Spiritually Open, Intentionally Inclusive since 1958
510 N Leroux
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
928-779-4492
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E-News for February 18, 2021 |
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- This Sunday at Beacon -
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Sunday, February 21, 2021
Virtual Worship, February 21, 2021: UUA “Side With Love” Sunday
What if to "side with love" meant making bold, faith-full choices? What if it were even a little bit scary? This engaging service brings together a diverse group of worship leaders and musicians from across the country to offer hopeful, moving, challenging reminders about what we, as Unitarian Universalists, are called to do, and BE, in the world.
Come to the Post-Service Gatherings at 11!
Come to the Post-Service Gatherings on Zoom at 11 am to connect, share joys and sorrows, and reflect on the service. The Zoom link can be found in our e-news on the Beacon website. Sign up to receive the e-news directly!
~ Please join us after the service ~
Join our post gathering discussion by clicking the link below
Passcode: 968647
Or call +1 669 900 6833 and enter Meeting ID: 733 037 203
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Please note: We recommend that you donate to Vanco directly from a bank account to save us the fees associated with credit card donations. More for us to sustain our congregation.
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Share Your Joys and Sorrows- Chime In!
One way we can sustain connection during this time apart is by sharing our personal joys and sorrows. These can be small things or large things that effect your life. Please send these to Rev. Robin by Thursday night each week at minister@beaconuu.com Or,be in touch and we can record a short Zoom- recorded snippets to include in the service.
Only first names will be used. Or, you can share your joys and sorrows live at our
Post-Service Zoom Gatherings, Sundays at 11.
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Porch Visits with Rev. Robin
(Weather Permitting)
Who is that masked minister in her "Soul" mobile? It's Rev. Robin! - ready to
come by for a socially-distanced
visit on your porch, patio, or deck.
Trailhead meet-ups and easy hikes, we could even meet at a park, or walk in your neighborhood. You decide! Just give a shout-minister@beaconuu.com
or 978-505-7245
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We have a new Office Manager!!
Meet Rose McMillan
Rose has lived in Flagstaff for 5 years. Previously she lived in Oregon. We are excited to get to know her better so, stop by and say hello!
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Caring and Connected Team Calling!
We have created a "Caring and Connected" Team to keep us in touch during this time of virtual church and physical distancing. Members and friends of Beacon received another phone call and/or an email from one of our team leaders to connect in early December. As always, Rev. Robin is here to talk with you, come by for a masked porch visit, and help you with pastoral or practical needs. minister@beaconuu.com or call 978-505-7245.
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Beloved Beacon Members and Friends,
The Stewardship Campaign is officially underway! On Monday a letter will be mailed to all members and friends. It will include a pledge form for our fiscal year (July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022) and a stamped return envelope. Please fill it out and return it within a week. If you are new to pledging, or want to discuss any aspect of financial stewardship, please contact any of us by phone or email.
Our operating expenses have continued even though we are not meeting in person at the church. While every effort is being made to save as much as possible, there are salary expenses including minister, music director, accompanist, and office manager. Utilities for the building continue, if at a somewhat lesser level. There are office expenses, as well as committee costs to continue our vibrant programs. As stated in last week’s newsletter, pledges constitute the vast majority of our revenue. Other sources are our annual auction and yard sale, building rental, and plate collection, all of which will be lower than budgeted this year. We are of course hoping that we will be back to some degree of normal early in the fiscal year. We hope you will keep our Beacon shining brightly with a generous pledge.
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Small COVID-Safe Soiree Circles have formed. Signs Up still open. |
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Remember Circle Suppers - the popular program offered at Beacon where each circle was semi-randomly assembled, and the members took turns hosting the gatherings?
We are now offering a new version that we call "Soiree Circles."
Paul Beier is the organizer. Gatherings are COVID-safe due to their small size and will be held outdoors. If you want to laugh together, share stories, deepen old friendships,
make new friends who share your principles and experiences, this is a great way to do it! face-to-face and not on zoom.
To learn more about how the program is organized and how to host these gatherings and to sign up using the online form, click on the links below. So far, we have had 11 families sign up for the program. Members of all ages are welcome to participate. See Flyer here
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Here’s an update on our Holiday Gift appeal from |
We have received 20 gifts totaling $7,290 |
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If you have items to donate to the Beacon Yard Sale, contact yardsale@beaconuu.com. Mark your calendars for a masked, socially distanced, annual yard sale in the Beacon back yard on the first Saturday in June (6/5/2021). Some donated items may be sold online before June. You can shop the items online here. Type “Flagstaff - Beacon” with quotation marks in the search bar at the top to filter the list.
Dennis Spurlin
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Religious Exploration
We encourage Beacon families to continue Religious Exploration at home!
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Our Imaginative and Inspiring Religious Exploration Programs
We're excited to have formed a Religious Exploration collaboration with the Granite Peak UU Church in Prescott, AZ which is going wonderfully well. Read the update in this column. You can learn about both of the programs we're offering, CartUUns and The Fifth Dimension below, on our website, and on the program website here.
Religious Exploration for Children
~Beacon at Home~
Cartuuns
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For our younger kids (K-5, and younger as appropriate), we have chosen CARTUUNS, which explores UU values and principles through Disney and Pixar short films, such as the award-winning "La Luna." We are screen sharing through ZOOM with families from both churches. 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM twice a month on Zoom.
Upcoming classes:
February 28th "Dug's Special Mission"
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Religious Exploration for Middle/High School Youth
The Fifth Dimension
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For Middle School/Junior High(and older or slightly younger, as appropriate), we are collaborating on another Imagine-RE program called The Fifth Dimension. Through classic Twilight Zone episodes (created by Unitarian Rod Serling), we are exploring social and political issues relevant to youth. Students become deeply engaged in the topics and engrossed in the storytelling and "sci-fi" twists in episodes like "Eye of the Beholder" and "Enough Time At Last." We are screen sharing through ZOOM with families from both churches. The lessons are stand-alone and can be joined from week to week. Please take a look at the link and let us know if you'll give it a try.
5th Dimension 11:30 am-12:45pm
Upcoming classes:
February 28, 2021 11:30 AM Arizona
Episode: The Old Man in the Cave, Season 5, Episode 7
Passcode: 510
"No preparation for the class is required! Youth can just join the meeting at the scheduled time and you are ready to go!"
Religious Exploration for Adults
New Programs Coming Soon
“Daring Greatly” was a success and a meaningful experience for participants. Thanks to all who attended. Rev. Robin is working on choosing a new resource for a similar type of reading and reflection format to begin in March. Details and dates coming in March.
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Evenings of February 13th, and March 26th, 2021
Youth and adult participants will be led to examine different types of leadership, what it takes to be an effective leader, conflict resolution skills, ways you can help foster youth leadership in our communities, and some self-evaluation and insight into the type of leader you’d like to be. We’ll also give you resources for local, regional, and national leadership opportunities including include a panel discussion & Q&A with current UU leaders and interest focused small groups. How to lead during these surreal times and how to spiritually nourish that leadership will also be explored.
Leads: Kellie Burden, MDD youth board & Jessica Laikeman, DRE & Camping Ministries Director.
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~ Monthly Touchstone Theme: ~ Mercy |
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Chalice Circle Meeting
Tuesday, Feb 23 at 7 PM
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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. All are welcome.
Discussion examines subjects as provided in the monthly journal of Unitarian Universalism, Touchstones. To meet the needs of the congregation, we have made attendance open.
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Social Justice Allies
Anti-Harassment Training
Hollaback is a nonprofit on a mission to end harassment - in all its forms. They provide free trainings throughout the year to give people the resources to respond to, prevent and intervene in instances of harassement. If you are interested in participating in a training or learning more, please visit the following link:
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As UUs we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people. Join UUJAZ to learn more about LGBTQ+ discrimination in employment, healthcare, youth sports, and adoptions and what will happen if Roe v. Wade falls, what anti-abortion laws are currently being proposed in the state legislature, and what laws already exist. Hear from our partners at Planned Parenthood Action AZ and Equality AZ about what you can do to defend LGBTQ+ and gender justice! Register here.
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Book GroUUp 3rd Fridays, 12-1:30 pm What legacy will you leave your beloved: your children, grandchildren, congregation, community, and/or country about how you worked to dismantle systemic racism during your lifetime? What will you bequeath to your beloved? What is your hope for their future, for Beloved Community? Join Rev. Tina Squire and Steve Kraynak on the third Friday of each month for a justice-centered book discussion from the perspective of our Unitarian Universalist values. Here we will use reading, conversation, and writing to answer these questions. February 19, 2021: Discuss The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin March 19, 2021: Discuss Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates April 16, 2021: Discuss BREATHE – A Letter To My Sons by Imani Perry May 21, 2021: Read aloud our own letters we've written to our Beloved. Register here.
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Beloved Conversations: Spring 2021 Register on Feb 1st, course begins March 15thThe first phase of Meadville Lombard's Beloved Conversations anti-racism curriculum, Within, will open for registration in February. Within focuses on the internal work that each of us needs to do as we engage racial justice. Within work will include individual Lessons, using videos, music, and readings, accompanied by reflection prompts and suggested conversations with Critical Friends chosen by the participants; bi-weekly small group conversations in a Learning Pod; and larger, monthly, facilitated Meaning-Making Sessions on Zoom. We hope you join us to embody racial justice as a spiritual practice, to heal the impact of racism on our lives, in order to get free together.
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Race Matters in the Supreme Court Tuesday’s March 9th, 16th, 23rd from 4-5:30 pm As UUs, we recognize the existence of many realities and even more so, how those realities are interwoven. The connection between law and race is one of these ever-present truths. Join Political Science Professor and UU, Howard Tolley for three 90 minute sessions examining the impact of race, political ideology, legal principles, and personal preference on the selection of Justices and the decisions they reach. Register here.
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Multikulti: Removing Unconscious Debris From the Soil of the Soul Thursdays, Feb 4th-March 11th, 6:30-8pm In our present Time of Tumult, Rev. Anthony Johnson offers a container and powerful methods for exploring the “Ism’s” of race, gender, class, religion and more, that challenge our culture, our communities, and our relationships. Six sessions of learning, unlearning, feeling and sharing about our differences; moving us toward creating change - in ourselves and the world around us. Register here.
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Trans Inclusion in Congregations from Transforming Hearts Collective UUJAZ is thrilled to provide access to this online course on radical welcoming for all AZ UUs, thanks to a generous grant from the UU Funding panel. This course on transformational culture shift counts towards your annual Welcoming Congregation renewal. Contact us for your free login code (usually $125 per person) to explore this course at your own pace, or create a group at your congregation to take it together! If you’re interested in taking this course through UUJAZ, Janine Gelsinger is happy to schedule a time to facilitate. Contact her at uujaz.director@gmail.com.
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UU Day at the Legislature: VIRTUA February 15th, 9 am - 12 pm UU Day at the Legislature is a tradition that's been around for years, even pre-dating UUJAZ. Hundreds of UUs from across the state come to the Capitol to voice our values to our State Legislators. This year, to keep everyone safe, DATL is going VIRTUAL! We have scheduled incredible partners and amazing speakers... and it's not too late for you to join us. Register here.\
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The Hearth: A Sacred Space for BIPOC UUs February 24th, 6:30 - 8:00 pm Come sit by The Hearth and share your heart. In this space for Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (including Mixed/Multiracial or Transracially adopted folx), we will share, support, and learn together as we journey towards spiritual wholeness. Register here.
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A Special Message from Rev. Robin about BIPOC Allyship
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Dear Beloved Community,
America is on fire with rage, weary from a pandemic, and aching with despair. Along with the rest of our country, we've read and heard so many devastating accounts over the past week, the most heart-rending from people of color coping with another case of murderous systemic racism in our country. I do not need to (nor, am I entitled to) add anything to their experiences or parse what they have to say about racism. They live it.
...To read the full message on our website, please click here
Lifespan Religious Exploration Resources for Learning About and Responding to Racism
This painful moment in time calls us to focus our learning and reflection on allyship to people of color, understanding white privilege, and reflecting on how we can part of a systemic sea change and solution in our society.
Beacon has provided resources for all ages addressing how we as individuals and as communities can learn about and respond to racism. For the full list of resources, activities and community meetings, visit Beacon's Religious Exploration pages.
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Healing Racism and Murdoch Center Programs and Events
Healing Racism Arizona and the Murdoch Community Center in Flagstaff have several events in the next few weeks that might be of interest to the Beacon community. Healing Racism Arizona is accessible through Facebook. The live events for the Murdoch Community Center are also through Facebook
And can be watched afterwards on their YouTube channel Tune in here.
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Worship
Sunday, February 21, 2021
10 am - 11 am
UUA “Side With Love” Sunday
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Post-Service Gathering
Sunday, February 21, 2020
11:00 am
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Cartuuns
Sunday, February 21, 2021
10am-10:45
"Lava"
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Fifth Dimension
Sunday, February 21, 2021
11am-12:45pm
Episode: Number 12 Looks Just Like You (Season 5 Ep 16)
Passcode: 510
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Everyday Ways to Support Beacon UU
1. When you go to Fry's grocery store, use the Beacon phone number (928 779 4492) as the Alternate ID when it asks for it at the beginning of checkout, and you will get shopping discounts for Fry's members, as well as donating a percentage of your expenditure to Beacon. You can also sign up for an individual account if you prefer that, or want to take advantage of the gasoline discounts. You have to pick Beacon as your beneficiary when you set up your own account.
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2. If you shop on Amazon, please use "Amazon Smile" and choose Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation (do not abbreviate UU) as your recipient. We will receive a 0.5% for every purchase and that can add up! Remember that you have to start each shopping session at smile.amazon.com for us to receive the donation.
3. Another online fundraiser is igive.com. Once again, create your own account with a user name and password, then select settings, my cause, and type in Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation (do not abbreviate UU). Then you can order from any of the hundreds of organizations listed under igive. There are also coupons listed online you can use when ordering from some organizations.
4. Basha's has a special debit card that you can charge up before shopping, and a portion of what goes through the debit card gets donated to Beacon because that card is tied to Beacon. Ask Anne Wittke for further information.
Have other ideas for our income incubator? leave them on a card in the bin in the lobby, or send them to Rev. Robin.
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~ Beacon Office Hours & Contacts ~
Office Phone (928) 779-4492
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Minister,
Rev. Robin Zucker
Mon: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Wed: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Thurs: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Or by appointment:
978-505-7245 - talk and text (confidential line)
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Director of RE
Our engaging programs for all ages continue while we search for a new Religious Exploration Director.
Rev. Robin can answer your RE questions.
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Office Manager,
Rose McMillan
Mon: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Wed: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Thurs: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
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~ Unitarian Universalist Seven Principles ~
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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You no longer need to forward your spam emails to spam@uce.gov, because the Federal Trade Commission is now collecting spam through a honeypot, which is an online trap. This change makes it more efficient for the FTC to collect spam that is deceptive or violates the CAN-SPAM Act. This change saves tax dollars, your time, and helps the FTC collect deceptive and illegal spam. If you lost money to a scam that started with an email, please report it at ftc.gov/complaint. There, you can also report spam you receive. Read more about how to limit spam, phone calls, and mail.
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If you are not on Beacon's dedicated 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 office@beaconuu.com or Visit: https://groups.google.com/d/forum/uuflag
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Contribute to Beacon's Weekly News
Newsletter submissions must be submitted by Wednesday at 4:00 pm
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