March 5, 2024

Following Jesus together,

Nourishing one another in the Living Water of the Spirit,

Blossoming boldly with God's abundant love, healing, and justice, and 

Transforming lives. 

To submit an article for Tidings, email Anne here by Mondays at 12:00 noon.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.

Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me.

Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:12-14 

Why would it be necessary to pray every day? Why would anyone keep reading portions of the Bible again and again – doesn’t that just get repetitive? Why do we come together for worship or study groups or prayer circles or choir rehearsals every week and not just once a month or twice a year? Have any of these questions ever been yours? I know that many who self-identify as Christian have concluded that regular rhythms of spiritual practices are not necessary. 

I appreciate the freedom in our faith tradition and theology that indicates our God does not have some rules about religious behavior by which we must abide in order for God to love us. At the same time, a great cloud of witnesses remind us of the goodness of rhythms in spiritual practice - - they are not to please or placate God. We live in a world in which chaos and emptiness easily obliterate any sense of the divine in us or around us. We make messes and take messes into ourselves each day. The spiritual practices of daily connection with God, weekly connections with the Spirit in community, commitment to sharing of our gifts and resources to help embody God’s vision for a just world are about keeping us on the path that centers us in healing and wholeness, and therefore equips and leads us to bring healing and wholeness to others.

We brush our teeth. We make beds. We do laundry. We clean up rooms. We wash dishes. And we know we need the regular rhythm of these practices to clear the clutter, to be free of our own waste, for healthy living. So it is in the spiritual practices in our life with God. 

Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Come and see!

Love,

Michael Bush

Pastor

  Listen to or Download the Messages Online: Video Link. 

Velma Angiulo Celebration of Life

You are invited to join the family and friends of Velma Angiulo, Pastor John's mother, for the celebration of her life service on Thursday, March 7th at 11:00 am in the sanctuary, followed by a reception in the hall.

Strengthen Our Foundation

From Treasurer

Dear vibrant, joyful and generous congregation,

Your response to the Strengthen Our Foundation 2024 Campaign to date has been excellent. Your thoughtful and prayerful response is truly a blessing.  

Additional pledges, or increases may still be forwarded to the office. Your prayerful consideration is appreciated.

Peace to you and yours,

Dennis Thomas, Treasurer

To fill out a form to increase your pledge either

Click here to fill the form out online or 

Click here to print form (mail it to the office or drop it into the offering plate in the back of church).

Here are links to the previous letters

• Sent to the congregation from the Ministry of Stewardship and our Treasurer on on February 12th. Click here for the letter.
• About our Financial Focus, sent on Feb. 26th. If you missed it, click here to read.

Lenten Season Study Series: Redeeming

Sundays, through March 24th

In the Lenten season, a 40-day journey to prepare disciples of Christ practice and participate in resurrection, we often hear references to “redemption.” One definition of that word is “freed from what harms.” There are teachings and practices of the Christian church that have at times created harm, excluded people, and stirred fear. Jesus did not embody harm, but rather healing. We will move through Lent looking at “going beyond the mind we have,” freeing us for what is healing and whole. This series will be led by Karen Borek, Brigid Waszczak, and Michael Bush. We begin on Sundays at 11:00 am. Click here to sign up.

• March 10: Redeeming Eve – we will revisit Gen 1-3 and explore the textual evidence that Eve was meant to have knowledge of good and evil in order to cope with the complex world created in Genesis 1 and to actualize the image of God within her.  If there were an original sin in Gen 2-3, it wasn’t one of disobedience; rather it was her failure to take responsibility for her decision, blaming the serpent instead. Part II (March 10): Genesis 2-3: Did the Serpent Get It Right? 

• March 17: Redeeming Healing – Many people think of healing in Bible stories as a physical phenomenon only. How might we understand healing more broadly for our individual selves and for our communities? How do we receive healing? How can we be healers? Meets at 11:15 am due to congregational meeting.

• March 24: Redeeming Grief – In the face of difficulties or loss, sometimes we want to skip or avoid grief. As we enter into the passion of the Holy Week story, how might we understand and live the gift of grief?

Karen Borek, former clergy and faculty member at the University of Arizona and Wesley Theological Seminary, wrote her dissertation on Genesis 1-3. She is now living in Lancaster, PA with her husband Ted (was part of CAUCC before the move).

Brigid Waszczak is a spiritual director, Episcopal deacon, and certified Walking The Mourners Path facilitator who believes that tears of grief are liquid prayers. 

Brigid and Karen have co-taught a Mary Magdalene class with CAUCC. Karen and Michael Bush co-facilitated a book study here on Process Theology and Prayer. And Brigid, with Bess Woodworth, facilitated an Advent series tapping into our creativity and spirituality. 

Communion and Contemplation Sunday in the Chapel

8:30 am March 10th

Join Pastors Michael and John in a different kind of worship experience: a 30 minute service providing immersion in some reflective music, prayer, silence, and a spiritual practice contemplating the Sunday Scriptures and themes (that will also be part of the 9:30 am sanctuary worship), and then closing with communion by coming forward to receive elements. This worship opportunity may serve as a quiet preparation time for the 9:30 am worship in the sanctuary or may serve as your primary worship experience in community on a Sunday morning. Come, and see!  

Spiritual Formation Groups

with Pastor Michael



Thursdays, 6:30 pm weekly, on Zoom

Journey through the Acts of the Apostles on Zoom only. Prayer, sharing, learning, and growing together. (Except second Thursdays when we have Taizé worship.)



Tuesdays, 11:00 am weekly, hybrid (In-person and online)

Journey through the Gospel of John in person and online. Prayer, sharing,

learning, and growing together.

If would like to join, please email (click here), indicate which group you would

like to participate in, and we will add you to the email list so you can receive

Zoom links and instructions.

Purposeful Ponderings 

with Pastor John



Wednesdays, 10:00 am weekly

Check the calendar

at the end of the

e-newsletter for

Zoom links.

Lent Prayer/Meditation Resources

Many people commit to renewing and deepening spiritual practices in the season of Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday, February 14th. We will have print devotional materials by Henri Nouwen available in the sanctuary entrance, and members of our church have appreciated online and email daily devotions from Richard Rohr (Center for Actions and Contemplation), and the United Church of Christ Still-Speaking writers.

Pastor Michael has also recently released a daily Lenten devotional book (available in print or Kindle). 

Eclectic Book Club

Saturday, March 3rd

The Eclectic Book Club meets the second Saturday of each month, except in December, at 9:30 am. to discuss that month’s book and enjoy each other’s fellowship. Here is 2024’s next couple of titles:

• March (3/9/24): Bicycling with Butterflies by Sarah Dykman
• April (4/13/24): Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• May (5/11/24): The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta

All are welcome to join us. Please contact Bonnie Mardian (her email) for more information and/or to be added to their email list. 

Grief Support Group

Tuesday, March 12th

All those who are grieving are welcome to get together with this group to share feelings and ideas. It is confidential and social. Meets next on March 12th, 1:00 in Room 4. 

For more information, contact Rosalie Shelton on her email.

Second Tuesday of every month. 

One Great Hour of Sharing^® is the first of four annual special mission offerings of the United Church of Christ. It is a Lenten Offering for the support of disaster, refugee, and development ministries of the United Church of Christ throughout the world through the denomination’s Wider Church Ministries.

This year’s theme is Share the Light. By donating to One Great Hour of Sharing you engage in holistic development programs including health care, education, agriculture, food sustainability, micro-financing, and women’s empowerment. Because the UCC relates in mutual partnership to other churches and organizations through Global Ministries and other worldwide response & recovery networks, your contributions to One Great Hour of Sharing put your donations in the right place at the right time for the relief, accompaniment, and recovery of the most vulnerable. Your donations also help to address the underlying causes creating those needs.

With your assistance, CAUCC can help Share the Light. Collection of donations will be through Sunday, March 10th. You may also mail donations to the church office, specifying OGHS in the memo line, or donate online.

Please give generously for the need is indeed great.

Submitted by Ministry of Justice Advocacy and Mission (MJAM) 

Extending our Welcome! 

This is a wonderful time of year where we are seeing more new and returning visitors to our church. The Good News Team is actively welcoming all visitors as they walk through the door and we'd like to extend that welcome with the entire Congregation. If a new or returning visitor(s) is sitting next to you in the pew or if you meet them in the line after the service to greet the Pastors, we would like to ask that you introduce yourself and invite them to join us for coffee and fellowship in McNear Hall. If the visitor(s) join you at coffee hour, please remember to offer them a blue coffee cup and feel free to introduce them to others in our Congregation.

Thank you, The Good News Team

Tax Break?

Many students at the Helen Keeling Elementary School come from low-income families. As you prepare to file your 2023 Arizona income tax return, please consider taking advantage of Arizona’s school tax credit by making a monetary donation to Keeling Elementary School. Flyers with information as to HOW to take advantage of this credit are available TODAY in McNear Hall. Members of CAUCC’s Ministry of Justice Advocacy and Missions, your coffee hour hosts this morning, are available to talk with you about the importance of this funding to our Keeling family and about MJAM's other activities at Keeling. More info here.

CAUCC Calendar

Happening this Week

Wednesday, March 6

• 10:00 am Purposeful Ponderings with Pastor John on Zoom Meeting ID: 622 421 179 and Passcode: 118704 or Study Link
• 12:00 Noon Centering Prayer, without Pastor John on Zoom Meeting ID: 890 1364 9732 Passcode: 769422 Centering Link
• 6:00 pm Bell Choir Bell Room
• 7:00 Choir Practice Sanctuary

Thursday, March 7

• 8:30 am Men's Breakfast Beyond Bread
• No Stitch Witches Rooms 5/6
• 10:00 am Men's Small Group Room 2
• 11:00 am Memorial Service and Reception for Velma Angiulo 1Sanctuary and Hall
• 3:00 pm Library Meeting Library
• 6:30 pm Spiritual Life Meeting on Zoom (contact office to sign up)

Friday, March 8

• 10:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6

Saturday, March 9

• 9:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6

Sunday, March 10

• 8:30 am Contemplation and Communion Service Chapel
• 9:30 am Worship Service in Sanctuary
• 9:30 am Online Worship Service Livestreamed: Just before 9:30 am click on Worship Service Link: click on the “Live-Streaming” box on that page. (If you try the link early, it will redirect you to the wrong page).
• 9:30 am T-Time McNear Hall
• 10:30 am Coffee and Community Time McNear Hall
• 11:00 am Sunday Family Funday on Zoom: Funday Link or Meeting ID 781 414 384; Password 883239
• 11:00 am Lenten Class Series Room 3

Monday, March 11

• 3:30 pm Cleaning Entire Campus

Tuesday, March 12

• 11:00 am Spiritual Life Meeting In-person, Room 3 and on Zoom (contact office to sign up)
• 12:00 Noon Centering Prayer In-person, Room 1
• 1:00 pm Grief Support Group Room 4



Wednesday, March 13

• 10:00 am Purposeful Ponderings with Pastor John on Zoom Meeting ID: 622 421 179 and Passcode: 118704 or Study Link
• 12:00 Noon Centering Prayer, without Pastor John on Zoom Meeting ID: 890 1364 9732 Passcode: 769422 Centering Link
• 6:00 pm Bell Choir Bell Room
• 7:00 Choir Practice Sanctuary

Note: Other room rentals may be on campus, but not on this calendar.

Church Staff

The easiest way to contact anyone on staff is to email them directly.

For intentional conversations, appointments work best.

Michael: michael@caucc.org

John: john@caucc.org

Anne: anne@caucc.org

Jay: jay@caucc.org

Darryl: dalking@email.arizona.edu

Ida: imhgnp@msn.com

Member-at-Large, Amy Lincoln:  mal.caucc@gmail.com

Office staff: 9:00 am Monday and Wednesdays; open by appointment in the afternoons

Tuesday/Thursday: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Barry: Building Maintenance Manager: till 3:00 pm, Tue, Wed, Thur.



Staff meetings: every fourth Tuesday of the month,

office closed from 1:30 to 2:00 pm.

Council Meetings and Minutes

Council meetings are open to any member of the CAUCC community. Next meeting, Tuesday, March19th at 4:00 pm on Zoom. January Meeting Minutes are available, click here. Email Anne Bailey for the meeting Zoom link.  

To support the ministry and mission of CAUCC, please donate online here: