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Baja 4
Unitarian Universalists from across Southeast Arizona
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We are the Baja 4!
Representing Unitarian Universalists across southeastern Arizona, we love beyond belief and find inspiration from a wide array of spiritual, religious, and secular sources. We come together as a Baja 4 because we know we are stronger together.
Learn more about each congregation!
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Celebrations and Special Days
It's always fun to celebrate and at the same time learn about cultures around the world. Here are a few things happening this month.
Interfaith:
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Hanukkah (Jewish) - Dec. 11, 2020, begins on the evening of the 10th (more here and here)
Unitarian Universalist:
National Holidays & Cultural:
For Fun and On the Fringe:
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Beloved Community
This month we’re exploring the many ways our UU faith invites us to become “A People of Beloved Community.” Beloved Community is a special type of community.
Henri Nouwen, the treasured catholic teacher, activist and pastor, once described beloved community as “the place where the person you least want to live with always lives.”
It has multiple characteristics such as honoring leadership from people with marginalized identities, growing love beyond boundaries, healing our wounds, and staying in our community when things get difficult. Let's explore!
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Chalice Lighting to Share
Drawn Together
By Jennifer Gracen
We come together...
Bound not by a creed,
Or a mutual desire to please one God
Or many Gods
Yet we are drawn together
By a belief, that how we are in the world,
Who we are together
Matters.
We light this chalice,
together in the knowledge
That love, not fear, can change this world
Find more chalice lightings here.
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Show Some Love to Casa Alitas
The month of November, our LFD Social Justice Project partner is Casa Alitas, also known as the Alitas Program of Catholic Community Services (CCS), a humanitarian aid project committed to providing assistance to asylum-seekers released from ICE and Border Patrol detention into our community. Volunteers offer support by providing hospitality, including housing, food, clothing, toiletries, advocacy, and travel assistance. Our goal is to provide a welcoming, comfortable, safe, and healthy location for the guests to await their journeys, and to prepare them to reunite with family across the country. More at https://www.casaalitas.org/
They are specifically in need of donations of:
- New underwear for men, women, and children
- New warm clothes (including hoodies, sweats, and leggings) for men, women, and children
- Backpacks of all sizes
Special Service Project
This month we also want to collect and donate lap-blanket sized blankets to send with the guests heading to cold weather. One options is to create a No-Sew Blanket! Instructions for the blankets are here for those with their own fabric or who can purchase their own. Kits will be available by emailing Baja4Sonora@gmail.com.
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Quotes to Consider
Consider these ideas below. What do you think? Discuss your ideas with someone you trust and feel free to start a conversation with us at UU Quest or Facebook!
"Beloved community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world."
--bell hooks, Killing Rage: Ending Racism
"The goal [of Beloved Community] is reconciliation, not to destroy your opponent, nor cast them out, but to stay in the struggle till love wins."
--Rev. Victoria Safford
"What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured."
--Kurt Vonnegut
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Discover the adaptations that allow cacti to not only survive, but thrive, in some of the harshest desert climates on Earth. | |
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The Real Reason Cacti are Prickly with Lucas C. Majure
Staying in relationship with others sometimes makes me feel "prickly." You too? Let's watch this fun video and see what we can learn from the cacti in our backyards.
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Movie Meditation
Movies and the stories they contain allow us to engage challenging topics in ways that analytical essays and instructive quotes just can’t. That is certainly true with this month’s theme of Beloved Community. So this month, make movie-watching your spiritual exercise.
But here’s the catch, as you watch or after you are done watching, identify the one scene that engaged you the most. And then spend some time reflecting on it, digging into its personal meaning/message for you. Is there a challenge in it for you? An insight? An invitation? A message of healing?
What “Beloved Community movie” should you watch? Glad you asked. Here are some lists of lists to help you decide what to watch keeping in mind the ages, interests, and developmental levels of your audience:
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Coming Events
What's Happening This Month?
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Friendsgiving
Nov. 27 | 5-7pm | Zoom
Whether you have lots of family in town, are headed out to colder climates to celebrate, or don’t like Thanksgiving at all, everyone is welcome to join with Baja 4 friends for a Friendsgiving Party! Bring a meal, a snack, or just a beverage for some relaxed, family-friendly social time. We’ll hear from our November social justice partner, Casa Alitas, about their work providing assistance to asylum-seekers released from ICE and Border Patrol detention. Border Patrol detention.
We’ll also work on our No-Sew Blankets and discuss what other items we can donate to Casa Alitas. Instructions for the blankets are here for those with their own fabric or who can purchase their own. Kits will be available after Friendsgiving or with advance notice to Baja4Sonora@gmail.com.
Ages: All
Zoom in at: https://zoom.us/j/5716364277
Meeting ID: 571 636 4277
Password: 973902
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2nd Hour
December 5, 2021 | 12:15-1:15pm | Zoom
Please join us for 2nd Hour: a once -per -month afternoon of a variety of educational, spiritual, interesting, and fun workshops.
See the UU Quest website for links and descriptions!
**Seeking 2nd Hour Workshop Leaders**
Right now I’m building a schedule of workshops for 2nd Hour and would love to include you in the line up. What do you have to share with the world? Bring me an idea and we’ll work together to develop it! No need to worry about technical support. I’ll have assistants available to manage the Zoom, so you can simply lead.
If you have any questions or want to lead a workshop, please contact Jamili at DRE.UUCT@gmail.com.
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Youth Meet Up
Dec. 2 | 5pm to ??? | Zoom
For youth ages 10+
Join some of our wonderful UU Youth Leaders for a fun hour or so of games, socializing, and plotting! We’ll start with a little lighthearted competition on a game of our choice (think PG rated games like Kahoot and Jackbox Games). Having the ability to open zoom and a 2nd browser (on a computer, tablet, or phone) will be helpful, but not necessary. This meeting happens the first Thursday of every month. This is a super FUUN event so don’t miss it!!
https://zoom.us/j/5716364277
Meeting ID: 571 636 4277
Password: 973902
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Death with Dignity
with Gary Wederspahn, Rev. Dr. Samantha Wilson, Rev. Tina Squire, and Jamili Omar
Dec 4 | 2 to 4PM | Zoom
**Content Warning** This series will examine frankly and directly death and end of life choices. Please consider the appropriateness of this event for younger people.
We kick off our series with a special guest speaker: Gary Wederspahn is a board member of Final Exit Network, a successor to Hemlock Society, the original death-with-dignity organization. Gary is a former lay leader at Columbine UU Church. He will explore ethical and practical considerations regarding the right to have a “Good Death” on our own terms when facing the end. There will be much opportunity for discussion, questions, and answers.
Zoom link: https://uuma.zoom.us/j/98717013906
Meeting ID: 987 1701 3906
Passcode: one isn’t needed for this meeting.
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Parenting of Preschoolers (POPS)
Join on Zoom others with children ages birth to 6 years old to offer support as we come to understand our child's spiritual development, to build rituals that support this development, and to see ourselves as spiritual teachers. Zoom link will be sent out to all that are registered for the classes. Not registered? Please fill out this form https://forms.gle/oV5r74oQBymLkkgJ9 and we will add you to the emailing list. Thank you!
Dec. 4, 1-2pm --Children's Story Time --Designed for children ages birth to 6+, but everyone is welcome. We will participate in storytelling, crafts, spiritual reflection and much more. We hope that you will join us.
Dec. 11, 1-2pm --Grown Up meet up --Designed for those adults raising children who are ages birth to 6, but everyone is welcome. This is an amazing group of parents that come together once a month to talk about topics relevant to our daily lives. We offer support, words of wisdom, and connect to those around us. We hope that you join and share with us.
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