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Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona

PRAR

Regional Reflection: Our Mission and Values

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

Every once in a while, it is good to take a step back from life and work and ask: Who are we?  What are we doing? What are our goals? It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut, to keep doing things we should’ve stopped doing years ago, to not get around to living the way we want to.

Well, your Regional leadership recently did that.  We began late last year with a leadership survey, and then in January our clergy and our board met with a consultant from Ministry Architects to discuss mission, values, and strategic goals. Our new mission statement:

We nurture, equip, and inspire all toward God’s inclusive love, bold justice, and faithful transformation. 

Anidamos, equipamos, e inspiramos a todos hacia el amor inclusivo de Dios, la justicia audaz y la transformación fiel.

The Region works to nurture and develop leaders and congregations.  This includes the work of the Commission on Ministry, the New Church Ministry Team, and the Congregational Vitality Grant Team. The Region also works to inspire our leaders and congregations to work towards transforming ourselves and our society to be more in line with God’s inclusive love.  This involves the work of our Anti-Racism Team, our Border and Immigration Ministry, and our Global Missions Team. 

We also named five values that we want to guide our ministry and our life together:

Courage. Honesty. Willingness. Inclusivity. Justice.

Valentía. Honestidad. Disponibilidad. Inclusividad. Justicia. 

We are asking all Arizona Disciples to consider how these values are present in our lives, in our congregations, and in our ministries. We hope we have the courage to face difficult questions and situations with honesty. We want to be transparent and accountable. We want to be willing to listen to each other, to sit with each other, to consider alternative viewpoints, rather than judging or jumping to conclusions. We want to be inclusive to ALL – because no one likes to feel excluded, and because NOTHING can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:37-39) And finally, we want to recognize and work against the presence of all kinds of injustice and discrimination, as we seek to move toward what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called “the Beloved Community.”

This is who we are as Arizona Disciples, and who we want to be. May God be with us on this journey, and may we be courageous enough to go where God calls us.

Dios les bendiga!

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

Regional Reflection: Prince of Peace

Greetings to all in the name of the Prince of Peace:

Reflect for a moment on these words of scripture:

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”

They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Then reflect for a moment on the words we’ve read in the news recently, words that are based on the philosophy of “might makes right,” words that tell the stories of shootings and bombings and military interventions abroad and at home.  It’s hard to miss the disconnect. In church we celebrate the Prince of Peace, but our world celebrates something very different.

Because we have romanticized Christmas for so long, it’s easy to forget that Jesus was born into a world of Empire, into a world ruled by “Roman might makes right.” We celebrate the magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus, but forget that as a result of their trip, a paranoid, narcissistic ruler put hundreds or thousands of children to death – forcing Jesus and his parents to become refugees, fleeing a violent tyrant to save their lives. A couple decades later, the Roman Empire executed a man whose main message was “love your neighbor.” As the Teacher writes in Ecclesiastes 1:9:  What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done;  there is nothing new under the sun. Alas.

For me, these reflections expose some naïve beliefs I can no longer hold.  I believed that the world was progressively getting better: more peaceful, more just. I believed that wars and colonialism were things I read about in history books, a thing of the past.  I even believed that racism was mostly a thing of the past, basically solved by the Civil Rights movement. I believed that the United States would never use military force to occupy its own cities and intimidate its own citizens.  I believed the Justice Department would, well, seek justice, seek to prosecute those who perpetrate violence. 

These reflections also remind me of some things I still believe, more than ever.  I believe we are called to be peacemakers. I believe we are called to be non-violent, but also to seek to make peace, to build bridges, to listen and work together and try to de-escalate tense situations. I believe we are called to live without fear – or rather to carry on in the face of fear — not because there is nothing out there to fear, but because allowing fear to intimidate isn’t worthy of the one we claim to follow. I believe that no matter what happens on earth, no matter the rejection and violence we may face, that God loves and holds us forever. And I know that come what may, and though I know at times I will fall short, I hope to represent the compassionate of God and to shine the light of God’s love in all I do and say.

Dios les bendiga!

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

Land Acknowledgement Plaque at Foothills Christian Church

On Sunday, November 16, 2025, our congregation had the joy of welcoming special guests Terry and Darlene Wildman to worship. Terry and Darlene lead Rain Ministries, and Terry serves as the lead editor for the First Nations Translation of the Bible, bringing a wealth of experience and deep cultural insight to our community. The day was marked by a sense of connection, celebration, and reflection: Terry and Darlene shared their gifts through inspiring special music, and Terry delivered a moving sermon on the 23rd Psalm, inviting all present to consider the ways God’s guidance and care flow through our lives and communities.

Between our two services, we held a meaningful dedication ceremony for our newly installed land acknowledgment plaque. The ceremony was led by Foothills pastors Rev. Bekah Krevens and Rev. Janel Randle as well as our regional minister Rev. Jay Hartley. This plaque honors the ancestral and ongoing presence of Indigenous peoples on the land where our church gathers, recognizing the rich histories, traditions, and contributions of the First Nations communities. The dedication was a moment for our congregation to pause, reflect, and commit to listening, learning, and fostering relationships grounded in respect and justice. The ceremony included words of blessing, shared prayer, and the communal affirmation of our desire to honor the land and those who steward it.

Our plaque reads: 

“We acknowledge that Foothills Christian Church rests on the traditional homelands of the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Piipaash (Maricopa) peoples, and near the ancestral lands of the Hohokam. We honor their stewardship of this land, past, present, and future, and recognize the deep spiritual connections Indigenous peoples continue to hold here. We commit ourselves to walk humbly, seek justice, and live in right relationship with all who call this land home.”

The day was not only a celebration of worship and music but also a tangible step forward in our congregation’s ongoing journey of reconciliation and awareness. The installation of the land acknowledgment plaque represents both a public commitment and a visible reminder of our responsibility to honor the land and the Indigenous communities connected to it. Through this ceremony, our church community came together to witness, reflect, and participate in a meaningful act of acknowledgment, remembrance, and hope for deeper understanding.

Regional Reflection: At the Crossroads of Ubuntu and Koinonia

At the Crossroads of Ubuntu and Koinonia: Building a Multicultural, Pro-Reconciling Community
A reflection by Rev. Trish Thompson-Winters, Pastor of Community Christian Church in Tempe

Rev. Trish Thompson-Winters
Pastor at Community Christian Church in Tempe

On Monday of our General Assembly, forty of us sat in a chilly conference room and wondered together, at the guidance of Rev. Vinnetta Golphin-Wilkerson, minister of Granger Community Christian Church in Salt Lake City: What does it really mean to be a multicultural, multiethnic, anti-racist, and pro-reconciling community of faith?

In short, it means stepping into the sacred intersection of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—and koinonia—deep spiritual fellowship. It means not just welcoming difference, but respecting it, learning from it, and allowing it to reshape us into something more whole. It means reflecting the full image of God. 

In Acts 6:1–7, we see an early example of this kind of transformation. We know, change was in the air. New people had joined the movement and misunderstanding and tension followed. Some widows were being neglected and the new church was called out. Instead of defending the status quo, the new church got honest, got creative, and formed new roles and practices to make sure no one was left out. The result? The word of God spread.

Inclusion wasn’t a distraction from the mission—it was the mission. When we are authentically engaged with one another across lines of difference, the gospel comes alive.

It sounds ideal, right?! But Rev. Vinnetta assured us that though this is holy work, it is not easy. 

So she encouraged us to begin, by asking ourselves – and our communities of faith – some difficult questions:

Do we look like the community around us?

Are we willing to change so that others can truly belong, not just fit in?

How far are we willing to go?

When we’ve taken those questions seriously, we can begin the four part process of creating sacred, whole, kin-dom. 

So what does it take?

Intentionality

We must ask what we’re really trying to do—and be clear about why it matters. Building a multicultural community isn’t about optics or checking boxes. It’s about embodying the kin-dom of God more faithfully.

Information

We don’t know what we don’t know. And we won’t learn unless we’re willing to listen, read, visit, and pay attention. Be in spaces, where you are the minority. Attend worship services in languages that are not your own (and trust the Holy Spirit to move even when we don’t understand the words). Read books. Study under theologians that don’t look like you. be in relationships where you can ask questions. 

Implementation

Change doesn’t happen without action. We have to do more than plan, hope or dream…we have to live it. We need to interrogate our tools.  (One example: Robert’s Rules of Order is intrinsically centered on whiteness and is often weaponized or treated as universally sacred). We need to honor the differences in communication styles in different ethnic and social groups (one example: for some, sign-up sheets are a barrier, not a bridge). And we need to wonder about the thinks we hold sacred: worship order, songs and hymnody, visitation, spaces in our building, etc. 

Investment

This work requires sacrifice. It requires truth-telling. It requires language that binds us together (“we” and “us”) instead of language that separates (“them” and “those people”). It demands that we stop generalizing and instead, that we speak specifically and truthfully.

So, how do we begin?

Start with relationships. Share space. Ask honest questions: Why do we do it this way? Why do you?

Resist the urge to anoint a single person as “the expert.” Instead, create a culture of mutual learning. 

And above all—show up. Show up in unfamiliar spaces. Pay attention to what you feel, what you see, what you hear. Don’t confuse spectacle for solidarity. 

Remember:

  • Representation matters—but tokenism is an insult, not inclusion.
  • Visual symbols matter—but they must reflect lived values, not surface diversity.
  • There will be a tendency to wonder about the “why”.  For example: Spanish translation may seem unnecessary when you don’t have anyone in your congregation that needs it…until someone does! Rev. Vinnetta used the example of your Thanksgiving meal preparations…you form a menu and a shopping list, weeks in advance of actually needing the items! Folks in your community of faith may wonder “why” we need to do something (change music style, offer sign language, etc) and it’s a great moment to talk about “why”. 

Above all, Rev. Vinnetta reminded us that this work is spiritual. It is strategic. It is slow. And we will fail…we will fail at being authentic, at communicating well, at getting it “right.” But we fail forward. Fail faithfully. Keep failing at love, until love takes root and grows.

Because the gospel cannot spread if someone is still being left out.

The Arizona Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation Team is committed to the growth of its leaders and their participation in Reconciliation Ministries work in the wider church. This reflection was made possible in part by Arizona Reconciliation Ministry Grants which helped assist Arizona Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation leaders attend General Assembly.

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

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 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

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.”

Congregational Vitality Grants

The Arizona Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is proud to offer grants to Arizona Disciples congregations in order to promote the vitality of our congregations and their ministry, primarily through the following areas of priority: evangelism/church growth, anti-racism/prophetic unity, and public witness.  

Your congregation can apply for a grant by visiting our Congregational Vitality Ministry page.

Interfaith Family Event at Foothills Christian Church

The grant-supported interfaith family event centered on connection with nature was transformative for our congregation and the wider community. What began as a gathering in February 2023 has grown into an ongoing ministry. We are now preparing for the fourth annual Connection to Nature Community Event, a lasting expression of our congregation’s commitment to creation care and community connection.

For our congregation, this project helped bring our Green Chalice identity to life in a visible and relational way. The event created new avenues for participation, particularly for congregants who do not always engage in traditional church programs. Volunteering, welcoming families, and supporting hands-on activities strengthened relationships within the congregation and contributed to renewed energy and vitality around our shared mission.

The event also strengthened our connections with other communities and partners. Collaborating with Muslim partners from the United Islamic Center of Arizona and the Islamic Center of Peoria, along with Arizona Faith Network, Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, and local organizations, fostered genuine relationships grounded in shared values. These partnerships have continued beyond the event itself and have shaped how we approach interfaith engagement more broadly.

The grant allowed us to offer a well-resourced, welcoming experience for families across faiths, cultures, and backgrounds, and it gave us the confidence to imagine this work as sustainable. Some of our now members first visited our church not for a Sunday worship service but for this Connection to Nature event.  We are deeply grateful for the grant’s role in helping this ministry take root and grow into an annual tradition.

Congregational Vitality Grants

The Arizona Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is proud to offer grants to Arizona Disciples congregations in order to promote the vitality of our congregations and their ministry, primarily through the following areas of priority: evangelism/church growth, anti-racism/prophetic unity, and public witness.  

Your congregation can apply for a grant by visiting our Congregational Vitality Ministry page.

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

Lenten Greetings

Lenten Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

I hope and pray that you are all having a meaningful journey through Lent, as we journey with Jesus on his road to the cross. Unlike the first Disciples, we know that resurrection and Easter are coming. But let’s not let that knowledge prevent us from acknowledging the very real experience of suffering in our midst. After all, new life is only necessary when it is preceded by death.

As our congregations are preparing for Holy Week, our Regional ministry is preparing for several events coming up after Easter. Registration is now open for three events: the Disciples Women Spring Event on April 22, the Church Narrative Project on April 28-29, and Summer Camp for our youth and children. You will find all three registration links in this newsletter. While I am excited about all three of these, I probably most need to explain the new event – the Church Narrative Project.

We are excited to welcome our General Minister and President, Terri Hord Owens, and our Associate General Minister, Yvonne Gilmore, back to Arizona for our Church Narrative Project – and I hope you will join us. We will gather at Foothills Christian Church on Friday evening for dinner and a night of storytelling featuring 9 Arizona Disciples. Then we’ll reconvene on Saturday from 9:00-3:00 for a day of training on the Transforming Community Conferencing process. This outstanding training will help leaders in churches with visioning, consensus building, conflict resolution, and more. I hope you will join us. This is a free event but we are asking everyone to register here so we can appropriately plan for the two meals.

As a brief example: what is the narrative you know about the United States? Is it a nation founded on the principles of liberty and well-being for all? Is it a Christian nation? Is it a nation built on the backs of enslaved Africans on land that was forcibly taken from indigenous peoples? Is it a nation of immigrants? Or a nation hostile to immigrants? What is the narrative you tell about the United States?

Similarly, what is the narrative you tell about the church? About Disciples? What have you been taught about who we are? The Church Narrative Project is a bold attempt to construct a narrative of who the Disciples are and who we want to be, built from the ground up by including Disciples from all over the Church. We hope you will be a part of constructing our narrative.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay
Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Regional Calendar of Weekly Prayers

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

March

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

April

2 – General Ministries and the Easter Special Offering

9 – Office of the General Minister and President and the Easter Special Offering

16 – Larkspur Christian Church led by Pastor Job Cobos

23 – Saguaro Christian Church led by Pastor Kelley Dick

30 – Sun City Christian Church led by Pastor Brett Winters

Uncomfortable Growth

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

I’m tempted to write about all the good things I experience as I travel around Arizona – Foothills CC celebrating with Pastor Bekah Krevens who just gave birth to her third daughter; our new preaching cohort who met for the first time this past Saturday to study preaching in Spanish; my upcoming visits to Community CC in Tempe, who will be celebrating their 75th anniversary, and to preach at Templo Cristiano Central, which will be the 20th different congregation I will have preached for in Arizona, and my fifth sermon in Spanish; or our recent Anti-Racism training event attended by 27 Arizona leaders.

I’m also tempted to write about some of the horrible things I read about – most recently the horrific shootings in Buffalo and Laguna Woods. We are called both to pray for an end of violence and to do all we can to dismantle our white supremacist culture that fosters warped ideologies that lead to violence.

But today, oddly enough, I’m going to write about concentric circles.

Years ago, I was shown a drawing with three concentric circles. The inner circle was labeled “Comfort Zone.” The middle circle was labeled “Growth Zone.” And the outer circle was labeled “Terror Zone.”

The speaker said that if we stay in our comfort zone all the time, we never grow. So, we were encouraged to leave our comfort zone, to allow ourselves to be UN-comfortable, so that we could grow. The more discomfort we can tolerate, the more we can grow – until we get to the place of sheer terror, in which case we shut down. Our leader encouraged us to not confuse discomfort with terror – to let her know if we were reaching a point of terror, but otherwise to hang in there and see how we grow.

I think of these concentric circles often. In anti-racism discussions, white people often say we feel “uncomfortable,” like that’s a bad thing. But it’s not. It’s a good thing. Only through feeling uncomfortable can we grow. I also think of my first times worshipping in Hispanic congregations: it was un-comfortable for me. I wasn’t sure what to do when everyone put their hands up in the air and started swaying around, or when some people came forward and lay prostrate on the floor and started weeping. It was uncomfortable for me – but not terrorizing. So I kept coming back. And I grew. And now, I am finding that when I show up, I am with my Disciples family. And that’s a beautiful thing.

I am reminded of a few lines from a beautiful prayer called “A Franciscan Blessing”: MAY GOD BLESS YOU with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless us all with enough discomfort to help us grow.
Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

We invite you to pray for the following congregations in the coming months. Visit our Regional Calendar of Weekly Prayers for our annual list.

May

22 First Christian Church (Globe) led by Pastor Al Beasley

29 Comunidad Limen Christian Church led by Pastor Pedro Ramos-Goycolea and New Church Ministry

June

5 Iglesia Casa de Adoración (Phoenix) led by Pastors Aurto and Janett Laguna & New Church Ministry
12 Larkspur Christian Church (Glendale) led by Pastor Job Cobos
19 Iglesia Dios de Segunda Oportunidad (Glendale) led by Pastor Minerva Guzman
26 Desert Heritage Church DOC/UCC (Mesa) led by Pastor Derrick Elliot

Holy Week and an Invitation

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

This past week, I was blessed to observe Palm Sunday at FCC in Scottsdale. I continued my long-standing tradition of leading a palm processional while playing the bagpipes. We remembered Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, an entry filled with hope and expectation, expressed by the crowds shouting “Hosanna!”

But Palm Sunday is also Passion Sunday – the Sunday on which we tell the story of Holy Week, of Jesus’ passion, of his betrayal, arrest, torture, and execution. It is a week that brings us face to face with the pain and suffering that human beings can inflict on each other.  And, of course, it is a week that ends with the promise that Love can transform pain, that new life is possible.

Reflecting on these themes, I find it appropriate that this newsletter contains an invitation for all of you – pastors, church leaders, and other interested Disciples – to an Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciling workshop on April 30. Racism is one of the ways humans being inflict pain on each other.  None of us really wants to face it.  But pretending it doesn’t exist will never make it go away. We see in the story of Jesus that the only way to transform pain is to go through it, to confront it face to face, to deal with it honestly and openly, and then allow God’s love to bring new life.  Over 20 years ago, the Disciples proclaimed that Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation is one of our mission priorities. I hope you will join us, and encourage others to join us, on April 30.

In the meantime, I wish for you a rich and deeply meaningful Holy Week.  May the story of Jesus offering love to all inspire you.  No matter what the world threw at him – even when he was betrayed by a friend, denied by another, abandoned by others, and hung on a cross – Jesus kept on loving.  May Jesus inspire us all to love each other no matter what.

Happy Easter, and Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

We invite you to pray for the following congregations in the coming months. Visit our Regional Calendar of Weekly Prayers for our annual list.

April

17 Office of General Minister and President Terri Hord Owens & the entire Disciples of Christ movement

24 Alfa y Omega (Phoenix) led by Pastor Elias Garcia

May

1 Chalice Christian Church (Gilbert) led by Pastor Vernon Meyer

8 Iglesia Cristiana Ebenezer (Tucson) led by Pastor Sandy Flores

15 Foothills Christian Church (Glendale) led by Pastor Bekah Krevens

22 First Christian Church (Globe) led by Pastor Al Beasley

29 Comunidad Limen Christian Church led by Pastor Pedro Ramos-Goycolea and New Church Ministry

Still Called to be the Church in a Broken and Fragmented World

May 27, 2020

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

The Coronavirus continues to dominate the national news, and we grieve as it has now struck some of our Arizona congregations.  We ask for your prayers for the Arizona Disciples leaders and members who have tested positive for COVID-19.  We also ask for your prayers and support of all of our pastors and church leaders as they continue to navigate the conflicting information and guidance from health experts, the media, and the government.  I promise you that all of our church leaders are in prayerful study and dialogue about the best way forward, and I can assure you that they all need your support.

As we continue to do our part to defeat the coronavirus, I would also remind you that we are still called to be the church in a broken and fragmented world.  We,  as the church, need to continue battling the evils of poverty, racism, sexism, and all the other principalities and powers that keep God’s children in bondage. That is why I would like to personally invite you to join me, other Disciples leaders from all over the U.S., and Disciples of Christ pastor, and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, Rev. Dr. William Barber, in a virtual “Moral March on Washington.” Rev. Barber has become one of the strongest moral voices in the nation.  Rooted in deep Christian principles, Rev. Barber and the Poor People’s Campaign seek a better world for ALL people.

The work of the church, and organizations like the Poor People’s Campaign, continues to be vital even in the midst of a pandemic. African-Americans are still being harassed and killed by white people.  Powerful men are still sexually harassing women. Our national immigration system is still hopelessly broken, making it virtually impossible for most people to immigrate “legally.”  And we are noticing that deaths from COVID-19 are disproportionately from black and brown communities, once again highlighting some major inequalities in our society.  Now, as always, it is time for the church to speak.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay
Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

COVID-19 Resources for Congregations

Arizona Regional Resource Page

General Church Resource Page

“Healthy at Church” document from the Christian Church in Kentucky

If you would like to respond in this time by financially supporting the Pro-Reconciliation Anti-Racism work right here in Arizona and through the Reconciliation Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada you can give multiple ways:

  • Give a special gift to your local Disciples church and note “Reconciliation Special Offering” in the memo line. This special offering is typically received in congregations late September and early October, but can be given to at any time. Your congregation will send this gift to our Disciples Reconciliation Ministry which will be used partly here in Arizona, and partly throughout Disciples ministries in the United States and Canada.
  • Give online to Reconciliation Ministries via our online giving portal. Choose “Special Offering – Reconciliation Offering” to designate your offering. This gift will be shared with Reconciliation Ministries and Arizona Pro-Reconciliation and Anti-Racism efforts.
  • Give by sending a check to 917 E Sheridan St. Phoenix, AZ 85006 with “Reconciliation Fund” in the memo line. The entirety of this gift will remain in Arizona for Pro-Reconciling Anti-Racism work in our communities.

We are thankful for your generosity and passion to dismantle systems and structures that perpetuate this sin of division within the Church.

A musical gift from the College of Regional Ministers