Beacon Spiritual Theme of the Month
~ Hospitality ~
Submissions must be in by Wednesday at 4:00 pm to be included in the newsletter. 
Heather Thornton, Beacon Office Manager

~ Sunday Service ~ 

A special guest in the pulpit this morning, as we welcome our new Monthly Spiritual Theme for October: Hospitality.  This Sunday we welcome Dr. Mohamed Mohamed, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Graduate Program Coordinator - Dept. of Sociology and Social Work, Northern Arizona University. Dr. Mohamed will speak on Islam and Hospitality.  Please plan to join with us for this special interfaith outreach service of hospitality.

~ Touchstones Journal ~

October Theme
Hospitality


~ Music Box ~
Our song selections for this week are centered on the idea of hospitality.  I reached into our readings from the common bowl and found some wonderful quotes that pair nicely with our hymns.  

#346 Come Sing a Song with Me by Carolyn McDade
"There is no hospitality like understanding."   Vanna Bonta

#298 Wake Now My Senses Traditional Irish Tune
"Listening is a form of spiritual hospitality by which you invite strangers to become friends, to get to know their inner selves more fully, and even to dare to be silent with you."   Henri Nouwen

#360 Here We Have Gathered by Alicia S. Carpenter
"The heart of hospitality is about creating space for someone to feel seen and heard and loved. It's about declaring your table a safe zone, a place of warmth and nourishment."   Shauna Niequist
~ Religious Exploration ~  

Hey parents...Got kids that do stuff? Check out the calendar in the Purple room.   Write your kid's game, or play, or concert on there with the name, location, and time.
Hey congregants...Got time to support our kids in the community? Check out the calendar in the Purple room.  Find a date that you are itchin' to go see a kid you know do something fantastic!
See you there!
~ Adult Religious Exploration ~


A movie and conversation with Reverend Kevin
Monday, October 2
6:30 pm

Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War  is an account of a daring rescue mission that occurred on the precipice of World War II. It tells the story of Waitstill and Martha Sharp, a Unitarian minister and his wife from Wellesley, Massachusetts, who left their children behind in the care of their parish and boldly committed to multiple life-threatening missions in Europe. Over two dangerous years they helped to save hundreds of imperiled political dissidents and Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazi occupation across Europe.
~ S ocial Justice Allies ~

Out of the Darkness Community Walk
Saturday morning, September 30th at Buffalo Park.

Sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (rated 90% by Charity Navigator) Flagstaff's 2-mile walk begins at 10:15 am, with registration 9:00 - 10:00 that day. In alignment with Beacon's September theme of Beauty, this is one way to connect with the inner beauty of others, especially those suffering from depression and/or taking their own lives. We can be allies, either by sharing the September 30 walk side-by-side, or on the same path, or by making a financial contribution.

One of Beacon's public stances, approved in 2016, is to "support local efforts toward non-violence." Many of us have been touched in some way by the factors that contribute to this awful outcome that impacts entire communities.

For more information, google Out of the Darkness Walk, then scroll down to find the Flagstaff Walk.

Wouldn't it be great to have TWO carloads of Beacon participants for the UUJAZ Issues and Action Day Saturday, October 14 at the UU Church of Surprise? We have one, but the more the better!


And, for your calendar... The next SJA meeting will be Sunday, October 15, following the service.
~ In Community ~
Marty Manning shared gratitude for the support from the Beacon community following knee surgery, and joy at beginning to walk again.

Joe and Dee Wegwert shared joy for nephews marriage. 

Nancy Paxton shared gratitude for a safe journey, and concern for the people impacted by the recent hurricanes and earthquakes. 

lore dickey shared concern regarding an emergency room visit. 

Rev. Kevin shared gratitude for the support from the Beacon community following the loss of his mother. 
~ Auction! ~
Get ready for Beacon's "Everything Flagstaff" 20 th  Annual Silent & Live Auction!
Auction date: Saturday, November 4, 2017ov. 4, 2017
Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Aspen Valley Golf Club, 1855 N. Continental Dr.
Free admission, childcare, hors d'oeuvres, desserts, door prizes, fun!
 
Examples of donations:
Hosted dinners, certificates to restaurants, hair salons,
experiences like guided hikes, yoga, rock climbing, yard work,
ice skating, yurts, skiing, timeshares, babysitting, etc. and more!
 
Come dressed as Everything Flagstaff!
(As a hiker, biker, tourist, skiier, tree hugger, student, Fratellis, from Route 66, ...)
 
Please get your donations rolling in!  Click here to view the auction donation form.
Can't wait to see you there!
Beacon Calendar
Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, September 28
7:00 pm
Qi-Gong
Tuesday,  October 3
6:15 pm
UUAJAZ Luncheon
Saturday, September 30
10:00 am
Worship Associates
Wednesday, October 4
5:30 pm
Sunday Service & Religious  Exploration
Sunday, October 1
10:00 am
Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, October 5
7:00 pm
Congregational Meeting
Sunday, October 1
11:00 am
OWL
Saturday, October 7
8:00 am
"The Sharps War" Movie Night
Monday, October 2
6:30 pm
Sunday Service & Religious  Exploration
Sunday, October 8
10:00 am

If you would like to submit a calendar event, send an email to 
office@beaconuu.com . With all requests, please indicate the following: proposed start and end time of the event, the space/room preferred, and a rough group size. On the occasion of a cancellation or rescheduling of an event, please let the office know in a timely fashion to ensure that your event is correctly represented in the newsletter and order of service. Thank you!
~ Save the Date ~

Saturday, September 30, 2017
10:00 am
UUJAZ Lunch info and Fundraising at Beacon

Saturday October 14, 2017
UUJAZ - Issue and Action Day

Saturday, Oct 21, 2017
9:00 am
Building and Grounds workday Breakfast treats provided!

Saturday, November 4, 2017
6:00 pm
Beacon Auction!
~ Classifieds ~

Volunteers!
Sunday cash counters needed! You've been looking for how you can help out at Beacon, here's your chance!  We're seeking to build a pool of cash count volunteers to work in teams of two, for one half hour after service to count the offering and prepare cash count sheet.  Please contact the office with your interest. Thank you to those who have expressed interest, we need three or four more people to schedule a training, and are looking forward to implementing this program in the coming weeks!

Photos!
Requesting photos with permission to use them on the Beacon website! Photos can be of congregational events (please make sure everyone in the photo is named so that I can obtain a release to use them!), the church itself, the grounds, or even just of around town! Help us show the public the beautiful community that is Beacon UU!

Beacon Library!
Our Beacon Library is in need of some friends, might you have time to help organize, and to create and review checkout and return of our honor system loaner library?  The library is currently being reset in the upstairs library / DRE office room, so a great time to help with organizing.  Please be in touch with Rev. Kevin.
Beacon Office Hours

Minister, 
Rev. Kevin  Lawson: 

Tues: 11:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Weds: 11:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Other times available by appointment
Director of Religious Exploration, 
Amy Hunterreece

Sun: 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Tues: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Thurs:  1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
 

  Office Manager, 
Heather Thornton

Tues: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Weds: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Thur: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

(928) 779-4492
~ Art at Beacon ~

BRICOLAGES

For September and October, works by Beacon member Carleton Sheppard will be on view in the sanctuary. They are called "bricolages," a French word for the creation of a work from a diverse range of things that happen to be at hand. "Collages" are two-dimensional works of art made by combining various papers and other flat surfaces; "bricolages" are three-dimensional, made by combining objects.. 

When she moved to Flagstaff in 1998, she began practicing the Japanese art of 
wabi-sabi before she learned what it is: the aesthetic of impermanence and imperfection. She was fascinated by the natural forms and rusty objects she found in the Ponderosa forest, and began assembling them into wall arrangements.  According to Wikipedia, characteristics of 
wabi-sabi include "asymmetry, roughness, simplicity, economy, austerity... and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes."
~ Website Members and Friends Access ~

Interested in accessing the directory and board documents on the Members and Friends page on  BeaconUU.com ? You can get the password over the phone (928-779-4492) during regular office hours, or by requesting it from a board member after Sunday Services.We will not be providing it by email. 
Call or email Heather (office@beaconuu.com) with any questions!
 
 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.
~ Fundraising the Easy Way! ~

We have added new, easy ways to give back to Beacon! 

Do you shop at Fry's? Use the Beacon phone number, (928) 779-4492, at checkout, and Beacon receives donations from Fry's through their Community Rewards program!

Do you shop online? Use www.iGive.com/BeaconUnitarianUniversalistCongregation and Beacon receives donations from the companies you shop with! 
Or, use smile.amazon.com! Just set Beacon as your charity of choice, and when you use the smile.amazon.com portal to shop, Beacon receives donations from Amazon.com!

Do you know of other passive fundraising methods? Let us know at office@beacon.com!