Spiritually Open, Intentionally Inclusive since 1958
510 N Leroux
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
928-779-4492e
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E-News for February 10th, 2022 - February 17th, 2022
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- Sundays at Beacon -
WE’RE BACK IN THE SANCTUARY FOR WORSHIP! JOIN US.
Masks and Proof of Vaccination required.
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Service For February 13th, 2022, at 10am - Taming One Another: Relationships Beyond Valentines In the classic tale of The Little Prince, a fox tames the tow-headed traveler, teaching him the foundations of a true relationship. In the process, the Prince comes to appreciate his devotion to a precious rose. In this service on the eve of Valentine’s Day, we’ll explore the grounding of relationships and what makes them succeed, beyond Hallmark platitudes, chocolate boxes and bouquets, in all areas of our lives – kinship, friendship, partnership and community. Rev. Robin Landerman Zucker, preaching with Worship Associate Andy Hogg. Recorded musical selections and piano pieces from Austin Shaw. We’ll also welcome new members to our congregation!
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Beacon UU – YouTube sensation! 15 months, 63 recorded and edited worship services that you can tune into anytime you’d like for a first viewing or a re-viewing. Share our channel with friends you’d like to introduce to Beacon. See our virtual service history on the "Beacon UUC" Youtube Channel You can also view past sermon descriptions and PDFs on our website here.
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YOUTUBE RECORDINGS ARE BACK!
We want to stay connected to you even if you are not comfortable right now attending in-person worship.
Youtube recordings will be returning in early February. You can watch the January 9 and 16 recordings here.
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CURRENT COVID SAFETY GUIDELINES, FEBRUARY 2022
Due to an uptick in COVID cases and the emergence of the Omicron variant, we have updated our safety policy to include proof of full vaccination status (2 or 3 shots) for ages 5 and older. This new policy is not a judgement of personal health care decisions. It is an institutional policy to safeguard the well-being of the community.
Beginning, Sunday January 2, 2022, vaccination will be required to attend worship services, participate in the choir, and be part of small group gatherings. We will still expect masks to be worn and hands to be sanitized. Committee meetings will continue to take place mostly on Zoom.
On January 2, 2022 (or the next time you attend a Sunday service) please bring your COVID vaccination card or a photo of the card on your phone. Once we have verified your status, you’ll have a small dot placed on your nametag. You can also email a photo of your COVID vaccination card to the Beacon office in advance of January 2, 2022 and we’ll put the sticker on your nametag in advance. office@beaconuu.com
For the time being, we will not be having formal post-service gatherings. We will also be humming hymns and practicing distanced seating in the Sanctuary.
Thank you. We’ll continue to adapt and update this policy along with new public health developments.
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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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MAKING MUSIC AT BEACON!
We greatly value our choir and our Choir Director Jason Drahos. During this time when our updated safety protocol is in effect, choir rehearsals and performances are on hold. We hope to be back to choir rehearsals on February 24 with performances in March.
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News from Beacon’s Board: Thinking Ahead to our Next Ministerial Search
by Nancy Paxton
I am sure that, like everyone on Beacon’s Board, you were pleased to hear that the UUA agreed to extend Rev. Robin’s ministry with us until July 2023, but we also must begin to plan for our next ministerial search. Several people have asked me about Beacon’s recent history with our ministers. The UUA offers four different types of ministers. Since 2000, Beacon has had 3 settled ministers: Rev. Robert Flanders (2000-03); Rev. Wendy Williams (2005-2010); and Rev. Kevin Lawson (2016-19). We have also had 4 interim ministers, including: Rev. Collins-Ranadive (2003-05); Rev. Mo White Collins (2011); Rev. Joanne Giannino (2014-16); and Rev. Robin Zucker (2019-23); and one contract minister, Rev. Susan Manker-Seale (2012-14). The fourth type, developmental ministers, specialize in conflict resolution and would not be suitable for our congregation. Beacon’s budget for 2022-23 will be a crucial factor in determining what type of minister we will be able to consider, so please give as generously as you can to this year’s stewardship campaign.
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Introducing Your Leadership Succession Planning Team
Written by Wendy Bruun
Leadership Succession Planning Team (LSPT) is comprised of members elected by the congregation and is charged with 1) soliciting and forwarding nominations of members for Board of Trustee roles and special elected committees, and 2) shared responsibility for leadership development training with the Board.
This year, your LSPT elected members include Barry Brenneman (chair), Char Tarashanti, Dennis Spurlin, Jeremy Young, Lisa Skow, Theresa DeBoer, and Wendy Bruun. This is my fourth year serving on LSPT and it is one of my favorite committees for its opportunity to talk with Beacon members and friends about engaging in or leading church activities, and its purposeful but relatively lighter level of commitment.
If you are interested in getting more involved at Beacon, then please reach out to one us and we will gladly help you find an opportunity that matches with your skills and interest.
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Religious Exploration
The 2020-2021 year Religious Exploration classes were a great success. We are so grateful for the dedication and creativity of our Beacon teachers, Dru Monroe and Stephanie Van Belle and their counterparts at Granite Peak UU in Prescott. Click "Check it out!" to learn more about what we just completed.
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Kids at Beacon- All are welcome!
For now, classes will remain virtual. We appreciate you support in volunteering for RE!
Children and youth are always welcome in worship! We do ask that children over 3 years old wear a face mask while in the church building. There will be activity packets available for children during the service.
Religious Exploration is back at Beacon!
RE Offerings for February 13th, 2022
K-5th
CartUUns
10am-11am
Meeting ID: 822 6188 6552
Passcode: beacon510
On February 13th, we will watch a Simpsons episode titled The Cartridge Family. This episode deals with the issue of gun rights. The episode was designed to be unbiased and to portray each side of the argument equally. It received several positive reviews, with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette calling The Simpsons "the only sitcom in memory to treat gun control with any fairness". Join us to consider this complex issue as it relates to UU values. Please notice that the Zoom link has changed. Please note that THE ZOOM LINK HAS CHANGED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE RE YEAR. Please click the link above for future classes. Old Zoom links will no longer work.
Middle School
D'oh God
11:30am-12:45pm
Meeting ID: 831 5706 8793
Passcode: beacon510
On February 13th, we will watch the SparkShort "Out." We will be discussing tolerance and acceptance, and what makes us feel different. We will be making Pride Flags to show what we like about ourselves and be proud of our individuality. The Zoom link has changed for RE! The Zoom link above will work for the rest of the year.
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Religious Exploration for Adults
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A Faith For All Seasons
Liberal Religion and the Crises of Life
A five-part reading and discussion group with Rev. Robin
On Zoom, Thursdays from 12-1:15 PM, February 3 – March 3, 2022
In his book, A Faith For All Seasons, the Rev. William Murry writes that “no religion is worthy of its name unless it provides a vision of meaning and purpose for the individual’s life and help in times of personal crisis.” Murry wrote his landmark book in 1990 to refute the idea that Unitarian Universalism is a “fair weather faith” that fails to provide these resources. Especially as we continue to move through and reflect on our individual and communal experiences of the pandemic, this book provides a clear and valuable framework for meaning making. In this program, we’ll read each of the five brief chapters in Murry’s book and explore a wide range of provocative questions in the accompanying study guide. Topics include: The resources of a Liberal Faith, and chapters devoted to the Crises of Meaning and Purpose, Pain and Suffering, Loss and Grief, and Death. All materials will be available to download here, on the Beacon website.
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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. These are spoken during service every Sunday, or you can send them to Rev. Robin by Saturday night each week at minister@beaconuu.com to be shared.
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Joys and Sorrows for February 6th, 2022
Barry B. expresses his sorrow for a father of a neighbor who passed away.
Dora. H was able to see many former colleagues from the 80s at a reunion.
Bob P.'s grandson had a breakdown but is back home after a month of care!
Rev. Robin was able to see one granddaughter in Spain, and learned her daughter is expecting in Portland this summer!
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Memorial Service for Mary Jo Rybolt
May 1st, 2022 at 12pm
We will host a memorial service for Mary Jo Rybolt with refreshments before and a reception afterwards on May 1, 2022 at 12pm at Beacon. Requests for help with the reception will be forthcoming.
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January-March 2022 Share the Plate Partner |
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Beacon’s community partner for January-March 2022 is Flagstaff Shelter Services (FSS).
Established in 2006 by concerned citizens, business owners, and faith-based organizations, FSS provides critical shelter, food, and access to resources for Flagstaff’s most vulnerable people. Regardless of faith, mental health or sobriety, and ethnicity the shelter serves any adult experiencing homelessness.
In 2014, FSS became a year-round shelter serving those in need every day and night of the year, providing personal and behavioral crisis response, onsite health clinic, and helping clients move from crisis toward self-sufficiency.
The Shelter sees 2000 unduplicated individuals per year: 20% are vets, 40% are women (98% of the women have experienced domestic violence), and 21% are older than 55. 86% of the individuals do not return to homelessness.
Undesignated contributions to this quarter’s Sunday service offerings above $250 will be presented to Flagstaff Shelter Services. Nominations for 501c3 agencies can be made through a form located in the office in the CAC folder or by contacting a CAC member.
CAC members are Susan Patrick, Katy Grant, and Lynda L. Dorweiler.
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Activate at Beacon with the Social Justice Allies! |
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The Social Justice Allies meet monthly on Zoom to discuss issues and actions. If you wish to join them, contact the convener Paul Beier. paul.beier@nau.edu
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Together We Will, Flagstaff Postcard Writers weekly group
The postcard writers will be together every week on Wednesday at 7 PM on Zoom
Meeting ID: 841 1623 9939
Passcode: postcards
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SIDE WITH LOVE ACTION CENTER
The work that we do together to build a world in which all of us are free and thriving is interrelated. When we ground our spirits, grow our skills, and act strategically for justice in deep relationship with each other and our Movements, we choose to Side With Love.
Action Center is a place where we unite in work towards a world where we all thrive. Together we take action, Side With Love, and make deep impacts in this critical moment. Links for various action areas such as Democracy, LGBTQ and Gender Justice, and Climate Justice.
Dive into the Side with Love’s annual 30 Days of Love here:
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Volunteer At Flagstaff Food Center With Beacon! |
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The Flagstaff Food Center is doing small group volunteers for their dinner service! Beacon is looking for a group of 5 volunteers to help out!
Volunteers are needed the 4th & 5th Wednesdays of every month, from 3pm-5pm. The dinner service is at the FFFC Kitchen. (1903 N 2nd Street) Beacon's next volunteer date is February 23rd.
The dinner service is different during the pandemic. There is no indoor dining as we hand all the dinners out in to-go containers through a walk-up window. We need help from volunteers to portion meals into to-go containers, hand food out through our walk-up window, and wash serving pans.
Volunteer Safety: Volunteers are required to wear a mask, closed-toe shoes, and long pants, and to regularly wash or sanitize their hands and practice six feet of social distancing whenever possible. Gloves for food preparation and distribution will be provided to you at the kitchen. We have plexiglass installed at our walk-up window as a safeguard against COVID-19. We provide hand sanitizer and handwashing facilities and encourage regular use. We have enhanced cleaning protocols at our facilities and sanitize surfaces daily.
Sue Strobel will be organizing teams monthly, she can be contacted at 928 522-3284 (cell) or 928-526-5156 (home) if interested in volunteering!
More summer volunteer opportunities can be found here.
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Liminal Flagstaff
Liminal is a nonprofit community center recently opened on 217 S. San Francisco St. Offering resources, a pay-what-you can cafe, and a space to have fun freely and safely. We will share any upcoming events they have here!
You can learn more about Liminal and how to support them through their Instagram and Linktree.
It is required to wear a mask while inside Liminal. Given the state of Covid-19, Liminal's capacity is capped to 25 persons at any given time.
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Day at the Legislature 2022 February 21st, 2022, 9:00 am
Look forward to more information coming soon about both live and virtual meetings with legislators, lobby training, action circle training, request-to-speak training, and events with our partners on the issues you care about.
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Lifespan Religious Exploration Resources for Learning About and Responding to Racism |
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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 Service
Sunday, February 13th, 2022
10:00am
"Taming One Another: Relationships Beyond Valentines"
Beacon Sanctuary
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K-5th RE
CartUUns
Sunday, February 13th, 2022
10am-11am
Meeting ID: 822 6188 6552
Passcode: beacon510
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Middle School RE
D'oh God
Sunday, February 13th, 2022
11:30am-12:45pm
Meeting ID: 831 5706 8793
Passcode: beacon510
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You can keep up with future Beacon events by checking out the Beacon calendar!
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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
she/her/hers
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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Office Manager,
Alexei Besser-Gilbert
he/him/his
Alexei's hours are currently remote. The fastest way to contact him with any questions or concerns is through the email below.
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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!
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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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