AZDisciples.org

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona

Regional

Disciples Women’s Ministry (DWM) Retreat Reimagined

My Dear Sisters in Christ,

2020 has turned out to be a year of challenges and changes to the way we have lived life in the past.  In March we postponed our Spring Event until a later date, not knowing that almost 3 months later we are still under quarantine.  Our future in this time of pandemic is still hazy. When will we be able to gather in larger groups of people than 10, or even 50?  With that in mind and for the concern about the health and safety of our women, we will not be meeting in person for our Fall Retreat in September.  Instead, we have reimagined what Retreat could look like using a different format.

We will still be meeting on Friday evening, September 11th and on Saturday morning, September 12th but it will be online.  At this time we are exploring how we will present this.  We have a program planned out and are in the process of putting things together. Put the dates of September 11th and 12th on your calendar now.  We will be sending out more information as soon as we have it all arranged.

This will be an amazing opportunity for women who have not attended in the past few years because they are unable to travel or cannot tolerate the altitude.  What a blessing that will be to meet again with those we have been missing every year.  This will also be an opportunity for anyone who has thought about attending Retreat in the past, but has been hesitant, to come and check us out!

Chapel Rock was very gracious and has moved our reservation to 2021, the same second weekend in September, September 10-12, 2021.

Look for more information sometime in July!

Peace and Blessings,

Linda Sexton, Disciples Women’s Ministry Coordinator

Disciples Women’s Ministry (DWM) Table

A Message from Regional Minister and President on Returning to In-Person Church Gatherings

Greetings, Arizona Disciples!

The short version:

We are encouraging churches to continue on-line worship and not to rush back to in-person gatherings.

The longer version:

We are obviously all getting mixed message from the federal government, state governments, health officials, and the media.  Some states are reopening, some are not. It is hard to know what to think, what to believe, and what to do.

I have been in regular communication with the College of Regional Ministers, the heads of several other denominations in Arizona, and have read more articles on “when to re-open the church” than I can count.  I am sending some of these articles to all Arizona clergy and congregations today, but here is a quick summary:

1. The College of Regional Ministers and the General Minister and President recommend that all of our churches remain on-line for the foreseeable future.  We are releasing a letter to that effect today.

2. The heads of most Arizona denominations are encouraging or insisting that none of their congregations meet in person.

3. Our National Hispanic Pastor Lori Tapia and the Obra Hispana are issuing a video today encouraging our congregations to continue worshiping on-line.

4. Gov. Ducey has extended the stay at home order to May 15, but we expect it will be
much longer before churches should fully open again.

5. All articles on re-opening churches suggest that phase 1 would include social distancing and super-safe practices, which would include:
·      Roping off pews or removing chairs to make sure no families were closer to each other than 6 feet
·      Everyone attending must wear a mask
·      No handshakes
·      No hugs
·      No physical communion
·      No passing of offering trays
·      No congregational singing – don’t want saliva droplets in the air
·      Deep cleaning and disinfecting before and after each service
·      A small worship crowd – so many church might have to offer multiple worship services, with a deep clean in between each service
I don’t know about you – but that doesn’t sound like what I’m looking for in a church experience.

6. Our best guess is that society will have to enter what they are calling “phase 3” before we
start meeting together in person again.

My friends, I assure you:   I wish I had better news.

And at some level, I do.

The good news is God’s promise that the darkness will end.  Weeping may linger for an evening, but joy comes in the morning.  The Bible makes no promises about how quickly the darkness will end.  It rained for 40 days and 40 nights.  Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and nights.  We can handle that – indeed, we’ve already passed 40 days of staying at home.

But the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 YEARS!    And again, they were in Exile for 40 years.  We sure hope it doesn’t come to that point.  I am gaining new appreciation for these two major periods of suffering in Israelite history.  I hope we never read those stories too lightly again, neglecting the depth and power of their suffering – or the power of the message that no matter how long we suffer, God’s presence is always with us, God does not forget us, and God will bring us to the Promised Land in due time.  Because as much as the darkness tries to extinguish the light, the light keeps shining in the darkness, and the darkness will never overcome it.

My friends, hang in there.  Keep shining your light.  And in due time, we will cross the Jordan River and be together again.

Dios les bendiga.

¡Bendiciones, discípulos de Arizona!

La versión corta:

Estamos advisando a las iglesias a continuar con la adoración en línea y no apresurarse a volver a las reuniones en persona.

La versión más larga:

Obviamente, todos recibimos un mensaje mixto del gobierno federal, los gobiernos estatales, los funcionarios de salud y los medios de comunicación. Algunos estados están reabriendo, otros no. Es difícil saber qué pensar, qué creer y qué hacer.

He estado en comunicación regular con el Colegio de Ministros Regionales, los lideres de varias otras denominaciones en Arizona, y he leído más artículos sobre “cuándo reabrir la iglesia” de lo que puedo contar. Hoy envío algunos de estos artículos a todos los clérigos y congregaciones de Arizona, pero aquí hay un resumen rápido:

1. El Colegio de Ministros Regionales y el Ministro General y Presidente recomiendan
que todas nuestras iglesias permanecen en línea en el futuro previsible. Estamos enviando un
carta a tal efecto hoy.

2. Los jefes de la mayoría de las denominaciones de Arizona son alentadores o insisten en que ninguno de sus
las congregaciones se reúnen en persona.

3. Nuestro pastor hispana nacional, Lori Tapia, y la Obra Hispana están emitiendo un video hoy. Alentando a nuestras congregaciones a continuar adorando en línea.

4. El gobernador Ducey ha extendido la orden de estadía en el hogar hasta el 15 de mayo, pero esperamos que sea mucho más antes de que las iglesias se abrieran completamente de nuevo.

5. Todos los artículos sobre la reapertura de iglesias sugieren que la fase una incluiría distanciamiento social y prácticas súper seguras, que incluirían:
• Eliminando bancos o quitando sillas para asegurarse de que ninguna familia esté más cerca que seis pies
• Todos los asistentes deben usar una máscara
• Sin apretones de manos
• Sin abrazos
• No hay comunión física.
• Sin pasar de bandejas de oferta
• Sin canto congregacional: no queremos gotas de saliva en el aire
• Limpieza profunda y desinfección antes y después de cada servicio.
• Una pequeña multitud de adoración: muchas iglesias podrían tener que ofrecer múltiples servicios de adoración, con una limpieza profunda entre cada servicio.
No sé sobre ti, pero eso no suena como lo que estoy buscando en una experiencia de iglesia.
6. Nuestra mejor suposición es que la sociedad tendrá que ingresar a lo que ellos llaman “fase tres” antes de que nosotros comiencen a reunirnos en persona nuevamente.

Amigos míos, les aseguro: desearía tener mejores noticias.

Y tal vez, lo hago.

La buena noticia es la promesa de Dios de que la oscuridad terminará. El llanto puede durar una tarde, pero la alegría llega por la mañana. La Biblia no promete cuán rápido terminará la oscuridad. Llovió durante cuarenta días y cuarenta noches. Jesús estuvo en el desierto por cuarenta días y noches. Podemos manejar eso; de hecho, ya pasamos cuarenta días de estar en casa.

¡Pero los israelitas estuvieron en el desierto por cuarenta AÑOS! Y nuevamente, estuvieron en el exilio durante 40 años. Esperamos que no llegue a ese punto. Estoy ganando una nueva apreciación por estos dos grandes períodos de sufrimiento en la historia israelita. Espero que nunca volvamos a leer esas historias a la ligera, descuidando la profundidad y el poder de su sufrimiento, o el poder del mensaje de que no importa cuánto tiempo suframos, la presencia de Dios siempre está con nosotros, Dios no nos olvida y Dios lo hará. llévanos a la Tierra Prometida a su debido tiempo. Porque por mucho que la oscuridad intente extinguir la luz, la luz sigue brillando en la oscuridad, y la oscuridad nunca la superará.

Amigos míos, aguanten. Sigue brillando tu luz. Y a su debido tiempo, cruzaremos el río Jordán y volveremos a estar juntos.

Dios les bendiga.

Download the Video in English

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General Minister and President on Re-Opening Congregations

Dear Church:

We are in Eastertide, when we rejoice in the good news of the resurrection, and yet so much our journey still feels like the wilderness. I continue to pray for you as we walk through these days of distancing together.

This week, some state governments are beginning to lift stay-at-home orders and allow some businesses and industries to reopen their doors. These reopening conversations are understandably raising questions about how and when churches should resume in-person worship services. These are difficult decisions, but I want to encourage you, as difficult as it is, not to rush too quickly back. It is not yet time to gather for worship in person. Click Here to Continue Reading.

Regional ministers offer a word on re-opening congregations

As your Regional Ministry colleagues, we have listened carefully and prayerfully to the questions you are asking about when and how to meet again in person as the Church. We are asking many of the same questions…

We are aware that this is an unprecedented time of challenge and uncertainty. Even medical experts are not ready to declare that they understand fully how this very contagious virus works, the range at which it can spread, or how to enhance prevention with a vaccine. It has already cost the lives of tens of thousands of our neighbors and more than a million confirmed cases have been reported in the U.S. and Canada.

The disease does not discriminate but we can take steps to protect the most vulnerable among us.

First and foremost, we write to encourage you to be patient and take your time, and not rush back into full in-person activities before we are confident it is safe to do so. Click here to read the full letter.

“Healthy at Church” 

a document from the Christian Church in Kentucky

“6 Priorities You Church Must Have in Place Before Gathering in Person Again”

Article from fishhook.us

DUCC @ Home and Camp Cancelation

This year’s Disciples/UCC Church Camp (DUCC) will not be held June 15-20, 2020 due to the continuing health threats posed by COVID-19.  This was a very difficult decision for us in both the Southwest Conference UCC and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona,  but we felt it a necessary one to maintain the safety of everyone involved, plus be good stewards of time and finances in this unprecedented time.

Scroll down to read Plan DUCC—the FAQ about cancelling camp.

Scroll down to read DUCC @ home: Disciples-UCC Caring Community—what we’re offering to camp families.

This year’s Disciples/UCC Church Camp (DUCC) will not be held June 15-20, 2020 due to the continuing health threats posed by COVID-19.  This was a very difficult decision for us in both the Southwest Conference UCC and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona,  but we felt it a necessary one to maintain the safety of everyone involved, plus be good stewards of time and finances in this unprecedented time.  Here are some answers to questions you may have.

WHY ARE WE CANCELLING CAMP SO EARLY? CAN’T WE WAIT AND SEE?

At the point of this decision, any “good news” seems slow in coming from the CDC or state and national sources regarding an alleviation of concern over COVID-19 and its exponential spread.  More sources seem to be pointing toward the worse is still in front of us, at least in Arizona, and we don’t yet know when it will pass, and especially how to best ease back into communal activities in a safe way without risking another spike in the virus.  Some of the factors taken into consideration are:

  • The continued need to be faithful and conscientious in our practice of social distance and self-quarantining.
  • Other UCC Conferences and DOC Regions are all wrestling with the same issues regarding camp. Many have already cancelled their camps, at least through June.
  • Wanting to be mindful and respectful of the financial dynamics being experienced by both our families and churches, that may find their ability to pay for camp and camp scholarships a hardship this year.
  • Recognizing that even if restrictions are lifted and everyone is back to work by June, the adults that normally generously donate their time to staff camp, may not be able to actually take vacation time away from work to support the camp program this year.
  • This spring season is high camp planning time. We want to put our attention, energy, and creativity for planning something that serves our youth, families, and churches in the best and most effective way possible in this changing time with our CAMP values (Community, Affirming self and others, Making meaning, and Practicing our faith).

WHAT IF I REGISTERED AND ALREADY PAID?

If you have registered and paid for camp already you will automatically receive a refund on the credit card you initially used. If you would like to instead donate those registrations to the joint camp program to be used for next year’s camp, please email Matthew Clark (DOC Regional Office) mclark@azdisciples.org. If you have questions about the refund, please contact Matthew Clark at the same email or call 602-468-3815 and leave a message.

HAS CAMP EVER BEEN CANCELLED BEFORE?

Yes. In 2002, there was severe fire danger and several major fires in Arizona. National and state parks were closed as well as all campgrounds.  Both the SWC and the DOC camps were cancelled.  Camps were able to resume fully the following year without negative effects.

WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR?

We would anticipate being able to resume a full DUCC week next year.

We’ve had so many changes in recent years, will camp survive next year?

Yes, we have had many changes in recent years. Each have yielded greater sustainability to our camp program.  We hope and anticipate that the “absence makes the heart grow fonder” adage will apply, and camp-loving families, adults, and congregations will be extra eager to make camp a priority when it resumes in 2021.

Will we be able to keep our week reserved with Emmanuel Pines?

Yes.  Emmanuel-Pines continues to be very gracious and understanding of all their clients.  We especially have a well-established relationship that is valued by both the SWC/AZDOC and Emmanuel-Pines. Our deposit will carry over to the same week next year: June 14-19, 2021.

What about Emmanuel Pines? What will our cancellation mean to them?

Currently, Emmanuel Pines is telling us that they are making every effort to stay open, yet abide by state regulations and CDC protocols for social distancing, health, sanitation and disinfection.   They are experiencing group cancellations and are attempting to adapt to the situation by renting out their smaller cabins as AirBNBs to any family or small group that would like to use them. Should stay-at-home restrictions be lifted by the summer, our families and local churches are encouraged to consider using Emmanuel Pines for vacations or retreats to assist them financially get through this year.  Donations are also welcome, and contact can be made through their website, https://emmanuelpines.com.  Please know, all camp facilities and organizations, including our denominations, that run and sponsor summer camps are having these same conversations!

Best ways to insure camp next year:

Continue your support of our youth and camp funds in both of our denominations. In the Southwest Conference, continue your generous support individually and through churches to our Sow the Seed fund.  In the Arizona Region (DOC), continue your generous support to our Youth and Children’s Ministry Fund.  Plan your calendar ahead!  Next year’s camp week is June 14-19, 2021.

ARE THERE ANY ALTERNATIVES BEING PLANNED FOR CAMP?

We have already been thinking of possible alternative experiences. For instance, we know that with the postponement of UCC National Youth Event our national staff is planning on holding some virtual events for youth on the dates of May 30, June 28, July 24-25. Also, the Disciples Tri-Regional Youth Leadership event is also being revised to be something other than an in-person event. No specific details about those are available yet, but they will be publicized as soon as we receive them.  Now that in-person camp plans are suspended, we will continue to work on alternative ideas for our youth and families, though we recognize there is no virtual substitute for the depth and breadth of an actual camp experience!  You are invited to see what ideas we are working with in the document entitled “DUCC@HOME!”

Disciples-UCC Caring Community

With the cancellation of our Disciples-UCC Church Camp in June due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and “stay-at-home” orders, we have been faced with what we might offer to our camp families instead. After brainstorming a lot of different options, we are choosing to pursue a plan that would not seek to create a “virtual” camp experience (because…well, that’s really not possible, right?) After doing some research, we realize that families have already had long weeks of needing to both work from home and do school work for often multiple kids and adults all via the internet and bazillions of zoom meetings. That made us wonder (and possibly doubt!) if a whole new week of programming would really be a welcome thing…particularly when one of the main values of camp is to DISCONNECT from technology, and reconnect with each other and the outside world of nature.

These weeks of pandemic quarantining and social distancing have created many changes in our lives and the way we relate to each other. There are new stresses and strains, and new skills that need to be learned. There is much that is unknown and many things that are constantly changing. Our families are living on the edge of great stress and strain with all the adaptation to a new reality that we are all engaged in. So, we finally settled on a spiritual paradigm we are borrowing from Celtic Christianity:  strengthening our community and families by connecting with the sacred in the daily things we are already doing, creating sacred spaces and spiritual formation moments for youth and families that are rooted within the new reality of our daily lives.

We believe that HOME is the primary place of spiritual nurture and development. Our camp program is normally a way that we invite children and youth to extend the familiarity, hospitality, and nurturing of home to others that are not part of our biological families, and also see the natural world as our home.  It makes sense to us to not try to add more online virtual camp programming to our over-stressed families, but offer resources and opportunities that will help families in their own time and schedules, to deepen and make meaning in the midst of things they are already doing together, such as finding alone time, mealtimes, waking and bedtimes, finding creative things to do together, ways to reflect on shared activities, finding God in the ordinary, etc.

We are in the process of gathering some folks from our churches we know are extraordinary educators, creative artists, and family spiritual formation nurturers to help us identify and create resources for families. We anticipate it will span the summer months at least, and may include special spaces on our Conference/Regional website, a private group on Facebook so families may connect with each other safely and post their experiences, fun and instructional videos, simple rituals, suggestions for art and music and environmental awareness right around our homes and yards. Many resources will be available to everyone. Also we may have a registration for families wanting to take advantage of ways to interact and connect with each other and for kids to reconnect with camp friends in a safe and secure way, and perhaps have access to special project resources. As details unfold, they will be publicized in the coming weeks as we continue to embrace our adaptive challenges and solidify our planning. Stay tuned!

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Holy Week is Here

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

Holy Week is here – and it couldn’t come at a more appropriate time.  For people with just a passing familiarity with Christianity, I suppose, that could be confusing.  For some people Holy Week is a Palm Sunday parade at the beginning and an Easter celebration at the end.  But like so many things in life – baseball seasons, marriage, life itself — the beginning and end may get the most attention, but it’s what’s in the middle that is the real substance of the story.

To say it bluntly:   Holy Week didn’t go the way the disciples expected it to.  It didn’t go the way they WANTED it to.  They were sorely disappointed.  Their plans were dashed.  Their hopes and dreams crushed in an instant.  At the end of the week, the locked themselves in their own homes, afraid to go out, afraid of the horrible world they lived in.  Holy Week is about pain and suffering, about disappointment and disillusionment, about things not going the way we want.

Throughout my life, I’ve had moments of feeling sorry for myself. I’ve had moments of thinking that nobody liked me.  I’ve had moments of feeling like a victim, like life wasn’t being fair to me.  I obviously have some sense of entitlement that life SHOULD be fair, that everyone SHOULD like me, that life SHOULD give me what I want – or at least the basics. 

When I’m stuck feeling sorry for myself, there’s really only one thing that has helped me:   reading the story of Holy Week.  Reading what’s known as the “Passion Story.”  Palm Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday, because after the parade, after the “triumphal entry into Jerusalem,” the Passion Story begins.  I read about Jesus, this person I claim to follow.   I read about his friends rejecting him.  I read about him being falsely accused, thrown in prison for bogus reasons, and physically tortured.  I read about him being publicly humiliated by the worst form of capital punishment – being lifted up on a cross and left to die.  And all the while, he continues to love people with all his heart, soul, and strength. Hanging on the cross, Jesus offers one last prayer:  “Father, forgive them – they do not realize what they are doing. “  

And I ask:  “Why did I ever think I was entitled to a smooth and easy life?” Holy Week is coming at an appropriate time, because it reminds me that the Christian story is not about having an easy life.  It’s not about a sports championships or bull markets or having things go my way.   Christianity is about receiving and embodying God’s love no matter what our circumstances.  May we who claim to be disciples of Christ do our best to face suffering with the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

We Will Still be Church

Arizona Disciples,

May God’s peace and love surround you and your families during these days of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty.  As we have been asked to no longer gather in person, I was inspired by the words of Saguaro Christian Church pastor Rev. Owen Chandler in the face of all the changes:  “WE WILL STILL BE CHURCH!”  Towards that end, we have created a new page on our site that will outline some of the ways that we will still be church. The webpage includes:

  • Modes of Regional Support
  • Plans for Regional Events
  • Advice for On-line Giving for your Local Congregation
  • Links to all Arizona Disciples websites/Facebook pages so you can worship and pray with each other
  • Helpful links from our national Disciples partnerships

I invite you to contact me with any needs, with information about creative and wonderful things you are doing, or just to keep in touch.  We are all making this up as we go, as none of us had a seminary course entitled “how to lead the church during a pandemic.”   But we know that God is faithful, that God loves us always, and that where two or three are gathered, even on a phone call or in a chatroom, Christ is in the midst of us.

Visit the new page by clicking here.

May God’s blessings uplift you now and always,

Pastor Jay

Links

Resources and Statements from Disciples Ministries

Disciples Families & Children Ministry- COVID-19: School’s Out!

Week of Compassion – Coordinating and Responding to the COVID-19 Outbreak

CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Arizona Department of Health – Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Response

Regarding COVID-19

Greetings, beloved Arizona Disciples:

First of all, let me express my deep love for all of you and my wish that the peace and blessings of God’s infinite love comfort our spirits during this time of global anxiety.

Perhaps you, like me, have received an abundance of emails and news related to COVID-19.  I have been monitoring the conversations and advice of my regional ministry colleagues across the country as well as the leaders in several denominations within Arizona.

As of Wednesday, most of them planned to hold worship this Sunday, though most planned to follow basic guidelines about not shaking hands, serving communion differently, and directing people to stay home if they felt sick.

On Thursday, as major sports leagues and colleges began to suspend their seasons and semesters, many church leaders began re-thinking the wisdom of gathering for worship.  Many have cancelled, others are still debating, and some are still planning to have worship this Sunday.   Many of us have received calls from family members around the country whose churches have cancelled and worry about the health of their parents or grandparents who attend some of our churches.  No regional minister will say you HAVE to cancel, nor will any of them say you CAN’T cancel.  As Disciples, every congregation will decide for itself.

That said, several regional ministers have encouraged their congregations to think seriously about suspending normal worship and activities for at least the next two weeks.  Many realize that as they look into the future, if they regret the choice they made, they are more likely to feel regret for NOT having cancelled.  Nobody wants to panic or over-react.  But nobody wants to be exacerbate the spread of the virus by not taking prudent precautions.

I am sharing (see below) excerpts from three of my regional colleagues with advice they are giving their congregations, in case you find them helpful in reflecting on what decision to make.  In addition, to the right, you will find links to a lot of information from various parts of the church, the CDC, and the Arizona Department of Health.  Please note that there is an AZ Dept of Health Webinar this morning at 10:00 a.m. geared toward leaders of faith communities. Click here to join that webinar.

For those of you who will not be attending worship this Sunday, I invite you to join worship online – as we have one Disciples church which is a fully web-based church.  The link to their worship service is www.disciplesnet.org

I am grateful for each of you, and I wish you the best as we all continue to adjust to changes and wonder how long this will all last.  I invite you to stay in touch and look forward to seeing many of you via zoom at our regional admin council meeting tomorrow and our Pastor Rep sessions on Monday and Tuesday.

Peace and blessings,

Pastor Jay

Indiana Disciples encouraged to consider cancelling worship this week.

My friends,

Many in our church have contacted me seeking my counsel on how their congregation should respond to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and the recommendation that we should avoid large group gatherings. I met this morning with my counterparts in other faith traditions in Indiana and as a result of that conversation I want to recommend that our churches consider not holding their regular worship service this Sunday, and possibly future Sundays depending on the counsel of our state health department.

The cancellation of worship does not necessarily mean that all events in the congregation’s life should also be suspended. Food pantries that serve the poor may need to continue to provide support to our neighbors. Different decisions may need to be made regarding pre-schools and daycares hosted in our buildings, and other events that bring together smaller groups of persons.  But our worship life may unknowingly put some or all us at increased risk.

In making this recommendation I am persuaded by the words of former Indiana Disciples minister David Shirey, who now serves as Senior Minister of Central Christian Church, Lexington, KY who writes regarding his congregation’s decision to temporarily suspend their services:
Our rationale for these decisions derives from principles grounded in our faith mandate to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. Simply stated, “In this circumstance, what does love require?”

1. Love requires us to protect the vulnerable.
This virus puts the elderly and people with compromised health conditions at special risk. Like me, our congregation’s senior members are motivated by a fervent desire and unwavering commitment to worship God together. I and they will make every effort, regardless of the risk or cost, to be present for worship, feeling guilty if we do not make such an effort. Cancelling corporate worship this Sunday and offering a service available for home viewing safeguards our most vulnerable and relieves the deeply ingrained impetus to worship weekly.

2. Love calls for us to seek the common good.
By voluntarily taking a sacrificial action such as cancelling corporate worship, we love our neighbors by doing our part to take an action that we hope will slow down the spread of the virus, thereby preventing as-yet-healthy persons from contracting the virus or making it easier for infected persons who may not yet know of the infection to spread it unknowingly to others.

3. Love calls for us to act in solidarity with persons of good will.
Heeding the Kentucky Governor’s request and heeding the best wisdom of public health officials, we join a community-, state-, nation- and worldwide coalition of concerted caring whose cooperative efforts will the well-being of all people.

4. Love calls for actions that minimize regret.
If we were to proceed with events or activities that lead to the infection of persons or the unwitting spread of the virus, we would rue the decision to proceed with “business as usual” when we could have chosen otherwise. Though it is debatable whether faith communities cancelling their services this weekend will indeed make a difference for the good, we can proceed with this decision knowing we did not choose to disregard or ignore this call for vigilance and caution.

Instead of gathering for worship as normal consider bringing your community together “virtually” by using Facebook Live streaming, Zoom, YouTube, or freeconferencecall.com You might also point your members to the weekly worship service that is provided by DisciplesNet, our on-line congregation. Their website is www.disciplesnet.org

If you decide to continue with worship services, encourage the most at-risk people in your congregation to stay home. That includes people over 60, people with heart, kidney, or lung disease, and those with chronic respiratory conditions.   And continue to practice the safe handling of communion and in your coming together minimize contacting and touching others.

You are encouraged to monitor the information about this virus at the Indiana State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as we express our leadership in these extraordinary times. And we pray for the health and safety of all God’s children in every nation.

Each congregation has to make this decision on their own, but here are a few things to consider.

If you decide to continue with worship services, encourage the most at-risk people in your congregation to stay at home. That includes people over 60, people with heart, kidney, or lung disease, and those with chronic respiratory conditions. This alone may be enough to tip the scale toward cancelling your service.

Consider those in your congregation who, regardless of health conditions, feel like they have to be present if the church doors are open. Cancelling service this weekend may be the best way to offer them protection.

If you decide to continue with worship services, give extra care to how you prepare and serve communion. Sanitize all surfaces thoroughly, especially the surface of the communion table and the communion preparation area. Persons preparing communion should use nitrile or other gloves. Dispose of the gloves immediately after use.

Make sure you have hand sanitizer and wipes available.

I have received a few emails and phone calls asking about recommendations for worship services in light of the further spreading of the COVID-19:

Let me suggest this . . .
Mark 2:27 “Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath”

Be willing to adapt as needed and allow your members to adapt as well.  In general, what I am recommending is that we remember that the particular details and practices we use in worship (even communion for Disciples) are not what makes us the church or the Body of Christ.  Do what it takes to keep your members safe through cleaning, alternative practices, online options, and if local authorities recommend it, be open to postponing or canceling services/activities in the short-term as needed.

Here again are some good resources provided by our General Church Ministries: https://disciples.org/dns/disciples-and-covid-19/

Links

Disciples ministries statement concerning COVID-19

Disciples Families & Children Ministry- COVID-19: School’s Out!

Week of Compassion – Coordinating and Responding to the COVID-19 Outbreak

CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Arizona Department of Health – Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Response

Arizona Department of Health Fri Webinar – COVID-19 Information Webinar for Faith-based Organizations and Social Services March 13, 2020 from 10-11AM

CORONAVIRUS ADVISORY from Southwest Conference UCC Minister, Rev. Dr. Bill Lyons

2020 DOC UCC Church Camp (DUCC) Registration Opens March 1!

UPDATE: Please visit DUCC @ Home and Camp Cancelation for updated information on 2020 Disciples UCC Church Camp. 

This form below is secured by 256 bit encryption on a PCI compliant network. Click here to view it in its own page.

This window is secured by 256 bit encryption on a PCI compliant network. Click here to view this window in its own page.

Click the View the Full Brochure

Click the Download the Flyer

Parent Guardian FAQs

Only a legal parent or guardian can register a camper.

If you would like to help financially support a specific camper there are several great ways to do that. See the question “Can a friend or family member pay my camper’s registration costs” below.

The complete form for each camper should take approximately ten (10) minutes. Please set aside enough time to fully complete each registration. If you leave the form partway the information you entered will not be retained and you will need to begin again when you come back to the form.

You can shorten the time it takes for each camper by having ready the following items prior to beginning the form

  • Current medications
  • Insurance & physician information
  • Conference or Regional scholarship codes your camper has been awarded
  • Vouchers your camper has received (from a relative or church)

Another wonderful feature of this online form is that parents/guardians completing forms for multiple children will only need to fill out their contact information once! There might be some information you have to enter more than once if it is the same for each camper. We work hard to make forms that accommodate all families and situations, which means some might need to repeat a few answers.

The registration form is designed to keep all our campers safe and asks for only information that is helpful or necessary for your camper to have a positive experience. For answers that require a date (except the camper’s birthdate) you may answer the first day of the month and year if the exact date is unknown. If there is a portion of the form that you are unsure you can complete, please contact our Camp Director, Rev. Jay Deskins (jdeskins@azdisciples.org).

YES! We are excited to offer the ability to pay online for your camper at the time of registration.

YES! We are excited to offer something new this year, vouchers. If you have a friend or family member who would like to pay for your camper’s registration have them visit this form before you register your camper.

At the beginning of the form they would choose “I am paying for more than one camper” and “I am wanting to purchase one or more vouchers for campers.” See the screenshot below to see what these choices look like. They will then be guided through the process of purchasing a voucher. They will choose the amount of the voucher* and enter your (parent/guardian) email address. If you will be registering multiple campers, they can purchase multiple vouchers, one for each camper. It is important that they purchase a voucher for each camper, not one large voucher for multiple campers.

*Each camper may enter only one voucher, so vouchers should be used only to pay for a significant portion of the camper’s registration.

Your payment options are dependent on a few variables. Once you arrive at the billing screen appropriate options will be made available to you based on your choices on the registration form. If you have questions about this, please feel free to contact the Conference or Regional office.

Vouchers are like gift cards and are a way for friends or family members to pay for a camper’s registration costs. If you are interested, see the question “Can a friend or family member pay my camper’s registration cost?” for more information.

The UCC Conference and DOC Region have made available scholarships to congregations. Congregations have received those codes and will make those available to campers most in need. Contact your church office, pastor, or leadership to inquire about a scholarship code.

Church FAQs

Camp registration forms require the agreement and signature of a parent or guardian. For this reason, only a parent or guardian can complete a registration for a camper. For those that might need a little help completing the form we recommend that a church administrator, children/youth leader, or other leader sit with the parent/guardian.

Yes!

The best way to accomplish this is for the church to use the form to purchase a voucher for each camper. The vouchers are unique and can be delivered via email directly to the camper’s parent or guardian. On each registration there is an opportunity to enter a Voucher Code. When they enter their unique code that registration will reduce in cost by the amount of the voucher. Vouchers must be purchased before the camper is registered.

If the church does not wish to use vouchers, they can contact the Conference or Regional Offices for more information.

If you need help with either process, please don’t hesitate to contact the Conference or Regional office.

Those applying to be a counselor at camp will have a form available in the near future.

Potential counselors will be asked to complete all information that would be needed should they be selected including medical information.

The Multi-Faceted Meaning of Church

Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

First, I want to thank everyone who helped make my installation weekend a complete joy.  I am grateful for each of you, excited to be part of the Arizona region, and look forward to our ministry together.

Now that the installation is in the past, we continue moving into the future – a future in a world which is desperately in need of the healing power of God’s love. Towards that end, I want to share a story of pain, love, and the multi-faceted meaning of church …

This past Thursday, about 20 Arizona Disciples, gathered together at the Federal Courthouse in Phoenix in support of hermano (brother) Ramon Bejar, member of Iglesia Alas de Salvacion and moderator of our Hispanic Convencion.  Ramon has been a faithful leader in the Christian Church in Arizona for several years.  Ramon is married to a legal resident.  He is the father of 4 children, 3 of whom are U.S. citizens, and the other is a DACA recipient, and has lived, worked, and worshiped in Arizona for most of his adult life.  Ramon was pulled over and detained by ICE on December 18 while driving his son to school.  After spending a month in federal prison, Ramon’s first hearing was Thursday.

I found it emotionally difficult to see this kind and gentle man I’ve come to love walk into a courtroom with his hands and feet shackled, as if he is a menace to society.  Just 36 hours before his arrest, Ramon and I were laughing and smiling at the annual Hispanic pastors Christmas fiesta.  I never imagined what was about to happen.  I wish the court system knew the man I know.  I longed for a chance for him to come over and talk with us, and for him to get to hug his family members.  All that, of course, is not allowed.  U.S. Marshals stood between us and Ramon and emphasized that we were not to try to communicate with him at all.  During a 90 minute recess, I petitioned for the opportunity to make a pastoral visit.  That, too, was denied.  The absence of grace, for someone who is used to the openness and blessings of the communion table, was stark.

As cold as the halls of the courthouse felt, however, I was warmed by the presence of Arizona Disciples. Although we only sent notice of the hearing a few days before, I counted at least 9 congregations who sent representatives in support of Ramon and his family:  Alas de Salvacion, Templo, Alfa y Omega, Iglesia Dios de Segunda Oportunidad, Community CC of Tempe, FCC Scottsdale, Foothills, Larkspur, and even one dedicated soul from FCC in Tucson.  Some who gathered in support have known and worked with Ramon for a long time; others have never met Ramon, but they came to support a Christian brother during a time of difficulty.  I was honored to stand among that group.

Sometimes we think “church” means to gather on Sundays and praise God.  And it does.  But “church” means so much more.  “Church” means spending the night with teenagers at the Winter Youth Experience, as a number of our leaders did last weekend at Foothills.  “Church” means taking food to a family after a surgery or death.   And sometimes “Church” means spending your day at the courthouse with people you’ve never met because you so deeply feel united in God’s amazing love.

Ramon plead guilty to the charge of entering the U.S. without authorization.  His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 3 but will likely be moved earlier.  Following that, Ramon will have another hearing about his immigration status.  We will send out notice about both of these future hearings to Arizona Clergy and Regional leadership. If you would like to also receive notice of these events, click here to be added to the communications.  You are also invited to read and sign this letter in support of Ramon.  Because sometimes being church means writing letters and pleading for grace and mercy of strictness and punishment.

The Disciples of Christ is a movement in which many of us have differing viewpoints about a number of things, and immigration may well be one of them.  But what holds us together is our deep belief that we are all God’s children, that everyone is welcome at the table, and that we stay in conversation even when we don’t see eye to eye about politics, theology, and biblical interpretation.  Because we DO agree that God’s love is paramount, that God’s vision is unity, and that Christ came for all of us.  I ask you to pray for Ramon and his family and to help embody grace, love, and peace in whatever ways you can.  Our world is so in need of it – and I am so grateful to be in ministry with each of you.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

Sign the Letter

Ministerial Standing Form

Forms are due no later than January 31st, 2020.

You can complete a paper standing form (click the image to the right to download) or the online form below.

The online form might take a few moments to load. If it does not load please click here (or visit https://ccinaz.typeform.com/to/TkKp88) to access it directly.

Commissioned Ministers: You must have your ministry supervisor send a letter of evaluation/reccomendation on your behalf prior to January 31st. You will be notified of your next Commission on Ministry interview.

Christmas Special Offering

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Buenos Días/Good Morning to all Arizona Disciples and friends,

This is the time of year when Disciples around the U.S. usually receive a letter, and often a fancy video, from their Regional Minister encouraging them to give generously to the Christmas Offering.  The Christmas Offering is one of six “Special Offerings” collected throughout the year that help fund Disciples ministries.  All six are important (see the P.S. for more information), but since 100% of the Christmas Offering goes to fund Regional Ministries, it receives extra attention.

The letter and video usually attempt to educate us all about what Regional Ministry IS.   They highlight things like:

  • the work of the Regional minister assisting congregations who are in transition and looking for a new pastor
  • summer camps for youth
  • women’s retreats
  • the work of the Commission on Ministry to make sure that Disciples ministers have appropriate credentials and continuing education
  • and much more

Well, I hope you are not too disappointed, but I did not make a fancy video about the Arizona Region to offer you this year.  Producing a video takes time, and I have chosen to focus my time in other areas – seeking to help congregations looking for pastors, congregations looking for new places to worship, counseling congregations who are re-imagining their ministries, planning events, learning all the aspects of regional ministry, and most importantly getting to know all the pastors and leaders of the region.  It has been my privilege to worship with 19 of our 25 congregations in my first 13 weeks and I look forward to worshiping with the other 6 within the next 2 months.

I can assure you, however, that if you make a generous gift to the Christmas Offering we will use your gift faithfully.  Most congregations will receive the Christmas Offering this upcoming Sunday, December 15 and the following Sunday, December 22. And in case you are really missing the fancy video, here are links to the videos that some of my colleagues in other regions produced to give you a taste of regional ministry.

2019 Advent message from Rev. Terri Hord Owens, General Minister and President
2019 Northern Lights Region video
2019 Michigan video
2019 Virginia video

And here’s a quick reminder that I hope to see all of you:

  • January 11, 2020 for my installation (at FCC Mesa)
  • November 6-7, 2020 for Regional Assembly (at the Glendale Mission & Ministry Center, home of Iglesia Dios de la Segunda Oportunidad Discipulos de Cristo)

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay R. Hartley

 

P.S.   The six “Special Offerings” include (click on each to learn more):

Week of Compassion:  (collected the last 2 Sundays in February)

  • supports worldwide disaster relief and development

Easter Offering: (collected Palm Sunday & Easter)

  • supports General Ministries – all our national units

Pentecost Offering:  (collected Pentecost & the Sunday before)

  • supports creating new churches

Reconciliation Offering:  (collected the last Sunday of September and the first Sunday of October)

  • supports Disciples anti-racism and pro-reconciliation work

Thanksgiving Offering: (collected the two Sundays before Thanksgiving)

  • supports Higher Education – primarily the education of Disciples ministers, but also other leadership development

Christmas Offering: (collected the two Sundays before Christmas)

  • supports the region in which the money is given – the Christian Church in Arizona receives 100% of all money given in Arizona congregations

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What We Must Always Ask

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Greetings to all in the Love of Jesus Christ:

As we approach Thanksgiving Day – el día de Acción de Gracias – I am grateful for the warm (but not scorching!) welcome I have received in my first 11 weeks in Arizona.  It has been my privilege and joy to worship with 16 of our 25 congregations – very convenient that some of you worship in the afternoon!  If I haven’t been to your congregation yet I have plans to be there very soon.  I should complete the cycle before the end of February.

During the last month I have taken two major trips.  In October I went to Toronto to meet with the College of Regional Ministers (CRM), and just last week I joined several other regional ministers and church leaders across the nation for an “immersion trip” to San Diego and Tijuana to witness several impressive ministries related to immigration and border issues.  Our General Minister and President, Terri Hord-Owens, and our National Hispanic Pastor, Lori Tapia, were on both trips as well.

I’m delighted to report that our Disciples leadership across the country is strong.  Collectively, we are prayerfully listening to what God is calling us to be and do in this time and place.  I note this because it is always a danger that church leaders – both denominationally and within individual congregations – lose sight of our overall mission to embody God’s love for the world and seek first the kingdom of God.  Instead, we often allow ourselves to worry about smaller issues, or worry about “saving our church.”

Once we focus on our institution, and not our mission – we have lost our true reason to exist in the first place.  We must always ask:  “What is our purpose, what is our mission, what does God need us to do and be?”   So I’m delighted to report that those deep conversations are happening among your regional ministers and collectively we are committed to leading a church which seeks to make God’s love manifest in a terribly fragmented world.  And as I travel around Arizona, I will continue to ask how your congregation is working to transform the lives of your members and your communities to more fully embody Isaiah’s vision of God’s peaceable realm, where the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid … and all the Earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.

Dios les bendiga!

Pastor Jay
Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

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Images credit to National Benevolent Association (NBA)

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Winter Youth Experience – January 18-19

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Click the flyer to register.

Download the flyer

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BIG things, little things, and an invitation.

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Greetings in the Love of Jesus Christ:

I continue to enjoy meeting and learning more about the Disciples in Arizona.  There is so much to learn – some BIG things, and some little things.  It’s exciting, energizing, and a little overwhelming to have so much to learn.

My favorite part of the job so far is meeting people and learning about you and your congregations.  The past two weeks have included learning about Saguaro’s “Sol Kitchen,” FCC Scottsdale’s pumpkin patch – which unfortunately got cancelled this year due to pumpkins freezing in New Mexico, Alfa y Omega’s “One World” evangelism project, meeting the wonderful people on Coolwater’s search committee, and sharing in a meaningful litany of ministry at an East Mesa CC board meeting.

But another important part of the job has been learning about how the Region’s finances work.   For instance, I’ve learned that many congregations struggle with income in the summer because many of their members are winter residents.  I’ve learned that other congregations are in good shape because many of their former members made gifts in their will, and the legacy gifts from their estates provide a buffer during the low summer months.

In terms of little things to learn, I recently made a funny discovery:   if I want to donate money directly to the Region, I didn’t know how to do it.  As a pastor, I’ve always paid my tithe to my local congregation.  But now as the Regional Minister, after completing the commitment I made to the church I just left, I figure I will divide my tithe between the local congregations I visit each week and the Region itself.   I know how to put a check in the offering plate during worship, but I had no idea how to give money to the Region.  So here’s what I learned:

The Christian Church in Arizona has something called an “Annual Fund,” which is open for donations year round.  There are two ways to make donations:

  1. Send a check directly to the regional office, with “Annual Fund” written on the memo line.Mail to:  Christian Church in Arizona; 917 E. Sheridan St.; Phoenix, AZ 85006
  2. Make an on-line donation via our website: http://azdisciples.org/annual-fund/.  (The only downside to this option is 3% goes to the credit card company – but we’ll still be grateful for the 97%).

Being the careful steward that I am, I wanted to avoid the 3% fee, so I went to my bank, had them set up an “auto-pay,” and now I will have a donation sent to the Annual Fund on the 1st of every month – with no extra fees.  It seems a little thing, but it was a delight to figure out how to become a regular supporter of the ministries and work we do together as the Christian Church in Arizona.

I would invite you to join me in setting up an automatic monthly contribution to the Annual Fund.  Whatever amount you choose, you will be an important partner in the work we do together.  And for that matter, I also invite you to set up legacy gifts in your wills and automatic payments to your congregation to help make their income more consistent even if you leave Arizona during the months when it’s something like 140 degrees outside.

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President
Christian Church in Arizona

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First reflections from your new Regional Minister and President.

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Greetings in the Love of Jesus Christ:

After three weeks, I am beginning to settle in as your new Regional Minister and President.  I’ve hung my diplomas, unboxed my books, rearranged the office furniture, moved into my apartment, and finally feel like life is settling down a bit.

But more importantly, I’ve enjoyed meeting wonderful Disciples from all over Arizona.  Highlights include:

  • Disciples Women’s Retreat in Prescott
  • Worship with First Christian Church of Prescott
  • Meeting with the Search Committee of East Mesa CC
  • Meeting with La Mesa, the leadership group of the Arizona Convencion
  • A week in Tucson meeting individually with every congregational pastor, together as a group with all congregational pastors (see photo), and with some of the members of Desert Dove, FCC, Saguaro, and Marana
  • Worship with Community Christian Church of Marana
  • An evening with Pastor Elias Garcia at Alfa y Omega
  • Retired minister’s breakfast
  • Regional Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism training for clergy
  • Worship with Foothills Christian Church celebrating their 30th anniversary
  • Individual meetings with Don & Kathy Bryant (interim pastors at Coolwater CC), Nick Greenwalt (interim pastor of East Mesa CC), Abigail Conley (pastor of Chalice CC), Valeria Bejar (Disciples Immigration Response Specialist), and Jim Barton (Regional Moderator), and more (some being confidential)

I look forward to meeting several more of you at Pastor Rep on Wednesday in Phoenix and Thursday in Tucson.

Some initial impressions:   We have much to celebrate in Arizona.  We have strong pastors who are connected to each other, supportive of each other, and open to learning and growth.  We have congregations engaged in mission and ministry, offering care and comfort to people in need.  We have leaders passionate about church camp. And we seem to be saying goodbye to the summer heat, which will mean saying hello to several returning church members.

We also have the opportunity to be an example to our denomination and our world by working together and building truly significant cross-racial partnerships.  So many efforts to bring races together are based on superficial togetherness, pretending that we all love each other but not really understanding the underlying realities that everyone faces.  I believe we have the leadership and opportunity here in the Christian Church in Arizona to go deeper than that, and I look forward to sharing that journey with you.

Peace, Love, and Justice for all,

Pastor Jay

Regional Minister and President, Christian Church in Arizona

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Mental Health First Aid and W.I.S.E. Conference on November 1 & 2

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Registration coming soon! For the most up to date information visit www.swcucc.org.

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November 1: Mental Health First Aid

Training program that teaches members of the public how to help a person developing a mental health problem (including a substance use problem), experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health problem, or in a mental health crisis.

Session 1: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Lunch: 12 – 1 p.m. | Session 2: 1 – 5 p.m.

Facilitators

Michael Donnelly is the Pastor of Care and Counseling at Bethany Bible Church. He is currently also a Doctorate of Education Candidate in Organizational Leadership at GCU. Michael has over 20 years of counseling experience in public behavioral health settings. Michael is a member of the Arizona ACE Consortium and is a state trainer for ACES and Trauma.

For more information contact Michael at: Michael@bbcphx.org

Toni Donnelly is the Director of Training and Innovation for the Family Involvement Center in Phoenix Arizona. The mother of three adult sons (who have been her primary teachers about systems, services, and system change), she has been working as a parent, partnering with others to improve systems and options for families since 1999. Toni is a member of the Arizona ACE Consortium and is a state trainer for ACES and Trauma, and is also a trained Spiritual Director through Leadership Transformations SELAH program.

For more information contact Toni at: Toni@familyinvolvementcenter.org

 

Elizabeth Ortiz de Valdez, M.D. graduated in 1969 from the School of Medicine at the University of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. In 1974, Dr. Valdez obtained her post-doctoral degree in Psychiatry.  Since 2005, Dr. Ortiz de Valdez is a Certified Trainer in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) & Mental Health First Aid-Youth,, MHFA (Veterans and military) MHFA for older adults and REDES (MHFA in Spanish) for adults and youth.

Dr. Ortiz de Valdez co-founded and has been the President and  CEO of Concilio Latino de Salud, Inc., a non-profit, community-based organization, dedicated to improving the overall health of the Hispanic/Latino community in Maricopa County, Arizona through health promotion and disease prevention. She is also co-founder of Cultural Communities United in Health and Wellness (CCUHW) and a founding member of the American Union Against STDs and HIV (UNACETs) among other coalitions and organizations.

Dr. Ortiz de Valdez has served on numerous Board of Directors including: Friendly House; Planned Parenthood of Central Arizona; American Red Cross, Central Arizona Chapter; American Cancer Society; Casey Family Program; American Heart Association. Family Involvement among others.

Email: drortizdevaldez@gmail.com

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November 2: W.I.S.E. Conference

includes a keynote by Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund, workshops, basics of starting a mental health ministry, opening and closing worship, and more. This post will be updated with details soon.

Participants are encouraged to attend both events.

Inspiration and practical Steps to implement mental health ministry in your congregation:

  • Ways congregations can address mental health concerns
  • Stories from persons affected by mental health issues
  • Practical steps to engage in a mental health ministry
  • Introduction to the WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, Engaged) Covenant
  • Network with those who are on the journey to address mental health challenges
  • On–going support

A WISE congregation has joined the mission to being Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged in the mental health of the community and the wider world.

For more information, email Alan Johnson at revalan2004@comcast.net and visit this webpage.

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@ Church of the Beatitudes

Phoenix, AZ

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Introducing Rev. Jay Hartley

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The Christian Church in Arizona calls Rev. Jay Hartley as Regional Minister and President.

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July 16, 2019

The Christian Church in Arizona is overjoyed to announce its calling of Reverend Jay Hartley as Regional Minister and President.  On Saturday, July 13, 2019, the Region held a Special Regional Assembly to hear the Regional Search Team’s nomination and overwhelmingly approved calling Rev. Hartley to the position.

Rev. Hartley is a graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School and will come to the Christian Church in Arizona from Eastwood Christian Church, where he has served since August of 2000. The Region looks forward to Rev. Hartley exercising his collaborative leadership style, his long history of mentorship, and his deep abiding love for the Gospel in his new role in Arizona.

The Region expresses tremendous gratitude for Rev. Richie Sanchez who has served as our interim Regional Minister and President for nearly two years.  Rev. Sanchez’s guidance and spirit of joy will be missed. But we are heartened by the knowledge that he will be serving nearby as Regional Minister of the Pacific Southwest Region.

The Christian Church in Arizona is poised for great things in the future, and our excitement and enthusiasm are elevated by the potential represented by calling Rev. Hartley. Amen!

James E. Barton II
Regional Moderator
Search Team Chair

Con gran gozo, la Iglesia Cristiana en Arizona se complace en anunciar el llamado del Reverendo Jay Hartley como Ministro Regional y Presidente. El Sábado, 13 de Julio de 2019, la Region se reunió en una Asamblea Especial para escuchar la nominación del Equipo de Búsqueda y con gran emoción el llamado del Rev. Hartley fue aprobado, a la posición antes mencionada.

El Rev. Hartley es graduado de la Escuela de Divinidades de Vanderbilt y viene a la Iglesia Cristiana en Arizona, directamente de la Iglesia Cristiana de Eastwood, donde a estado sirviendo desde Agosto del año 2000. La Region espera con ansia el ejercicio de liderazgo colaborativo que caracteriza el estilo del Rev. Hartley, al igual que su extensa historia como mentor, y un profundo y permanente amor por el Evangelio en su nuevo llamado en Arizona.

La Region también quiere expresar un profundo agradecimiento por el Rev. Richie Sanchez quien ha servido como Ministro Regional Interino y Presidente por casi dos años. La guía y el espíritu alegre del Rev. Sanchez se extrañaran, pero, somos reconfortados sabiendo que seguirá siendo nuestro vecino sirviendo como Ministro Regional de la Region del Suroeste del Pacifico.

La iglesia Cristiana en Arizona esta lista para grandes cosas en el futuro, y nuestro entusiasmo y emoción son aumentados por el potencial que representa el llamado del Rev. Hartley. ¡Amen!

James E. Barton II
Moderador Regional
Director del Comité de Búsqueda

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Affirmations – DUCC 2019

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I can’t believe that camp has come and gone, it feels like yesterday that we began planning this summer’s camp and now it is a few weeks in our rearview! What an impactful week for so many of our campers and adults! During our time together, we worshipped, played, had deep conversations about how we understand God moves in the world, we sang, we ate, and, thankfully, we slept. This summer was our first as Disciples of Christ, United Church of Christ Church Camp (DUCC). While we experienced literal growing pains (did you know that it takes twice as long to get twice as many people through a meal line??), but in the end, camp was camp.

One of my favorite camp traditions that seems to span regions and even denominations is at the end of the week we give each other “affirmations.” In Family Groups each camper and adult gets a chance to hear and read positive things about themselves from members of their group. It is always one of the most impactful events of camp. Our kids today don’t get affirmed by their peers all that often, and many times not by adults either. But when kids hear “To see you having fun and being happy is special,” or  “you are the coolest person,” or “meeting you was meeting a legend” (actual quotes from campers to other campers), it carries them through the year. Knowing that even during the tough days of school, where many of our kids hear that they aren’t good enough or smart enough, they have words of love from a community of love will give them sabbath from the world. When we hear affirmations, we hear God’s voice. And that alone is worth every penny that our region, churches, and families spend on camp.

Rev. Jay Deskins

Regional Youth and Children’s Minister, DUCC Director

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Previous Articles

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DWM Retreat Registration Now Open!

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Update from Search Team and Notice of Emergency Assembly on July 13, 2019

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On June 5th congregations were mailed the letter below (in English and Spanish accordingly), along with important information about filing delegate names | En el 5 de junio de 2019 las congregaciones recibieron por correo la carta a continuación (en inglés y español, según corresponda), junto con información importante sobre cómo presentar los nombres de los delegados el 5 de junio de 2019.

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June 5, 2019

Dear Arizona Disciples Congregations,

The Search Team has selected a pastor to recommend to the Assembly for the position of Regional Minister and President.  As you are aware, the search was conducted in accordance with the process provided by the General Church.  We were guided by the following passage from Acts:

Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Like the apostles, we prayed and studied in and around doing our work.  Rather than casting lots, however, our process involved over a year of developing a regional profile, describing the position being sought, screening applications, checking references, conducting on-line and in-person interviews, and finally selecting the person we discerned to be called to be our new Regional Minister and President.

The nominee is in the process of notifying the church the nominee currently serves.  As such, we will hold off until Monday, July 8, 2019, to release the identity and background of the individual the Search Team is submitting to the Assembly for approval.

The Administrative Council has voted to hold an Emergency Assembly for the purpose of calling this nominee on July 13, 2019, beginning at 3:30 p.m. We will gather with the candidate at Community Christian Church, Tempe and will broadcast the meeting to First Christian Church, Tucson for those in Tucson who may be unable to travel to Phoenix. Voting delegates will be able to vote at both locations.

Included in this letter is a voting delegates worksheet with your congregation’s number of allowed delegates. Names of voting delegates must be submitted to the Regional Office no later than July 1, 2019.

We are all excited about what God has in store for the Christian Church in Arizona and look forward to this new and exciting chapter.  On behalf of the Search Team, I hope that you can join us–live or remotely–on July 13th.

Yours,

Jim Barton

Regional Moderator & Search Team Chair

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June 5, 2019

Queridas Congregaciones de Discípulos de Arizona,

El Equipo de Búsqueda ha seleccionado un pastor para recomendar a la Asamblea para el puesto de Ministro Regional y Presidente. Como saben, la búsqueda se realizó de acuerdo con el proceso provisto por la Iglesia General. Fuimos guiados por el siguiente pasaje de Hechos:

Y oraron así: «Señor, tú que conoces el corazón de todos, muéstranos a cuál de estos dos has elegido para que se haga cargo del servicio apostólico que Judas dejó para irse al lugar que le correspondía.»  Luego echaron suertes y la elección recayó en Matías; así que él fue reconocido junto con los once apóstoles.

Al igual que los apóstoles, oramos y estudiamos en y alrededor de nuestro trabajo. Sin embargo, en lugar de echar suertes, nuestro proceso involucró más de un año en el desarrollo de un perfil regional, la descripción de la posición que se buscaba, la selección de solicitudes, la verificación de referencias, la realización de entrevistas en línea y en persona y finalmente, seleccionar a la persona que discernimos para que sea llamado a ser nuestro nuevo Ministro y Presidente Regional.

El candidato está en el proceso de notificar a la iglesia a la que el candidato sirve actualmente. Como tal, esperaremos hasta el lunes 8 de julio de 2019 para divulgar la identidad y el historial de la persona que el Equipo de búsqueda presentara a la Asamblea para su aprobación.

El Consejo Administrativo ha votado para celebrar una Asamblea de Emergencia con el propósito de llamar a este candidato el 13 de julio de 2019, a partir de las 3:30 p.m. Nos reuniremos con el candidato en Community Christian Church, Tempe, y transmitiremos la reunión a First Christian Church, Tucson para aquellos en Tucson que no puedan viajar a Phoenix. Los delegados que votan podrán votar en ambos lugares.

En esta carta se incluye una hoja de trabajo para los delegados que votan con el número de delegados permitidos de su congregación. Los nombres de los delegados con derecho a voto deben enviarse a la Oficina Regional a más tardar el 1 de julio de 2019.

Todos estamos entusiasmados con lo que Dios tiene reservado para la Iglesia Cristiana en Arizona y esperamos este nuevo y emocionante capítulo. En nombre del equipo de búsqueda, espero que pueda unirse a nosotros, en vivo o de forma remota, el 13 de julio.

Suyo,

Jim Barton

Regional Moderator & Search Team Chair

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Pray & Play – A DWM Event April 26

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DWM Pray and Play Spring Event

Join us as we explore Acts 2:42-47 through play and prayer
Saturday, April 27th  10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

First Christian Church, Tucson
740 E. Speedway Blvd.

Cost $25.00     Lunch included   Registration is open

Registration Deadline is APRIL 23rd. 

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Church Creative Ministry Grant

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Church Creative Mission and Ministry Grants

Initial grant applications are due to the Regional office by July 31, 2018.

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Church Creative Mission and Ministry grants help Arizona Disciples churches fund transformation processes and ventures that engage the congregation’s surrounding communities to address poverty and/or systemic injustice/s.

These grants are made possible through legacy gifts from Beryl Meritt. We are grateful for her dedication to new mission and ministry in Arizona.

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Church Creative Mission and Ministry grants are made to congregations in covenant with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona. Grants help support Arizona congregations in reaching out to others in creative mission and ministry. These resources are dedicated for new transformational processes, and ventures that engage the congregation in their surrounding communities to address poverty and/or systemic injustice. Church Creative Mission and Ministry grant awards typically do not exceed $2,500 in a one-year period and are often seed funds for new projects. Congregations can submit for subsequent or greater support, to be considered and evaluated by the grant committee.

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Eligibility for Church Creative Mission and Ministry grants are limited to congregations in covenant with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona.

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The application package must include:

  • Completed application form.
  • A detailed description of the proposed program/activity, including a statement about the aims and purposes of the project; a rationale for the project; the target audience/constituency; and statistical or authoritative evidence indicating how the program/activity matches with the stated purposes of the Church Creative Mission and Ministry grant.
  • A detailed program budget showing income and expenses projected for the project, including other identified sources of funding.
  • A summary of how the outcomes will be assessed and measured.
  • A list of staff and other principals who will be involved.
  • A process (financial internal controls) for handling the award.

The application package must be limited to three pages or less. Only requests that fulfill the application requirements will be considered. Grant applications must be postmarked by July 31, 2018. Grantees will be notified of awards and funding schedules within one month of the grant application deadline. Please send to: Christian Church in Arizona, 917 E. Sheridan Street, Phoenix, AZ 85006 or email to region@azdisciples.org

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VER EN ESPAÑOL

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DWM Retreat

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2018 Women’s Retreat

September 7-9, 2018

Chapel Rock Retreat Center, Prescott, AZ

Keynote Speaker: Rev. Katie Sexton, Coolwater Christian Church

Registrations are due August 20, 2017

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Register ONLINE Today!

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