OUR MISSION: TO WELCOME, CARE FOR, AND INSPIRE

April 24, 2020

MVUU Connected: Weekly nUUsletter

Message from the Minister: A Joy-Full Thank You!

(Click image above to see this week's video, a SPECIAL baby shower THANK YOU message from Rev. Sam!)

Weekly Online Calendar Stay Connected this Week... Saturday, April 25 Finding the Light Within: Stress and Anxiety Reduction Group - With Jeanie Underwood - Weekly on Saturdays, through May 9, 10 am - 11:30 am. Check in, share how we are, and share spiritual practices and relaxation exercises to support a sense of inner peace. You may join by Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/937776305) or by phone at (253) 215-8782 Meeting ID# 937-776-305. Email Jeanie at 2jeanie.underwood@gmail.com for more information. Sunday, April 26  -  Join us for Our Weekly Sunday Service and Fellowship Hour! Sunday Book Group Online: Hosted by John Clark - 8:30 am - 10 am Until the End of Time: Mind, Matter and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe by Brian Greene. For the Zoom link, email John at alvinclark@aol.com. Sunday Service Online: Baja 4, 10 am - Led by Rev. Matthew Crary - available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MVUUCongregation Fellowship Hour Online: Fellowship Hour, 11 am: https://uuma.zoom.us/j/724549348. You can also join by phone: dial (253) 215-8782 and enter the Meeting ID# 724 549 348 when prompted. Wednesday, April 29 A Time to Share - With Tom Sawyer - Weekly on Wednesdays, through May 13, 7 pm - 8 pm. A drop-in group to share with fellow members and friends in this time of uncertainty. Join by Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/633201072) or by phone at (253) 215-8782 Meeting ID# 633-201-072. Thursday, April 30 Community Singing - With Shekela Wanyama, Music Director - Weekly on Thursdays, 7 pm - 8 pm. Join our Music Director in song sharing and listening-all are welcome! You may join by Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/138920184) or by phone at (253) 215-8782, Meeting ID# 138-920-184. Email Shekela at shekela.wanyama@mvuu.org for more information. Friday, May 1 Fellowship Friday - With Rev. Samantha - Weekly on Fridays, 12 pm - 1 pm. A time for community connection with Rev. Sam while we eat lunch together! Join Rev. Sam online in her Zoom Room with this link each Friday: https://uuma.zoom.us/my/revsamanthawilson.

Sharing a Glimpse

Because we cannot share sights and sounds alongside one another, in this corner of the newsletter we will share photos submitted by you depicting your world from where you sit. It's yet another way to share a glimpse into one another's lives. Thank you for your responses to this week's "My Sacred Space at Home." They are wonderful windows into one another's lives. For next week’s issue, please send us a photo of "What Brings Me Joy." Send to editor@mvuu.org no later than Wednesday, April 29, at 12 pm.

Kaaren & T.J. Boothroyd ‌ Moira Poje

Jim & Debbie Gessaman Jim & Pam Donnelly

President's Column It is wonderful to see your faces in the Zoom coffee hours and meetings! So many of you are staying in touch and encouraging others to try video conferencing.     New Caring Circles have started to connect us in groups of proximity, so we can support each other. I hope you all will answer YES, when contacted about joining a Caring Circle, even if you do not yet know the people in your group…..it will promote community connections! The Board made a big decision at its meeting last week! We will postpone forming a Ministerial Search Committee for one year. We are asking the UUA for a third year of Interim Ministry, with or without Rev. Samantha, who is free to opt otherwise. If so, we will then apply for one year of another Interim Minister. Our Reasons:  Our building project will be continuing through the next several months. Even if we move in by the end of June, a BIG task, some building projects and décor will be completed after Move In.   All those on the PMT and Ambiance committees are fully engaged for the foreseeable future, and more of you will want to be involved in details of settling in our new home. This takes ENERGY and FOCUS! We also need focus to get our program up and running in our new home! The uncertainties of the Covid-19 virus adaptations to online activities will make it difficult to schedule an “in person” retreat for a search committee now, and may even extend to the later interviews of prospective ministers. Too much is unknown at this time. Thank you all for your patience during this unique time in the life of our congregation.             Anne Tatum, Board President

Education Petition Opportunity INVESTinED is a Citizens Ballot Initiative that will guarantee needed state funding to support education for all public school students in Arizona. Despite the current obstacles, INVESTinEd is forging ahead to gather signatures by mail. A number of you have signed this petition prior to the corona virus emergency. Thank you. If not, this is how it works. INVESTinED will mail you a package with a petition for your family and instructions for its completion, notarization and return. If you have not already signed a petition and are willing to do a little extra to help please  contact Anne Leonard by e-mail:  anne@alartworks.com , with your name, address, and phone number and she will see that you get the package.    What it Does: Restores $940 million annually in K-12 education funding Ensures accountability: these dollars must be spent where they are needed most for public education (teacher and staff salaries and technical support) Assesses a small income-tax surcharge (3.5%) on only the highest 1 percent of earners ($250,00 for singles, $500,00 for couples). Help us build on the on the previous INVESTinED petition drive that was fully supported by the voters but eventually rejected by the state court on a technicality in wording. See https://investined.com/ for more information Anne Leonard, JCC Chair

Tech Encouragement Sessions: With Ricky Tutaan and Rev. Samantha! Join us and learn! Are you new to Zoom, Facebook and YouTube? What if you take a photo on your phone and want to share it with other people in our congregation or your family? Ricky and Rev. Sam want to help! Join us for our remaining Tech Encouragement sessions. We will help you learn and be more comfortable with the tools we are relying on to connect with one another. Friday, April 24, 11 am - 12 pm Thursday, April 30, 12 pm - 1pm Sign up for a session by emailing Ricky at ricky.tutaan@mvuu.org

Bookaholics Unanimous - We're online! Tuesday, April 28, 2 pm  The Bookaholics April meeting will go online! We will be meeting from our homes on April 28. The book we will be discussing is   The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison . If you are interested, new to the group or need the Zoom link for the meeting, email Anne at anne@alartworks.com  or call (520) 307-8045.

April's Woven Basket Partner: The Community Food Bank The Community Food Bank responds to the root causes of hunger and seeks to restore dignity, health, opportunity and hope to people living in poverty. Their mission is to change lives in the communities they serve by feeding the hungry today, and building a healthy, hunger-free tomorrow. They are experienced and well organized to purchase and distribute food, especially in these difficult times. Visit their website at https://www.communityfoodbank.org/ How to Donate: Y ou can make your donations online at http://mvuu.org/donate/ or by check to the Church Office. The mailing address is: MVUU, P. O. Box 91080, Tucson AZ 85752.

Pastoral Care The Pastoral Care Team is working hard at new ways of connecting and supporting one another in the midst of COVID-19. Reach Out To Pastoral Care today to share how you are.

MVUU Photo Directory For Login Directions & Information Contact Erin Chadwell at  administrator@mvuu.org.

The "MVUU Connected" Newsletter is published via email every other Friday.

Dialing for Dollars! Text to Give Number (520) 447- 4730 If you are inspired to give for any reason, text the amount (i.e. $25) and a descriptor (i.e.,  Donation  or  Mesquite Madness  or  Wooden Bowl ). The donation will go directly into our Breeze database.

Newsletter deadlines: The next newsletter will be published  May 1. Submit articles to editor@mvuu.org by 12 pm, Monday, April 27.  No Exceptions. Articles may not exceed 250 words.   Deadline for submitting Sharing a Glimpse photos is Wednesday, April 29 at 12 pm . Thank you.