Submissions must be submitted by Wednesday at 4:00 pm to [email protected] 
in order to be included in the newsletter. 
~ Sunday Service, January 6, 2019 ~ 
Cultivating Compassion
With Mark James
And Carleton Sheppard
  A Buddhist teaching suggests that we should not try to rid ourselves of pain and suffering, even if it were possible. It is to learn to recognize and be open to them when they appear. Then can begin the transformation to compassion, for ourselves and for others. 


~ Monthly Touchstone Theme: Grace ~ 
~ Religious Exploration ~
On Sunday we will begin the curriculum called  Miracles.
 
Miracles is a multi-generational program that invites a prolonged enco unter with awe and   wonder. Stories from our Unitarian Universalist Sources and hands-on activities engage a wide age span of participants to discern  miracles, experience and express awe and wonder, and discover their own agency for miracle-making. Participants make a uniquely Unitarian Universalist inquiry- a religious search which simultaneously embraces the awesome truth of a miracle's mystery and the "how and why" of rational explanation. Participants explore different kinds of miracles, from the awesome, ordered beauty of Earth and all life on it, to their own capacity to transform themselves and others to bring forth love and justice. 
 
Find out more details about what is happening for this coming Sunday in the  Religious Exploration blog.
 

Do you want to celebrate the New Year with a ceremony at home but not sure what to do?   Look at some ideas here.





Amy Huntereece
Director of Religious Exploration
~ Winter 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 Schedule Will Continue with New Circles in January
4th Sundays, January to April, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Starting January 27 
OR 4th Tuesdays, September to December, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Starting January 29
 
Please contact Char Tarashanti for more information and to register.

(507) 990-3888
~ Social Justice Allies ~



Due to holidays and spring break dates, we will depart from our fairly consistentevery-third-Sunday-schedule for SJA meetings. For the present, be aware of the following important SJA dates:

  • Sunday, January 13, following the service (about 11:15): Next Beacon SJA meeting
  • Thursday, January 24, 6:30p: NAIC (No. AZ Interfaith Council) meeting at North Country Healthcare (upstairs), 2920 No. 4th St. Much of Beacon's effectiveness in our social justice efforts has been in collaboration with NAIC. Yet we need broader Beacon representation in the cluster meetings of NAIC. Please consider attending this January meeting to learn about NAIC's projects!
  • Sunday, February 10, following the service (about 11:15): Beacon SJA meeting
  • Monday, February 18 (Presidents' Day): UU Day at the Legislature. Each year on Presidents' Day UUs from around the state gather in Phoenix to get a fuller picture of expected legislative activity. It's an all-day venture, with (1) an opportunity to learn what to expect this legislative session as well as (2) to get acquainted with other Arizona UUs and (3) to meet with our specific legislators. As we approach that date, we'll organize carpooling.
  • Sunday, March 24: UUJAZ (UU Justice Arizona) network Executive Director Rev. Lisa McDaniel-Hutchings will deliver the morning's sermon, then meet with SJA for an exchange and update on UUJAZ activities.
Roz Clark
SJA Journalist  
~ Community Action Committee ~

Beacon's community partner for January 2019 is Flagstaff Shelter Services (FSS). Established in 2006 by concerned citizens, business owners, and faith-based organizations, FSS provides critical shelter, food, and access to resources for Flagstaff's most vulnerable people.  Regardless of faith, mental health or sobriety, the shelter serves any adult experiencing homelessness.

In 2014, FSS became a year-round shelter serving those in need every night of the year, providing personal and behavioral crisis response, and helping clients move from crisis toward self-sufficiency.
 
~ Beacon Calendar ~
 
Choir Practice
Thursday, January 3
7:00 pm
RE: Coming of Age Retreat
Tuesday, January 8
6:30 pm
RE: Coming of Age Retreat
Saturday, January 5
10:00 am
RE Committee Meeting
Wednesday, January 9
5:00 pm
Worship & Religious Exploration
Sunday, January 6
 10:00 am
Finance Committee Meeting
Wednesday, January 9
6:30 pm
First Sunday Fun Day - New Year's Party
Sunday, January 6 
11:30 am
 Choir Practice
Thursday, January 10
7:00 pm
Newcomers' Orientation
Sunday, January 6
11:30 am
SoulCollage with Char
Saturday, January 12
9:00 am
QiGong
Tuesday, January 8
 6:30 pm
Worship & Religious Exploration
Sunday, January 13
10:00 am

 
If you would like to submit a calendar event, send an email to  [email protected] . 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: 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
Wed:  8:00 am - 1:00 pm
Or by appointment 
  Office Manager, 
Volunteer

Tues: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Wed: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Thurs: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Or by appointment
Office Phone (928) 779-4492
~ Unitarian Universalist Seven Principles ~
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Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote seven Principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides. We live out these Principles within a "living tradition" of wisdom and spirituality, drawn from  sources as diverse as science, poetry, scripture, and personal experience.  Learn more at beaconuu.com!

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~ 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 our Office Manager, at  [email protected].