Welcome to Unitarian Universalism
We are people of all ages, people of many backgrounds, and people of many beliefs. We are brave, curious and compassionate thinkers and doers. We create spirituality and community beyond boundaries, working for more justice and more love in our own lives and in the world. Unitarian Universalism draws from our heritages of freedom, reason, hope, and courage, building on the foundation of love. We covenant, congregation-to-congregation and through our Association, to support and assist one another in our ministries. Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. The values we share include all the following, which we hold as inseparable and deeply interconnected:- Interdependence: We honor the interdependent web of all existence and acknowledge our place in it.
- Pluralism: We are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and theology.
- Justice: We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all feel welcome and can thrive.
- Transformation: We adapt to the changing world.
- Generosity: We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope.
- Equity: We declare that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion.
- Beliefs and Shared Values – more information on our shared values and answers to some common belief questions
- Who We Are – our history, symbols, backgrounds and stories
- Religious Practices – what Unitarian Universalists do on Sunday and every day, including holidays and rites of passage
- Get Involved – find out how to connect with Unitarian Universalism, no matter where you are
THIS WEEK’S CHURCH CALENDAR
Monday – April 13
11am – Noon Good Company – Feeling isolated? Join us every Monday to meet new people and chat.
Tuesday – April 14
11am – Noon Truly Mindful Tuesday Meditation – All are invited to try different forms of meditation together each week.
11:30am – 1:30pm Tina’s Office Hours – Please set up an appointment with her ahead of time so you will not have to wait. You may reach out to her via text and email and of course she can meet on another day if needed.
6pm SIUUC Gardening Forum
Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/94884266239
Phone: 1 253 215 8782 ID: 94884266239
If you would like to be included in the Garden Forum weekly email synopsis and email discussions, please contact Edna at skyislandchurch@gmail.com. Please note the new meeting time.
6:30 – 8pm Dharma Buddhists Meditation
Wednesday – April 15
5pm 12-Step Group
6 – 7:30pm Wondering Wednesdays
Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99892265318
Phone: 1 669 900 9128 ID: 99892265318
Come join us for Wondering Wednesday at 6pm on Zoom, where we are always wondering how everyone is doing, and catch up on the latest in the SIUUC Community. Feel free to pop in for some friendly conversation and maybe a chuckle or two.
Thursday – April 16
11am – Noon The Widowing Tribe – The Tribe is available to anyone who has lost a partner, and is at any stage of grief. It is not tied to any religious belief; it is based in support with people who know what it’s like to be inside this grief.
11:30am Men’s Luncheon – Contact Pat Aronna if you plan to attend.
Friday, April 17
11am – 3pm EAF | Emergency Assistance Fund
1pm – ??pm Board Games
For all Zoom meetings, if you need to call in by phone you can call 1-253-215-8782.
The meeting ID is the last 11 digits of the corresponding link.
RECURRING MONTHLY ACTIVITIES
First Tuesday – 1pm Sunday Services Committee Meeting
First Friday:
9am First Friday Hike
6pm PFLAG Monthly Meeting | Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Second Sunday – 10:30am Second Sunday 2nd Collection
Second Friday – 11am Church Ladies Lunch at the Country House Restaurant
Third Thursday – 11:30am Men’s Luncheon. Contact Pat Aronna if you plan to attend.
Third Friday:
11am – 3pm EAF | Emergency Assistance Fund
1pm – ??pm Board Games
12pm Third Sunday – Board of Directors meet at the church following Sunday Service
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, you can call 1-253-215-8782. The meeting ID is the last 11 digits of the corresponding link.
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Together we rise,
Mary Katherine Morn
President
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
New Things To Do at Sky Island
Sunday, April 12, 2026
At 10:30am In-Person and on Zoom:
Phone: 1-253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 989 1828 0553
THIS SUNDAY April 12th, we will explore being “Accepted, Not Fixed.” António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, sounded almost Unitarian Universalist when he announced on April 2 of this year, “This World Autism Awareness Day, we celebrate the inherent dignity and worth of all autistic people.” He expressed concerns that lately, “in turbulent times, harmful stigmas are resurfacing and eroding the progress we have made towards inclusion and equality.” How can we as UUs celebrate Autism Appreciation Month and find ways to include and celebrate neurodivergent people and the gifts they bring to our communities?
MUSIC THIS SUNDAY
Opening Song For All That Is Our Life #128
Offering If There Ain’t Room (I can’t find it on YouTube. You can listen to it on the Sing Out Love website if you have access to our new, UUA digital Hymnal).
Closing Song Answering the Call of Love #1014
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
As you might have heard, it is almost time for our annual meeting. The date of the meeting is April 26, 2026. three You should have received an email with 3 documents attached, which the Board of Directors asks you to review prior to the annual meeting. First, is the agenda for the meeting. The next document is the Minutes from the 2025/26 Annual Meeting. We will be voting to accept these minutes. The last document is the Proposed Annual Budget for 2026-27. We will be voting on this proposed budget.
The meeting will be held after regular services. As usual, we will ask everyone to exit the sanctuary following regular services. Out in the community room, you will check in with board secretary, Georgia Brown. You will receive a voting card. (You will also receive a membership gift from the SIUUC Board of Directors.) Once you receive your voting card and membership gift, you may re-enter the sanctuary.
Following the 2026/27 Annual Meeting, we will have pizza and salad in the Community Room. We hope to see everyone at this important event! The SIUUC Board of Directors thanks you for your participation in this and all church events.
~ James J. Gillham
SIUUC BOD President
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This week Tricia Gerrodette and I discovered some confusion caused by the new structure of the Unitarian Universalist Association. The UUA used to have 19 different districts and Sky Island was part of the “Pacific Southwest” one. A meeting at the end of April will take place in California among the 50 churches once part of that division. Now, the UUA has only five larger “regions” and we are one of the 180 congregations affiliated with the Pacific Western Region that includes Hawaii, Alaska, and extends east through New Mexico. The PWR is holding a meeting THIS weekend; I had ignored emails about it because I had assumed it was the same as the smaller number gathering at the end of the month. I am grateful that Tricia noticed that bigger meeting so I can attend workshops on Adult Faith Formation and Attracting Millennials to Worship all day Saturday.
Also, this Thursday, I met with ministers of the Baja 4 and celebrated the many ways we are going to events, setting up tables and signs that spread word about our individual churches and Unitarian Universalism as a whole in Southern Arizona. Thank you Outreach Committee at Sky Island for making us more visible in Cochise County.
I will have office hours this Tuesday, April 14, 11:30 – 1:30. Please set up an appointment with me ahead of time so you will not have to wait. You may reach out to me via text and email and of course I can meet on another day if needed.
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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
Did You Know?
Our fiscal year starts July 1 and so I (Tricia Treasurer) don’t want your pledge money until then. Weird, huh? It’s just a bookkeeping headache and our paid bookkeeper (She Who Must Be Obeyed – you might have to be of a certain age to “get” that) has made it clear it’s a big headache. So if you’ve put in a check for your pledge for 2026-2027, it’s going to be held until July. Please talk to Tricia if you have any questions.
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Douglas does not have a diaper bank like Sierra Vista does. So there will be a diaper drive on April 11 to collect supplies for delivery to them. Diapers are needed for all ages, including seniors, so any size you can donate will be welcomed. You can also bring them to church and Tricia G will make sure they get to their destination on the 11th. Thank you.
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DID YOU KNOW?
There is a group called UU Ministry for Earth. For the next several months, they have an intern who is available to provide interfaith spiritual care and chaplaincy for a group or 1-on-1. Intern Chelsea McCoy can provide assistance if you have climate anxiety or are worried about the state of the world. You can read more about Chelsea and her background in this blog post. If you’d like to schedule a session with her, she is available to meet via Zoom, Google Meet, or Signal.
Within the UUA, there’s a program called Chalice Lighters. Chalice Lighters began in 1984 as a way for individual Unitarian Universalists to support projects and programs within and among UU congregations by donating $10 or more three times a year.
Sky Island UU Church has benefited in the past from Chalice Lighters grants. There’s quite a history behind the Chalice Lighters program and you can read more about it here.
Want to connect with other UUs engaged in justice? Check out the Side With Love’s Action Center.
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Mindfulness Meditation
Come for mindfulness meditation each Tuesday from 11am – noon at the church. We take turns leading it, but don’t feel that you have to. Come and try it out, no experience necessary. Thank you Django Sanders who always attends to hold space for others who come as well.
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Wondering Wednesdays
Come join us for Wondering Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. (local time) on Zoom, where we are always wondering how everyone is doing, and catch up on the latest in the SIUUC Community. Feel free to pop in on the rest of us for some friendly conversation and maybe a chuckle or two.
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Susie Fawcett is at the Haven of Sierra Vista. Tina has discovered that late morning is a good time to visit to find Susie somewhat responsive.
If you have a joy you’d like to share or a sorrow you’d like people to hear, please send an email to skyislandchurch@gmail.com
