Scottsdale Congregational UCC and Some Accountants

I had the pleasure of joining Scottsdale Congregational UCC yesterday in worship.

Pictured below are the choir from the early morning Traditional service (though, quite frankly, they don't look all that tradtional, do they?)...

and here is the Jazz Band at the later Studio service.


What a blast!

I spent part of my Monday with an accounting firm. Sounds like fun, no? Well, it wasn't exactly, but it was important business. With me were Brendan Mahoney, Moderator-Elect, and Alissa Marquis, Moderator. We met with Scott, Mark, Lori, and Amy (all pictured below), and talked at some length about what steps we can take to ensure our fiscal vitality and health, and ways in which they might be able to assist us in that process. There may be more news to report at a later date about that.

Time to Play

Well, it isn't always this way, but sometimes the stars align just the right way and you get a chance to enjoy a little some of the things you most love doing.

Friday morning was spent with my son playing golf in the desert. This is I teeing off on the 16th hole at the TPC at Scottsdale, Stadium course.


After a nap in the afternoon, I got to a baseball game. You know how I love baseball.


And Saturday morning, I finally got on the bike. A good long ride preceded a good long soak in the pool - not a bad way to beat the heat here in the Valley.

Personnel, Desert Spirit

The morning started with a gathering of the very hard-working Personnel Committee. Here are Barb, Pat, and Brendan.




And the day ended at the home of Paul Brosor with members of Desert Spirit UCC. Here are a few of them, gathered together for some serious conversation.

NMCC

I attended the New Mexico Council of Churches Board Meeting yesterday in Santa Fe.

This is a fun group to work with. Among the participants were UCC pastors/members Daniel Eerdman, Allen Gilmore, Sue Joiner, Pam Gilchrist, Frank Sherman, Barbara Dua and Talitha Arnold who welcomed us as the host pastor (the meeting was held at United Church of Santa Fe).


It was a bit of a sad day, as our Ecexutive Director, The Rev. Barbara Dua announced her immediate resignation due to health reasons. I assure you more than a few tears were shed. We wish her the best, and are deeply grateful for all the work she did to maintain not only the fine reputation of this Ecumenical Conference, but also the history of significant work done in its name.

Church of the Good Shepherd

I have been spending the weekend as guests in the home of Bob and Pat Rosenak - my resident hosts when I travel to be with the Church of the Good Shepherd in Albuquerque.

So far, I have spent an eled two services and enjoyable evening with the Moderator, led both morning services, and done a training session with the Council. Tonight - a ball game! My first time to see the Isotopes here in Albuquerque - something I have had on my list of things to do since I got here, but am only now getting to. Next should be a balloon ride over the city.

Anyway, it has been a true delight to be here. The women's choir did two beautiful pieces: a spiritual and a piece of Gregorian Chant.


Also, I met John and Emily - two volunteers working with the United Church of Christ's 'Partners in Mission' program who just today arrived back at the church after spending three months at the Back Bay Mission repairing and rebuilding homes wiped out by Hurricane Katrina. There was much rejoicing as they walked back into the sanctuary today for the first time since they left to do that.

Tomorrow, on to Santa Fe!

A Happy Birthday

Here we are, the happy couple,

with their happy children,

Celebrating the happy mother's happy birthday!

Beating the Heat

Mimi and I drove up to Prescott for the weekend.

I met with members of the Cabinet on Saturday, heard the Cheektones play at Coyote Joe's on Saturday (thanks to Julie and John for covering our drinks!), and worshipped with First Congregational UCC on Sunday morning.

Mimi and I were guests in the home of Betty and Gordon Bergthold - who simply spoiled us rotten. That's me with Gordon below. He used to pitch for the Phils, so I'll forgive him the indiscretion of wearing that jersey.


And the temp never got close to 90 the whole time we were up there.

Nice.

CoCAM

What a great day we had with CoCAM today. On days like this, I rejoice that I am so lucky to be doing what I am doing.

We had lunch with In-Care Student Josh Whistler...


We conducted an Ordination exam with and unanimously approved for Ecclesiastical Council Kristen Barner. Here she is with some of her strong supporters. She is a true gift!


And here is Alan Buice, who this morning was taken In-Care of the Southwest Conference. He is standing with Bill Hershey, member of CoCAM and active with Alan in membership at First Church, Albuquerque.

Clergy Luncheon

The clergy of the West Valley met at West Congregational United Church of Christ yesterday.

As you can see, this was a hungry crew. I didn't do them any favors taking this picture as they were all intent on partaking of the fine spread that West Church provided.

We are certainly grateful for Jim Riggins (on the far right in the picture above) and his volunteers for hosting the luncheon. It is the fourth in a series of luncheons that are being hosted for Southwest clergy.

Below, Brian Frederick-Gray (Interim at Encanto) and Jeremy Lopez (Intern at Beatitudes and In-care student) engage in lively conversation. A good time was had by all!

Pleasant Hill TN

In this picture are some heroes of mine.

On the far left is Rev. Ted Braun, whom I knew as a radical minister in the college town of Carbondale IL. When my good friend Jeannette Mott-Oxford was denied ordination because she was a lesbian, Ted's church assembled their own ecclesiastical council and approved her for ordination without the permission of the Association. He has made over 40 trips to Cuba, and has worked with prisoners of conscience for many, many years.

On the other side of me is Marvin Allbright and his wife Joanne. Marv served for over 30 years as the pastor of a church in Sedalia MO, where he set up a model organization for victims of domestic violence that has since been copied in many settings throughout the country. He was a passionate advocate for peace and justice.

They both now reside at the UCC retirement village in Pleasant Hill TN, where I spent the weekend lecturing on the religious right. It was good to see them both, and to hear them both tell stories about their careers that inspire me. I owe them both a deep debt of gratitude for showing young whipper-snappers like me the way.

SWC@NCLI

Here we are - all the delegates from the Southwest Conference to the National Church Leadership Institute.

Don't we just look like we are having fun? Yeah - we really are!

Pictured here are Jeffrey Dirrim, Dave and Michele Mellot, and Jayne Hubbard. Jayne is pastoring at Black Mountain Community church which hopes soon to affiliate with the United Church of Christ in the coming year.

Also with us is the inimitable Cameron Trimble, church development consultant extraordinaire. You will recall she was a keynoter at our annual meeting this year, and will be visiting us for four days in October to help us develop and build strategies for church growth, development, and revitalization.

More from NCLI

The New Church Leadership Institute continues, and with each speaker and session, I become more convinced of the value of the time I am spending here.

Here is a picture of Rev. Dr. Michael Piazza, from Cathedral of Hope in Dallas (the world's largest LGBT community of faith) talking about creative worship. WOW!!! This is good stuff, folks.



And here is a picture of Conference types spending an hour eating lunch together and building strategies for revitalizing existing churches that are longing for new life and new mission.



Stay with me, Southwest Conference. We have much to do in the coming years: churches to build, ministries to develop, and churches to revitalize. Oh my, there is much to do. And we WILL get it done. Start thinking now about your role in this - whether as a congregational partner or as an individual. We are going to need you all.

NCLI

Pictured above are Donna Allen, whose expose on the 4th chapter of John as an examination of how to do a new church start was brilliant and engaging, and David Schoen, Director of our Evangelism team at 700 Prospect Ave in Cleveland.

Some important lessons from the day:
focus on Mission!
you can't borrow someone else's dream
They're not 'visitors,' they're 'guests'
Why plant a new church? You are persuaded Jesus is relevant enough, and that others need his Living Water

More to come. Stay tuned!

New Church Leadership Initiative

I'll report more on this later, but I am attending the New Church Leadership Institute in Atlanta, Georgia.

Here we all are - about a hundred or so from across the denomination (and I think six from the Southwest Conference) learning everything we can about planting new churches and revitalizing existing ones.

This is for us in the Southwest a new beginning. Our focus in the coming years will largely be on this, so get ready. Much more to come!

I will do a few reports throughout the week, so stay tuned.

TOX Ministries

This is Alfonso - he leads music for the TOX ministries.


This is Luis - he is the pastor for the TOX ministries.

I had the privilege of spending the afternoon in worship with TOX ministries. It was an engaging, enthusiastic afternoon spent with people who love being together, and who find strength sharing community.

I am filled with a sense of belonging, a sense of familia.

This is a growing and vital church, and it was a true pleasure to spend this day with them.