The

Spirit
December 2014

ADVENT SCHEDULE
Sunday, November 30
During Worship

Mark Your Calendar

11.23-11.27
Primavera Thanksgiving Dinner Project
11.27
Thanksgiving
11.27-11.28
Church Office Closed
11.29
Sanctuary Decorating
12.6
Old Pueblo Brass Band Concert
12.7
Tucson CCF Fellowship
12.10
Newsletter Articles Due
12.11
Disciples Womens Ministry Christmas Party
12.21
Annual Christmas Party
12.24
Christmas Eve Worship Services
12.25
Christmas
Church Office Closed

Hanging of the Greens

Saturday, December 6
7:00pm

Old Pueblo Brass Band Concert

Wednesday, December 10
6:00pm

Hope and Healing Service

Thursday, December 11
6:00pm

Disciple Womens Ministry

Christmas Party

Sunday, December 21
Annual Christmas Party

Wednesday, December 24
6:00pm
10:00pm
11:00pm

Family Pajama Service

Christmas Concert
Candlelight Service of Carols

Sunday, December 28

Christmas Sunday

A Few Thoughts
In a very practical way, Advent is about waiting for a baby. Take
away all the pagentry, the spiritual reflection and you have a tradition of faithful people waiting on a baby. This year that theological
exercise takes on a unique experience as my family and I wait for a
baby. In this pursuit I've noticed something about waiting. It involves the concepts of preparation and welcome. Very often it
seems like people's focus fixates on one of these concepts without
regard or intentionality towards the other. With our first child, we
were obsessed with the preparation. We read the books, practiced the breathing and set up the nursery. The baby came and it
took all of a few hours to realize that we did not know how to welcome the child. Emily and I had had no conversations about the
changes we'd have to make to our lives that would actually reflect
the blessing before us. Our lives were still so adult. Thankfully we
didn't fight the change and we learned to welcome. Unintentionally, I've been wondering lately whether we in
the church often make similar oversights. The sanctuary and
grounds are primed for the celebration, but are we having real
conversations about what it means to welcome the vulnerable gift
of the Christ child. I don't know. I hope to lead us through some
of these conversations...well until the baby gets here!

Prayers of Our
Congregation
Barbara Miranda
Bob Purvis
Chuck Mull
Fredda Cox
Helen Ellis
Clayton Gooden
The Larsen Family
Abby Casey
Ruth Harmon

Cece Terry
Arlie Heald
The Youngs
Ashley Stewart
Betty Thompson
Clayton Gooden
Ann Marie Casey
Bobbie Butler
Dick Wilkins

BASKETS BY LARRE
Baskets that were fabricated by
Larre Freeman will be on sale in
the Church Library on November 30
from 9am to 12:30pm. Unique items
that are just right for your Christmas
shopping.

ALL KIDS

ages 3-17 are invited to

I want to thank the members and friends of the SCC Congregation

for your beautiful greeting cards of healing and support and phone
calls following my surgery. The surgery was a success and now it is
a matter of gaining physical strength, which improves day by day.

be a part of a Christmas Musical Performance and Advent Craft Time. We

will be practicing fun Christmas songs
during Children & Youth Fellowship,
10:00-10:50, starting Sunday, November 30. All children and youth are
asked to meet in room 7/8. We will
perform at the 6:00 Family Christmas
Eve Service. We will also have a
Christmas craft and snack during fellowship. All children, including grandchildren and new families are encouraged to join in this fun, festive event.
Contact Judy Dunn or Emily Chandler
for questions.

Thank you all so very much

Bonnie Logan

Reminder Saguaro Quilters will

Christmas Decorating
Do you hear the music? Christmas is fast approaching. The worship committee will be decorating the sanctuary Saturday, November 29 at 9:00am. We would appreciate any and all help. Please
mark your calendars.

Thank you

not be meeting through the holidays.

OUTREACH
Food Bags Given Out During October: 2
Elders Gift Cards Given Out During October : 2
Primavera Meals Served: 2 Breakfasts, 1 Dinner
(Each breakfast serves about 70, dinners about 100)
Blessings in a Backpack : 392 Bags packed,
11 Volunteers
Mobile Meals Delivered: 65 trays

Blessings in a Backpack
On October 25th a food delivery was made to
Blessings in a Backpack. We thank the following people for delivering the food: Charlie Ansell, Nick and Wanta Makres and Devion, Lee
Hunt and Carl and Peggy Goforth. We appreciate the continued support of the Saguaro Christian Church volunteers for delivery and packing
weekly! Shirley Heald, Dodie Kriho and Pat
Sutton

Brady Outreach
As we reach the end of 2014 and reflect on the
gift we have been given through the birth of Jesus, its also a
time to consider the most generous gift left to Saguaro by the
Brady family in the form of an endowment established to carry
on many activities and programs they were passionate about.
One of these is the Brady Outreach endowment.
BRADY OUTREACH funds are awarded for areas including
neighborhood, community, world/global, Basic Mission Finance,
new church development and ideas beyond the scope of our
own church development. Requests are not limited to churchrelated projects but are considered for humanitarian efforts
and outreach as well. We ask that groups not apply for funding
that will be used for institutional sustainment (salaries, rent,
etc.) but rather for specific, preferably new, needs/projects
within the organization. Funds should have a measurable impact on a specific target project and help those outside the
membership of Saguaro Christian Church.
Now is the time for you to present to the committee applications for grants to programs and projects that meet these
guidelines............be they religious or secular/humanitarian in
nature. There are so many wonderful groups out there, think
about it, won't you be an advocate for one?
Applications are available in the church office and should be
returned by the 10th of January to be considered for Quarter
4/2014 awards. Questions may be directed to Sharon Jensen,
Chair, at ss.jensen57@gmail.com

Attendance
October
8:00

9:00

11:00

5th

35

92

12th

12

43

99

19th

10

33

105

26th

10

51

101

Financials
October
Oct. 14

2014 (YTD)

Income

28,815

303,675

Expenses

36,978

328,885

Income/(Loss) ($8,163)

($25,210)

December 2014
Sun

Mon
1

2
7pm Faith
Based
Recovery

8
12:15pm
Primavera
Breakfast
Group
2pm Tucson
CCF Retreat

14
12:15pm
Primavera
Breakfast
Group

21
Cantata
Christmas
Party

28

Tue
1:30pm Staff

9
4:30am
Primavera
Breakfast
7pm Faith
Based
Recovery

15
4:30am
Primavera
Breakfast
7pm Faith
Based
Recovery

22
7pm Faith
Based
Recovery
Laurie out of
office

29
7pm Faith
Based
Recovery

1:30pm Staff

16
1:30pm Staff

23
1:30pm Staff

30
1:30pm Staff

Wed
3

9:30am
Blessings in a
Backpack
5:30pm Saguaro
Ringers
7pm Sanctuary
Choir
8pm Shelter

10

9:30am Blessings in
a Backpack
12pm Newsletter
Articles Due
5:30pm Saguaro
Ringers
6pm Hope & Healing Service
7pm Sanctuary
Choir

17

9:30am
Blessings in a
Backpack
5:30pm Saguaro
Ringers
7pm Sanctuary
Choir
8pm Shelter

24

Thu
4

Fri
5

Sat
6
7pm Old
Pueblo Brass
Band Concert

11

12

13

19

20

6pm DWM
Christmas
Party

18
10am
Newsletter
Assembly

25

6pm Family
Church Office
Christmas Eve
Closed
Service
10pm Christmas Shelly out of
Concert
the office
11pm Candlelight Service

3:30pm SICP
Christmas
Program

26

6:30am
POWWOW
7:30am Mens
Breakfast

27

31
Rev. Owen will still be available for
pastoral care during the days the
office is closed.

December Birthdays
1st

Malekith George

12th

Annell Gooden

21st

Michael Cleveland

Roselyn Marsh

Kathleen LeRoy

Julie Cox

5th

Marjee Boal

Chuck Mull

Peggy Goforth

6th

Wayne Finley

11th

Troy George
Merle Jensen

17th
19th

Bri Keenan

23rd

Jim Logan

Mary Lou Low

25th

Jonathan Pepple

Mary Dorion

Nouhoum Samake

Serving Schedule

12/07
12/14
12/21
12/28

Elders Serving at Communion Table

Palo verde Service Traditional Service
Scott Steehler
Margi Lott/Bryan Lott
Rachel Sager
Michael Cleveland/Alex Dely
Pam Pioche
Susan Keenan/KC Estes
Pam Pioche
Peggy Goforth/Alex Dely

Home Communion
12/07 Pam Pioche/Michael Cleveland
12/14 Rachel Sager/ Lisa Ledbetter
12/21 Alex Dely/Sharon Dely
12/28 Scott Steehler/Sharon Steehler

Scripture Readers
Pa lo ve rde Service
12/07 Christy Magiary
12/14 Lea Cuzner
12/21 Dave Crobbe
12/28 Lynn Crobbe

Deacons (*Coordinator)
Pa lo ve rde Service
Missy Crobbe & Trish Krebs

Ushers
9:00am
11:00am

Troy George
Leon & June Moore
Ken Nickell

Acolyte
Phineas Roberts
Communion Preparer
Missy Crobbe

Traditional Service
Julie Cox, Dan Hicks, Susan Hicks, Gordon Chaidez,
Steve Oaks

Traditional Service
Fran Johnson
Susan Hicks
Adrienne Crump
Frank Presson

Childrens Moment Leaders

12/07 Michael Cleveland/Lisa Ledbetter
12/14 Laurie Cleveland/Paul Ledbetter
12/21 Michelle Gusick/ Adrienne Crump
12/28 Michelle Gusick/Lisa Ledbetter

Adult Education
Sundays, December 7-21st, Carol Friesen will be leading the se-

POWWOW

ries; Mary, Mother of Jesus, Different Perspectives. We will be

Our Pow-Wow season is underway,

discussing Mary's Yes to God's call and some of the culture of

and December's Pow-Wow event will

this time and then following through with other perspectives of

take place on Saturday, December

Mary and how she is perceived around the World. Who was

20th. This is only 5 days away from

Mary and who is she today and how, as Disciples, can we hold

Christmas Day, but we will still need

her in our hearts?

volunteers to donate their time and

energy to making the Dec event a success. So, in the hustle of holiday prepa-

Meditation Class in January

rations, please consider helping us pro-

Want to make your gray matter grow? Have less stress? Be

families who may not otherwise be

more resilient? Improve your mood? Research is showing these

able to afford to put food on their ta-

are among benefits of regular meditation. If you'd like to learn

ble for the Holidays. If you would like

meditation in a completely friendly, non-threatening atmos-

to offer your time on Saturday, Dec

phere, join us as we learn from Pat & Joe Ambrosic, Monday

20th from 6:30 AM to 11:30 AM, or

evenings, starting January 12 for 5 weeks, 1 1/2 hours each

any portion thereof, please contact

meeting in the chapel. For more information, contact Terry

Kevin

Bagwell.

in@Saguarochristian.org. Thank you.

vide these vegetables and fruits to

Prahar

at

Kev-

Tucson Area
Christian Childrens Fellowship
Tucson CCF Fellowship registration forms are now available. Pick yours up today for some winter fun with other
youth from Tucson. Grades 3-5.
Sunday, December 7, 2014 from 2:00pm to 6:00pm at Saguaro Christian Church.
We will have tons of winter fun with one another: blanket
making and cookie decorating. Dinner will be served!
Registration is $10/youth and is due by Wednesday, December 3.

Coffee
We are in need of donations of coffee. Please
bring caffeinated or decaf and drop it in the
kitchen. Thank you!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ANNUAL MEETING

November 16, 2014 Bonnie Logan, Moderator

Approved minutes of Congregational Meeting of November 17, 2013

Deferred approval of proposed 2015 budget to January 2015.
The proposed budget of $521,428 has not been supported by proposed 2015 pledges. We are asking our members to reconsider their giving and perhaps increase their pledge and those who have not yet pledged, to submit
those pledges asap.
The proposed Official Board restructure was approved. The new Board of Directors will become effective January 1, 2015
The Moderator, Vice Moderator, Director of Administration, and Director of Finance were designated as the SCC
official agents to sign contracts and other official documents. This information will be sent to the AZ Corporation
Commission in our amended Articles of Incorporation.
Approved the revised wording of the SCC Constitution
Approved the Nominating Committee Report for 2015 volunteer positions
Moderator Gary Roberts
Vice Moderator Michelle Gusick
Director o Administration TBD
Director of Finance Bobbie Butler
Director of Elders Michael Cleveland
Director of Deacons Pam Pioche
Director of Endowment Phyllis Hallman
Director of Risk Assessment Shirley Sandelands
Director of Property Paul Ledbetter
Director of Human Resources TBD
Director of Stewardship TBD
Director of SICP Tanima Lawrence
Director of Congregational Oversight and Relations Terry Bagwell
Ministry Council/Sol Team TBD
Elders Sue Hicks, Dan Hicks, Patricia Casey, Wendy Gonzales, Keith Koster
Deacons Shirley Callahan, Pat Sutton, Scott Steehler

Heard a presentation by Sgt. 1st Class David Noe, U.S. Army Reserves, regarding how appreciative he is with having Owen Chandler as a chaplain in his unit. He also thanked the congregation for their support in giving Rev.
Chandler the time away from the church to do pastoral care among the reserves. The monetary gift was given to
the Family Fund to help those soldiers who might need support.
Outstanding Member Judy Dunn
Outstanding Youth Stephanie Sager

Lunch was prepared by Michelle Gusick with side dishes provided by members of the church. THANK YOU Michelle.

November 20, 2014

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Our Mission Statement

Christ has called Saguaro Christian Church
to build a home to serve God and all people through growth and healing in ourselves
and the community beyond our front doors.

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:

saguarochris-

Our Staff
Minister
Rev. Owen Chandler
Ministerial Resident
Shelly Tilton
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

Sermon Theme
through Advent
November 30: HOPE Isaiah 9: 1-7
December 7: PEACE Isaiah 40: 1-11
December 14: JOY Luke 1: 46b-55
December 21: LOVE 2 Samuel 7: 1-11, 16
December 28: CHRISTMAS SUNDAY Matthew 2: 1-12