Mark Your Calendars

March 29 -Market on the Move

April 5 – Tucson CCF Bowling

Night

April 12 – Women’s Tea

April 13 -- Palm Sunday

- Elders Meeting

- Memorial for John Marsh

April 16 - Newsletter Articles Due

April 17 - Maundy Thursday Service

April 18– Good Friday Service

April 19 – Easter Egg Hunt

April 20 – Sunrise Service

- Easter Brunch

April 21-25 - Owen –vacation

-Laurie –vacation

April 22 - SICP Council

April 24– Prime Timers to

Philabaum

- Brady Church Life Meeting

April 27– Palo Verde Worship

- Food Trucks

April 30– Primavera Dinner

Preparation

The Spirit

April 2014

Schedule of Events and Worship

Through Lent to Easter

Thursdays through April 3 @ 6:30pm

Lenten Study– Intro to Christian Spirituality

Sanctuary

Saturday, April 12 from 2-5:00pm Women’s Tea The Home of Shirley Estes

Sunday, April 13 Palm Sunday

Thursday, April 17 @ 6:00pm Maundy Thursday Service

Friday, April 18 @ 7:00pm Good Friday Service

Saturday, April 19 @ 9:00am Easter Egg Hunt

Sunday, April 20 @6:30am Easter Sunrise Service

Saguaro National Park East

@ 8:30am Easter Brunch

@ 8:00am, 9:00am & 11:00am Easter Worship

One month ago, several families expressed deep concern over proposed laws moving through the Arizo-na government. If passed, individuals and communities, notably the LGBT community, could have been denied basic rights of service in the name of religious liberty. Led by Gary Roberts and Adrienne Crump, these families within our church looked to the vision statement of SCC and the de facto reputation of SCC as a safe and affirming place for all people and came to the church leadership with a request: we need for SCC to be explicit in what the church means as inclusive; we need to become an officially recognized Open and Affirming Church, one that is registered with the GLAD organization of the Disciples of Christ Church. This organization is a database of safe and affirming DOC congregations for the LGBT commu-nity and provides invaluable resources. At the February SCC Board meeting, these families asked permission to present an open letter to the congregation. The idea was to see if the letter could garner enough signatures to warrant serious conversation about certifying the inclusive hope contained within the vision statement. The Board over-whelmingly endorsed the idea and provided the first set of signatures. Rev. Chandler gave two directions to the leadership that night: 1. He would listen to all voices on the matter as he was called to be the minis-ter of all of SCC, He would make himself available for conversation, questions or just listening; 2. There shouldn’t be a vote (congregational, Board or Elders). These conversations about inclusivity are conver-sations about one’s humanity. One’s humanity should never be subject to a vote. We are created within the image of God and the process must reflect this fact. The Elders would need to determine if there was consensus within the church and then make the courageous request for official O&A designation. All par-ties agreed. Prior to worship(s) on March 9th, those early signatures and voices stood before the congregation and read the letter to all. Before the end of our time(s) of worship, over 90 signatures added their voices to the open letter. That same day the Elders met and heard the concern expressed in the letter. The El-ders overwhelmingly supported the open letter and added their names to the letter as well. Within the next few days, through email and Facebook, the number of signatures grew to over 150 names. The long list of names was humbling to see. Rev. Chandler stayed after all services for several weeks to discuss the matter with those who wished. Only a few took up the offer and most of his conversations dealt with three subjects. First, most congregants already thought we were O&A. He explained the certification process of GLAD and how this makes explicit what has already been the norm at SCC. Second, would we need an O&A designation for all races and ethnicities? No, our current historical context does not call for one. Finally, there were conversations regarding the process of presentation of the O&A conversa-tion. He explained what is already written here. There is no such thing as absolute agreement in a DOC church, but the church’s spiritual and ad-ministrative leadership feel that there is more than enough consensus on this matter. We will be officially requesting designation as an Open and Affirming congregation. This is an amazing moment for SCC and further evidence that we are living faithfully into the vision that God placed on our hearts two years ago when we signed the vision statement. It has proven to be an interesting and inspiring month since those first conversations. We are amazed by the courage to stand for our inclusive ideals and make it known to the LBGT community that this is a place to call home. We are humbled by the respect you showed each other. Mostly, we are proud to serve you. This is how church is supposed to be church. God bless each of you and God bless the hope of our future. We really are on the road to a new morning here at SCC. With God’s love, Rev. Owen Chandler (minister), Michael Cleveland (Chair of the Elders) and Bonnie Logan (Moderator)

Musings from a Desert Sojourn:

Prayers of Our Congregation

Barbara Miranda

The Franks

Bob Purvis

Chuck Mull

Penny Young

Veda Laffoon

Fredda Cox

Ruthie Kimmons

Prayers of sympathy to Pat Sutton upon the sudden passing of

her husband, Ken Sutton.

OUTREACH Food Bags Given Out During February: 3

Elder’s Gift Cards Given Out During February: 0

Primavera Meals Served: 2 Breakfasts,

(Each breakfast serves about 70, dinners about 100)

Blessings in a Backpack : 40 volunteers helped pack

backpacks during February

420 Backpacks filled in February

Mobile Meals Delivered: 50 trays

February

8:00 9:00 11:00

2nd 10 37 112

9th 13 57 121

16th 10 40 122

23rd 11 47 120

Attendance

Financials

February

Feb. ‘14 2014 (YTD)

Income 26,002 60,145

Expenses 37,495 70,737

Income/(Loss) ($11,493) ($10,592)

Women’s Fair

Please mark your calendar and tell your friends: Women's Fair,

Saturday, April 26th.

Where: First Christian Church, Tucson

What time: 9am - 3pm

Theme: "Where You Go, I Will Go"

Keynote Speakers: Kassandra Tapia Ochoa and Luz Ruiz, will speak about their Women to Women mission trip to Mexico.

Bible study on Ruth and Naomi from the Just Women Maga-zine and workshops.

Mexican lunch provided from FCC Tucson.

Registration fee: $25.00. Child care will be provided.

A registration flyer with more information will be sent out in March.

Hope to see you all there.

Brady Scholarship

Saguaro students, wishing to apply for consideration

for Brady Scholarship awards, should check the Brady

Scholarship Box in the office this month for the application

forms. All required information must be turned in no later

than May 1. Please follow the criteria for application ex-

actly to ensure that your application is complete. More

information is available by calling Larre Freeman, (520)749-

3537, or e-mailing, larrejf@gmail.com. The Brady Endow-

ment designates scholarships to support Disciple students

in Tucson with priority given to Saguaro Christian Church

members. The funds are inclusive for most post-high

school education from short-term continuing education to

technical schools and from undergraduate to post-graduate

schools.

April 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 12pm Pastor/

Rep Luncheon 6:30pm Human

Resources

2 9:30am Blessings

in a Backpack 5:30pm Saguaro

Ringers 7pm Sanctuary

Choir 8pm Shelter

3 Owen on Army duty

6:30pm Lenten Study

4 5

9:30am DWM Meeting

3:30pm Tucson CCF Bowling

Night

6 7 10am

Quilters 7pm Faith

Based Recovery

8 1:30pm Staff 6pm Parent

to Parent

9 9:30am Blessings

in a Backpack 5:30pm Saguaro

Ringers 7pm Sanctuary

Choir 8pm Shelter

10

11 12 2pm

Women’s Tea

13 12:15pm Elders

12:30pm Primavera

Breakfast Group 2pm John

Marsh Memorial 4:30pm Youth

Group

14 4:30am

Primavera Breakfast 7pm Faith

Based Recovery

15 1:30pm Staff

5:30pm Finance

16 9:30am Blessings in

a Backpack 9:30am Lydia

12pm Newsletter Articles Due

5:30pm Saguaro Ringers

7pm Sanctuary Choir

8pm Shelter

17 6pm Maundy

Thursday Service

18 7pm Good

Friday Service

19 7:30am Men’s

Breakfast 9am Easter Egg Hunt

20 6:30am Sunrise

Service 8am Easter

Brunch 12:30pm Pri-

mavera Break-fast Group

21 Owen on Vacation

Laurie on Vacation

4:30am Primavera Breakfast

10am Quilters 7pm Faith Based

Recovery

22

1:30pm Staff 6pmSICP Council

23

9:30am Blessings in a Backpack

5:30pm Saguaro Ringers

7pm Sanctuary Choir

8pm Shelter

24

9:45am Prime Timers to Philabaum

10am Newsletter Assembly

1pm Deborah 6pm Brady Church

Life

25 26

27 4:30pm

Youth Group 5:30pm Palo

Verde Worship

28 7pm Faith

Based Recovery

29 1:30pm Staff

30 9am Primavera

Dinner Preparation 9:30am Blessings in

a Backpack 5:30pm Saguaro

Ringers 7pm Sanctuary

Choir 8pm Shelter

Both Rev. Chandler and Laurie Cleveland will be out of the office April 21-April 25. If you should have a pasto-

ral emergency, please contact your elder. If you need assistance from the office, one of the volunteers can

assist you during office hours.

April Serving Schedule Elders Serving at Communion Table Ushers Communion Preparer

9:00 service: Scott Steehler 9:00 Bobbie Butler Troy George

11:00 service: Annette Armstrong 11:00 Annette Armstrong

Bryan Lott Lee Hunt Acolyte

Jackie Presson Sparrow Davis

HOME COMMUNION Deacons (*Coordinator)

Elders (Lead) Reserve Elder Pa •lo ve• rde Service

4/06 Scott Steehler Stephanie Sager Missy Crobbe & Troy George

4/13 Stephanie Sager Michael Cleveland

4/20 Michael Cleveland Mike Elbert Traditional Service

4/27 Mike Elbert Alex Dely Patricia Casey, Joann Roadman,

Steve Oaks, Shirley Gunion,

Gordon Chaidez

Scripture Readers Children’s Moment Leaders

Pa •lo ve• rde Service Traditional Service 4/06 BJ Madsen

4/06 Patricia Casey Judy Dunn 4/13 Annette Armstrong

4/13 Dave Crobbe Dave Cox 4/20 Gwen Elbert

4/20 Michelle Gusick Jim Logan 4/27 Adrienne Crump

4/27 Sharon Steehler Fran Johnson

Flowers

4/06 Clayton & Annell Gooden in memory of Doris & John Gooden.

April

Birthdays

2nd Ruth Scalpone

3rd Susan Keenan

5th Lynn Crobbe

7th Galonodel George

10th Alex Dely

13th Shirley Estes

15th Lea Cuzner

16th Kevin Prahar

17th Michelle Gusick

18th Jan Maerker

20th Steve Oaks

25th Carol Friesen

26th Mark Vavra

27th Mike Lindsay

29th Annette Armstrong

Terry Bagwell

Elizabeth Jordan

30th Ellen Purvis

Those wishing to order Sanctuary flowers for a specific date should sign the flower chart in the narthex along with a note saying who they are remembering. Then make a out a check to Saguaro for $40 (memo -flowers)and call Lynn Crobbe who will place the order. This should be done at least one week in advance. This is a way of remembering loved ones or friends as well as helping to add beauty to our sanctuary.

E-Mail

Did you know that we have an email distribution so that

you can be quickly and easily notified of events happen-

ing at Saguaro Christian Church? You can also receive

the newsletter this way! In addition, we have begun to

send out a “Weekly Events” email via Constant Contact

that highlights announcements from the upcoming bul-

letin, see sign up deadlines and coming soon...the

weekly serving schedule. We hope to be able to do

even more with it in the near future. If you are not cur-

rently receiving emails from Saguaro and would like to,

please contact the office and ask to be added on to our

email distribution.

Thank You I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and cards of sympathy during the recent illness and passing of my brother. The kindness expressed in both thoughts and words of encouragement were very helpful for Marilyn and I during those difficult times.

Bill Hanson

Sunrise Service Sunday, April 20

We will be leaving the church parking lot at

6AM. Because of limited parking at the park we may

need to hire a bus to accommodate everyone that

wishes to attend. It is very important that we know if

you are coming and the need for transporta-

tion. There is a sign up sheet in the Ramada. Please

sign it by April 6 so that we know how to plan. If you

can offer transportation to others indicate how many

you can take in your vehicle. You may also call Larre

Freeman, 749-3537, to reserve a spot. Sarah Beth

Ansell will be coordinating that morning.

Dear Friends Dear Friends of Edith,

With sadness, but also with joy, I want to let you know my mom, Edith Ellis, was released from pain and suffering and went to be with my dad Satur-day morning, January 11. We know they are dancing in heaven! A memorial service will be held at 2:00, January 24 at First Christian Church, 229 S. Rollins Street, Centralia, Missouri.

We have been so blessed to have had Mom living close to family since May, 2011. She loved being here to live out her final days and she passed with dignity and grace, just as she lived her life.

Thank you for being a part of her life. She cher-ished her friends and family.

Becky Wheeler

Easter Lilies

Deadline for ordering Easter lilies is also April 6. The six inch lilies are $10. Please enclose a check in an en-velope designated Easter Lilies and send to the church office by Sunday, April 6.

SAVE THE DATE

for Vacation Bible School 2014

This year we will be hosting VBS on June 9-13. It will be from 8:30 am - 11:30 am. We are inviting all children ages 3 - 5th grade (grade just com-pleted) to come with us on a journey as we dis-cover "Oh, The Places God Goes". This year's pro-gram was originally developed by Lee Yates of First Christian Church, New Castle, IN. It will be a fun,

"Seuss-tacular" week of Bible stories, songs, skits, crafts, games, snacks and, of course, Dr. Seuss books. If you would like to volunteer to help please contact Judy Dunn or Emily Chan-dler.

Do you have ART to share?

We are now accepting photography, painting, collages, assemblages and drawing for exhibits in the li-

brary. Hanging art is best since counter top space is limited. Call Larre Freeman, 749-3537 or lar-

rejf@gmail.com, to schedule your exhibit.

Congratulations, Reverend Owen Chandler!

Following is a recent evaluation of our minister by Lt. Commander Ann Hall, Battalion Commander, U.S. Army. “Chaplain Chandler exemplified the best of the Army Chaplain Corps. He expertly provides religious support to all sol-ders and families, connecting with individuals from diverse backgrounds. He enthusiastically takes advantage of training opportunities, and completed both Combat Medical Ministry and ASIST T4T courses this year. He is an excellent mentor for the two Chaplain Assistants and two Chaplain Candidates he supervises, and thinks creatively to solve problems and assist his Commander. A consummate professional, he is the top Chaplain out of the seven that I supervised during this rating period. Promote ahead of peers and select for assignments of increased responsibility.” We are rightfully proud of him!!! Bonnie Logan Moderator

Join us this Easter Season for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt

On Saturday, April 19 from 9:30 – 11:30 am we will host a church and community event to celebrate Easter.

Bring your children, grandchildren, and friends’ children for a fun day of egg hunting, candy, games, prizes, and

popcorn! Have your picture taken with the Easter Bunny for $5. All proceeds support the work of SICP. Here

are highlights of the day:

Egg hunts in 3 different areas to accommodate age groups; toddler-preschool, K-2nd , & 3rd-5th

Eggs with coins inside can be redeemed for a special prize

Games and crafts in the Fellowship Hall – water games outside on the courtyard

Live bunnies to pet To make this event a success and fun for all children, we NEED your help. Can you volunteer to:

hide eggs * run a game * hand out treat bags * collect eggs

make and hand out popcorn * set up or clean up * oversee a craft

monitor bunny petting * help with picture taking * hand out special prizes We also need volunteers to make candy bags on Sat., April 12 at 9:00 am. Please contact Judy Dunn or Emily

Chandler if you can help. Thank you in advance for all you do!

Our Staff

Minister Rev. Owen Chandler

SICP Director Tanima Lawrence

Office Manager & Christian Education

and Youth Coordinator

Laurie Cleveland

Director of Music Jeff Myrmo

Accompanist & Contemporary

Worship Director Keith Koster

Property Manager Paul Ledbetter

Custodians Brian Rudigier

Jacob Ansell

Seminarian Resident Rev. Kevin Prahar

Financial Manager Laurie Colburn

Media Frank Terry

Nursery Attendant Barbara Sager

For Your Information

Worship Services:

Sunday: 8:00am 9:00am 11:00am

Sunday School: 10:10am

E-mail: info@saguarochristian.org

Phone: 520-296-5901

Fax: 520-298-0168

Web Page: saguarochristian.org

Our Mission Statement

Christ has called Saguaro Christian Church

to build a home to serve God and all peo-

ple through growth and healing in ourselves

and the community beyond our front doors.

8302 E Broadway

Tucson, AZ 85710

March 27, 2014

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

TIME VALUE MATERIAL

NON PROFIT

US POSTAGE

PAID

TUCSON AZ

PERMIT #1303

Sermon Theme through April

Lent Continues

April 6: John 11: 1-45

April 13: Easter Cantata

Matthew 21:1-11

April 17: Maundy Thursday

John 13:1-17

April 18: Good Friday

John 18:1-9: 42

April 20: Easter

Matthew 28:1-10

April 27: Earth Stewardship Sunday

Psalm 19:1-4, 14