2018 Regional Assembly | November 2 & 3, 2018

Saguaro Christian Church at 8302 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85710

WE ARE GRATEFUL

for the many hands that made our 2018 Regional Assembly a Fuente de Vida!
Please scroll below to see the names of so many who helped make our Assembly happen.

We are grateful for all their work and for all those who attended.

Planning Teams – We give thanks for the planning teams who worked diligently to explore how we might experience assembly. This included a Regional Assembly Planning Team, a Local Arrangements Team, and a Worship Planning Team.

Ailsa, Barb, Debra, Emily, Graydon, Janis, Jay, Kelley, Liz, Pat, Phyllis, Richard, Richie, Sandy, Sue, Wende, and Yamilka.

Speakers, Presenters, and Partners – We give thanks for all our speakers, presenters, and partners. Many traveled to be with us, and many are leaders within our Region. For your presence and dedication, we thank you.

Al, Bekah, Bill, Catherine, Emily, Erin, Frank, Gabriel, Grace, Jay, Jude, Liz, Lori, Manny, Marc, Marco, Mariana, Marilyn, Mark, Martin, Natalie, Owen, Pat, Rosario, Siobhan, Terri, Wende, and William. We also thank the Christian Church Foundation, Disciples Church Extension Fund, Global Ministries, and the Pension Fund of the Christian Church for their sponsorship of several events and items at Assembly.

Worship Participants and Musicians – Our weekend was blessed to have so many participate in our three worship services, including some exceptionally talented musicians. For all their gifts and their willingness to share them, we give thanks.

Abbie, Ailsa, Al B., Alexis, Alissa, Aniza, Ann, Bekah, Bethany, Bill, Briana, Cedma, Claudia, Dave H., David G., David C., Gabriel, Jim, Keith, Kelley, Krysia, Liz, Lori B., Lori T., Marilyn, Michael, Michele, Miranda, Myriam, Pedro, Sandy, Sherry, Tavit, Tim, William, Yamilka, the all Clergy Band, the Convención Hispana Worship Team, and Shelter.

Behind the Scenes – We are immeasurably grateful to the immense effort by all those who worked behind the scenes to make Assembly happen.

Barb M., Barb S., Bonnie, Brian, Carol, Darrell, Dave, Dawna, Debra, Denis, Ethan, Fran, Frank, Greg, Jackie, Jay, Kelley, Linda, Lyn, Marc, Matthew, Nick, Owen, Paula, Richard, Richie, Rosy, Sandy, Stephanie, Sue, Tony, and Wanda.

We give special thanks to our Tucson congregations Capilla del Sol Christian Church, Community Christian Church of Marana, Desert Dove Christian Church, Iglesia Cristiana Ebenzer, and First Christian Church Tucson in supporting our host Saguaro Christian Church.

To our host, Saguaro Christian Church and all its members and friends, we are so grateful for your hospitality, generosity, and willingness to go with the flow.

And more! – We know that there are more who have helped contribute to our 2018 Assembly. If we missed your name please know that we are thankful for your work and presence.

Photos from Assembly – The photos you see in this email were taken by various attendees at assembly. Did you take photos? We would love to see them! Please email them to Matthew Clark (mclark@azdisciples.org) or post them to Facebook and tag us (@azdisciples). In the upcoming weeks we will update ra.azdisciples.org with photos we receive.

Our 2018 Regional Assembly is an invitation to come to the well, to springs of life. Some come thirsty; others come in need of relief. Abraham and Isaac dug wells searching for springs of water. Moses watched water flow from a rock to quench the thirst of his people. A Samaritan woman heard Jesus speak of a living water which would become a “spring of water gushing up to eternal life”.

All around us, out of our desert sojourns, we can find sustaining experiences, springs of life, through inspiration, connection, worship and celebration. These springs assure us we are known, remind us we are loved, and draw us to the places we are called. Our scripture and desert life speak of the vitality of water, and it is in water we find inspiration for our 2018 Regional Assembly. Fuente de Vida!

We are excited to welcome three amazing speakers. Each will inspire, challenge, and call us to find strength and courage to find the Spirit’s workings for creativity in the life, mission, and ministry of the Arizona Region.

We will also share in opportunities to experience springs of life within our Region including a daylong pre-assembly event, Fuente de Vida at the Border.

Nuestra Asamblea Regional 2018 es una invitación a venir al pozo, a las corrientes de agua de la vida. Algunos vienen sedientos; otros vienen con necesidad de alivio. Abraham e Isaac cavaron pozos en busca de manantiales de agua. Moisés vio el agua fluir desde una roca para saciar la sed de su pueblo. Una mujer samaritana escuchó a Jesús hablar de un agua viva que se convertiría en una “fuente de agua fluyendo hacia la vida eterna”.

A nuestro alrededor, desde nuestras moradas en el desierto, podemos encontrar experiencias sostenibles, fuentes de vida, a través de la inspiración, la conexión, la adoración y la celebración. Estos manantiales nos aseguran que somos conocidos, nos recuerdan que somos amados y nos atraen a los lugares a los que somos llamados. Nuestras escrituras y nuestra vida en el desierto hablan de la vitalidad del agua, y es en el agua que encontramos la inspiración para nuestra Asamblea Regional 2018. ¡Fuente de Vida!

Nos complace dar la bienvenida a tres oradores increíbles. Cada uno nos inspirará, desafiará y llamará a mayor fortaleza y valor para encontrar la obra del Espíritu para la creatividad en la vida, la misión y el ministerio de la Región de Arizona.

También compartiremos oportunidades para experimentar los manantiales de la vida en nuestra Región, incluido un evento pre-asamblea de un día, Fuente de Vida en la frontera.

Children & Youth | Niños y Jóvenes

At our Assembly there will be an intentional focus around multi-generations as we grow into Intergenerational Ministry.

What does that mean?

Children, Youth and Adults are welcome in any and all assembly spaces. This includes but is not limited to, worship, workshop, activities, and opportunities. Sure we may have done this before, but this year will be different as springs of life form around spaces originally designed for adults now have young people in them, and activities engaged around children now have adults in them. Intrigued? You should be, this is going to be a very faithful and holy time at our assembly as we live into the body of Christ.

There will be a nursery available for younger children if the parent feels that is what their child(ren) need, but please don’t feel like you have to use it. God put the wiggles into young people, and we celebrate that as a spring of life.

As the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona we take seriously our call from God to be an inclusive and loving church. Join us as we continue being who God called us to be together.

Schedule | Itinerario

Friday | Viernes

Special Pre-Event | Pre-evento especial
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Fuente de Vida at the Border | Fuente de Vida en la Frontera

Special Pre-Event | Pre-evento especial
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Cultivating Compassion | Cultivar la compasión
with Dr. Frank Rogers and Rev. Janis Brown

6:00 – 7:20 p.m.
Check-In | Registración Abierta

7:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Opening Worship & Keynote | Servicio de Apertura y Predicación
with Rev. Erin Wathen

9:00 -10:00 p.m.
All Assembly Reception | Recepción Asamblea Unida
with All Clergy Band Sponsored by the Christian Church Foundation

Saturday | Sábado

7:45 – 8:45 a.m.
Clergy & Guest Breakfast | Desayuno del Clero (Pastores e invitado)
Hosted by the Pension Fund of the Christian Church

8:00 – 8:45 a.m.
Check-In, coffee & snacks | Registración, café y bocadillos

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Morning Worship & Keynote | Servicio de Adoración Matutino y Predicación
with Rev. Al Lopez

10:10 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
Experience Springs of Life | Experimenta Fuentes de vida
Opportunity to join two experiences & one roundtable | Oportunidades para unirse a dos experiencias, y a una discusión de mesa redonda

Session 1 (10:10-10:55 a.m.) & 2 (11:00-11:45 a.m.) Experiences

Bible and Big Screen with Rev. Erin Wathen – From superhero sagas to epic sci-fi adventures, our favorite movie heroes aren’t just “super.” They are often focused on larger issues of social change. They may fight against the powers of darkness, but they also mobilize others to work for the greater good. We may see movies as an escape, but deep down, we want to see these themes take shape in real time. In this divisive and often toxic political climate, people are hungry for leaders who will help transform our communities in the way of justice, peace and hope. Maybe the main characters of our favorite movies have something to teach us about leading meaningful social change in our own time. We might also find some biblical characters who model those same values. Resist: Justice Heroes from the Bible to the Big Screen, will explore the landscape of justice in film from Star Trek to Harry Potter– with some Wonder Women in between.
Partnering with God: Journeying Together Toward Uncharted Springs of Life with Rev. Al Lopez – As the religious landscape continues to change, the Church is finding its way through unknown territory. How do we continue to faithfully live out the Gospel with an increasingly shrinking pool of resources? Can the Church adapt and thrive in this new permanent environment? Come learn about one church’s unique journey as they partner with God and with its neighbors to dig up life-transforming springs of vitality and life. (Session 1 in Spanish, Session 2 in English)
Building Bridges: The Role of the Intergenerational Church in the World with Rev. Gabriel Lopez
The Sol Process with Rev. Owen Chandler – experience the creative process for ministry that Saguaro Christian Church has implemented helping them to discern ways forward in serving their community.
Why are you here? with Emily Bray, Natalie Maxson, and Ethan Bradfield, the Tucson/Marana XPLOR Residents – learn about the XPLOR program and experience they way they engage in intentional conversation and discernment.
Creative Ministry Panel with representatives from Chalice Christian Church, Foothills Christian Church, Glendale Mission and Ministry Center, and Saguaro Christian Church – have an opportunity to hear and ask questions about four creative ministries right here in Arizona.
Compassion Practice Introduction with Rev. Janis Brown and Frank Rogers – The Compassion Practice is one way to increase our capacity for self-compassion and compassion for other people. Learn about this way of radical compassion; the way of Jesus.
Intergenerational Play with Rev. Jay Deskins – Come and play with young and not so young. Games open our hearts for joy and help build community! Come and learn some games that are great for people of all ages!
All-Assembly Choir will meet during sessions 1, 2, and 3 to practice.

Session 3 (11:50 a.m. -12:20 p.m.) Roundtables

Roundtables are a time for those engaged within a ministry to have an opportunity to talk about their ministry together and build relationships.

Leading Bi-Lingual Worship
New to DOC
Online Presence
Stewardship
Worship and Wonder

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Catered Lunch | Almuerzo
Sponsored by Global Ministries with honored guest Mark Behle

1:30 – 2:45 p.m.
Business Session | Sesión de negocios

3:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Closing Worship & Keynote | Servicio de Cierre y Predicación
with Rev. Terri Hord Owens

Guest Speakers | Oradores Invitados

Rev. Erin Wathen

Rev. Erin Wathen is the Senior Pastor of Saint Andrew Christian Church in the Kansas City area and serves as the Moderator of the Christian Church, Greater Kansas City Region. Prior to SACC, Erin served at Foothills Christian Church in Phoenix. She is the author of two books: “Resist and Persist: Faith and the Fight for Equality” and ”More Than Words: Ten Values for the Modern Family“. Publisher’s Weekly said of her most recent book “A helpful tool for teachers and professors… This trenchant book is a much-needed manifesto for 21st-century Christian feminism“.

Erin is a graduate of Transylvania University and Lexington Theological Seminary. She is the 2010 recipient of the Fred Craddock Award for Excellence in Preaching. Erin lives in Olathe, KS with her husband and two kids. A widely recognized voice in Progressive Christianity, Erin’s blog “Irreverin,” featured on the Patheos Interfaith Network, explores the intersection of faith, culture and politics.

Rev. Al Lopez

Rev. Al Lopez is the founder and one of three co-pastors of UrbanMission, a new church in Pomona, California, affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

The UrbanMission’s approach to being an actively engaged spiritual community has garnered recognition in several academic circles; most recently being highlighted as an example in Rev. Dr. Timothy Murphy’s Counter-Imperial Churching for a Planetary Gospel.

Al is a graduate of Claremont School of Theology was ordained by the Pacific Southwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 2015.

Al currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Disciples Seminary Foundation, and on the Reconciliation Ministry Commission of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He also helps co-facilitate the Disciples Seminary Foundation’s Seed Planters group; a cohort of recently graduated/current seminary students exploring new church planting and congregational revitalization.

Al and his wife Tanya are the proud parents of two amazing little girls.

Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens

Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens was elected as the General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in July 2017. She is the first person of color and second woman to lead the denomination. A descendant of one of the oldest African-American free settlements in Indiana and a Disciple since young adulthood, Hord Owens was dean of students at the University of Chicago Divinity School and pastor of First Christian Church of Downers Grove, IL prior to her election.

Hord Owens’ resume includes more than 20 years in corporate America leading diverse teams in data management in health care and other industries before she entered seminary. After ordination, she served 15 years at the University of Chicago Divinity School, shepherding a varied student body in both background and theology.

Hord Owens is widely sought after as a preacher, speaker and workshop facilitator. Her ministry and intellectual interests include a theology of reconciliation, cultural intelligence, developing inclusive and multi-cultural congregations, and the mentoring of young adults. She marked three decades of marriage with Walter Owens, Jr., prior to her election. They are the proud parents of an adult son.

Rvda. Erin Wathen

La Rvda. Erin Wathen es la Pastora Principal de la Iglesia Cristiana San Andres en el área de Kansas City y se desempeña como Moderadora de la Iglesia Cristiana en la Región de Greater Kansas City. Antes de SACC, Erin sirvió en Foothills Christian Church en Phoenix. Es autora de dos libros: “Resistir y persistir: la fe y la lucha por la igualdad” y “Más que palabras: Diez valores para la familia moderna“. Publisher’s Weekly dijo de su libro más reciente “Una herramienta útil para profesores y maestros … Este libro mordaz es un manifiesto muy necesario para el feminismo cristiano del siglo XXI“.

Erin es graduada de la Universidad de Transylvania y del Seminario Teológico de Lexington. Ella fue el recipiente del 2010 del Premio Fred Craddock a la Excelencia en la Predicación. Erin vive en Olathe, KS con su esposo y dos hijos. Una voz ampliamente reconocida en el cristianismo progresivo, el blog de Erin “Irreverin”, presentado en Patheos Interfaith Network, explora la intersección de la fe, la cultura y la política.

Rvdo. Al Lopez

El Rvdo. Al Lopez es el fundador y uno de tres co-pastores de UrbanMission, (MisiónUrbana), una iglesia nueva en Pomona, California afiliada con la Iglesia Unida de Cristo y la Iglesia Cristiana (Discípulos de Cristo).

El enfoque de UrbanMission de ser una comunidad espiritual activamente comprometida ha cosechado reconocimiento en varios círculos académicos; más recientemente se destacó como un ejemplo en Siendo Iglesia Contra-imperio para un Evangelio Planetario del Rev. Dr. Timothy Murphy.

Al es graduado de la Escuela Teológica de Claremont y fue ordenado por la Región Suroeste del Pacifico en la Iglesia Cristiana (Discípulos de Cristo) en el 2015.

Actualmente, Al es miembro de la Junta Directiva de Disciples Seminary Foundation y de la Comisión del Ministerio de Reconciliación de la Iglesia Cristiana (Disciples of Christ). También ayuda a co-facilitar el grupo de Sembradores de Semillas de la Fundación de Disciples Seminary; una cohorte de estudiantes de seminario recientemente graduados / actuales que exploran la plantación de nuevas iglesias y la revitalización congregacional.

Junto a su esposa, Tanya, son los padres orgullosos de dos hijas pequeñas maravillosas.

Rvda. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens

La Rvdo. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens” fue electa como Ministro General y presidenta de la Iglesia Cristiana (Discípulos de Cristo) en julio del 2017. Ella es la primera persona de color y la segunda mujer que lidera una denominación. Descendiente de uno de los asentamientos libres afroamericanos más antiguos de Indiana y Discípulo desde la edad joven adulta, Hord Owens fue decana de estudiantes de la Escuela de Divinidades de la Universidad de Chicago y pastor de First Christian Church de Downers Grove, IL, antes de su elección.

El currículum de Hord Owens incluye más de 20 años en el mundo corporativo de los Estados Unidos liderando diversos equipos de administración de datos en el cuidado de la salud y otras industrias antes de ingresar al seminario. Después de la ordenación, ella sirvió 15 años en la Escuela de Divinidad de la Universidad de Chicago, guiando a un cuerpo estudiantil variado tanto en trasfondo como en teología.

Hord Owens es ampliamente buscada como predicadora, orador y facilitadora de talleres. Su ministerio e intereses intelectuales incluyen una teología de la reconciliación, inteligencia cultural, el desarrollo de congregaciones inclusivas y multiculturales, y la mentoría de jóvenes adultos. Antes de su elección, ella marcó tres décadas de matrimonio con Walter Owens, Jr.,. Son los orgullosos padres de un hijo adulto.

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Location | Ubicación: Saguaro Christian Church

8302 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85710 (Google Maps)

Saguaro Christian Church

Directions

Coming from Phoenix Metro or Northern Arizona?

Follow I-10 E to Tucson
Exit 258 east (left) on to Broadway blvd/Congress St
Follow Broadway blvd approximately 10 miles
Turn south (right) on to Sarnoff Drive, Saguaro Christian Church is immediately on your left.

Coming from Tucson?

Travel towards Pantano Rd & Broadway blvd
From Pantano Rd & Broadway turn (or continue) east on Broadway blvd
Follow Broadway blvd for less than a mile
Turn south (right) on to Sarnoff Drive, Saguaro Christian Church is immediately on your left.

Coming from Southern Arizona?

Follow I-10 W to Tucson
Exit 258 east (left) to Broadway blvd/Congress St
Follow Broadway blvd approximately 10 miles
Turn south (right) on to Sarnoff Drive, Saguaro Christian Church is immediately on your left.

Hotel Arrangements

Sheraton Tucson Hotel & Suites

Located just north and west from Saguaro Christian Church the Sheraton Tucson Hotel & Suites offers a wide range of amenities. Guests enjoy free wifi, business center, a fitness room, and a heated pool. Traditional and Suite rooms available.

We have arranged for a limited number of traditional rooms starting at $89/night and suites starting at $109/night. Book your reservation by clicking this special link or by calling 520-323-6262 and requesting to book a room for “Arizona Regional Assembly.” Availability is limited, book your room today!

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

If you are looking to make a longer weekend of Assembly, enjoy beautiful mountain vistas and luxury amenities at Lowes Ventana Canyon Resort. This resort rests in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains only 9 miles from Saguaro Christian Church. Visit their website for current rates and availability.