Where are we going?

April 23

Sarah King

Beacon welcomes special guest speaker, Sarah King, to deliver an inspirational Earth Day message. Sarah has spent many years as Chair of the Arizona Faith Network Earth Care Commission, addressing timely issues surrounding environmental justice. Please join us as Sarah invites shares with Beacon a message of change, stewardship, and sustainability, and personal reflection of our individual relationship with our home, planet Earth.

April 30

Sakenya McDonald

Please join us as Beacon's Youth Group presents an energetic justice themed service! Our youth will be presenting messages of hope and inspiration, sharing their District Assembly experiences, and leading a lively worship experience for all ages!

In my Weekly News article of April 6-written just after Justice District Assembly in southern Arizona-I reflected on our day-long experience coordinated by Frontera de Cristo (Christ's Border), a Presbyterian ministry located in the sister cities of Agua Prieta, Sonora and Douglas, Arizona. They work in six primary areas of ministry: New Hope Community Center, Mission Education, Family Ministry, Migrant Resource Center, Church Development,  and Health Ministry.  Rich and I, along with UUs from southern California, southern Nevada and other AZ congregations, visited a project in a very poor neighborhood in Agua Prieta: Proyecto Douglas/Agua Prieta (Douglas/Agua Prieta Project),  where 8 neighborhood women members (so far) have been learning skills themselves (e.g. sewing, crocheting, cooking, organic gardening) and selling their wares, including preparation of delicious meals for visitors like us. It was gratifying to observe the spirited shopping. (I lost out on my favorite handmade apron to a woman more decisive than I!)  This project, in operation for several years, includes classes taught by volunteers. The board comprises five neighborhood community members, two members of Frontera de Cristo  and two members of a local Presbyterian church. Starting with outdoor meetings several years ago, they have recently purchased a large parcel of neighborhood property, including a building with a kitchen, the exterior decorated with a beautiful mural. They are growing organic vegetables and raising chickens and rabbits on their small "farm." 

The meal we were served was no light lunch: it was a full-blown (delicious!) mid-day comida of pollo con crema (chicken with cream), rice and beans, with fresh agua de naranja (orange water, icy cold).  From the personal stories shared by our three women hosts was abundantly clear that these women-though shy at first--were determined and proud of their accomplishments. Our UU group was blessed to be able to partake of their impressive efforts!

Roz Clark, SJA Journalist 

YARD SALE "PRE-SALE" A  GREAT SUCCESS!

"Necessity is the mother of invention" is sometimes more than a cliché: Last Saturday's Pre-Sale garnered $840 for Beacon, giving us a roaring head start toward our "real" Yard Sale coming up Saturday, June 3! Not only that, it created space in the "cottage" for gathering more well-loved items (needing new homes), and made several Beacon folks very happy.  So, as you collect your pass-alongs, we'll see that the cottage is unlocked so you can take them in, beginning this Sunday after the service, or you can take them during Heather's office hours (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon (call first- 779-4492 -to be sure she's on site to give you a key). By Yard Sale day June 3 we'll have a wonderful array of merchandise.

Set aside Friday afternoon/evening, June 2, for our Set-up Party, and Saturday, June 3, for Beacon's Annual Yard Sale. In May we'll begin doing sign-ups for required tasks!

Questions? Ask any Yard Sale Team member: Rich Clark (255-2515 or clarkrr@q.com), or Geoff Pickens, Katherine Hart and Dennis Spurlin.

Please make note-

Rev. Kevin is on two weeks' vacation as he and Gary will celebrate their 25th anniversary with the trip of a lifetime! The two will be taking a cruise from San Diego through the Panama Canal, returning to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Rev. Kevin will be back in the Pulpit Sunday May 7th for our special service in recognition for the National Call to Racial Conversation from Black Lives of UU's. Happy anniversary, Kevin and Gary! 

May 7th is also our  Budget Town Hall meeting 11:15 - 12:30, after which Beacon will host a very special opportunity for a White Supremacy Teaching, an event that will be open to the larger community. Rev. Kevin, along with Sakenya McDonald, Pia Driessen-Knittle, and Cassie Dakan will offer a two-hour event to engage us all in conversation and deepening awareness around race, diversity, and inclusion.  This event will look at aspects within our own recent UUA hiring events, as well what is it like to be a person of color living in Flagstaff.

BEACON GOOGLE GROUP

If you are not on Beacon's exclusive google group, you are missing out on an important communications link within our congregation. It is useful for spreading information about something going on in Flagstaff, informing others of social action activities,offering an item for sale or to give away, sharing enthusiasm about a book or movie, requesting information or recommendations -- and more! It's simple to sign up! Email Heather, our Office Manager, at  office@beaconuu.com.

Beacon is excited to announce that we will be offering a free WordPress training class! This comprehensive class will cover everything from the basics to the more complicated internal workings of WordPress over a nine week period. The classes will Thursdays, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.  Join us for one class or all! 

If you are interested in joining the class, please email Dennis Spurlin at  DESpurlin@acm.org to sign up! 

Or, if you are a WordPress web master and are interested in helping facilitate the classes, email Dennis for more info!

Figure Drawing Lesson At Beacon