~ SUNDAYS AT BEACON ~

WE’RE BACK IN THE SANCTUARY FOR WORSHIP! PLEASE JOIN US.

Masks are optional. (Special seating area for mask wearers is available.)

"RACISTS ARE MADE, NOT BORN"

with Rev. Linda Ochi

SUNDAY, APRIL 21ST, 2024

AT BEACON

At 10:00 A.M.

ALL ARE WELCOME! You BELONG at Beacon - Spiritually open and intentionally inclusive since 1958.

Nelson Mandela said, "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite." And James Baldwin said, "I imagine of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain." We will look at how people are taught to be racist in their family of origins and the difficulties people experience in letting go of that hate and prejudice. With Rev. Linda Ochi preaching and music under the direction of Andrew Schroeder with accompaniment by Pete Garcia.

KIDS AT BEACON - ALL ARE WELCOME!

Children and youth are always welcome in worship!

There are activity packets available for children during the service.

If you are bringing children for a Sunday service and would like childcare provided, please contact Linda Ochi at (619) 607-1623 or by email: Lindaochi31@gmail.com

~ THIS WEEK AT BEACON ~

"RACISTS ARE MADE, NOT BORN"

with Rev. Linda Ochi

Sunday, April 21st, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

in the Beacon Sanctuary

BUILDING & GROUNDS COMMITTEE MEETING

Sunday, April 21st, 2024, at 11:30 a.m.

in the Beacon Rainbow Room

CHEAP LUNCH BUNCH

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024, at 11:30 a.m.

at The Tourist Home Cafe

BEACON CHOIR REHEARSAL

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.

in the Beacon Sanctuary

VOLUNTEERING

Wednesday, April 24th, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.

at Flagstaff Family Food Center

BOARD MEETING

Wednesday, April 24th, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.

in the Beacon Rainbow Room and via Zoom

SAVE THE DATES:

Building & Grounds Work Day on Saturday, May 4th, 2024

Beacon Town Hall on Sunday, May 19th, 2024

Annual Beacon Yard Sale on Saturday, June 1st, 2024

Beacon in the Pride Parade on Saturday, June 15th, 2024

UUA Virtual General Assembly, June 20th-23rd, 2024

Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, June 23rd, 2024

See details for all events here in the e-news.  

You can keep up with future Beacon events by checking out the Beacon calendar!

MAKING MUSIC AT BEACON

Lift up your voice… All are welcome to join the choir. And it’s a great way to introduce friends who like to sing to Beacon. 

The Beacon Choir, under the direction of Andrew Schroeder and with accompanist Pete Garcia, rehearses each Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Beacon Sanctuary.

IN THE BEACON SPOTLIGHT:

SPLINTERS FROM THE BOARD

The Board met on 27 March, 2024.  Primary discussion was about the budget in relation to a part-time or full-time minister.  Recommendation was made to budget for an audio-visual upgrade. The previous compensation worksheet for a minister was reviewed.  This was forwarded to the treasurer for review at the finance committee meeting. 

Pledge income is at 65.1%, with the fiscal year 2/3 complete.  Total expenses for the year are at 54.9%.  Steve Zeldes has revised the donation page, and Paula will complete the installation on the website.  A review of the results from the focus groups, shows that the variety of worship services has been well-received.  Concern regarding “burn-out” was expressed by several groups.

“LOVE UNITES, STORIES IGNITE”

UUA VIRTUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JUNE 20TH – 23RD, 2024

General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles. Please join us online Thursday, June 20 through Sunday, June 23, 2024, for this 4-day immersive experience where we participate in inspirational worship services and informative workshops, reconvene with friends and colleagues, and explore our virtual exhibit hall. GA is an unforgettable experience for the thousands of UUs who participate. You’ll leave with renewed energy and innovative ideas to share with your congregation and community-at-large! Join the 63rd General Assembly this year as it is entirely virtual. Dates are June 20-23, 2024.  

The above theme focuses on the offerings through lecture, workshops, and worship. With love at the center of the Article II schematic, the assembly will focus on love as a binding force for UU’s.  

Stories will be told to unite, change, inspire compassion, and build a more just equitable world. The Ware lecture is a yearly highlight, and this year Julia Watts Belser will talk from her background as an activist for disability and gender issues. 

Registration is available at UUA.org/GA. Beacon does have a scholarship fund and can help cover the cost of registration and/or if you wish to be a delegate with voting privileges, please contact Lynda L. Dorweiler at president@beaconuu.com. 

PETITION SIGNING

As we approach the election season, I wish to remind Beacon congregants that we do have a policy on signing petitions Section 200.11 Article 2.

If someone wishes to present a petition for signature, notification must be made to the office manager by the Friday before the Sunday service. The person must indicate: 

• Name of signature collector and contact information 
• Date of service or specific program 
• Title of issue 
• Eligibility requirement(s) of signers (e.g. Flagstaff resident or Coconino County resident)   
• Preferred location for signature collection (i.e. front yard or social room)

It is recommended that the collection of signatures be done following the service. A few weeks ago, a non-congregant was in the sanctuary asking for signatures on a petition (Title unknown). 

Thank you for respecting the policy.

Lynda L. Dorweiler

Board President

THE BEACON ANNUAL YARD SALE

SATURDAY, JUNE 1ST, 2024

Remember the yard sale is on June 1st. We need stuff. Hang on to big stuff as long as you can, but we don't want to miss out.

Help will be appreciated. Call me, Maryann Vandrielen, at (928) 606-5115. I will arrange trucks to pick up large items. I will pick up small items.

CORE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (CLC) MEETING

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15TH, 2024, AT 6:30 P.M.

VIA ZOOM

The next Core Leadership Committee meeting will be on Wednesday, May 15th, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.  Contact Dennis Spurlin if you have any questions. 

The Core Leadership Council (CLC) supports the organization primarily by facilitating communication between all the committees of the congregation with the Board and is chaired by the Board Vice President. All are welcome, and there should be at least one representative from each committee. More information about the CLC can be found here and here.

RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION

BUILDING BRIDGES

INTERGENERATIONAL BUILDING BRIDGES VISITS AT BEACON

Our middle/high school Building Bridges world religions group has evolved into an opportunity for ALL AGES to explore the beliefs of other faith communities through visits to their places of worship.  

On Sunday, April 28th, 2024, we will meet at 11 a.m. at Bridge Church off of Lake Mary Road at 3926 S. Walapai Dr., Flagstaff, AZ 86005.  Emily Morton, who used to attend Beacon, invites us to attend a service and describes the church as "a charismatic Christian church with lots of life and fun services." For more information about the church, check out their website at https://www.wearebridge.church/.  

Thanks, 

Dru

edrumonroe@gmail.com 

CALLING ALL FACILITATORS!  Would you like to lead an Adult Education program?Bring it On! Contact Lynda Dorweiler (Beacon President) to discuss your idea and scheduling possibilities.

SHARE YOUR JOYS AND SORROWS - CHIME IN!

One way we can sustain connection 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 office@beaconuu.com to be shared.

JOYS AND SORROWS FROM APRIL 14TH:

Joan S. loved singing in the Master Chorale performances last week.

The composer met with them!

Barry was thrilled that he and Anne were able to view the eclipse

in Waco, TX, "a primo venue."

Bruce and Lise reported that they also were able to view

the total eclipse, albeit from a different location.

CHEAP LUNCH BUNCH

TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD AT 11:30 A.M.



The Cheap Lunch Bunch will meet at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23rd at The Tourist Home Cafe on South San Francisco St.

Please plan on having lunch once each month at a local restaurant typically on the fourth Tuesday.

To opine on the time and location of future gatherings and to be included in all the group's emails, please email Anne at wittke.anne@gmail.com. 

APRIL - JUNE 2024 SHARE THE PLATE PARTNER

FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES

Beacon’s community partner for April - June 2024 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, on-site 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 the quarter’s Sunday service offerings above $300 will be presented to the Flagstaff Shelter Services. Nominations for 501c3 agencies can be made through a form located in the CAC folder in the office or by contacting a CAC member (Susan Patrick, Katy Grant, Lynda L. Dorweiler).

ACTIVATE AT BEACON WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE ALLIES!

MONDAY, MAY 13TH, 2024

VIA ZOOM

The Social Justice Allies (SJAs) meet on the second Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom.

The April meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 13th, 2024. If you wish to join the meeting, please contact the convener Paul Beier.

More information about the SJAs can be found here.

BEACON IN THE PRIDE PARADE

SAVE THE DATE: JUNE 15TH

Dig out those UU Beacon and Side with Love T-Shirts!

Beacon has secured a spot in this year's pride parade: “Iconically You!” on June 15, 2024, from 8 a.m. to Noon.

We need marchers and folks on the sides to cheer the marchers on!

More information to follow in the next newsletter! Email Angela with specific questions.

UU THE VOTE 2024 LAUNCH

Click here to view the UU the Vote Campaign launch (pre-recorded).

So much is on the line this election season. Together, our communities can address the current threats to our democracy and human dignity.

The 2024 elections are not just about what’s at stake, but what is possible–a coordinated national movement of communities working together to fight for justice, accountability, and equity. This is a critical time to win real victories for our communities. Many of us have been fighting hard to pass critical voting rights legislation, end our reliance on fossil fuels, create a just pathway to citizenship for immigrant communities, block the proliferation of militarized policing, protect life-affirming abortion care, and fight hateful and discriminatory anti-trans legislation. Elections have consequences, and, as we saw in the victory to enshrine the right to an abortion in Ohio’s constitution, the results can be inspiring. Let’s bring our values to UU the Vote in 2024!

Unitarian Universalism calls us to build democratic processes in our congregations and communities. We must protect victories won by decades of justice movement organizing and advance that work through lifting our collective voices in the 2024 elections. Together, in partnership, UUs can strengthen our organizing landscapes through the mass mobilization of UU the Vote in 2024.

We can’t do it without you! Want to stay updated with UU The Vote all the way through November? Sign up here. 

~ Beacon Connections ~

Volunteer At Flagstaff Food Center With Beacon!

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24TH, 2024

The Flagstaff Family Food Center utilizes small groups of volunteers for their dinner service. Beacon is looking for a group of five (5) to seven (7) volunteers for the 4th & 5th Wednesdays of every month, from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. The dinner service is at the FFFC Kitchen (1903 N 2nd Street) and is a hybrid operation with To-Go meals and Dine-in service.

Beacon's next volunteer date is Wednesday, April 24th, 2024, from 3:00-6:00 p.m.  If dinnertime service does not interest you, please consider helping with prep from 10 a.m. until noon or pitching in at the warehouse on Huntington.

Volunteer Safety: Volunteers are required to wear a mask, closed-toe shoes, and long pants; regularly wash or sanitize their hands; and practice six feet of social distancing whenever possible. Gloves for food preparation and distribution will be provided at the kitchen to each volunteer. Plexiglass has been installed at the walk-up window as a safeguard against COVID-19. The center has enhanced cleaning protocols.

Mike Bruton is organizing monthly teams of Beacon UU volunteers. If you're interested in volunteering for the above date, please use this Beacon-specific link. (If you go to the general volunteer sign-up webpage, this Beacon volunteer date and time may not show up.)

If you encounter any problems with the above link, please contact Mike at mb312@hotmail.com.

More FFFC volunteer opportunities can be found here.

DONATION DESIGNATION



When you make donations by check or cash to Beacon, please be sure to designate whether the donation is PLEDGE or PLATE. Thank you for your continued support!

BEACON'S ENDOWMENT PLAN

The Beacon Endowment Plan, an important step to ensure that Beacon remains a strong and vibrant congregation for years to come, was approved unanimously at a Congregational Meeting on April 24, 2022. For more information about the Endowment Fund, please click here. 

A plaque is now hanging in the Social Hall to honor those who have contributed to the endowment. Your name can be there, too!

GIFTING SECURITIES TO BEACON

If you have securities held outside of a retirement account (i.e., not from your IRA, 401k, 403b, TSP, or other retirement account) and are interested in gifting some to Beacon, more information can be found here. This can be a tax-efficient way to make a gift to Beacon.

1. If you shop at all at Fry's grocery, you can either sign up for your own VIP account (identifying Beacon UUC FE392 as your beneficiary) or use the church phone number (928-779-4492) to get any available discounts AND earn some money for Beacon. Currently, there are 8 households signed up, and Beacon earned $15.30 for this quarter.

If you want to take advantage of Fry's gasoline discounts, you'll want your own VIP account. You can create or edit an existing individual account at www.frysfood.com/account/create/ (Alt ID is typically your phone number.) Within your account settings, just click on Community Rewards and search for FE392 (Flagstaff's Beacon UU) to set Beacon as your beneficiary.

2. You can order from any of the over 2,300 stores listed under iGive with a portion of your purchase being donated to Beacon. After creating your own account with a user name and password, select settings and "my cause" and type in Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation (do not abbreviate UU). 

3. 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? Please leave them on a card in the bin in the lobby, or send them to Lynda Dorweiler, President.

OTHER EVENTS IN ARIZONA AND THE SOUTHWEST

CAMP DE BENNEVILLE PINES

UPCOMING EVENTS

SUMMER YOUTH CAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Camp de Benneville Pines, the UUA camp for the Pacific Western Region, is hosting the following upcoming events:



• “Promoting Justice: Amplifying Voices,” the Pacific Southwest District Service Area Assembly, April 26-28, 2024
• "We Are Magic," UU Women's Retreat, May 3-5, 2024
• "Creating Sacred Space," Yoga and Whole Living Camp, May 17-19, 2024
• UU Elementary Summer Youth Camp, June 30-July 6, 2024
• UU Counselor-in-Training Program, June 30-July 6, 2024
• UU Jr. High Summer Youth Camp, July 7-13, 2024
• UU Sr. High Summer Youth Camp, July 14-20, 2024
• UU Summer Family Camp, July 21-27, 2024

For more information on these and other events and to register, please click here.

Camp de Benneville Pines

41750 Jenks Lake Road West

Angelus Oaks, CA 92305

(909) 794-2928

http://www.uucamp.org

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND CAMPING WITH UUs

AT SAWUURA

Friday, May 24 through Monday, May 27, 2024. No fee and no crowds! 

Camp has water, composting toilets, a group kitchen, and a ramada. Bring tents, sleeping gear, and your own food. High Clearance Vehicle required

Families, children, friends all welcome! 

Information & registration at SAWUURA.org 

SAWUURA is a 100-acre property owned by UUs located in the Sierra Ancha mountains near Young, AZ.

WESTERN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST LIFE FESTIVAL

GHOST RANCH, NM

JUNE 17-23, 2024

WUULF (Western Unitarian Universalist Life Festival) is an annual week-long, multi-generational camp for Unitarian-Universalists at the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. We are a loving community from a diverse set of age groups, backgrounds, and cultures who gather in New Mexico each year to express our appreciation for each other and our world. WUULF will be held from June 17-23, 2024.

Rev. Robin Zucker, serving as community minister for WUULF this year, will offer morning chapel services and several workshops.

More information can be found here. Registration is open!

~ BEACON OFFICE HOURS AND CONTACTS~

Office Phone (928) 779-4492

Minister

Beacon is currently

a lay-led congregation.

Contact president@beaconnuu.com

RE Team





We have an incredibly strong team leading our RE this year.

You can direct your RE questions to Linda: lindaochi31@gmail.com

Office Manager,

Paula Czernicki

she/her/hers

Mon: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Wed: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Thurs: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Paula will be out of the office on Monday, April 22nd



Hours may change. Please call ahead.

Office@beaconuu.com

~ UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST EIGHT PRINCIPLES ~

Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation affirms and promotes eight Principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides.

Further information about the 8th Principle can be found here. The 8th Principle is being considered by other UU congregations and the UUA.

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!

If you lost money due 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. 

 webmaster@beaconuu.com 

Contribute to Beacon's Weekly News

Typically, submissions for the next newsletter need to be emailed to office@beaconuu.com by noon on Wednesday. Thanks!