April 8, 2021 - What's Happening at Dayspring UMC

April 8, 2021

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION

Are you new to Dayspring UMC or have you been attending for a while and are interested to know more about the church and what is involved in church membership? We invite you to attend a one-hour Zoom session with Pastor Jeff to learn more about the United Methodist church and Dayspring this Sunday, April 11, at 2:00 pm. more

BORDERLANDS PRODUCE RESCUE

Borderlands hosts a monthly produce distribution event at Aldersgate UMC where families can purchase 70 pounds of rescued produce for $12. In this time of increased unemployment and food insecurity, this ministry is critical for the neighborhood. If you are healthy and looking for a chance to serve, join us on Saturday, April 17 from 5:30-11am to help sort produce, pack boxes and load cars! Be sure to bring a mask and gloves if you have them. Please email Amy to sign up or for more information.

LABYRINTH OPEN BY RESERVATION

Each Monday through Thursday in April from 9:00am to 2:00pm, you may share with God your innermost thoughts by walking the labyrinth. Reservations are required. Sign up as an individual or a family HERE.

Especially during this time when we are emerging from the pandemic and the isolation that each one of us has experienced, the labyrinth offers the space to walk in meditation by clearing your mind and becoming aware of the strength of God.

LOVE LETTERS TO THE EARTH

In celebration of Earth Day, we will be featuring “Love Letters to the Earth” during our April 25 online Sunday celebration service. Would you consider sharing a love letter? These Love Letters to the Earth should be a concrete and specific as possible. 150-200 words. it is best to focus on one love subject rather than a love catalogue. For example, rather than writing a love letter to all birds everywhere, choose a specific bird—from your memory, from your front yard or from your imagination. We’d like the love letters to be visual/sensory, full of details that spark our imagination and activate our senses. Please record yourself sharing your love letter on your phone, landscape rather than portrait, and email your video to jeff@dayspringumc.org by April 14th (if you need help sending your file, please email Andrea. Learn more

CELEBRATING CREATION

Earth Day is right around the corner, Thursday, April 22nd! Through the month of April and beyond we will be celebrating Earth Day with Interfaith Power and Light’s “Sacred Ground” invitation to see how food systems contribute to injustice and to climate change, and how our faith tradition calls us to respond through practical solutions. This week, we have three activities to introduce:

1. ACT: Every Wednesday in April from continue reading

KISS THE GROUND MOVIE SCREENING

What if there was a simple solution that could help balance our climate, replenish our freshwater supplies, and feed the world? That solution is right under our feet.

Kiss the Ground is a new film how about how regenerating the world’s soils has the potential to rapidly stabilize Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems, and create abundant food supplies. Thanks to a special arrangement with Kiss the Ground and Ro*co films, Interfaith Power and Light is offering a free online viewing period for home viewing from April 10 through April 26. Watch the trailer and register HERE. A webinar with the director of the film following a community viewing will be held April 21 at 11am. Register for the webinar HERE.

VIRTUAL BORDER EDUCATION TOURS

Arizona Justice For Our Neighbors (AZJFON) and five non-profit organizations based in Tucson are joining forces to create positive change for immigrants and asylum seekers at our southern border. We strive to promote more humane immigration policies by exposing people to the realities of border issues through educational tours. Join April's tour of four trip series held on Zoom Video Conference featuring our local community partners. The April tour series dates are scheduled for Thursdays at 3:30 MST/PST. It's recommended to sign up for all four events in the series. If you are not available to make any of the dates, a recording will be provided. Learn more

Photo: Pastor Jeff volunteering at a vaccination site earlier this week.

COVID-19 VACCINE INFO & VOLUNTEERS

Find a vaccine appointment

New vaccine appointments are released every Friday and some may open up throughout the week. Everyone ages 16+ can now schedule an appointment. Here's what you need to know to find one:

Visit podvaccine.azdhs.gov every morning at 8 a.m. to check for cancellations.
Visit podvaccine.azdhs.gov every Friday at 11 a.m. to see if new appointments are available.
Visit vaccinefinder.org for other options at pharmacies.
Check with your doctor to see if vaccines have been allocated.

Only the Pfizer vaccine is currently approved for those ages 16 and 17, so appointments may be limited. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved for everyone 18 and up. Vaccine testing is currently underway on kids younger than 16.

Volunteer

Volunteers are still needed! Sign up to volunteer at a vaccination pod HERE.

YOUTH REFLECTIONS ON THE PANDEMIC

If you missed it in this month's Koinonikos newsletter (link below), our youth group shared a collective reflection piece on a the past year. It is well worth your time. Read their wise-beyond-their-years insights HERE.