehickey57@gmail.com

Men's Night Out (Virtual)


Tuesdays at 7 pm

Join us for Men's Night Out, every Tuesday evening via Zoom. Click to Join Zoom For more information Email Tom Sawyer

Recycling



Recycling for D,C,AA,AAA and Button batteries ONLY is now available. Place them the labeled bucket next to the Library. 

Caring Circles

Join a Caring Circle to connect, strengthen, and expand ties within our congregation. Circles meet weekly or bi-weekly via Zoom and/or in person. Got Questions? Email Pi Irwin

MVUU Membership Invitation

If you are interested in joining our community and would like to become a member at MVUU, please email matthew.funkecrary@mvuu.org

Singing Resistance Choir

Sundays | 4:00-5:30pm | in Holland Hall

at UUCT

4831 E. 22 nd St

Resistance Choirs are popping up across the country, and

now there's one in Tucson! We will learn some new and familiar tunes to sing at protests. We will

have opportunities to sign up to sing or lead songs at various locations. 

Everyone is welcome!

 
 
 

MVUU Women's Group

Since early 2024, MVUU Women have been meeting every third Saturday at the church at 10:00 a.m. We invite all who identify as Women to gather with us each month in the Mesquite Room for a morning of friendship, conversation and community in a comfortable setting. For more information please contact Claudia Silverman at claudiasilverman6@gmail.com or Alice Hutichison at ahutchison87@gmail.com. 

GIVING & SUSTAINING

Woven Basket Partner

Give your pledge or
Donate to MVUU online
Send your check to MVUU, P.O. Box 91080, Tucson, AZ 85752, indicating which fund you'd like it to go to (i.e. Pledge, Operating Fund, Capital Campaign, Woven Basket, etc.).

Find your Friends in MVUU's Photo Directory

For login directions Email Administrator@mvuu.org.

Newsletter Deadlines: The next newsletter will be published on Friday, July 31st. Submit articles to Administrator@mvuu.org by 12 pm on July 27th. No Exceptions. Articles may not exceed 250 words. Thank you.