~ SUNDAYS AT BEACON ~

PLEASE JOIN US!

BEACON LABOR DAY PICNIC

& WELCOME BRUNCH

FOR OUR NEW MINISTER,

REV. PATRICK

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2024

AT 10:00 A.M.

AT BEACON

ALL ARE WELCOME! You BELONG at Beacon - Spiritually open and intentionally inclusive since 1958.

Sunday, September 1st, 2024, is the Annual Labor Day Picnic, hosted by the Board and in lieu of the service. It will be on the Beacon Patio. Everyone can meet Rev. Patrick!

Please arrive at 10 a.m. as we will spend some time introducing Reverend Patrick as well as meeting and greeting one other, with the potluck after.

In an effort to present a somewhat “balanced” brunch spread for this special occasion, we suggest the following dishes for each section of the alphabet (by last name):

A – C: “Main dish”—with animal protein, vegetarian or vegan

D –H: Salad—leafy green. fruit or vegetable

J – O:  Vegetables—cooked

P-Y: “Sweets”—pastry, cookies or bread

Please keep in mind that you also have the option to bring a personal potluck specialty, regardless of where your last name falls.

Look for an Evite arriving soon! Please be sure to RSVP to assist planning and preparation.

Please join us!

KIDS AT BEACON - ALL ARE WELCOME!

Children and youth are always welcome in worship!

There are activity packets available for children during the service.

If you are bringing children for a Sunday service and would like childcare provided, please email office@beaconuu.com, and your message will be passed on to Linda Ochi.

~ THIS WEEK AT BEACON ~

BEACON LABOR DAY PICNIC

& WELCOME BRUNCH

FOR OUR NEW MINISTER,

REV. PATRICK

Sunday, September 1st, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

at Beacon

BEACON HIKES

Friday, September 6th, 2024, at 8:00 a.m.

at Veit Springs Loop Trailhead

Upcoming Events:

• Social Justice Allies (SJA) Meeting on Monday, September 9th, 2024
• September Book Club on Thursday, September 12th, 2024

See details for all events here in the e-news.  

You can keep up with future Beacon events by checking out the Beacon calendar!

MAKING MUSIC AT BEACON

Lift up your voice… All are welcome to join the choir. And it’s a great way to introduce friends who like to sing to Beacon. 

The Beacon Choir rehearsals will resume in September on Tuesdays (6:30 - 8:00 p.m.) and Sundays (9:15-9:45 a.m.) under the direction of Simon Cunningham with accompaniment by Pete Garcia.

If you haven't already, please be sure to complete the Beacon Choir Survey: 2024-2025

IN THE BEACON SPOTLIGHT:

BEACON WELCOMES

REV. PATRICK MCLAUGHLIN!

Our new minister, Rev. Patrick McLaughlin, is currently driving his way across the country from Maine to Arizona with a carload of stuff. He plans to return in November to pack up the rest of his household and, along with his wife Barbara, return to Flagstaff. 

He will be joining us at the annual Labor Day Picnic at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 1st, 2024!

Let's all welcome our new minister!

PHISHING SCAM ALERT!

Someone out in cyberspace has been masquerading as Rev. Patrick and sending phishing texts via phone. Please do not reply to these texts. If you are able, please take a screenshot and send it to office@beaconuu.com. (This way we can gauge the magnitude of the problem.)

From Rev. Patrick: "You can tell them I will never approach them like that." Rev. Patrick can be reached by email at minister@beaconuu.com.

As a practice, going forward, Beacon will no longer publish personal phone numbers or personal email addresses within the weekly electronic newsletter. If you need to contact another Beacon member, please refer to the Beacon Directory. If you need access to the directory, you will need to subscribe to the website.

Please be careful opening attachments or links and replying to emails and texts. Always check the email address of the sender FIRST as scammers may use someone's correct name but not their correct email address.

office@beaconuu.com

If you have ever lost money due to a scam that started with an email, please report it at ftc.gov/complaint. You can also report spam you receive. 

Read more about how to limit spam, phone calls, and mail  here. 

 webmaster@beaconuu.com 

CORE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (CLC) MEETING

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2024, AT 6:30 P.M.

AT BEACON AND VIA ZOOM

The next Core Leadership Committee meeting will be on Wednesday, September 18th, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.   Contact Joan Dewey if you have any questions. 

The Core Leadership Council (CLC) supports the organization primarily by facilitating communication between all the committees of the congregation with the Board and is chaired by the Board Vice President. All are welcome, and there should be at least one representative from each committee. More information about the CLC can be found here and here.

RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION

Thank you to everyone who participated in and attended the Building Bridges worship service on July 7th. Though the official program has ended, we look forward to continuing to explore the role of faith and spirituality in people's lives in an effort to know ourselves better and to know our fellow travelers in this "Blue Boat" home better.

Currently Religious Exploration offers childcare during the worship service on Sunday mornings for children up to 6th grade.

Please check back in the fall for updates to our children and youth programs for the school year.

In community,

Dru Monroe

Linda Ochi

RE Facilitators

CALLING ALL FACILITATORS! Would you like to lead an Adult Education program?Bring it On! Contact Bruce Thomas (Beacon President) to discuss your idea and scheduling possibilities.

SHARE YOUR JOYS AND SORROWS - CHIME IN!

One way we can sustain connection is by sharing our personal joys and sorrows. These can be small things or large things that effect your life. These are spoken during service every Sunday, or you can send them to office@beaconuu.com to be shared.

JOYS AND SORROWS FROM AUGUST 25TH:

Beacon is excitedly looking forward to Rev. Patrick's arrival.

BEACON VEIT SPRINGS LOOPHIKE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

AT 8:00 A.M.

Our next hike on Friday, September 6th is Viet Springs Loop. This is a relaxing 1.6 mile loop. We will meet in the Parking spot at 8:00 am.

Watch out for an Evite to this hike. Please be sure to RSVP, so if you are running late, we will wait for you.  If you don't receive an Evite, please email Angela at social@beaconuu.com

For more information: Veit Springs Loop on AllTrails

SEPTEMBER BOOK CLUB

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2024

AT 5:00 P.M.

We will read a fiction book: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar.

Kaveh Akbar is an Iranian American poet, novelist, and editor.  He is the author of the poetry collections Calling a Wolf a Wolf and Pilgrim Bell and of the novel Martyr!, a New York Times bestseller.

Any questions? Please email office@beaconuu.com, and your message will be passed on to Linda Ochi.

CHEAP LUNCH BUNCH

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2024

AT 11:30 A.M.

AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT (TBD)



The Cheap Lunch Bunch will meet at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 27th at a local restaurant.

Please plan on having lunch once each month at a local restaurant typically on the fourth Tuesday.

To opine on the time and location of future gatherings and to be included in all the group's emails, please email office@beaconuu.com, and your interest will be passed on to Anne Wittke. 

BEACON T-SHIRTS

Short-sleeved: $16.00

Long-sleeved: $20.00

Long sleeve and Short Sleeve tee shirts in a variety of sizes are still available for purchase. 

Blue Beacon Tee Shirts are a great way to identify our Beloved Community in action! Wear them to Serve Meals at the Flagstaff Family Food Center, at retreats, and other UU events. 

If you're interested, please see Rich Clark or Angela Hansen after any service.  

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2024 SHARE THE PLATE PARTNER

HOUSING SOLUTIONS OF NORTHERN ARIZONA

Beacon’s community partner for July - September 2024 is

Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona

Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona is a nonprofit housing organization, founded as the Affordable Housing Coalition in 1990 through the grassroots efforts of local citizens concerned about the lack of affordable housing in the Flagstaff community. Housing Solutions expanded from an advocacy organization to one that focuses on programs designed to help local residents identify and maintain safe, decent, and affordable housing.

In 2022, Housing Solutions accomplished the following: 

• Administered $154,000 in financial assistance to 11 households, enabling them to purchase a first home.
• Our 25 affordable rentals benefit low-income households and are home to 42 adults & 42 children.
• 145 households received pre-purchase & credit counseling.
• 99 individuals (40 adults and 59 children) found safety, support, and healing resources at Sharon Manor.
• 25 households received foreclosure & mortgage re-modification assistance. 

Fifty percent of all undesignated contributions to the quarter’s Sunday service offerings will be presented to Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona. Nominations for 501c3 agencies can be made through a form located in the CAC folder in the office or by contacting a CAC member (Susan Patrick, Katy Grant, Lynda L. Dorweiler).

ACTIVATE AT BEACON WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE ALLIES!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2024

IN THE BEACON RAINBOW ROOM AND VIA ZOOM

You are invited to add your heart-and-brain power

to the Beacon SJAs (Social Justice Allies)

Monday, September 9th at 5:30 p.m. in Beacon’s Rainbow Room

for a hybrid meeting*!

In our June 23rd Annual Congregational Meeting, Beacon members voted unanimously to engage in the challenges of the following social justice issues:

• Environmental issues in the Flagstaff area
• Housing and food security in the Flagstaff area
• LGBTQ+ issues in the Flagstaff area

Consider:

• Are you an active SJA? Or a formerly active SJA? Or new to SJA? Regardless of your answer, please join us!
• Are you a Beacon member? A Beacon “friend”? Uncommitted, but “interested”? Regardless of your answer, please join us!
• Is Beacon’s social justice engagement part of the reason you show up for Sunday services?
• Do you want to know more about our ideas for tackling these issues? Do you want to help shape our ideas? 

Our small SJA team, on our own, can have little effect on these very real challenges experienced by many in our Flagstaff community. We would like to hear your thoughts about the most promising steps forward.  We need you.

*This means you can participate in person or by zoom,

whichever mode works best for you!

If you’d like to join this gathering online, please click here

Meeting ID: 810 6759 9177; Passcode: 358395

If you'd prefer to engage in person, please show up at Beacon on Monday, Sept. 9 at 5:30 p.m.!

More information about the SJAs can be found here.

Dear Arizona UU,

UU the Vote will be in Arizona October 25th - 27th, and we hope you'll join us!

UU the Vote Democracy Strategist Nora Rasman introduced our 2024 Fall In-Person Mobilizations during our Building a New Way event (missed it? You can find the entire event here; Nora's comments about the fall mobilization begin at 43:00.)

Arizona is one of our eight key states where UU the Vote is focusing on in-person mobilization!

The goal is to build power locally in ways that fortify our relationships and leave us ready to confront whatever happens on Election Day and the day after. Working with UU Justice Arizona (UUJAZ) and local grassroots partners, UU the Vote is sponsoring in-person canvassing events in Phoenix in October.

LEARN MORE

Ahead of our October 25th mobilization weekend, there will be information sessions for congregational leaders and interested canvassers:

• August 22 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT: Virtual Info Session for People Traveling to In-person Mobilizations
• August 29 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT: Virtual Huddle for In-Person Canvassers

~ Beacon Connections ~

Volunteer At Flagstaff Food Center With Beacon!

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28TH, 2024

The Flagstaff Family Food Center utilizes small groups of volunteers for their dinner service. Beacon is looking for a group of five (5) to seven (7) volunteers for typically the 4th & 5th Wednesdays of every month, from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. The dinner service is at the FFFC Kitchen (1903 N 2nd Street) and is a hybrid operation with To-Go meals and Dine-in service.

Beacon's next volunteer date is Wednesday, August 28th from 3:00-6:00 p.m. If dinnertime service does not interest you, please consider helping with prep from 10 a.m. until noon or pitching in at the warehouse on Huntington.

Volunteer Safety: Volunteers are required to wear a mask, closed-toe shoes, and long pants; regularly wash or sanitize their hands; and practice six feet of social distancing whenever possible. Gloves for food preparation and distribution will be provided at the kitchen to each volunteer. Plexiglass has been installed at the walk-up window as a safeguard against COVID-19. The center has enhanced cleaning protocols.

Mike Bruton is organizing monthly teams of Beacon UU volunteers. If you're interested in volunteering for the above dates, please use this Beacon-specific link. (If you go to the general volunteer sign-up webpage, this Beacon volunteer date and time may not show up.)

If you encounter any problems with the above link, please email office@beaconuu.com; your message will be passed on to Mike Bruton.

More FFFC volunteer opportunities can be found here.

DONATION DESIGNATION



When you make donations by check or cash to Beacon, please be sure to designate whether the donation is PLEDGE or PLATE. Thank you for your continued support!

BEACON'S ENDOWMENT PLAN

The Beacon Endowment Plan, an important step to ensure that Beacon remains a strong and vibrant congregation for years to come, was approved unanimously at a Congregational Meeting on April 24, 2022. For more information about the Endowment Fund, please click here. 

A plaque is now hanging in the Social Hall to honor those who have contributed to the endowment. Your name can be there, too!

GIFTING SECURITIES TO BEACON

If you have securities held outside of a retirement account (i.e., not from your IRA, 401k, 403b, TSP, or other retirement account) and are interested in gifting some to Beacon, more information can be found here. This can be a tax-efficient way to make a gift to Beacon.

1. If you shop at all at Fry's grocery, you can either sign up for your own VIP account (identifying Beacon UUC FE392 as your beneficiary) or use the church phone number (928-779-4492) to get any available discounts AND earn some money for Beacon. Currently, there are 8 households signed up, and Beacon earned $15.30 for this quarter.

If you want to take advantage of Fry's gasoline discounts, you'll want your own VIP account. You can create or edit an existing individual account at www.frysfood.com/account/create/ (Alt ID is typically your phone number.) Within your account settings, just click on Community Rewards and search for FE392 (Flagstaff's Beacon UU) to set Beacon as your beneficiary.

2. You can order from any of the over 2,300 stores listed under iGive with a portion of your purchase being donated to Beacon. After creating your own account with a user name and password, select settings and "my cause" and type in Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation (do not abbreviate UU). 

3. Basha's has a special debit card that you can charge up before shopping, and a portion of what goes through the debit card gets donated to Beacon because that card is tied to Beacon. Ask Anne Wittke for further information.

Have other ideas for our income incubator? Please leave them on a card in the bin in the lobby, or send them to Bruce Thomas, President.

OTHER EVENTS IN ARIZONA AND THE SOUTHWEST

LABOR DAY WEEKEND CAMPING WITH UUs

AT SAWUURA

Friday, August 30th through Monday, September 2nd, 2024

Families, children, friends--ALL are welcome! 

No fee and no crowds! Camp has water, composting toilets, an outdoor kitchen and ramada. Bring tents, sleeping gear, and your own food. High Clearance Vehicle recommended.

Information and registration can be found at SAWUURA.org 

SAWUURA is a 100-acre UU-owned property located in the Sierra Ancha mountains near Young, AZ.

CAMP DE BENNEVILLE PINES



For information on Camp de Benneville Pines events and to register, please click here.

Camp de Benneville Pines

41750 Jenks Lake Road West

Angelus Oaks, CA 92305

(909) 794-2928

http://www.uucamp.org

~ BEACON OFFICE HOURS AND CONTACTS~

Office Phone (928) 779-4492

Minister

Beacon is currently

a lay-led congregation.

Contact president@beaconnuu.com

RE Team



We have an incredibly strong team leading our RE this year.

You can direct your RE questions to Linda: lindaochi31@gmail.com

Office Manager,

Paula Czernicki

she/her/hers

Mon: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Wed: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Thurs: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Paula will be out of the office on Thursday, August 29th, 2024.



Hours may change. Please call ahead.

Office@beaconuu.com

Contribute to Beacon's Weekly News

Typically, submissions for the next weekly newsletter need to be emailed to office@beaconuu.com by noon on Wednesday. Thanks!

~ UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST EIGHT PRINCIPLES ~

Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation affirms and promotes eight Principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides.

Further information about the 8th Principle can be found here. The 8th Principle is being considered by other UU congregations and the UUA.

We live out these Principles within a "living tradition" of wisdom and spirituality, drawn from sources as diverse as science, poetry, scripture, and personal experience. Learn more at beaconuu.com!

Google Groups Guidelines

as approved by the Beacon Board (February 22, 2021)