March 19, 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.

To Die or Not To Die?

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

Those who love their life lose it,

and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Jesus in John 12:24-25

Perhaps it is because I was a biology major in college, but I often notice how principles of biological life mirror the Biblical principles of abundant, Spirit-immersed life. There is no biological life in this world without death. Organisms die in order to make room and space for other organisms to live. Plants and animals die to become food so that other plants and animals can live. When we die, eventually the elements of our biological selves become incorporated into the life of other organisms. Scientists theorize that the dust of dead stars became the basic building blocks of all life on earth. There is no life without death.

Jesus connects this biological principle with God’s spiritual reality (as in John 12:24 above from this past Sunday’s Gospel reading). He reveals that when we give our lives to God, when we die to living life without awareness of God, then we are raised into new life. He reveals this in his teaching, in his living, in his healing, in his being, and punctuates this revelation with his crucifixion and resurrection.

Jesus calls us daily to follow him in the Way of dying to the old life and being raised up to “walk in newness of life.” We do this as we give ourselves daily to life in community with others who are seeking God’s Way by praying and listening, studying and sharing the Word together, and actively receiving and revealing God’s love. 

We have the opportunity to remember this Way of Jesus together as we move through what is traditionally called “Holy Week.” Resurrection is not real without crucifixion. 

Our celebration of Jesus rising is not real without remembering that he first died.  Our own new life cannot be received unless we first die to the old.

Jesus shows us the way. Come remember the healing and the palms. Come remember the washing of the feet, the breaking of the bread, and the overflowing cup. Come remember the cross and the forgiveness. Come remember the resurrection and the Life.   Come – led and equipped by the Holy Spirit – and let us together share this abundant life and love with the world. Come and see!

Love,

Michael Bush

Pastor

Listen to the Messages Online: Video Link. 

Communion and Contemplation Sunday in the Chapel

8:30 am March 24th

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!  

Lenten Season Study Series: Redeeming

The last class is next Sunday, March 24th

Meets at 11:00 am in Room 3

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 be 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, and to receive any information for the class.

• 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?

See article later in this Tidings on the Next Sunday Series...

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!

You May Win a $100 Gift Card! This Sunday!

Scott Blades, Executive Director of TIHAN, will be in the courtyard after Sunday service this week, March 24th. Anyone who meets Scott and brings 3 or more items for the care packages given out at Poz Cafe will be entered in a raffle. The winner of the raffle gets a $100 gift card to the store, restaurant, or website they choose. The needed items are deodorants, boxes of Kleenex, and bottles of laundry detergent (smaller sizes preferred). You may shop the dollar stores, mix or match the items, and bring them to the narthex before 9:30 or to the courtyard after church. Good luck and thank you. Submitted by Jane Pendley 

Annual Congregational Meeting Results

Welcome to the new Council line-up!

Thank you and blessings to outgoing Council members Ann Faith, Tom Goslin and Susan Schroeder for their faithful service to the Council and the Congregation.

Read Annual Report here. This will ask to download, and please do that. It may say too large to check for viruses, but this document is safe to download as we take your security seriously. This has some great reports, but also some wonderful pictures!

Meet the New Members

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.



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.

With Sorrow

We have heard that a friend of ours, Norm Steffenson passed away at the end of February. Please keep his wife Mary and all of his family in your prayers. Norm was the pastor for our first Taizé services here. A service will be held at Atria Campaña Del Rio March 24, 2024 at 2:00 pm and another service in Iowa. In Norm's honor, please consider donations to National Public Radio, Tucson Festival of Books, or your local community food bank. To see his entire obituary, click here.

Use this address to mail Mary: 2641 E Avenida de Maria, Tucson AZ 85718

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Helen Gallant of Tucson, Arizona, who passed away on February 10, 2024, at the age of 98, leaving family and friends to mourn.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 20th 2024 at 1:00 pm at the Bring's Broadway Chapel (6910 E Broadway Blvd, 85710).

In lieu of flowers donations to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Community Food Bank of Tucson, or the American Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated. To see her entire obituary, click here.

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 

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). 

Click here for April Anniversaries and Birthday list.

 Next Sunday Series

Next Sunday Series: Living Into the Resurrection

After Easter, we have a Sunday morning 11:00 am series that invites us to “live into resurrection.” The story of Easter remains just a story if we do not connect with the Spirit and one another, and, like Jesus, begin living into newness of life. We have a variety of offerings led by members and guests to help us find ways to live into resurrection -- ways of peace, healing, generosity, and hope in our everyday lives. Please sign up (indicate if you will be more likely joining in person or via Zoom): Click here to sign up.

Sunday, April 14: A Brief Introduction to Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and the Potential to Transform Relationships

So often words are weaponized, violence and coercion are seen as the answer to challenges. Jesus lived trusting in God and taught a path characterized by

non-violence. 

Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is a communication process designed to radically shift the way we think and use language in everyday situations to enhance the quality of our relationships with colleagues, friends, family, and neighbors. In this session, we’ll learn how to communicate in a way that invites more goodwill into our lives to better meet everyone’s needs.  

• Facilitator: Paige Hector, LMSW, is a consultant and nationally recognized speaker and writer with over 25 years’ experience in post-acute and long-term care settings. Paige writes extensively on topics relevant to nursing homes including multiple chapters of Managing the Long-Term Care Facility, 2^nd Edition due for publication in 2024. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Caring for the Ages, the publication for AMDA, The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. She is actively involved in the AMDA Education Committee; the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workgroup; and the Behavioral Health Advisory Council, as well as national work groups to improve trauma-informed care. In 2018, she was named the Gerontologist of the Year for the Arizona Geriatrics Society. Gypsy Lyle connected Paige with CAUCC!

Sunday, April 21: Healing from Trauma

Experiencing trauma, and extending care and community to those struggling with the results of trauma, causes both emotional and pain. As a volunteer disaster responder one of Rev. John Cheek’s roles is equipping both trauma survivors and their caregivers with the tools to diminish the damage which grows out of trauma. These tools are useful in our day-to-day lives, as well as in those times of acute trauma. John is very happy to share these tools with us!

• Facilitator: The Rev. John Cheek is an Arizona native who grew up in the small farming community of Elfrida. He served as a police officer in southern Arizona for twenty-four years. To his complete surprise, God called him into an ordained ministry role, so, at the age of forty-four, he began an eight-and-a half-year Master of Divinity program at Fuller Theological Seminary. In ordained and non-ordained roles, John served churches in Arizona and New Mexico for twenty-six hears. Although he will continue is disaster work and will preach on occasion, John retired at the end of 2023. 

Library Will Take Donations!

It is through your generous donations that the church library is able to update and expand offerings available for check out. Any donated books, puzzles, or tapes we cannot put on the shelves, we will sell at our next book sale and the profits will go to the church Scholarship Fund. Please bring any items you wish to donate to the library or place them in the brown rubber receptacle in the breezeway between the sanctuary and the office (available 24/7). Thank you, the Library Team 

Casas Adobes UCC will be hosting a Civic Academy presented by Pima County Interfaith Council on Voting: Action, Integrity, Safety

Speakers include: The Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly and Elections Director Constance Hargrove

Date/time: Saturday, April 20th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

Location: McNear Hall, Casas Adobes Congregational UCC 

Who: Everyone interested in the voting process, including mail-in voting, and how officials maintain integrity and safety in elections. Get your questions answered by experts! Learn the facts of our most valuable civic right and duty! Members, friends, neighbors and the general public are all welcome.

Topics:

• The life of a ballot
• Counting ballots
• What happens to mail-in-ballots

Registration: The event is free but registration is required. Register now using the link on the attached event flyer. 

CAUCC Calendar

Happening this Week

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

Thursday, March 21

• 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 Spiritual Formation Group Zoom only (Contact the office to sign up)

Friday, March 22

• 10:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6

Saturday, March 23

• 9:00 am AA Meeting Rooms 5/6

Sunday, March 24 Palm Sunday

• 8:30 am Communion and Contemplation 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/Turbo Time McNear Hall
• 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 25

• 3:30 pm Cleaning Entire Campus

Tuesday, March 26

• 11:00 am Spiritual Formation Group In-person, Room 3 and on Zoom (contact office to sign up)
• 12:00 Noon Centering Prayer In-person, Room 1
• 1:30 pm Staff Meeting (Office closed)



Wednesday, March 27

• 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

Barry on vacation until March 26th

Office will be closed for Easter Monday, April 1st

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: