Submissions must be in by Wednesday at 4:00 pm to be included in the newsletter. 
Caleb Alexander, Beacon Office Manager
~ Sunday Service, September 23 ~ 
"Let Your Life Speak..." 
With Rev. Kevin Lawson

Rev. Kevin is in the pulpit and shares reflections on our monthly theme of vocation through the lens of the noted author Parker Palmer and his work of the same title. Please note this will also be our Safety Sunday with Fire Drill and guest speaker
Rev. Mel Brewster to share safety awareness with us.


~ Monthly Touchstone Theme: Vocation ~ 
~ Beacon Building Project Update ~

The Beacon Building Expansion Project is moving forward, even if nothing is visible at the moment. Here are a few highlights:
  • The architect, Steve Dorsett, has submitted the "revised" project to the City, for a "second" concept review. If you don't know or remember what the project looks like, please see the drawings on the kitchen wall. The congregation selected this at its July 29 congregational meeting.
  • A meeting to fine tune details led to the decision to use the existing kitchen space for office functions (office manager, Religious Exploration director, and bookkeeping ), and sub-divide the Purple Room into two spaces (removing the wall of cupboards), one as office for the minister, and one as library and small meeting room. Additional minor changes include closing the opening into the kitchen with translucent glass, removing the counter that currently protrudes into the vestibule and other similar improvements.
  • The cottage has been tested for hazardous materials, a prelude to filing for a demolition permit. Some asbestos was found, with abatement expected to be $3,000-$5,000, covered by the contingency line in the project budget.
  • The gas and electric lines for the neighbor to the south will be relocated into an easement running around our property lines on the east and south to the neighbor's utility connections. 
  • Next step is contracting for the utility relocation and the actual demolition of the cottage. An inventory of the contents of the cottage and the current "attic" has been created (thank you Kay Johnson and team!). Disposition of these stored materials must take place soon-the cottage soon, to allow for demolition, and the "attic" before the end of the year.
The actual construction of the expansion is expected to begin in a January-February, 2019 time frame.

Holly Taylor 
Standing in for Theresa deBoer
~ Beacon Fundraising Auction: Slumber Party! ~
Saturday, November 3rd, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Flagstaff, AZ 86004
Free Childcare 
Hors d'oeuvre & Desserts 
Raffles & Door Prizes
 
Dig out your favorite pajamas and plan for a relaxing, and entertaining evening of Beacon fun! The annual fundraising auction is coming soon! Before we can get all dressed up (or down, as the case may be with this year's theme), we need your donations!

Donations for both the live and silent auction are integral to the success of our event. Ideas include: 
  • Collectibles, award winning pies, jellies, and jams
  • Nature tours, archaeological hikes, and tours of historic Flagstaff
  • Timeshares and other vacation opportunities
  • Wine pairing parties, backyard barbecues, and ethnic dinners
  • Yard work, technical support, music lessons, tarot readings, and theme parties
The online donation form is available at https://goo.gl/XejZau or you can pick up a paper form at Sunday service.

Wendy Bruun
Auction Promotions
~ Leadership Succession Planning Team ~

Leadership Lunch & Learn
Sunday, October 28th
11:30 am in the Beacon Kitchen

Join the Leadership Success Planning Team as we launch new efforts to provide leadership development for the congregation!  We are starting this fall with a leadership lunch and learn. We will talk about leadership paths and experiences within the congregation, as well as identify future leadership needs.  

This will be a "chili potluck" experience - bring your favorite chili, cornbread, or toppings to share.  

All are welcome - you don't have to be in a current leadership role to attend.  Maybe you are thinking about getting more involved in the congregation and want to hear from others.

RSVP at http://evite.me/tFW2SCRvdg to let us know you are coming and what you would like to bring.

Wendy Bruun
Chair, Leadership Success Planning Team
~ 
Gifting Securities to Beacon Information  ~

Beacon has established a brokerage account to allow members and friends to gift financial securities like stocks and mutual funds to the church. This allows you to donate the securities themselves, rather than selling them and sending the cash to Beacon.

Depending on your personal circumstances this can be a tax efficient way to pay a pledge or make a gift to Beacon. Before doing so the first thing you should do is consult your tax adviser. No one at Beacon can advise you as to the tax benefits or appropriateness of any particular type of donation, or which type of donation is most advantageous to you.

These donations can only be made with securities held outside a retirement account, not from your IRA, 401k, 403b, TSP or other retirement account.

Also, for those who are old enough to qualify, and want to use a direct charitable distribution from an IRA, those do not involve transferring assets to Beacon's brokerage account. You simply work directly with the financial institution that hosts your account to do that; no coordination with Beacon is necessary.

We appreciate the generosity and commitment of all of Beacon's members and friends. If after consulting your tax adviser you decide that gifting securities to Beacon is something you want to do please contact Steve Zeldes at  sgzeldes@gmail.com  for assistance.
 
Steve Zeldes
~ Religious Exploration ~

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Have you checked out the new  Religious Exploration blog? 
 Coming up:
  • Family Night is TOMORROW, Friday, September 21, 5:00-10:00 pm! We will all eat lasagna together at 5:00.  Parents will have an opportunity to LEARN a bit about UU milestones for children, then LEAVE for a date! Children will have an opportunity to STAY and PLAY.  It's a win-win!  Please RSVP so I know how much food to buy.
  • First Sunday Fun! Linda Ochi is heading up a fun new opportunity for families to come together. 
  • Coming of Age program for 12-15 year olds!  Also, as an optional addition to the program, NAU Film Series this semester is focusing on Youth in Cinema: Coming of Age. Join us if you would like! Read this article in the Daily Sun for details.
  • Update: Our Whole Lives (OWL) Class coming this winter and spring! Due to our training being rescheduled, we will look to January to begin this wonderful class! This curriculum for the K-1st or 5 to 7 year old class provides developmentally appropriate information to support parents in educating children about birth, babies, bodies, relationships and families. Some of the goals of this class are to strengthen and support each child's sense of self and self-esteem, to help children appreciate their bodies as good and beautiful, private and special, and to help children gain understanding and accurate information about human sexuality, reproduction, and gender identification. If you are interested contact Mary Poore at m8c8p8@aol.com or (928) 699-8266.
  Amy Huntereece, Director of RE, re@beaconuu.com 
Kay Johnson, RE Committee Chairperson,  kayjandbillt@aol.com
~ Fall Chalice Circles ~

Touchstones Chalice Circles are designed to meet our needs for belonging (intimacy) and meaning (ultimacy) by building friendships and providing opportunities to ponder life's questions, small and large, with others who share the common values of our UU Principles. The Chalice Circle experience enriches our community as we speak from the heart and listen deeply to one another in a safe and sacred environment of acceptance and caring. 

Schedule
4th Sundays, September to December, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm  
OR 4th Tuesdays, September to December, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Actual Sunday Dates: Sept. 23, Oct. 28, Nov. 25, and Dec. 23 
Actual Tuesday Dates: Sept. 25, Oct. 23, Nov. 27, and Dec. 18 
~ December's session will be on the third Tuesday due to Christmas.
 
Please contact Char Tarashanti for more information and to register.

(507) 990-3888
~ Social Justice Allies (SJA) ~

Thanks to all of you who showed at the NAIC City Council/Mayoral Accountability Session on Monday!
I hope you found it helpful in your decision-making about voting for these positions. The next session--also at the Federated Community Church's social hall on Monday, October 1 at 6:30--will feature candidates for the State Legislature. The format will be similar, but the questions may be different. (I'll try to get information about the questions, then share them in the Weekly E-news and Beacon Google Groups.) 

Next Sunday, September 23, the service will focus on safety, featuring the local chaplain for the Flagstaff Police Department. 
SJA's Sue Strobel and Terry White, along with Theresa deBoer and Carl Taylor have coordinated plans for this service, which will advise us on effective practices in case of an emergency event. Please make every effort to attend. 

Heads up: The UU Justice Arizona Network (UUJAZ) Issues and Action Day will be Saturday, October 27 (all day) at the Surprise UU Church. October 8 is the deadline for "early bird" registration ($25 for registration includes a tasty box lunch or bring your own). 
Let Terry White know if a scholarship (from the SJA budget would enable your participation). We'll arrange carpooling as we get closer to the event date. For more information and/or to register, visit UUJAZ.org. 

From their website: 
Our shared faith carries us beyond Sunday mornings and into our homes, work, schools, and broader Arizona community, including the voting booth. Starting with our affirmation and promotion of the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large we are called to look at the issues facing our state through the lens of our Principles and values. 
UUJAZ invites you to an Issues and Action Day to do exactly this on Saturday, October 27th in Surprise, AZ. Our Unitarian Universalist religious leaders from around the state will be talking about the intersection of our values and key justice issues, founded on the premise that we are people of a liberal religious faith seeking to vote our values. Anne Schneider will discuss the initiatives on the November 2018 ballot and those that are not. She will also present her highly acclaimed and very entertaining "What to Expect at the Legislature Next Session." 

The next SJA meeting will be Sunday, October 21, following the service. 

"We have always been a faith community with a spiritual center and a civic circumference." -Rev. William G. Sinkford, Past President of the UUA 

From the southern Oregon coast,
Roz Clark
SJA Journalist 
~ Community Action Committee ~
 
Northland Family Help Center's mission is to provide safe haven, advocacy, counseling, and education to promote and restore healthy relationships.
  • NFHC's Domestic Violence Shelter provides safe shelter, crisis intervention, advocacy, counseling, and life skills training to those affected.
  • NFHC's Youth Shelter offers shelter and respite care, family reunification, case managements, and life skills training.
  • Overview Northland Family Help Center provides out-patient professional counseling services free of charge for eligible individuals.
  • NFHC's Legal advocacy personnel provide training and advocacy to women fleeing intimate violence.
Lynda Dorweiler
Community Action Committee Chair
~ Sign Up Time for Circle Suppers ~
Break bread with a few other Beaconites

How it works:
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  • Any Member or Friend of Beacon signs up (with your partner and family, if you wish) by Sunday September 30. You are signing up to participate in 3-5 potluck suppers (or brunches or whatever) from October to April. Each Supper is held in the home of one member of the Circle; nobody hosts more than 1 Supper. Hosting is not required, so you can sign up even if your home too small to host 8 people.
  • Paul Beier assembles participants into "Circles" of 6-8 adults (plus kids in kid-tolerant groups), notifies you of the Circle to which you have been assigned, and assigns one person to be the Ringleader of each Circle. 
  • The Ringleader of each Circle works with Circle to set the date for the first Supper at the Ringleader's home. At each Supper, the Circle selects a date & host for the next Supper. Continue until all hosts have held events.
A Beacon tradition for 30 years
By Sunday, September 30, use this link to a short online form that will require you to provide your name, email, phone number, and the names of other adults and names and ages of kids who will participate with you. The form will also ask if your home can accommodate babies (36 months) and kids (3 years and older), and will allow you to provide other information, such as "my house is too small for me to host" or other concerns;  OR...

Find the clipboard (probably carried by Paul) at a Sunday service during September and fill out the information by hand. If you can't remember if you already signed up for Circle Suppers, just sign up - I will find the duplicates.

Paul Beier
Circle Supper Coordinator
~ We Need You For Welcome Team!  ~

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We need you to volunteer to be a Welcome Team Greeter! All Sundays through the end of November are available. Please call Marty Manning at
(928) 220-8818, or seek her out after services on Sunday, to volunteer. 

Many thanks to all who have served as Greeters!  
~ Upcoming Events ~

Celebration of Life: Ed Kurtz
Sunday, September 23, 2:00 pm at Beacon 
From his obituary in the  AZ Daily Sun, "Ed joined the Beacon UU Congregation, and served on the Board of Trustees, from 1990-1994."

RiZe Up Concert with Roy Zimmerman
Saturday, October 27, 7:00 pm at Beacon
RiZe Up is ninety minutes of Roy Zimmerman's original songs, a funny and forceful affirmation of Peace and Social Justice. Roy's songs have been heard on HBO and Showtime, and his videos have garnered tens of millions of views. He's shared stages with Bill Maher, Ellen DeGeneres, Holly Near, Robin Williams, Arlo Guthrie, John Oliver, Kate Clinton and George Carlin, and tours the country constantly with his wife and co-writer Melanie Harby. $20 or pay what you can.

Beacon Community Auction
Saturday, November 3, at Aspen Valley Golf Club
See article above for more details.
~ Joys & Concerns ~

Anne W. shared appreciation on behalf of Barry Malpas. She expressed her appreciation to everyone for your support. It's good to have him back to his "normal" self. We will be going back to Tucson on Wednesday for ongoing treatment. Anne also shared  that her niece and her family are safe, though their home was hit by Hurricane Florence.

Ruth R. shared joy for her ongoing training. She added her gratitude for talking about Suicide Alley. Struggles get better, but they don't go away completely.
~ Beacon Calendar ~
 
Choir Practice
Thursday, September 20
7:00 pm
QiGong
Tuesday, September 25
6:30 pm
RE Family Night 
Friday, September 21
5:00 pm
Chalice Circle
Tuesday, September 25
7:00 pm
Flagstaff Folk Project
Friday, September 21
7:15 pm
Family Food Center Service Day
Wednesday, September 26
3:30 pm
RE Committee Meeting
Sunday, September 23
8:30 am
Kadampa Buddhist Teachings 
Wednesday, September 26
6:30 pm
Worship & Religious Exploration
Sunday, September 23
10:00 am
Beacon Board Meeting
Wednesday, September 26
7:00 pm
Chalice Circle
Sunday, September 23
11:30 am
Choir Practice
Thursday, September 27
7:00 pm
Celebration of Life: Dr. Ed Kurtz
Sunday, September 23
2:00 pm
 Young Adult OWL
Saturday, September 29
12:30 pm
Yoga Practice
Tuesday, September 25
11:00 am & 5:00 pm
Worship & Religious Exploration
Sunday, September 30
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!
~ Beacon Office Hours ~
Minister, 
Rev. Kevin  Lawson 

Tues: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Wed: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thurs: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Or by appointment
Director of RE, 
Amy Huntereece

Sun: 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
Tues:  1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Or by appointment 
  Office Manager, 
Caleb Alexander

Wed: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thurs: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Fri: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Or by appointment
Office Phone (928) 779-4492
~ 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 Caleb, our Office Manager, at  office@beaconuu.com.