March 12, 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.

Yada, Yada, Yada: Quality, Not Quantity

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not perish

but may have eternal life. . . .

And this is eternal life, that they may know you,

the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

– Jesus in John 3:16 and 17:3

Last Sunday we talked about “eternal life.” What comes to your mind when you hear that phrase? Much of traditional Christian thought has defined this as having to do with how long we live; if we have the right beliefs or behaviors we will be rewarded with a life that goes on indefinitely.  However, Jesus does not see eternal life as being centered in how long life lasts (quantity), but in the kind of life we live (quality). In John 17:3, he says that eternal life is to “know” God. The word that Jesus most likely would have used in Hebrew would be yada, which means an intimate, personal knowing, a word that also refers to sexual union. Jesus lives and reveals a life of being in communion (at-one-ment).

Jesus does not come to teach us a path that is about abandoning this world and going off to another world someday when we are dead. Jesus comes that we would have eternal life as he defines it, that we would learn the way of intimately knowing God, others, and the truth of who we are. He teaches us how to listen for God’s voice in prayer and praise, in Scripture and silence, in solitude and community. He shows us how to choose each day to live immersed in God’s Spirit so that the quality of life we know is one characterized by healing, peace, justice, and joy. He comes that we would embody this knowing in living lives of self-offering, by making flesh God’s love and justice in each day, in each relationship, in the systems and structures that make up our world.

One woman in her 90’s told me how her friend was musing about how she could not wait to get to heaven and live forever with God. This woman shook her head and said to me, “I want to live God’s life before I die, and make a difference in this world.”  She did want to escape to another realm, but she did want eternal life. She wanted to yada.

How about you?

Love in Christ,

Michael Bush

Pastor 

  Listen to or Download the Messages Online: Video Link. 

Taizé Service in the Sanctuary

Thursday, March 14th

Taizé is a quiet, 45-minute service with gentle music, singing, subdued candlelight, scripture readings and includes time for reflection, time for silence and time for meditation.

Please join us Thursday, March 14th at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary. Prelude music will start at 6:20 pm.

Taizé is held the second Thursday of each month.  

Bird Watching This Week

Friday, March 15th

Please join Cynthia VerDuin and Leona Lansing for a bird walk at Christopher Columbus Park on Silverbell Road on Friday, March 15th, at 8:00 am. 

It is an easy walk over flat pathways around a local lake. 

Help welcome them this Sunday, March 17th.

Lenten Season Study Series: Redeeming

Sundays, through March 24th

Meets at 11:15 am due to congregational meeting on March 17th

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. Click here to sign up.

• 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?

• 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?

Bakers Donate and

Buyers Buy

Baked Goods!

Sunday, March 24th

Youth-sponsored Bake Sale

Donation prices will be $10 for cakes, $8 for pies and $4 for one-half cookies per half dozen. Please bring your plastic wrapped goodies ready for sale to McNear Hall before the church service on March 24th.

Our CAUCC Youth thank you!

Once-a-Year Project for TIHAN

Poz Café

Thursday, April 18th

Our church will join with two other congregations in sponsoring Poz Café, a monthly sit-down lunch which TIHAN provides for people (our care partners) who have HIV. 

Each care partner is given a bag of essentials which cannot be purchased with food stamps. 

This year Casas Adobes will need to provide the following items:

120 deodorants,

120 boxes of Kleenex, 

40 bottles of laundry detergent, smaller sizes preferred.

Please pick up one or more items when you are shopping this week. Sunday, March 24^th will be the first Sunday to bring them to church. 

Thank you for your support.

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. Next time on Thursday, March 21st.



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

Discussion on Revolution continues...

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). 

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

Our very own Gypsy Lyle wrote a Letter to the Editor for the Arizona Daily Star!

Here are her words:

"I admit that as an around the year resident of Tucson, I do grumble about the added traffic and restaurant lines but that is part of sharing life. As I read another snowbird letter this morning (3/4), I reflected on the role snowbirds play at my church, Casas Adobes UCC. Not only do they contribute economically but they are a large part of what allows us to carry our faith into action benefiting the Tucson community. Our rummage sale, which produces a major portion of funds that go toward helping community services, is planned for a time when we know our snowbirds will be here to help and they do. One snowbird chairs our Compassion on the Border committee and when necessary does so by zoom when she is not in Tucson. Others help with our tutoring program at a local school.

Okay Snowbirds, as we say every Sunday, "no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome to journey with us.""

Thank you Gypsy for sharing the good news about snowbirds and CAUCC!

More Baking...for Primavera Men's Shelter

By March 27th

The Primavera Team cooks and serves the meal at the shelter once a month…

We ask you to provide the dessert. For March, please bring 2 to 4 dozen cookies or bars if you would like to , decorate them with pastel colors or spring decorations)to the church kitchen by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 27th.  

The men at the shelter and the Primavera Team always appreciate your donations! 

Thanks from your Primavera Meal Team 

CAUCC Calendar

Happening this Week

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
• 1:30 pm Alzheimer's Support Meeting Rooms 3/4
• 6:00 pm Bell Choir Bell Room
• 7:00 Choir Practice Sanctuary

Thursday, March 14

• 8:30 am Men's Breakfast Beyond Bread
• 9:00 am Stitch Witches Rooms 5/6
• 10:00 am Men's Small Group Room 2
• 6:30 pm Taizé Service Sanctuary

Friday, March 15

• 10:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6

Saturday, March 16

• 9:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6

Sunday, March 17 New Members Joining

• 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/Turbo Time McNear Hall
• 10:30 am Annual Meeting Sanctuary
• 10:45 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
• 11:15 am Lenten Class Series Room 3

Monday, March 18

• 1:00 pm Compassion on the Border Meeting Room 3
• 3:30 pm Cleaning Entire Campus

Tuesday, March 19

• 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
• 4:00 pm Council Meeting Zoom



Wednesday, March 20

• 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
• 2:00 pm Worship Arts Team Zoom
• 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, March 19th 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: