SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2022, AT 10 A.M.

“A Brave Conversation with the Flagstaff Unitarian CommUnity,”

The Lived Black Experience of the Rev. Dr. Bernadine Lewis

ALL ARE WELCOME! You BELONG at Beacon. Spiritually open and intentionally inclusive since 1958.

We’re honored to have Bernadine Lewis as our featured speaker in our service on Sunday, October 9. Rev. Robin will host with music from Andrez Alcazar and Austin Shaw.

Bernadine’s sermon is entitled, “A Brave Conversation with the Flagstaff Unitarian CommUnity (not a typo).” Bernadine will explore:

• My Family’s History and Upbringing as a Person of African Descent
• DEI and Brave Conversations - What they are and Why they are Important/What DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) is Not
• My Spiritual Calling and DEI Work (A Labor of Love)
• The Lived Black Experience Project (The LBE)
• How Can the CommUnity Support the Lived Black Experience (the Project and overall effort)?

Rev. Dr. Bernadine Lewis was ordained as a prophetess and teacher in both the Apostolic Pentecostal and Baptist faiths in 2000. Her theology training included spending several years in the mosque and synagogue while attending other spiritual spaces.

It was evident early on that her spiritual calling was beyond the four walls of any place of worship or religion. Her divinity education concluded with creating a ministry to bring societal transformation through agape theology, which she defines as bringing forth the unity of humankind with the love of God, which is selfless and unconditional. Love is her religion.

Currently, she is integrating her ministry into her position as director of Undergraduate Programs at the W. A. Franke College of Business at Northern Arizona University and sharing her passion for DEIJ by partnering with various organizations and communities throughout the region and state of Arizona. She is also a co-producer of the Lived Black Experience Project Community Dialogues, which introduces and highlights topics on what it means to be Black in America and northern Arizona.

MAKING MUSIC AT BEACON

Lift up your voice…It's going to be a fabulous year for music at Beacon! All are welcome to join the choir. And it’s a great way to introduce friends who like to sing to Beacon. 

Choir Rehearsals will be held on TUESDAY nights at 7 p.m. 

THE BEACON AUCTION IS BACK! 

SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 12, 2022

After a two-year break during Covid, the Beacon Auction Team is happy to announce that we will be holding our annual fundraiser auction this year! Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 12. And for the first time, we will hold the auction at Beacon now that we have the space to do so. We'll have both our live and silent auctions, along with raffle and door prizes. It's not too early to start thinking about what you'd like to offer for the auction. If you're interested in volunteering, please email the Auction Team at auction@beaconuu.com

If you wish to donate an item to the Beacon Auction, please use the link below:

Auction Form Link

BEACON BOOK SALE

There will be an ongoing book sale in the corner of the Social Room until we deplete the supply of books left over from the yard sale. This is part of the yard sale fundraiser. We will be adding a new selection each week, so be sure to browse through and leave a donation for whatever books you’d like!

Thanks,

Dennis

BEACON SPOTLIGHT:

UUA HONOR CONGREGATION

Every year, each congregation in the Unitarian Universalist Association is asked to give a financial contribution to support the wider movement and sibling congregations across our Association. This contribution supports the Annual Program Fund, which is the single largest source of income for the work of our UUA. It also strengthens the covenant among us. During the past fiscal year, Beacon gave the full amount requested to the Annual Program Fund, resulting in the designation of Honor Congregation for honoring the covenant among and between our congregations.  CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU!

Please click on the links to view the certificate and accompanying letter. 

SPLINTERS FROM THE BOARD

The Board met on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 and recognized several people for their diligence in keeping Beacon a Beloved Community: the Search committee for its work in surveying the congregation; Dennis Spurlin for helping to sign pay checks while Barry is out of town; Rich Clark and the endowment committee in its work to begin marketing our endowment plan; Roz Clark in her honoring Dora Harrison’s farewell; Paula Czernicki for her excellent job of keeping the office organized; and Dora Harrison for the many years of her giving to the congregation.

The Board continues to reach out for members to join the Congregational Vitality Committee.  We want to welcome a new minister with a responsive committee structure throughout the organization.

The Rental Policy was modified and approved to enhance the opportunities for non-profit

organizations to rent space in the building. The Board approved the Gift Acceptance Policy

from the Endowment Committee. We do review the reports from many teams and will be

looking at our Security policy in the future.

Please contact members of the Board if you have concerns or questions.

In Covenant,

Lynda L. Dorweiler, President

RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION FOR KIDS

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (GBU):

RE FOR 5TH GRADE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH

Hi, GBU Families,

GBU meets remotely on the first and third Sundays of each month. The next class will be on October 18 at 11:15 a.m.

Beacon Zoom Meeting Link:  

Please join us by connecting to this Zoom link.

Meeting ID: 865 1117 5263

Passcode: beacon510

Hope to see everyone soon,

Steph van Belle

Linda Ochi

Dru Monroe

Beacon RE Teaching Team

R U a UU? 

One Sunday a month – Just after the service. Have you been one without even knowing it? So many questions?! Grab a coffee and meet with Rev. Robin after the service on the following Sundays for a one-hour conversation about Unitarian Universalism and your own spiritual journeys to the door of Beacon.

The next RU a UU? session will be held on Sunday, October 16th.

Please stay tuned for notices about future adult education offerings.

PATH TO MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM

STARTS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13 TH, 11:15-12:30

Three Sundays: November 13, December 11, and January 8, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 

Lunch will be provided. Please register with the office at office@beaconuu.com. Led by Rev. Robin with guest Beacon leaders. Come and explore your own spiritual journey, your signature strengths and core values, the history and theology of Unitarian Universalism, and all things Beacon UU.

COOPERATIVE BOOK GROUP: LET'S READ AND REFLECT!

A Monthly Cooperative Book group launching at Beacon on November 16. A Lunch and Linger program…bring a bag lunch. 

Do you have a book you believe would be relevant and appealing to the Beacon community (and possible newcomers)? If so, pick a book and a month, give folks 4 weeks to read the book and lead the discussion. Check in with the office to schedule your meeting and book so we don’t have conflicts. 

Rev. Robin will start us off on Wednesday, November 16 at 12 noon with the book Search by Michelle Huneven. The book has caused quite a stir in UU circles as it is a thinly fictionalized account of being on the Search committee for a new minister at a California UU congregation. Some say it has raised our profile in a positive way, others cringe at insulting stereotypes of congregants and ministers. If you have a copy of this book, consider loaning it to others through the Beacon office. 

SATURDAY SPIRIT

Rev. Robin is offering a series of Saturday morning Spiritual Growth “retreats” this year. 

• Saturday, October 29th, from 10 a.m. to Noon. Simply Pray: Based on the book by the Rev. Erik Wikstrom, participants in this retreat will create a beaded “mala” and learn a meditation/prayer practice free of specific religious expression. 

• Saturday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to Noon. Mindful Eating:  Just in time for the holidays! 

CALLING ALL FACILITATORS! Would you like to lead an Adult Education program? Bring it On! Contact Rev. Robin to discuss your idea and scheduling possibilities.

JOYS AND SORROWS FROM OCTOBER 2ND

lore is grateful that their mother's pain has gone away as a result of two surgeries last week. 

September 28, 2022

Dear Members and Friends of Beacon,  

I cannot find words to tell you how honored I was, and am, by your “going -away” gathering for me last Sunday.  Far beyond any expectation.  So many kind words!  Thank you.  In fact, I was known to have said “what if you throw this party for me and no one comes?”

I am so sorry to leave, even though it was my idea.  I will miss Beacon more than I can express.  Last Sunday when we were singing I realized it was my last Sunday with you and the tears started to flow.  You have been my friends, co-workers, helpers, and my refuge, as well as the hosts of some great auction parties, dinners and circle suppers.   Such fun!

Love is truly the spirit of Beacon, and I will always remember you.  You do great work for the church and in the community.   

And just in case you decide to come to Florida – maybe not in hurricane season – my new address is 946 Highland Avenue, Unit 49, Dunedin, FL 34698.  Phone number and email will remain the same as it is now.  Just in case you don’t have that on the tip of your tongue, phone is 928-699-9020, and email is dhharrison@aol.com.  Yes, I do have a gmail address but don’t use it.

Again, many thanks for your kindness and taking time to send me off!  I have felt this warm glow all week.

Much love, Dora

P.S. Many people have asked if my new home was hit by the hurricane.  Originally it was in the direct path, but once the storm turned east, my area just had wind and rain.  I have not heard if there was any damage, but my heart hurts for those who did receive, and are still in the middle of some awful weather and circumstances.

DORA HARRISON'S FAREWELL BOOK...A GENTLE NUDGE

There's still both time and opportunity to write a farewell message, contributing to the keepsake for Dora.  The book and a pen are on the big table in the Social Room.  The book will be mailed to Dora in Florida on Monday, October 17th.

CHEAP LUNCH BUNCH

The next Cheap Lunch Bunch get together will be at Cafe Rioon Wednesday, October 19, 2022, at 11:30 a.m.  ALL ARE WELCOME!

Please plan on doing a bag lunch on the first Wednesday of each month and then having lunch at a local restaurant on the third Wednesday. Doing this at standardized times should make it easier on everyone's calendars, and only doing a restaurant once a month should make it easier on our pockets.

To opine on the time and location of future gatherings and to be included in all the group's emails, please email Anne at wittke.anne@gmail.com. 

OCTOBER -DECEMBER 2022 SHARE THE PLATE PARTNER

Beacon’s community partner for October-December 2022 is

SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

For October-December 2022, Beacon UU will share the plate with the Southside Community Association (SCA). The Murdoch Center, intergenerational and multicultural home of the Southside Neighborhood and the SCA, regularly hosts important civic and community meetings and events. The Murdoch Center has been the setting for town hall meetings addressing such important topics as social and criminal justice, Black representation and preservation, and Black economic inclusion and impact. Additional information about the SCA, the Murdoch Center, and the history of the Southside (including the contributions of Wilson C. Riles to end segregation in Flagstaff) can be found here.

Undesignated contributions to the Sunday service offerings above $300 from October through December will be presented to Southside Community Association.

Nominations for future Share the Plate beneficiaries (501c3 agencies) can be made through a form located in the office manager’s office. Community Action Committee members include Katy Grant, Susan Patrick, and Lynda L. Dorweiler.

BEACON'S ENDOWMENT PLAN

The Beacon Endowment Plan, an important step to ensure that Beacon remains a strong and vibrant congregation for years to come, was approved unanimously at a Congregational Meeting on April 24, 2022. For more information about the Endowment Fund, please click here. 

WEAR IT ON YOUR SLEEVE

Social Justice Spotlight

Midterm elections are all about turnout, and handwritten letters have proven to be an effective way to encourage voters to participate in our democracy. We're writing voter turnout letters now to send to voters in October.

Getting started with Vote Forward is easy:

1. Visit votefwd.org/dashboard to complete your Vote Forward registration. If you need help, take a look at our instructions.
2. When your account is approved, log in at votefwd.org.
3. Choose a key state or district letter writing campaign, and “adopt” voters on your Vote Forward dashboard.
4. Download, print, and prepare your letters.
5. Keep your finished letters somewhere safe.
6. Mail your letters on October 29—right before Election Day when they’ll have the greatest impact.

WEBINAR:  FAITH AND FORESTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18TH  at 10:30 A.M.

Pioneering forest canopy biologist Dr. Nalini Nadkarni will join Interfaith Power & Light to talk about her work studying the forest canopy and finding that many faith and spiritual traditions have trees and forests as central parts of their respective religious texts. She calls on us to recognize these silent sedentary companions that live with us and to be thankful for them. 

Learn more & register for the ZOOM webinar here.

ISSUES + ACTION DAY 2022

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22ND, 9am - 5pm

Join us to celebrate at our BIG annual statewide event…back in person for the first time since 2019! Issues + Action Day brings us together as UUs from across Arizona, along with folks from our partner organizations, and visits from national UU guest speakers, in order to grow our movement for social justice, and put our faith into action. Reserve your tickets here.

MICHAEL SERVETUS/

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM (MS/INCAR)

OCTOBER 28TH THRU 30TH, 2022

You are cordially invited to participate in the Unitarian Universalist Multiracial Unity Action Council of Chicago's Michael Servetus/InterNational Conference Against Racism, a hybrid event--in person in Geneva, Switzerland, and via Zoom--from Friday, October 28th through Sunday, October 30th. The event's theme is "the vital role which Multiracial Unitarian Universalism as an embodiment of the Seven Principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, especially the Fourth Principle, can play in the struggle against racism in all its forms from Afghanistan to Zambia." Registration is $150 per person. More information can be found here as well as on the UUMUAC website. 

LOVE IN ACTION

Our social justice work centers putting our UU values into action… but what do UUs value? In 2020, the UUA commissioned a team to study the principles, sources, purpose, and values of Unitarian Universalism in order to suggest changes to the principles and sources (Article 2) in summer 2023.  UUJAZ has been following the proposed changes, and we want to hold space for a weekly conversation to explore our individual and collective values.  Learn more about the Article 2 Study commission here. To register for the conversation with Rev. Anthony Johnson in Sedona on Wednesdays Nov 9th - December 14th, 10:30am - 12pm, click here.

Volunteer At Flagstaff Food Center With Beacon!

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR OCTOBER 26TH.

The Flagstaff Food Center utilizes small groups of volunteers for their dinner service. Beacon is looking for a group of five (5) to seven (7) volunteers for the 4th & 5th Wednesdays of every month, from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. The dinner service is at the FFFC Kitchen (1903 N 2nd Street) and is a hybrid operation with To-Go meals and Dine-in service.

Beacon's next volunteer date is Wednesday, October 26th from 3:00-6:00 p.m.  If dinnertime service does not interest you, please consider helping with prep from 10 a.m. until noon or pitching in at the warehouse on Huntington.

Volunteer Safety: Volunteers are required to wear a mask, closed-toe shoes, and long pants; regularly wash or sanitize their hands; and practice six feet of social distancing whenever possible. Gloves for food preparation and distribution will be provided at the kitchen to each volunteer. Plexiglass has been installed at the walk-up window as a safeguard against COVID-19. The center has enhanced cleaning protocols.

Sue Strobel is organizing monthly teams of Beacon UU volunteers. If you're interested in volunteering, please contact Sue at 928 522-3284 (cell) or 928-526-5156 (home).

More summer volunteer opportunities can be found here.

YA New Series – Becoming S.A.G.E. – Spiritual Activists for the Earth

Arizona Interfaith Power and Light is excited to announce the launch of a new interview series called “Becoming S.A.G.E. – Spirited Activists Greening the Earth.” We interview the Sages among us who are engaging in faithful advocacy living out AZIPL’s mission to mobilize people of faith and conscience to care for our common home and work for climate justice. Find out more (including YouTube links) at http://www.azipl.org

1. If you shop at all at Fry's grocery, you can either sign up for your own VIP account (identifying Beacon UUC FE392 as your beneficiary) or use the church phone number (928-779-4492) to get any available discounts AND earn some money for Beacon. Currently, there are 8 households signed up, and Beacon earned $15.30 for this quarter.

If you want to take advantage of Fry's gasoline discounts, you'll want your own VIP account. You can create or edit an existing individual account at www.frysfood.com/account/create/ (Alt ID is typically your phone number.) Within your account settings, just click on Community Rewards and search for FE392 (Flagstaff's Beacon UU) to set Beacon as your beneficiary.

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. You can order from any of the over 2,300 stores listed under iGive with a portion of your purchase being donated to Beacon. iGive.com also has coupons you can use for additional savings. After creating your own account with a user name and password, select settings and "my cause" and type in Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation (do not abbreviate UU). 

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? Please leave them on a card in the bin in the lobby, or send them to Rev. Robin.