Tag: Regional Assembly

Celebrating Our Gifts

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirt, and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 
–I Cor. 12:4-6
 
We are a week away from hosting the Regional Assembly of our Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations in Arizona. It is an exciting time, and we are ready to welcome our siblings in faith!

The theme for assembly is “Celebrating Our Gifts.” Promotional materials from ra.azdisciples.org said this:

Spiritual gifts are what makes Christianity not merely a belief system but a way of life, a calling to ministry, an opportunity to truly follow Jesus in shining God’s light and spreading God’s love. God has poured out the Holy Spirit on each of us, given us “spiritual gifts” to use for the common good. As we read in John 20: Jesus said to them … “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

As we read in 1 Corinthians 12:7: To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Each of our congregations and each of us as individual disciples of Jesus Christ have unique gifts that we are called to use in ministry. The goal of our church is to nurture, equip, and inspire us all in using our gifts for ministry.

Howard Thurman wrote: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” A great church, a thriving church, is filled with people who have come alive, who are living into their calling and giftedness. Our churches don’t have to do the same ministries or have the same structure. We just want us all to be alive, inspired, and equipped by the Holy Spirit to love and serve like Jesus.

Here is a list of the congregations that will be represented at Assembly. Keep them in prayer as we prepare to welcome them in person:

  • Alfa y Omega — Phoenix
  • Casa de Adoración (CdA) Discípulos de Cristo — Phoenix
  • Chalice Christian Church — Gilbert
  • Community Christian Church — Marana
  • Community Christian Church — Tempe
  • Desert Dove Christian Church — Tucson
  • Desert Heritage Church — Mesa
  • Discípulos en Acción — Phoenix
  • East Mesa Christian Church — Mesa
  • First Christian Church — Globe
  • First Christian Church — Mesa
  • First Christian Church — Scottsdale
  • First Christian Church — Tucson
  • Foothills Christian Church — Glendale
  • Iglesia Dios de Segunda Oportunidad – Discípulos de Cristo — Glendale
  • Iglesia la Cruz — Glendale
  • Larkspur Christian Church — Glendale
  • Saguaro Christian Church — Tucson
  • Sun City Christian Church — Sun City
  • Templo Cristiano Central — Phoenix

Regional Assembly Guest Preacher

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Assembly Guest Preacher and Project Director, Thriving Congregations
Lexington Theological Seminary

Erin Cash is the Project Director for the Thriving Congregations Project at Lexington Theological Seminary.  Prior to this role, Erin served as Director of Admissions at LTS for over 8 years.  She is a graduate of Greenville University in Greenville, IL, Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, KY. Ordained in 2006, Erin enjoys the opportunities she has to serve in pulpit supply, guest lectures, and as a lay leader in her own congregation.

Erin has served as Moderator for the Christian Church In Kentucky, as co-chair of the Local Arrangements team for Regional Assembly, and as co-chair for the Local Arrangements Team of the General Assembly. She also serves as Kentucky’s representative to the General Board, chairing the General Assembly Planning Committee there.  Erin is deeply passionate about the work of the local and the Regional church.

Erin is part of a clergy couple.  Her husband, Chris, is the Senior Pastor at FCC Georgetown, having formerly served North Middletown Christian Church and Oxford Christian Church.  She is mom to Ella.

She is co-author of the book Thriving Church: What You Can Learn from Faithful Congregations now available from Chalice Press.

Regional Assembly Guest Musicians

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Héctor Soto and Daniel Montoya

Héctor Soto is a songwriter, worship leader, pianist, and professional translator. Daniel Montoya is a professional drummer, songwriter, artist, and psychologist. Together, they founded La Misión in southeastern Costa Rica in 2002.

From his teenage years, Héctor ministered through worship music in evangelical churches. Later, he and Daniel received God’s call to serve as full-time missionaries among local communities and indigenous peoples. Throughout his life, Héctor has maintained a deep passion for writing Christian songs rooted in Scripture—songs that not only honor God but also inspire faith, hope, and trust in the Lord within their community.

Over the years, Héctor has written dozens of worship songs, many of which have become beloved hymns in local churches and communities. As Héctor often says, “Every song was dictated to me by the Lord. They are not new songs; somewhere in heaven they are already being sung.”

Daniel has been a drummer for nearly thirty years and has also written beautiful songs of faith and worship. Beyond music, he is an accomplished artist with a special passion for freehand drawing and doodling, using creativity as another avenue to express God’s gifts.

For nearly twenty-five years, Héctor and Daniel have faithfully served their community by teaching the love of Christ, the power of faith and worship, and the blessing of giving and serving others through the unique talents God has entrusted to them. When they come together to lead worship, their passion becomes tangible and deeply inspiring to those who listen.
In addition to their ministry work, they have helped create meaningful employment opportunities within their community.

Héctor also serves as the Director of Christian Immersion Spanish Academy (CISA), a language school that welcomes students from around the world to learn Spanish through professional instruction and cultural immersion.

Daniel is the Director of Café Misión Costa Rica, a coffee company dedicated to producing high-quality Costa Rican coffee—from the plant to the package—while supporting local families and community development.

Together, Héctor and Daniel continue to use their gifts, creativity, and faith to impact lives, strengthen communities, and bring glory to God.

Our very first Blessing of the Animals this Sunday!

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!’ And he was afraid, and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’ So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel;
–Genesis 28:16-19

We crushed our Regional Assembly sign-up goals! We have 30 people registered, and every volunteer position we asked for has been filled! That is something worth celebrating. Thank you for your willingness to show up, lend a hand, and help us welcome our sister churches to our campus later this month. I am grateful for each of you and excited about what we will share together!

This Sunday, October 4, is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, a beloved figure in the Christian tradition known for his deep love of all creation. Francis saw animals and the natural world as fellow creatures of God, often speaking of them as brothers and sisters. Over the centuries, churches have celebrated his legacy with a Blessing of the Animals, giving thanks for the creatures who share our lives and reminding us of our responsibility to care for all creation.

And this year, we are joining in that tradition for the first time as a congregation!

Around noon, following our fellowship time, you are invited to run home, grab your furry friends, and bring them back to the church for a special blessing (if they aren’t already relaxing in a pet carrier with you!)

Our pets are so much more than animals who live in our homes. They are family. They greet us with excitement, offer comfort on difficult days, keep us company when the house feels quiet, and bring laughter and love into our lives. For many of us, they help ease loneliness and remind us of the simple, faithful gift of being loved. That kind of companionship is worth celebrating and blessing!

Bring your furry family members and join us for this new tradition. We look forward to blessing them and giving thanks for the joy they bring into our lives.

This Sunday, October 4, our scripture reading is Genesis 28:10–19, the story of Jacob’s dream at Bethel. Along his journey, Jacob encounters God in unexpected places and experiences moments that shape and change his life. Again and again, he marks these experiences by naming places, building altars, or dedicating spaces as reminders of what happened there. These places become part of his story, helping him remember God’s presence and recognize the sacredness of those encounters.

Question of the Day: Where is a place you have journeyed to that feels special or sacred to you?

I look forward to worshiping with you in person or on YouTube!

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 9/18/2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.'”
Genesis 9:12,13

We are just over a month away from hosting our Regional Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona, on October 23-24! The final preparations are kicking into full gear, and I am so excited for our greater church family to come and see how God is moving among us. The care and love we show to one another is the same hospitality we are preparing to extend to 200+ fellow disciples!

The theme for the event is “Celebrating our Gifts.” From storytelling to worship and workshops we will have opportunities to celebrate and deeper explore what equips each of our congregations for ministry. Each congregation is unique and has found a niche and purpose. For us, it is reminding older adults of our value and purpose and that God continues to have need of us. We are a people with passion and skill, and we offer relationship and the living presence of Christ to everyone we encounter.

On Sunday we will take the time to register our congregation for the event. It is free of charge and even if we are just planning to volunteer for a specific task, we all need to sign up. Hard copy forms will be handed out if you prefer to write your information down and our fantastic office will finish the online registrations for us. We will also have digital stations available for those who wish to register online or with assistance on your cell phone.

Most importantly for our hosting responsibilities, sign-up sheets for all the volunteer needs will be available as well.

The event kicks off on Friday night with a time of music and storytelling. Our very own Ginger Lanier will be one of the storytellers! Erin Cash, the director of the Thriving Congregations project we have been participating with, will be the keynote presenter and will also preach during our regular 9:30 a.m. Sunday worship (a perk of being the host congregation)!

This Sunday we will also begin a new series called “Unlikely Heroes” which is fitting with the theme of celebrating our gifts. We will journey with Noah and his relationship with God and the story from flood to bow in the clouds. Genesis 9:8-17 will be the read text if you wanted to prepare in advance! I look forward to worshipping with you online or in person. Brett

P.S. If you wanted to register for assembly on your own, go here: https://azdisciples.org/regional-assembly/

Pastor’s Notes: 10/25/2024

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

This weekend the Christian Church in Arizona will be hosting our regional assembly at First Christian Church in Tucson. Marcia Blake, Carol Finch, Bill Finch, and I will attend. Please pray for our collective gathering and the work we will do together as Church!

As a part of the gathering, representatives from Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) agencies and organizations attend to stay connected with local congregations and the work of the region. Many of these individuals stay through Sunday and the region farms them out to preach and be present with local congregations that would like the opportunity to hear from the greater church. We will be one of those congregations.

Dr. Rickey McCray will step into our pulpit and bring words of greeting from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, IN. We are delighted to welcome him as he inspires us with a message entitled “Has Your Soul Been Anchored” based upon the text from 2 Chronicles 20:1-12! We will also celebrate our Wellness Ministry team and bless the work they have planned for us.

Don’t forget, our 50th Anniversary service will be on Nov. 3rd at 9:30. Come in your 1970’s clothing and prepare for a beautiful Sunday of celebration and remembrance. We will take photographs, display church history, offer tours, mingle and finish the morning with a potluck of dishes made from SCCC cookbooks!

It is a wonderful time to be a part of Sun City Christian Church as we serve God and community! I look forward to worshipping with you in person or on YouTube this Sunday. 

Brett