Assembly for Congregations

This page is for Arizona Disciples church offices and pastors. It includes all the information your pastor and office will need related to Regional Assembly. Individuals should visit ra.azdisciples.org for information about Assembly.

Registration Information

Assembly will take place on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 at Sun City Christian Church, in Sun City, Arizona (9745 W Palmeras Dr, Sun City, AZ)

We are excited to once again offer FREE Registration for Regional Assembly! We are able to offer this in large part to the generosity of Arizona Disciples who provide a donation during their registration and to our ministry partners who have sponsored meals and ads in the Assembly Report and Docket.

Registration link: https://ra.azdisciples.org/
All who register before September 28* will receive a free assembly t-shirt, lunch, and printed report and docket.

Hotel Group Rate Link: https://azdisciples.org/regional-assembly/#hotel
We have arranged for a group rate at a hotel only a couple miles from Sun City Christian Church. The number of rooms are limited and the group rate is only available until September 25, so we encourage booking your hotel as soon as possible.

*Registration will remain open after September 28, but we cannot guarantee that lunch will be available. It is extremely helpful to Regional Staff and our planning teams if we have nearly all of our registrations prior to September 28.

Celebrating YOUR gifts!

The theme of our 2026 Regional Assembly is “Celebrating Our Gifts” and is based on 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 and the concept of “gift-oriented ministry.” We are inviting each congregation to share YOUR gifts with the Assembly.Specifically, here is what we are asking:

Each congregation prepares a poster, a la “science fair” style, featuring one or more of your favorite ministries. Be sure to include photos, name of your ministry, and a brief description.
In addition to the poster, if you’d like to bring more information/artifacts, you are welcome to have a table to feature what you’d like to share. If you would like table space to set up a presentation, please contact Matthew Clark at Regional Office (mclark@azdisciples.org) by September 15.

Things to consider when considering your poster/table:

What is most unique about your congregation/ministry?
How is your congregation/ministry thriving?
What are the gifts you are grateful for within your congregation?
What brings your congregation joy?

Email Matthew Clark at the Regional Office (mclark@azdisciples.org) with a summary of what is on your board so we can include your church in a fun activity we are planning!

Assembly Promotion

Para descargar imágenes en español, seleccione Español en el menú lateral.

To help promote assembly registration in your congregation the Region is making available the resources below. If there is a resource that is not present that you would like from the Region, please contact Matt at the Regional Office.

Please plan to join in promoting assembly each Sunday in September (6-27). Below you will find a promotional materials including: logos, flyers, videos, and various images that can be used on social media or in your newsletters and bulletins.

You can download all files via Google drive, or download a full packet. Para descargar el paquete completo en español, haga clic en Español en el menú lateral.

Logo & General Images

Click each to view and download, click here to view all on Google drive, click here to download the full packet.

Flyers

Click each to view and download, click here to view all on Google drive, click here to download the full packet.

Video

Watch the video below, click here to download the video, or download the full packet.

Social Media

Click each to view and download, click here to view all on Google drive, click here to download the full packet.

Registration and General

Banners

Workshops

Ministry Partners

Slides

Click each to view and download, click here to download a PowerPoint (.pptx) file, , click here to view all on Google drive, click here to download the full packet.

Communications

09/02 – Regional Assembly Promotion AZ ReSource
Included in this email: Information and promotional materials for your congregation.

08/17 – You’re Invited to Regional Assembly!
Included in this email: Invitation and link to register for Regional Assembly.

08/17 – Regional Assembly AZ ReSource
Included in this email: Notification of Nominees, Resolutions, and Number of Voting Delegates as well as Registration Opening and initial promotional materials.

07/31 – Regional Assembly, October 23 & 24, 2026
Included in this email: Introduction of the assembly Theme, our special guests, and special hotel rate.

04/07 – Regional Assembly AZ ReSource to Church Offices and Pastors
Included in this email: Assembly Timeline, Voting Delegates, & Nominee Suggestion Form.

Nominations

At our assembly we will elect officers and at large members for our Administrative Council and Mission Focus Team. In early April we encouraged all our congregations to submit leaders for our Nominations Team to consider for Regional Leadership.

A Nominations Committee made up of 2 members of the Admin Council, 2 members of the Mission Focus Team, and at least 5 additional members, considered submitted names and are excited to present the following slate of officers to the Regional Assembly for election.

Officers
Moderator: Rev. Martin Tapia – Iglesia la Cruz
Vice-Moderator: Rev. Trish Winters – Community Christian Church, Tempe
Treasurer: Michael Cleveland – Saguaro Christian Church
Corporate Secretary: Lynn Allen – Foothills Christian Church

At-Large Members
Rev. Jay Deskins – Chalice Christian Church
Janett Garcia – Alfa y Omega
Edwin Guzman – Dios de Segunda Oportunidad
Renae Hackman – First Christian Church, Mesa
Tony Orsini-Castaldo – Desert Heritage Church

Our At-Large members will serve on both Administrative Council and Mission Focus Team. Our Administrative Council also includes the Moderator of the Arizona Convención, and our Mission Focus Team also includes chairs and co-chairs of all Regional Ministries.

In late April of this year our Nominations team gathered as instructed by our by-laws. This team included members from our Administrative Council, Mission Focus Team, and 10 congregations. The team included clergy, laity, men, women, convención members, as well as members from Phoenix and Tucson area congregations.

At assembly during our business session we will vote on this slate. The slate is either adopted, or rejected, as a whole.

Resolutions

Resolutions may be submitted by an officially recognized congregation, a regional commission or ministry team, or any group of ten or more members of the Region, and must be received by the Regional Office not less than 100 days prior to the Assembly.

Resolutions must be received by the Regional Office no later than 4:00pm, Monday, July 20, 2026, as set by our by-laws.

No resolutions were submitted to be considered by the Assembly.

Voting Delegates

Each officially recognized congregation of the Region shall be entitled to seven voting representatives to the Assembly and two additional representatives for each one hundred participating members or major fraction thereof over the first one hundred as listed in the current Yearbook and Directory of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), now ALEX.

Congregations in formation receive voting delegates once chartered. Click here to download the listing of delegates in English or Español.

Congregation	Voting Delegates
Alfa Y Omega	9
Casa de Adoración Discípulos de Cristo	In-Formation Congregation
Chalice Christian Church	7
Community Christian Church of Marana	9
Community Christian Church, Tempe	9
Comunidad Limen Christian Church	In-Formation Congregation
Desert Dove Christian Church	7
Desert Heritage Church (UCC/DOC)	7
Discípulos en Acción	Emerging Congregation
Dios de Segunda Oportunidad	7
East Mesa Christian Church	7
First Christian Church, Globe	7
First Christian Church, Mesa	7
First Christian Church, Scottsdale	9
First Christian Church, Tucson	7
Foothills Christian Church	13
Iglesia La Cruz	Emerging Congregation
Larkspur Christian Church	7
Saguaro Christian Church	7
Sun City Christian Church	7
Templo Cristiano Central	9

Church pastors or offices must identify their chosen delegates to the Regional Office prior to the Regional Assembly. Shortly after October 1, all congregational pastors and church offices will receive a list of those registered and are will be asked to email back a list of official delegates to the Regional Office.

Clergy: in addition to congregational delegates, all ordained and commissioned Disciples ministers with standing in Arizona receive voting privileges.

Current Members of Administrative Council and Mission Focus Team also receive voting privileges by virtue of their position and are in addition to congregational delegates at their congregation.

Assembly Timeline

Click here to download the timeline in English or Español.

April, Notification of Voting Delegates & Nominations – Congregations are notified of their number of voting delegates and are invited to submit nominations for the Regional Board (Administrative Council and Mission Focus) and resolutions of importance for the church.

April 27, Nominees Due to Regional Office – All nominations for the Regional Board (Administrative Council and Mission Focus) must be received at the Regional Office no later than 4:00 pm.

As set by our by-laws, a Nominations Committee made up of 2 members of the Admin Council, 2 members of the Mission Focus Team, and 5 additional members, will consider these nominees and present a slate of officers to the Regional Assembly for election.

July 20, Resolutions Due to the Regional Office– As set by our by-laws, resolutions of importance for the Regional church are received at the Regional Office no later than 4:00 pm.

~~The Administrative Council will serve as the Resolutions Committee.~~

Mid-August, Registration Opens! – Congregations will receive registration packets, promotional materials, and other Assembly information!

August 17, Notification of Resolutions & Slate of Nominees – Congregations will receive the 2026 Regional Assembly slate of nominees and any resolutions for consideration.

September 6 – 27, Weekly Promotion of Regional Assembly – Congregations are encouraged to use provided promotional materials to encourage assembly registration. Promotional materials will be available at ra.azdisciples.org!

September 28, Early Bird Registration Ends – All who register before this date receive a free t-shirt, and printed Regional Report and Docket.

October 23 & 24, 2026 Regional Assembly at Sun City Christian Church

Español

A continuación encontrará documentos y materiales promocionales disponibles en español.

Le recomendamos que también utilice la herramienta de traducción integrada en nuestro sitio web para ver toda la información en español.

Puede encontrar la herramienta en la esquina superior derecha de la ventana. Haga clic en “Select Language” (“Seleccionar idioma”) y elija “Spanish” (“Español”).