THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020
Service Leader:
Janine Gelsinger, Director UUJAZ

As Unitarian Universalists, we see our justice work as living out our values into the world. We covenant that "service is our prayer." What might it look like to create a Spiritual Practice of justice work?
Meet Janine Gelsinger, the new Executive Director of UUJAZ (Unitarian Universalist Justice Arizona Network). As she shares about her life and the path that led her to this role, and builds relationships in our congregation, she'll invite us to consider our relationship with social justice activism, as well as spiritual practice, and suggest a way to have the two meet in a daily ritual.
 
Music: ReSisters and Mary Cota, Pianist
Living Justice Into the World Workshop
Facilitator:
Janine Gelsinger, Executive Director, UUJAZ
This Sunday, February 2nd, after second service in the Sanctuary
 
Our UU values call us to act in the name of justice. But how do we bring our unique skills, talents, and schedules to justice work? How do we ensure our justice work is accessible, intersectional, centers frontline communities, and lives into the kind of world we are fighting to create? Discover UUJAZ's programs for 2020, that support Immigration + Criminal Justice, LGBTQ+ Justice, Climate Justice, and Political Advocacy, and discern how you can take action. We'll weave together program information, with poetry, stories, movement, and prayer to ground and inspire you.
Special Service
Fireside Candlemas Service 

Saturday, February 1, 6:00pm

"Here is hope. We welcome the growth of the returning light and witness Life's insatiable appetite for rebirth."
Join us as we celebrate the coming spring. Imbloc, St Brigid's, Candlemas is our chance to gather, sing, tend the fire, and encourage one another.
We will meet in the Memorial Garden for a casual evening around the fire and celebrate a small ritual. Please feel free to bring a camp chair or blanket to sit on.
Social Justice Opportunities
Sunday, February 2nd at the back of the sanctuary
Civic Engagement

The 2020 session of the AZ Legislature is currently in the process of considering all kinds of bills, many of which are contrary to UU Principles. The outcome of these bills will directly affect the lives of AZ citizens. These bills address voter rights, education funding, school voucher expansion, gun policy, prison laborer’s rights, increased tax exemptions for businesses, mandatory sentences for drug use, women’s right to choose, and much more.
Last week, about 20 of us were trained to use RTS (Request to Speak) to weigh in on these bills from home. The annual UU Day at the Legislature is on President’s Day, Feb. 17 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, where UU’s from all over the state will show up to voice their views in person to their representatives. A “captain” from each district will make appointments with the reps who are willing to meet, and all who have signed up will have the chance to meet their reps face-to-face. If you’re free on that Monday holiday, sign up for this adventure at http://tiny.cc/UUDATL or at the back table. Find out which legislative district you are in at http://tiny.cc/FindLeg .
There will be a training on how to speak to your representatives on Sunday, Feb. 16 from 12:30-1:15.

Order items needed at the Welcome Center for asylum-seekers at http://tiny.cc/WelcomeHelp . Most needed: jackets, underwear and socks for kids, adult size small. Info at back table.
Earth Justice Ministry
Please join us for the Community Dinner on February 6, prepared by our group. Afterward, we hope you will join us for the film "Last Call at the Oasis", a full-length film about water. Before the film, Igor Glenn will sing an original song about sounds underground near the Pascagoula River. Dorie Morales, Publisher of Green Living magazine, will speak about simple things we can do to bring about change. She is passionate about this topic because cancer, dementia and adverse reactions to medications have taken all the members of her immediate family!

Green Tip:  Avoid plastics,   especially for taking home hot food, or reheating it: #3 PVC Poly-Vinyl Chloride; #6 PS Poly-Styrene; #7, Other (what is it?). Try bringing your own take-home containers.
Blue Tip:  Use a low-flow shower head. They are inexpensive, easy to install, and can save up to 750 gallons of water per month.
Diet for a small planet tip:  Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO's) and livestock production account for 15% of carbon pollution. Eat less meat and meat products.
Community Night Dinners
Are Back!
Thursday, February 6th at 6:00 pm

Join us as Earth Justice Ministry will be making a vegan feast! It will feature a roast vegetable stew, salad, bread, and dessert! Please join us Thursday at 6 pm in the Johnson Room. Afterward, the film "Last Call at the Oasis" will be shown.

Click on the link to sign up for future pot lucks: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b4aa8aa2eabfe3-community






UUCP is delighted to offer three Faith Development Classes for Winter/Spring 2020. 

Here is what is coming up:

 New General Semantics Study/Discussion Group
6 Sessions beginning February 2 nd after second service,
12:45 to 2:00 pm

Would you like fewer problems with miscommunications, misunderstandings or hurt feelings? If so, check out new group: General Semantics ( www.generalsemantics.org ). “You too can function better in your life by using general semantics. You can learn how to improve the way you evaluate, so you can make more and full use of your potentialities, learn more easily, cope better with uncertainty and change, achieve more of what you want…” From Drive Yourself Sane: Using the Uncommon Sense of General Semantics, Drs. Susan and Bruce Kodish.
Pete Creelman will lead our study and discussions. A rejoined member of the Institute of General Semantics, Pete has also recently rejoined UUCP. Cost: $15.00 for book Drive Yourself Sane (3rd edition).
Contact Pete at (602) 971-9277 or slspete@cox.net for more information.  

Kernels of Character
6 Sessions: Thursdays, February 13- March 19, from 7-9 pm
Registration opens Feb. 3  (Gary is away until then)

What are the characteristics of a “good person” or a “life well lived”? It is not a short list; life has many dimensions, and there are many virtues that are admirable. None of us can embody them all, and different religions, philosophical traditions, and writers emphasize some more than others. In the spirit of living an examined life, in each of these sessions we will look at 3-4 of these virtues, grouped by a common theme: Acceptance (Humility, Non-attachment, Patience); Empathy (Compassion, Charity, Respect, Justice); Integrity (Honesty, Perseverance, Discipline); Joy (Wonder, Attentiveness, Gratitude) and Possibility (Courage, Creativity, Faith).

Led by Gary Ezzell: In each session, we will first share readings, quotes, poems, and songs that illustrate or celebrate the selected qualities. Then we will offer our personal reflections: Why are these important (or not), when have we experienced or needed to draw on them, when are they difficult to live up to, when have we seen them expressed? Finally, we will consider how we might cultivate these qualities in our lives.


Resistance and Transformation:
UU Social Justice History 
6 Sessions: Thursdays, March 26 through May 7 (not including April 9th ), from 7-9 pm

Grounded in the belief that even “failures” in our history can be instructive, this program presents the ongoing struggle of our tradition to live up to its ever-evolving ideals of social transformation. Themes include abolition, peace-making, civil rights, free speech, utopianism, counter-culture, the women’s movements of both 19th and 20th centuries, sexuality education, and LGBT equality.

Led by Debbie Westwood: Originally from England where she attended a traditional evangelical church, Debbie has lived in Phoenix for five years and in North American for more than 20 years. She has a passion for learning and adult education, currently with a particular interest in spirituality, social justice and intersectionality.

Chalice Keepers
You are warmly invited to the annual reception of the Unitarian Universalist Chalice Keepers Legacy Society.
Come meet members of the UU Foundation Board, meet current Chalice Keepers and learn more about planned giving opportunities to sustain and strengthen UUCP over the long term.
Please let us know if you are coming so we can plan for refreshments. RSVP to Diana by February 19 th at 480-259-5486 or email to UUFP@phoenixuu.org .

Opportunities to Connect and Serve
Opportunity for Enthusiastic, Dedicated Individuals!

The UUCP Nominating Committee is planning and preparing for the upcoming elections in the spring of 2020 for openings on the following leadership teams:
1.     UUCP Board of Trustees (2 year term)
2.     UU Foundation (3 year term)
3.     Nominating Committee (2 year term)
Being involved in one of UUCP’s leadership teams can be a rewarding experience and provide you with a meaningful way to contribute to UUCP’s success. This could be an opportunity for you or someone you know to get more involved!  As member of one of these teams you can participate in ways that energize you, enable you to use your talents and skills, and help you and our community grow. It is also very important to UUCP that we have diversity in our leadership groups, so we strongly encourage all members who have time to contribute to put their name forward to be nominated for a leadership team position.
These three committees support UUCP’s mission of:
·       Building community
·       Growing in spirit
·       Sharing journeys
·       Advancing justice
You may contact any member of the Nominating Committee to discuss your interest or to suggest another member that you would like to nominate for a position. All nominees must be current members of UUCP.
Please speak with or contact any Nominating Committee member for more information: Caroli Peterson, Betsy Bradley, Walt Doherty, Karen Kurtz, Kat Dickson (Chair), Val Wylie.
Nominating Committee email:  nominating@phoenixuu.org .
Outdoor Group Happenings
We have two events coming up in the near future. On Monday, February 3, Cherie Stafford will be leading a hike at South Mountain. We have had requests for a weekday hike, and Cherie has offered to lead this one. If we get a good turnout, we will think about making this a regular in the hiking schedule. Click on the link below for the details of the hike. If you would like to carpool from UUCP, please notify Bonnie at 562-889-9404.
 
The next event is our regularly scheduled hike, Saturday, February 8. Laurel Hardin will be leading another favorite – Fatman’s Pass on South Mountain. All of the details are spelled out in the flyer. This is the time of year when hiking is at its very best! If you have been thinking about joining our group, it’s time to lace up those boots. I hope to see a large crowd at the trailhead on the 8 th

Next Sunday, February 9th
And Yet We Persist
Service Leader:
Rev. Christine Dance

 Sometimes it can feel like the world is falling apart—in our personal lives, in our community or in the larger world. Especially these days, as it feels like so many things that we worked for are being pulled back, where do we find our resilience? We will explore the theme of resilience as we also welcome new members and hear about where our congregation stands in our mid-year Congregational Meeting between services.
Music: UUCP Choir, Mary Cota

February Theme: Resilience
Congregational Meeting
Please mark your calendar for next Sunday—February 9 th—for our mid-year congregational meeting. Between services, we will give an update on our finances, goals, our first year with Rev. Dance, and the plans for hiring a new administrator. It will also be a time to say thank you to Lora for all her work at UUCP. It will be short, but packed with great information. It will be in the sanctuary from 10:40-11:15.
Traveling Second Fridays

Friday, February 14, 7 pm

United Arab Emirates (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
by Barbara Cawthorne
United Arab Emirates (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) by Barbara Cawthorne

Dubai is a global city and business hub in the Middle East. It was a fishing village in the early 18th century. Oil revenue helped the development of the city, however Dubai’s current oil production levels are low; less than 5% of the Emirate’s revenue comes from oil. Today, Dubai’s economy relies on revenues from: trade, tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services. Abu Dhabi is the country’s center of political and industrial activities, and a major cultural and commercial center, due to it being the capital.

If you have any questions about Traveling 2nd Fridays, call Barbara Cawthorne at (480) 994-1452. Join us for this one-hour presentation and everyone is welcome!

Remember: Mark your calendars for the 2nd Friday of each month from January through May.
Save The Date
Add to your schedule UUCP’s Installation of Reverend Christine Dance! Save the date for Saturday, March 21st at 2 pm when we celebrate with the Unitarian Universalist denomination the installation of our new minister, Rev. Christine Dance. This is a celebration of music, hope and the future of our congregation and our denomination. You won’t want to miss it.
Resilient UU Co-Support
This group's first meeting was a success! We talked about physical activities that help the mind, sleep hygiene, and the importance of community to each of us. This is a cooperative group for UUs of all ages who are neuro-diverse and want to create a community of care, support, and accountability. Our next meetings are Feb. 5th ( 6-7pm), Feb. 13th (7-8pm), Feb. 19th (6-7pm), Feb. 27th (7-8pm). Online meeting is available as well. Contact MikallFoerster@gmail.com for more details.
Inclusion Team
The inclusion team is helping plan a service for March 15 that will feature members who live with autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder and other forms of neuro-diversity. We will also be planning one or more panel discussions and a support group. If you or your family members are affected, please join our discussion. We will meet after the Community Night dinner on February 6. For more information, contact Vince at comprofasu@gmail.com.
UU Day at the Legislature
Our annual UU Day at the Legislature is coming up, as always, on Monday, February 17th at the state capitol in Phoenix. If you've been a part of organizing DATL in the past, could you please contact us at uujaz.director@gmail.com and let us know your past role and how you'd like to help, or if we need to find someone else? The time is also ripe for ideas, suggestions, and comments about DATL to come our way… please email us this week if you have thoughts to share!  
Janine Gelsinger can be reached by responding to this email, or at  UUJAZ.director@gmail.com .
Be Part of the Team

Would you like to help out with Compass and the weekly Order of Service? We need a few people to rotate the responsibilities of our congregation's news publications. We can train those who have basic computer skills and your participation would be a huge help!

Contact Us

Here are the email addresses to use for the various communication entities of UUCP:

announcements@phoenixuu.org - Compass and Order of Service
uucpcalendarwiz@gmail.com - Events Calendar entries 
webmaster@phoenixuu.org - Web page entries and updates
Upcoming
2/2 • UUJAZ Workshop 12:30pm - 2:30pm @ Sanctuary
2/2 • UU Foundation Meeting 12:45pm - 2:15pm @ Annex B
2/3 • Open Arts & Crafts Studio • 9:30 AM-Noon, Johnson Room
2/3 • Racial Justice Collaborative 6:00pm - 8:30pm 
2/6 • Community Night Dinner • 6:00 PM-7:00 PM, Johnson Room
2/6 • Chalice Kids• 6:30 PM-9:00 PM, Room 15
2/6 • Future Masculine Men's Group • 7:00 PM-9:00 PM, Annex C
2/6 • BLUU 7:00pm - 8:00pm @ Room 22
2/7 • Walking Conversation Lovers 6:30am - 8:30am
2/8 • Advanced Level Meditation 10:00am - 12:00pm @ Annex B
2/9 • Congregational Meeting 10:40 - 11:15 am