AZDisciples.org

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona

Matthew Clark

Regional Reflection: Christ is Risen!

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

Christ is Risen!  Christ is Risen indeed!

All around the Arizona Region – indeed, all around the world – that message of good news was preached on Sunday. I heard it at sunrise in Saguaro National Park from the pastoral team of Saguaro Christian Church: Kelley Dick, Jessica Braxton, and Patricia Leong.  I heard it at breakfast at First Christian Church of Tucson, as they shared breakfast and then a worship service with Comunidad Limen Christian Church, during which they celebrated the baptism of Pastor Pedro’s son Santiago.  I heard it at Desert Dove Christian Church from the pastoral team of Kathleen Day and Kevin Prahar.  And I know you all heard it in your local congregations, as many of you celebrated baptism and proclaimed the good news:  Christ is Risen!

And in typical Disciples fashion, many of our preachers emphasized that resurrection is not a one-time event, limited to the individual raising of Jesus.  Rather, resurrection is the eternal process of God bringing light into darkness, bringing form to the chaotic, bringing new life where once all we saw was death. The Israelites suffering oppression in Egypt were liberated, given new life and a new start in the Promised Land.  The Israelites suffering oppression in Babylon were liberated, given new life and a new start as they returned from the Exile. From the beginning of time until the present day, the creative power of God’s love is bringing new life to us and to all of creation.  

Even though we celebrated Sunday, I know that we all face individual and collective moments of darkness. Everything didn’t change over night.  Resurrection doesn’t happen on our timetable, and the challenges of life are still before us. But hopefully the story of Easter, the reminder that God’s creative power works among us, that God’s love will not leave us alone forever, will inspire us to face our challenges with hope and faith. 

Christ is Risen!  Christ is Risen indeed!

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay
Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Regional Reflection: General Assembly – BEYOND

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

This summer, Disciples from all across the U.S. and Canada will gather for our General Assembly:  July 12-15, 2025, in Memphis, TN.   ALL Arizona Disciples are invited to attend – and to join together at a special reception on the opening night.  You will find information on how to register below. We are moving from a two-year cycle to a three-year cycle, so this will be our last in-person General Assembly until 2028. I hope you will consider joining us for four days of worship, education, fellowship, business – and of course, some amazing Memphis BBQ!

The theme for this summer’s Assembly is “BEYOND,” based on Ephesians 3:20 and the idea that God is able to do “BEYOND” anything we can imagine. We will celebrate and reflect on the power of God’s love to move us beyond ourselves, our fears, and our limits.  While I was reading through the General Assembly Bible Study Guide, I was delighted to come across this inspiring image by an Arizona Disciples artist – Rev. Bekah Krevens from Foothills Christian Church:

Painting by Rev. Rebekah Krevens

A dandelion pushes up through concrete – the will to life overcoming what seems like impossible suffocation.  God’s love, God’s power extends BEYOND anything we can imagine.  Or in the words of St. John: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never overcome it.”

At times, we feel overwhelmed by darkness. We see beloved landscape plowed over to build new housing developments or shopping malls, obliterating the plants and animals that called the land home for thousands of years. We see concrete where once there were majestic saguaros. It is easy to give in to despair, frustration, and anger. 

But the call of the gospel is to trust in the power of God’s love, the will to life – to trust in the one who brought the Israelites out of Egypt, who brought them home from the Exile, who raised Jesus from the tomb. The call of the gospel is to trust that God can do BEYOND what our eyes can now see and what our imaginations can conceive. May we, too, live with deep trust in God’s love to lead us through all difficult situations.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Learn more about General Assembly at this link, or start your register at this link.

Calling Young Leaders!

We are excited to invite young adult leaders from your congregation to be part of a life-changing experience—the Caminantes Border Immersion program!  

Thanks to a generous grant from the Oreon E. Scott Foundation, all program fees are fully covered for a cohort of young Disciples’s leaders (ages 18-30) who want to deepen their understanding of immigration, dismantle divisive narratives, and engage in faith-based justice work at the U.S.-Mexico border.  

What is Caminantes? 

Caminantes is a transformative journey that blends hands-on learning, deep reflection, and direct engagement with migrant communities, faith leaders, and justice advocates.

Click here to read one person’s experience of the Caminantes Border Immersion.

Participants will:  
✅ Travel to the border for an in-person immersion experience  
✅ Hear powerful stories from those directly impacted by immigration policies  
✅ Explore the intersection of faith and justice  
✅ Build connections with other young leaders committed to making a difference  

Key Details: 

📅 Program Dates:  TBD  
🛌 Lodging: FCC Hospitality Center
💰 Cost: FREE!  
🎯 Who Can Apply? Young adults (ages 18-30) connected to Disciples congregations in Arizona who are eager to grow in faith and justice  

Sample schedule:

Friday: Evening in-person workshop session  @FCCTucson
Saturday: Field trip to Nogales, AZ/MX, visit Casa de la Misericordia. 
Sunday: Field trip to Sonoran Desert – border wall (Return Home)
Monday: Evening virtual workshop session

This is more than a trip—it’s an opportunity to be part of a movement. We believe that young leaders like those in your congregation are essential in shaping a church that truly embodies radical welcome and justice.  

We encourage you to share this opportunity widely and identify young adults in your church who would thrive in this experience. Space is limited, so early applications are encouraged! 

Please email: rev.pedro@comunidadlimen.org to apply or nominate a young leader or have any questions about the experience.  

We can’t wait to walk this journey together! 

In faith and solidarity,
Rev. Pedro Ramos-Goycolea
Caminantes Program Director, Pastor at Comunidad Limen Christian Church

Arizona Global Mission Team

New Year’s greetings from your AZ Region Global Mission Team!

First, some great news: After a moratorium following the COVID Pandemic, Global Ministry Co-Workers are now visiting Disciples and UCC congregations across the country, with several of them available this year in Arizona to speak during worship, or at small group events. To schedule a visit to your church, please contact Global Mission Team Co-Chairs Al Beasley (abeasley6@cox.net) or Amy Hirsch (revaehirsch@gmail.com).

We are expecting several visiting Ministry Co-Workers in the coming year. Please read about them below and contact Al or Amy to schedule a visit to your congregation.

Click here for more information on our visiting Ministry Co-Workers:

In addition to scheduling visits from Ministry Co-Workers the Arizona Global Mission Team is also available to facilitate the process of becoming a Global Mission Church. Several of our Arizona congregations have already completed this process, and the team would be happy to visit with you to discuss your church achieving this distinction. You can begin reviewing the process at globalministries.org.

The third part of our exciting New Year agenda is to promote Church-to-Church partnerships. We believe that walking with Christians and people of other faiths from around the world can enhance the life, faith, and witness of your church.

Reflection from Rev. Amy E. Hirsch

The Arizona Region sent me off to serve as a Division of Overseas Ministries (now Global Ministries) missionary (now known as mission co-workers) to Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) in 1989. I will never forget the letters I got from churches, Chistian Youth Fellowship groups, CWF (now Disciple Women) groups and Sunday School classes while I was in the jungle on the Equator. Those letters, drawings and support sustained me when the situation in Zaire was bleak. Initially, I taught English at Zaire Christian Institute. Then, I worked with women and children teaching nutrition and running a feeding program for malnourished children out of the Bolenge Hospital.

I was evacuated in 1991 due to civil unrest. The Zaireans were sobbing, tearing their clothes and rolling in the dirt as we missionaries departed. I was saddened that we were plucked from danger while they continued to live with uncertainty, corruption, heat and humidity.  Division of Overseas Ministries (now Global Missions) helped those evacuated process our experiences and reintegrate back into society successfully.

As part of the ministry of the AZ Global Mission Team, I would encourage Disciple churches in Arizona to: 1) Become a Global Mission church. Global Ministries has resources to assist churches in learning  about overseas missions. Instead of the old model of sending out missionaries (a giving at), the focus is now on (a giving with). We are called to ask the deeper question of what it means to give and receive when it comes to global missions.  2) Engage with returning mission workers. Co-workers from Botswana, Mexico, and Colombia will be available to visit Arizona congregations in 2025. 3) Consider becoming involved in the Church – to – Church program as a church. Visit the Global Missions website for details on the above three programs. www.globalministries.org

Let us learn from our Congolese neighbors as together we serve in ministry.

Rev. Amy E. Hirsch (aka Mama Bombundo)

Regional Reflection – Coworkers with God

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

January 20 is here, and it brings an odd mixture of events and emotions. For some, the big event today is the inauguration of a president.  For others, the big event is the commemoration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  For still others, the big event is the NCAA football championship. And it is likely that others of us will celebrate birthdays, mourn the loss of a loved one, or experience a life-changing event in our personal lives. 

While much of the world knows Dr. King as a Civil Rights leader, the Church has long recognized him as a prophet – a spokesperson for God, a voice calling for God’s vision of righteousness and justice to be realized within our social realm. In seminary, I was inspired by a book entitled “Four Modern Prophets,” highlighting the work and ministry of Rev. Dr. King, Walter Rauschenbusch, Gustavo Gutiérrez, and Rosemary Radford Ruether.  If you are not familiar with all of them, I encourage you to do some research.  You may be inspired!

King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” reminds many of the letters found in the New Testament – a letter written by a major church leader to a group of ministers dealing with some specific issues. It was a letter written to the clergy of Birmingham, much like the letters written to church leaders in Corinth, Philippi, and Thessalonica, but it has a much wider application, calling the church to stand up 

I leave you with some of his words, inviting us to renew and deepen our understanding of Christ’s call to love our neighbor:

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.

For years now I have heard the word “wait.” This “wait” has almost always meant “never.” We must come to see with the distinguished jurist of yesterday that “justice too long delayed is justice denied.” 

I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; …who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of men willing to be coworkers with God, and without this hard work time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation.

May all Arizona Disciples be counted among such coworkers with God!

Dios les bendiga!

Rev. Dr. Jay Hartley

You can find a list of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day events across the Phoenix metro area in this article from the Arizona Republic, or information about the Tucson celebration on Facebook.

Regional Reflection: No Hype Necessary

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

Years ago, two friends of mine organized a concert. The friends were very sophisticated musicians, and they organized an amazing concert. They promoted the concert, telling everyone they knew: “It’s going to be a good concert.”

Following the concert, someone came up to them and said: “That was AMAZING!!!  That was INCREDIBLE!!! I wish you’d have told me how AMAZING it was going to be – I would have invited all my friends.” My friends looked at each other and thought: “We told you it was going to be good.  Why didn’t you believe us?  Did you really need all those exclamation marks?”

We live in a world of hype.  Or should I say: “we live in a world of HYPE!!!” We live in a world which makes much ado about the lifestyles of the rich and famous, that celebrates pomp and circumstance, that wants everything to be the GREATEST EVER or the BIGGER AND BETTER.

And I think about the lessons of scripture. 1 Kings 19:  God wasn’t in the thunder.  God wasn’t in the earthquake.  God wasn’t in the fire.  God was in the silence.  Matthew 13:  The kingdom of God is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour. Luke 21: Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all. So many lessons from the Bible seem to be anti-hype. They tell of God at work in humble places.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of a baby, out in a barn with the farm animals, we are reminded once again that God does not need to be hyped. God does not need a red carpet, a spotlight, or a suped-up sound system. God just needs us to be ourselves, to care for each other, to shine our little lights in our little circumstances. 

God is here.  God is with us. God’s presence is always with us. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will never overcome it.

Dios les bendiga,

Pastor Jay
Regional Minister and President
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona

Regional-wide study of “How to End Christian Nationalism”

At our most recent Regional Assembly, we approved RA 2401: Calling Arizona Disciples to Oppose Christian Nationalism. 

Part of that resolution hinges on the active participation of our regional body, regional churches, and individual Disciples to “do the work” of dismantling the problem of Christian Nationalism. 

The Arizona Regional Anti-Racism Pro-Reconciliation Team is committed to helping you realized this imperative. 

In late January and early February (details below), we will begin a Region-wide study of How to End Christian Nationalismby Amanda Tyler led by the AZ ARPR Team. The author, Amanda Tyler, is a person of deep faith and the president of the BJC. Her writing is thoughtful, faithful and empowering, grounded in scripture and our moral imperative to transform systems of oppression and marginalization. 

Discussions on Wednesdays January 22, 29, and February 5 via Zoom at 6:30pm. Click here to register (registration is required). We will read three chapters for the first two weeks, and the final two chapters for the last week.

In the meantime, you or the congregation you serve with, may be interested in this short reading list or additional resources listed below (click the book covers to visit publisher’s website for each book):

The Flag and The Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy by Philip Gorski and Samuel Perry (Community Christian Church just finished this study; we have copies of the book available for use, if needed.)

Imagining Persecution: Why American Christians Believe There is a Global War Against Their Faith by Jason Bruner (Dr. Bruner is an ASU professor and a Disciple!)

White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy by William Barber (Rev. Dr. Barber is founding influence for The Poor People’s Campaign and a Disciple!)

Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States by Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry 

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez (super readable and great for a church book study)

Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Chrisitan Nationalist Neighbors by Caleb Campbell (Rev. Campbell is the Lead Minister at Desert Springs Bible Church – nondenominational/evangelical – in Phoenix AZ!)

The False White Gospel by Jim Wallis (again, super readable and written by a progressive evangelical)

Inventing a Christian America: The Myth of the Religious Founding by Steven K. Green

The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un American by Andrew Seidel

White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity by Robert P. Jones

The Psychology of Christian Nationalism: Why People are Drawn in and How to Talk Across the Divide by Pamela Cooper-White

Additional Resources

Arizona Faith Network often offer webinars on Christian Nationalism and other topics that aid in people becoming more informed on the impact of harmful rhetoric. Click here to view their calendar of events.

Christians Against Christian Nationalism provide podcasts that help with not only a basic understanding of what Christian Nationalism, but also the ways that it is affecting our world in real time and in relation to real events. Click this helpful link of some episodes they recommend.

Straight White American Jesus is a podcast by ex-evangelicals who now delve into the culture and politics of Christian Nationalism and the ways that it impacts the psyche of the church and those who are on the receiving end of its existence. Click here for their podcast and resources.

Home

Regional Reflection: hay un lugar para ti

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

Three and a half weeks have passed since our Regional Assembly. Two weeks have passed since the national elections. One week until we gather with family and/or friends to share a meal of thanksgiving – which sounds a little funny since most of us gather every single Sunday to share a meal of thanksgiving.   Collectively – that’s a lot of activity and a lot of emotion within 4 weeks of time!

Reflecting on all of that, I can’t help but see the theme of the table. Our Disciples movement was started by leaders who believed that everyone should have a place at the table.  The Lord’s Supper/Holy Communion/La Santa Cena/the Holy Supper/the Eucharist – whatever you want to call it – has many meanings. One way of understanding La Santa Cena is as a PRE-enactment of the messianic banquet, the great feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Religious leaders have imagined a heavenly banquet, where a great multitude of all the nations, every tribe and tongue, are gathered. There is no longer rich or poor, no longer people who are outcast or excluded because of race or skin color or language or gender. There is just one big Thanksgiving banquet for all souls – where Jesus is the host, and we all receive blessings in abundance.  I don’t know about you, but every single week, when I take a little wafer and drink a little cup of juice, I do my best to imagine that I’m in that heavenly banquet, feasting and celebrating with all of God’s children.

En el nombre del cielo, in the name of heaven … hay un lugar para ti, there’s a place for you. That was our theme for Assembly, a call to hospitality, a call to welcome each other, to make another place at the table, to share God’s love with each other – no matter what. Perhaps there will come a time in human history where that message will no longer be necessary.  But we aren’t there yet. And so I encourage us all to continuing growing in our hospitality, growing in our ability to recognize the image of God in our neighbor, growing in our commitment to opening our hearts to each other.

En el nombre del cielo, hay un lugar para ti.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Regional Assembly Adopts RA-2401, Emergency Sense of the Assembly Resolution Calling Arizona Disciples to Oppose Christian Nationalism

By a majority vote on Saturday, October 26, 2024, the gathered Regional Assembly of the Christian Church in Arizona adopted RA-2401, Emergency Sense-of-the-Assembly Resolution Calling Arizona Disciples to Oppose Christian Nationalism. This resolution was submitted by the Arizona Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation Team and recommended for adoption by the Administrative Council.

RA-2401

CALLING  ARIZONA DISCIPLES TO OPPOSE CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
(An Emergency Sense-of-the-Assembly Resolution)

WHEREAS, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) affirms the inherent worth and dignity of all people, created in the image of God, and called to live in mutual love and respect; and 

WHEREAS, the teachings of Jesus Christ call us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to welcome the stranger, and to seek justice for the oppressed; and 

WHEREAS, Christian Nationalism promotes a distorted interpretation of Christianity that seeks to merge national identity with a particular racial and religious identity, often resulting in the exclusion, marginalization, and harm of people of color, non-Christians, immigrants, and other vulnerable communities; and 

WHEREAS, Christian Nationalism is contrary to the inclusive and reconciling nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which transcends all human-made boundaries of race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, and creed; and 

WHEREAS, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona, as part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) adopted Sense-of-the-Assembly Resolution GA-2341 which says, “The Church in all its expressions commits to educating ourselves and our constituencies about the societal and spiritual dangers of Christian Nationalism, how to talk about Christian Nationalism theologically, and how to counter it in both ecclesial and public life.” 

WHEREAS Sense-of-the-Assembly Resolution GA-2341 also: “…calls on its leaders and members to take every possible opportunity to speak out and act boldly against Christian Nationalism, ensuring that the love of God known to us in Jesus Christ may not be distorted by this ugly and false appropriation of our faith, but proclaimed with generosity and grace to all peoples, from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth.”

WHEREAS we have been called by the General Church “…to prayerfully discern, confess, and repent of our own complicity with Christian Nationalism“; 

WHEREAS the recent threatening rhetoric of political leaders and the major polarizing election cycle before us, makes it critical at this specific time, for us to name publicly, that our actions and reactions must adhere to the vision and call of Christ in opposition to actions and reactions adhering to political leanings.

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Region of Arizona unequivocally condemns Christian Nationalism as a heretical distortion of the Christian faith and a threat to the unity and justice to which Christ calls us; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we, as Arizona Disciples, in all our expressions, commit ourselves to educating our congregations about the dangers of Christian Nationalism, promoting theological teachings that emphasize the inclusivity and justice central to the Gospel; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we, as Arizona Disciples, in all our expressions, actively support and partner with organizations and movements that work to dismantle systems of white supremacy and promote racial justice, equity, and reconciliation; and 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we, as a Region and as Arizona Disciples, will denounce Christian Nationalism and seek to embody the beloved community, where all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion, are welcomed, valued, and treated with dignity, as we strive to live out the reconciling love of Christ in our world. 

Arizona Regional Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation (ARPR) Ministry Team

Community Christian Church, Tempe
Comunidad Limen Christian Church, Tucson
First Christian Church, Tucson

Rev. Trish Winters
Rev. Pedro Ramos-Goycolea
Rev. Dr. James Sterling
Rev. Brett Winters
Rev. Jay Deskins
Rev. Terry Steeden
Rev. Allen Cunningham
Rev. Katie Sexton
Pastor Tawni Garcia
Pastor Arturo Laguna
Rev. Kenneth Stamper
Pastor Janett Laguna
Rev. Ailsa Guardiola González
Rev. Chad Boseker
Rev. Kevin Prahar

BACKGROUND

General Assembly (Sense of the Assembly) Resolution GA-2341 CALLING THE CHURCH TO OPPOSE CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM

Link: https://ga.disciples.org/resolutions/2023/ga-2341/

Presented at the 2023 General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, this resolution calling for the church to oppose Christian Nationalism was adopted. The resolution includes background information which helps to define the term Christian Nationalism and provides resources for additional reflection.

The Administrative Council of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona recommends that the Regional Assembly ADOPT RA-2501

Regional Reflection – Welcome

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

“Welcome.”   It’s such a beautiful word – in both English and Spanish.  Bien-venidos.  It is well, it is good, it is a joy to me that you have come.”  “Es bueno que tu has venido.”

Have you ever shown up somewhere and got that awkward sense that people wish you would NOT have come? Ugh. That’s no fun. And we’ve all had that experience. Or worse – they slam the door in your face, or call you hateful names.

But the opposite is so wonderful. Someone opens the door and their face lights up with a smile when they see you. You walk into a room and lots of faces light up, and they get up and move another chair into the circle to make room for you. They introduce themselves, tell you their name, offer you a glass of water or a tray of snacks.  It is so, so wonderful to feel welcome – to feel that people are glad you came.

Our Regional Assembly last weekend took that idea and added a theological claim: “In the name of heaven, you are welcome here.”  “In the name of God, there is a place for you at the table.” In Spanish: “En el nombre del cielo” – in the name of God.  Offering hospitality creates a sacred space, and receiving hospitality is a holy moment.

It was a joy to welcome so many of you to the Regional Assembly this past weekend. It brought me joy to see you, to be with you, and to worship with you. And I pray that all of us will continue to both receive welcome from others and in turn offer our welcome to all whom we meet. What a delight when we can truly look at our neighbors and say: “It is well that you have come.  It is a joy to be here together.”

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Regional Reflection: Called to Hospitality

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:               

I’m just home from seeing many of you at the Disciples Women’s Retreat in Prescott.  It is always a joy to gather with Disciples for worship, education, and relationship-building.  Speaking of which … the next big opportunity to gather together is coming up soon:   Regional Assembly.  More information and registration can be found here, but here I want to reflect a bit on our theme.

The Regional Assembly Planning Team decided to focus on the biblical theme of HOSPITALITY. Hospitality is a key characteristic of the people of God throughout the Bible. It begins in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, when Abraham welcomes three strangers to his ranch, offering them food and drink and a chance to get out of the son. Abraham’s nephew Lot, in a story that is much misused, offered hospitality to visitors to his city.  Then Genesis ends when the sons of Jacob are offered hospitality by the Pharaoh in Egypt during a famine. Later in the Hebrew Bible, the Israelites are often reminded to offer hospitality to foreigners, remembering that they too were once offered hospitality in a foreign land. 

Click to Register for Assembly!

Hospitality remains a prominent theme in the New Testament – starting with the birth of Jesus, whose parents were told there was “no room in the inn.” As an adult, Jesus both offers and accepts hospitality, frequently dining in the homes of others. Jesus instructs us to invite strangers, the poor, and outcast to our homes for our banquets – offering the love of God to all. Romans and Hebrews both invite and instruct us to be hospitable to strangers.

So … what does biblical hospitality look like today? Who are the “strangers” and “foreigners” of our day? In what ways are we called to offer hospitality to migrants, to homeless veterans, to LGBTQ+ individuals, to young people, to seniors, to any of our neighbors? How do congregations practice hospitality – and how do we FAIL to practice hospitality? These are themes and questions that we will explore in worship and workshops throughout the Assembly.

First Christian Church of Tucson looks forward to offering YOU hospitality this October at our 2024 Regional Assembly.   I hope to see you there!

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay
Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Click to Register for Assembly!
Oct. 14, Tucson
Nov. 4, Phoenix Metro

Regional Reflection: Summer of 2024

Following my trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland in May, this summer has continued to be filled with travel, including trips to Kansas City for the Obra Hispana assembly; Flagstaff for Foothills Family Camp; Loch Leven Campground in California for summer church camp; Wichita to preach at the Kansas Regional Assembly; Bethany, West Virginia for the College of Regional Ministers and Forum of Regional Moderators retreat; as well as some vacation time in Maine, New York, the mountains in Arizona.

The trip in July marked my first ever visit to Bethany College and the home of Alexander Campbell.  In addition to being the alma mater of Rev. Rebekah Krevens, pastor at Foothills Christian Church in Phoenix, Bethany College now hosts the Disciples of Christ Historical Society. Our Regional Moderator-Elect, Kerry Swindle from Saguaro Christian Church in Tucson, joined me on the trip. We got a tour of the Campbell Mansion, the Campbell cemetery, the Historical Society, the Old Meetinghouse, Bethany Christian Church, and the Bethany College campus. It was a joy to connect to these historical sites of Disciples origins.

Jay at the Alexander Campbell estate
Jay on Bethany College campus

As many of you know, Alexander Campbell was one of the most prominent leaders of the movement that became the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  He founded Bethany College, a testament to our emphasis on the importance of education.  Campbell wrote journals and was frequently known to hold public debates with other ministers on points of faith. I am grateful for Campbell’s emphasis on education. As I’ve often heard people say, the Disciples are a movement that doesn’t ask you to “check your brain at the door” when you enter the sanctuary. Faith and reason, faith seeking understanding, deep study of the Bible are all very important to us. 

Speaking of education, we have 10 great workshops lined up for you to choose from at our upcoming Regional Assembly:   October 25-26 in Tucson.  To register, click here. We are excited to be with you “In the Name of Heaven/En El Nombre del Cielo.”

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

A Journey to Land Acknowledgement at Community Christian Church in Tempe

Written by Karen Nye, Immediate Past Moderator of Community Christian Church in Tempe

Early in 2023, Community Christian Church, Tempe, was awarded an Arizona Regional grant to purchase a plaque for a Land Acknowledgement Statement. A Land Acknowledgement Statement is an effort to recognize the Indigenous past, present and future of a particular location and to understand our own place within that relationship. Receiving the grant was the beginning of a many months-long process: researching which indigenous peoples likely inhabited the area where our church is located, studying other statements, determining what should be included (or not) in a statement, drafting statements and presenting them to the church board and congregation numerous times for input. The final version of the statement was officially approved early December 2023. 

The next step was to order the plaque. It was important to us that the plaque be displayed very visibly outside the church building where it could be read by anyone visiting our campus. With the competent guidance of Tempe Trophy, we learned that the usual brass-on-wood plaque that we had envisioned would quickly deteriorate outside. We needed a bronze or aluminum casting. The Region approved ordering the bronze plaque.

The plaque has now been “planted” near the main entry of the Sanctuary building and will be dedicated following worship, June 2, 2024, the date that marks the 100th anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. As our pastor, Rev. Trish Winters, shared with us, “Though full suffrage rights would not be granted to Native American/Indigenous peoples in the United States until the late ’40’s (Arizona and New Mexico were the last holdouts), this was the first step to ensuring full citizenship to those who had been born within the borders of what was and is, the United States of America.”

Our Land Acknowledgement Statement

“We, the faith community of Community Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), acknowledge that the land on which we gather is within the ancestral homeland of the Akimel O’odham (Upper Pima), the Hohokam and the Piipash native peoples. We honor with gratitude the diverse and vibrant Indigenous peoples past, present and future who, from time immemorial, have hunted, fished, gathered, planted and cared for these lands. We respect their sovereignty and their right to self-determination and we honor their sacred and spiritual connection with the land and water.”

If your congregation is interested in receiving a Land Acknowledgement Plaque grant from the region read more and apply at https://azdisciples.org/congregational-vitality/#available-grants.

Regional Reflection: Obra Hispana Bi-Annual Asamblea

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

Recently I had the pleasure to join 50 other Arizona Disciples at the Obra Hispana bi-annual assembly. Obra Hispana is the name of the fellowship of Hispanic Disciples in our denomination, and it is made of of 9 convenciones and about 230 congregations. Overall, over 250 Hispanic Disciples attended the event from the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Arizona Disciples played a huge role:  12 worship dancers, ranging in age from 7 to about 50-something (I didn’t ask), made the 24-hour journey by van to Kansas City, complete with 4 different liturgical dresses, flags, and banners.  Arturo Laguna Jr. and Ally Salgado from Casa de Adoración were part of the worship band – as they will be at our Regional Assembly in October. Our Regional Moderator, Rev. Pedro Ramos-Goycolea, led a workshop. And, of course, Rev. Lori Tapia was the leader of it all, which included her re-election as National Pastor of the Obra Hispana. Congratulations, Pastor Lori!

The title of the Assembly was based on the Obra Hispana theme for the year: “Generaciones,” or “From Generation to Generation.” Much of the Assembly focused on the development of leadership among the younger generations, as well as the appreciation of the leadership of older and middle generations.  The 12 worship dancers from Arizona were a perfect example of that, as was the worship band. It is beautiful to see the large amounts of young people involved in worship and spiritual development. It reminded me that somewhere around 70% of Disciples under the age of 30 in Arizona are Hispanic.

I was also reminded that the term “Hispanic” is one that Euro-Americans invited to group all Spanish-speaking peoples into one group, as if they all have something in common. In reality, “Hispanic” people are just as varied and diverse as any group. Some prefer speaking English, some Spanish, and some are equally comfortable in both. Some of the diversity is based on culture – Disciples come from Puerto Rico and Mexico and Central America and South America and, of course, the United States. They eat different foods, use different vocabulary, have different accents (in Spanish, let alone English), and have different ways of worshiping. They also have a variety of approaches to theological thinking and biblical interpretation.  Never make the mistake of thinking that “all Hispanic people are _______.” 

It was also a joy to realize that our General ministries have made a concerted effort to hire Spanish-speaking staff in order to better serve our whole church, with staff from DCEF, CCF, NBA, Pension Fund, Week of Compassion, Disciples of Christ Historical Society, and several of our seminaries. I enjoyed introducing many of our clergy and young people to some of the General ministries of the Disciples.

In short, the Assembly was much like a General Assembly, though mostly in Spanish. It was a joy to join with our clergy and musicians and dancers and lay members from Arizona in a weekend of worship, education, and fellowship.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Regional Reflections: Arizona at General Board

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

I write to you today from Chicago, where I – along with Arizonans Rev. Jessica Braxton (Saguaro Christian Church), Cecilia Johnson (Chalice Christian Church), and Rev. Lori Tapia (Casa de Adoracion and Obra Hispana) – am in town for the General Board meeting. All regional ministers serve on the General Board, and it is a chance for us to connect with each other and with our General Ministry partners as well as attend to the governance matters of our denomination. Official business dominated the agenda, but we closed with a wonderful worship experience featuring as our preacher the Rev. Jessica Braxton of Saguaro Christian Church! 

Our General Minister and President, the Rev. Terri Hord Owens, highlighted 3 major initiatives of the Church:  

  1. The Church Covenant Project, which includes changes to the Design to help us be a more nimble and efficient movement and to be clear about our covenant relationships with each other
  2. The Church Narrative Project, which is to help us develop the narrative of the future we want to share together
  3. The Proclamation Project, a major initiative to support and inspire preachers.

During her report, she mentioned that Arizona was one of the first regions to participate in the Narrative Project.  Then she celebrated the Proclamation Project’s first ever Disciples preaching retreat was going to be held in Arizona (October 28-30, 2024). And then she went on to talk about the Week of Compassion and their great work in partnership with the Arizona Disciples Border Initiative. She and others were invited Disciples from all over to come to Tucson and learn about border and immigration issues through the Caminantes Border Immersion program led by Rev. Pedro Ramos Goycolea and Comunidad Limen CC.  Given our relatively small size (at 20 congregations, we are the second smallest region), Arizona featured prominently in this General Board meeting!

It is always helpful to remember that we are not alone.  We are not single, solitary, isolated Christian individuals. We are not single, solitary, isolated congregations. We are not even single, solitary, isolated regions.  We are part of something bigger – a movement for wholeness.  Together, with Disciples across the U.S. and Canada, we are called to shine the light of God’s love by seeking unity, practicing compassion, and working for the well-being of all God’s Creation.

Somos Uno!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Regional Reflection – Holy Week

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

Holy Week is almost upon us. As our journey through Lent intensifies, there is much talk about dying and living, clinging to life and letting go, losing our lives and being saved. In Christian tradition, Jesus is linked to salvation.  Indeed, the name “Jesus” means: “God saves.” But do you ever wonder, on the really practical level: “HOW does God save?”  How does Jesus save?

Christians have debated this topic throughout our history. Some claim that Jesus saved by dying – but while he is still alive, he proclaims to Zacchaeus: “Today, salvation has come to this house.” Some claim that God’s resurrection of Jesus is what saves, that we are all included in that resurrection. Some claim that Jesus was the “pioneer and perfecter” of our faith, leading the way for us, showing the path to salvation, if we will only follow – a path of overcoming fear in order to live filled with love for all Creation.  It’s a path Jesus pioneered, and that Jesus accompanies us on, but a path we have to walk ourselves.

On an even more practical level, I can share one of the ways that Jesus saves ME. There are times in my life when I start feeling sorry for myself: people complain and criticize, I start feeling overworked and underappreciated, and I get stressed out.  Bummed out.  Feel like I’m getting a raw deal in life. It’s tempting to just sit around and have a pity-party. Sometimes I get stuck there, depressed, feeling alone. 

In such times, I have found one consistent cure:  reading the story of Holy Week. This year, we find it in Mark 14-15. When I sit down and read about the last week in Jesus’ life, how people misunderstood him, criticized him, sold him out, falsely accused him, disassociated with him, claimed they never knew him, mocked him, tortured him, abandoned him – suddenly my little pity-party seems … pitiful.  Suddenly, I realize this Jesus I claim to follow didn’t exactly have an easy life, where everything was rosy.  No, his troubles were FAR greater than mine.  But he faced them with love. He faced them with resolve.  In fact, maybe it’s just enough to say he faced them. He didn’t avoid them. He didn’t hide. He didn’t wallow in feelings of self-pity.  And suddenly, having gone through that journey with Jesus, I wake up, I snap out of my self-indulgent pity and bring new energy to facing that which I must face. The story of Jesus’ last week saves me, again and again, from my self-indulgence.

I wish you great blessings during Holy Week.  I invite you to sit down and read Mark 14-15 straight through, to live with the story of Jesus’ last week. And I invite you to share with me sometime how you experience Jesus in your life.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Regional Reflection: Winter Camp

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

“Pharaoh, Pharaoh, Oh baby, let me people go!”

“You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of us.”

“Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary …”

“Come, and go with me, to my Father’s house …”

“Some-times in our lives, we all have pain, we all have sorrow …”

If these lines sound familiar, if you start humming, tapping your foot, or if you just got up out of your chair and started dancing and singing and walking around the room – perhaps you’ve been to church camp.  Or perhaps you sent your child to church camp, and they came home singing and singing and singing until you knew all the songs by memory.

That might be the case for several parents around our Region, as 13 campers and 3 adult leaders from Arizona went to Winter Camp at Loch Leven Retreat Center this past weekend. The theme of Winter Camp was: “Virtual Faith IRL.”  Now before I lose your attention, let me admit … I had no idea what that meant.  It turns out, for any of you who are as clueless about modern lingo as I am, that “IRL” is code for “In Real Life.” Apparently when the on-line world came to be, people used to distinguish between their “virtual life” and their “real life.”  So they would tell their online friends: “In real life, I’m just a 14-year-old boy who is the backup catcher on my high school team.”   Except they’d text:  “IRL, I’m just …”

Several years later, however, there is not so much distinction between being online and your real life.  In other words, our real lives involve the use of technology.  It is ever-present. And so the point of camp was not to say that “real life” is better than “virtual life,” but to say that we are called to live our whole lives, including the virtual parts of our lives, in ways that are pleasing to God.  Campers made short movies to express a faith message, practicing using technology to communicate positive messages and to explore how faith can be part of our virtual life.

Winter Camp was our third camp partnership with the Pacific Southwest Region, following Summer Camp in 2022 and 2023. We are grateful for this inter-Regional partnership. And we are most very grateful to Church of the Palms UCC in Sun City who generously loaned us their church bus to make the trip. All children and youth in the Arizona Region are invited to join us this summer for the next installment of Summer Camp (dates found below). If you want to know more, you can ask me, or you can ask one of the parents at Foothills who were waiting in the parking lot Monday afternoon as the bus pulled in full of enthusiastic campers singing:  “Pharaoh, Pharoah, Oh baby, let my people go!   Oooh, ah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!”

Dios les bendiga, 

Pastor Jay

Regional Reflections – Shine the Light

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

A clarinet. A trombone. A saxophone. A piano. A guitar. A bass. A tuba. And a congregation holding up their index fingers and singing: “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine …” That was the scene at Foothills Christian Church on Sunday morning at their Epiphany Celebration – a celebration with a New Orleans style brass band, gumbo, and king cake.

Photos curtesy of Foothills Christian Church

Epiphany, of course, is the day we celebrate the light of God’s love. In the words of John 1:5: “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” As Christians, we celebrate that we have seen the light of God’s love in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We celebrate that into a world of darkness, Christ came.  We celebrate that no matter how dark the world is, that the light of God’s love shines.

And we also acknowledge that shining light is our responsibility, our calling. “YOU are the light of the world,” Jesus proclaimed.  “Let your light shine.” That is our calling. When the world struggles under the dark cloud of violence, we are called to shine God’s light by practicing peace. When the world struggles under the darkness of poverty and hunger and houselessness, we are called to shine God’s light be feed and providing shelter.  When the world despairs, we are called to shine the light of God’s hope.

To me, the basic pattern of the Christian light is simple:  

  1. See the light of God’s love shining in the darkness
  2. Embody God’s love so we can shine it everywhere we go.

My friends, there is indeed a lot of darkness in our world. Perhaps more than ever before, the world needs the church to shine the light of God’s love from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth. Thank you for the many ways you do this. As I travel through Arizona, from congregation to congregation, I am blessed to witness so much light shining. Thanks be to God!

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay
Regional Minister and President

Regional Reflections – ¡la biblia es una BIBLIOTECA!

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

La biblia no es un LIBRO; ¡la biblia es una BIBLIOTECA!  (The Bible is not a BOOK; the Bible is a LIBRARY!)

That was one of many thought-provoking phrases offered by Dr. Jose Morales during the first few sessions of Método Teológico; a Spanish-language course on Theological Methods the Region is offering during October and November.  Dr. Morales is pushing us to thinking deeply and critically about our theological foundations – why we think what we think. 

The truth is … many of us learned about God in our 2nd grade Sunday School classes and haven’t done too much thinking about God ever since. We were taught the basics by people who loved us, people we trusted.  We often didn’t realize, however, that they were teaching us age-appropriate understandings of God, and that learning the ways of God is a life-long journey. As we develop critical thinking skills, as we have more life experience, we need to continue to read scripture and develop our understanding of who God is and who/what God is calling us to be/do. So I am excited that 25 Spanish-speaking members of our Region have signed up to study with Dr. Morales for this course on theological methods.

Now, if you are wondering about the significance of our opening phrase, I invite you to reflect with me. A book is usually written by one author, from one point of view, with one consistent message. A library, on the other hand, contains the writings of several different authors, from several different points of view, often having conflicting messages.  If you visit a shelf in the library that deals with literature from 1940’s Germany, you might find writings by Nazi propagandists alongside The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoffer.  Same shelf, same library, same country and time period – TOTALLY different messages. 

To view the Bible as a library is to acknowledge that the Bible was written by many different authors who did not always agree with each other.  Why do we have four gospels instead of just one?  Why do we have 1 & 2 Chronicles basically retelling the stories in 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings – except with a slightly different perspective? Why do we have 2 creation stories, one of which tells of God creating humankind an in “his” image, male and female, and the other tells the story of God creating man first and woman being a derivative? If we learn to read the Bible as a library, learn to identify different voices and perspectives, we learn to wrestle with the complexity of life, and we grow in the humility of knowing that “for now, we see in a mirror, dimly.”

I invite you to continue the life-long journey of studying scripture, thinking theologically, and talking about the challenges of faith with your pastors and fellow Disciples. And I commend our 25 Arizona Disciples who are taking Dr. Morales’ class.  May we all continue to grow.  Paraphrasing Romans 12:2, may we not be conformed to what we’ve always thought, but may we be continually transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Calendar of Weekly Prayers

Join in praying for our Arizona Disciples Congregations. 
View the full calendar at azdisciples.org.

October

22 – Iglesia Cristiana Ebenezer led by Pastor Sandy Flores

29 – Arizona Saints and Congregations that have come before us

November

5 – Iglesia Dios de Segunda Oportunidad led by Pastor Minerva Guzman

12 – Larkspur Christian Church led by Pastor Job Cobos

19 – Thanksgiving Special Offering and our Disciples Affiliated Colleges, Universities, and Seminaries

26 – Saguaro Christian Church led by Pastor Kelley Dick

Regional Reflections – Bias Interrupter

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

I am just returned from a trip to Indianapolis for a gathering known as the Disciples Executive Leadership School. It was a gathering of General Ministry presidents and vice-presidents, regional ministers, and others to talk about leadership in our church. As always, I am impressed by the quality of people we have in our wider church family and their dedication to God’s love for all people and for all of Creation. I enjoyed dinner Monday night with 3 other Regional ministers and our General Minister and President, as we talked over issues related to ministry. We were also joined by other staff from the Pacific Southwest Region (PSWR) and were able to discuss the growing partnership between Arizona and the PSWR for church camp and children/youth ministries. And then on Tuesday evening, I enjoyed dinner with our Regional Assembly speaker, Rev. Dr. Juan Rodriguez, who had served as my advisor on my D. Min. project.

Among the highlights of the experience: I learned a new term: “Bias Interrupter.” During our Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation workshop, Rev. Sandhya Jha discussed several situations where bias is at play, and then asked: “What would it take to interrupt the bias, to be a ‘bias interrupter?’”

What is a bias interrupter, you ask? It’s someone who hears a demeaning joke about transgender people and interrupts the narrative to challenge the bias of the speaker and listeners. It’s someone who hears ugly slurs about migrants and lifts up the worth of all children of God. It’s someone who hears a search committee talk about their hopes for their next minister, saying “HE should be a really good preacher,” and suggests that we shouldn’t pre-judge the gender of whom God may be sending us as our next spiritual leader. Bias interrupters are not mere bystanders, allowing bias to exist unchecked. Bias interrupters INTERRUPT the bias, offer alternative ways of viewing things, more grace-filled and inclusive ways of viewing things. 

What would it take for US to be “bias interrupters?”

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Calendar of Weekly Prayers

Join in praying for our Arizona Disciples Congregations. 
View the full calendar at azdisciples.org.

October

1 – End to Racism and the Reconciliation Ministry Special Offering

8 – First Christian Church in Tucson led by Pastor Ailsa Guardiola Gonzalez

15 – Foothills Christian Church led by Pastor Bekah Krevens

22 – Iglesia Cristiana Ebenezer led by Pastor Sandy Flores

29 – Arizona Saints and Congregations that have come before us

Regional Reflections – General Assembly

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

I bring you greetings from the entire Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada!  What a joy it was for over 3000 Disciples to gather for the first time in four years, as we celebrated the Kindom of God at our General Assembly in Louisville just a few weeks ago. Over 30 Arizona Disciples joined the fun, worshiping every evening, attending workshops and bible studies and ministry reports during the day. 

Some of the highlights for me included: 

  • The Opening Roll Call, during which Arizona Disciples held our bilingual banners high and wore our Unidad Profetica/Prophetic Unity t-shirts from Regional Assembly
  • Hearing William Barber preach on Sunday morning at Beargrass Christian Church, offering an inspiring call to witness to God’s love in the world. It was also exciting to see that the early service at Beargrass featured the preaching of our own Rev. Kelley Dick of Saguaro CC.
  • Staying at Beargrass for Don DeWeese’s funeral Sunday afternoon, presided at by our own Rev. Trish Winters (new interim at Community CC in Tempe). About 5 minutes into the service, a friend leaned over and whispered in my ear: “She’s GOOD!” 

  • The re-election of Rev. Terri Hord Owens as our General Minister and President for the next 8 years.
  • WRIM Reception on Monday night – over 100 Disciples from the Western Regions in Ministry (WRIM)  — Arizona, Central Rocky Mountain, Northern California/Nevada, Northern Lights, Oregon/SW Idaho, and the Pacific Southwest Regions – gathered for drinks and desserts and a time of fellowship that was simply marvelous. 

In addition to these highlights, the Assembly also offered me the invaluable opportunity to have face to face discussions with several of our General ministry staff on issues important to congregations and the region of Arizona.

I was especially delighted that several Arizona Disciples were attending their first ever General Assembly. I hope you will hear their stories – and maybe join them in two years for our next General Assembly, July 12-15, 2025 in Memphis, TN. 

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Calendar of Weekly Prayers

Join in praying for our Arizona Disciples Congregations. 
View the full calendar at azdisciples.org.

August

20 – Desert Heritage Church led by Pastor Derrick Elliot

27 – East Mesa Christian Church led by Pastor Charles Dubbs

September

3 – First Christian Church in Globe let by Pastor Al Beasley

10 – First Christian Church in Mesa in a time of transition

17 – First Christian Church in Scottsdale led by Pastor Jenny Wynn

24 – End to Racism and the Reconciliation Ministry Special Offering