The

Spirit
January 2015

Church Events

December 21st Christmas Cantata

Annual Christmas Party

December 23rd
Memorial for Larre

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December 24th Family

Christmas Eve Service
Candlelight Service

December 25th - Church

Office Closed

January 1st Church

Office Closed

Have a safe and happy holiday!

January 19th Church

Office Closed

A Letter from Saguaro Leadership

Good afternoon,
This has been an incredible year in the life of Saguaro Christian Church. Weve seen so much
growth. There are new members, babies, children and renewed programs. We have experienced
and shared so much in the past twelve months. It hasnt always been easy, and we are so grateful
for your presence and for the time and gifts you share with SCC. You make all of our ministries possible and together we continue living into our shared vision for the future.
With the excitement and enthusiasm we share about the future, we must take a moment and share
the financial reality and ask for your help. Currently we have not received enough money to cover
our expenses and our financial obligations. Here is the current situation:
So far in 2014 our expenses are $31,280.00 more than we have received. There are a number of
reasons for this shortfall.
1. Loose offerings have fallen short by $21,200 compared with 2013.
2. Facility Usage Fees declined by $23,704 as we tried to subsidize our Pre-schools Budget.
3. Personnel and personnel related cost increased $13,700.
4.

Also, we have lost a number of members whose giving we have counted upon to meet our
budget.

This has caused a critical shortage in available funds for the day- to- day operation of the church.
This has forced us to use our emergency fund of nearly $12,000, and we are forced to reconsider
our 2015 budget. The board will have to take a hard look at the budget in 2015 and potentially make
some difficult decisions.
Here is where we need your help. We need to make up a $25,000 cash flow shortfall. Please consider making an additional gift to the church this year, an above-and-beyond gift. Our families and
others will be making a 13th month gift to SCC to honor you and the rest of our church family.
If you arent caught up on your pledge for 2014, then please consider making that final push to fulfill
that pledge. If you havent made your financial pledge for 2015, please do so as soon as possible. If
you have made your pledge, please consider increasing it to continue the important work of the
church. We wish to continue the good work and to serve our neighbors, our community and God in
this important and meaningful way. We are committed to you and our shared vision.
May God bless you, and may we share in Gods love this Christmas together.
Blessings,
Gary Roberts
Bonnie Logan
Bobbie Butler

January 2015
Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu
1

Fri

Sat

10

Church Office
Closed

6
7pm Faith
Based
Recovery

11

12

18

13
4:30am
Primavera
Breakfast
7pm Faith
Based
Recovery

12:15pm
Primavera
Breakfast
Group

1:30pm Staff

19

1:30pm Staff

20

9:30am
Blessings in a
Backpack
5:30pm Saguaro
Ringers
7pm Sanctuary
Choir
8pm Shelter

14

1:30pm Staff

15

16

9:30am
1pm Deborah
Blessings in a
Womens
Backpack
5:30pm Saguaro
Group
Ringers
7pm Sanctuary
Choir
8pm Shelter

21

9:30am
Blessings in a
Backpack
12pm
Newsletter
Articles Due
5:30pm Saguaro
Ringers
7pm Sanctuary
Choir
8pm Shelter

12:15pm
Church Office
1:30pm Staff
Closed
Primavera
4:30am
Breakfast
Primavera
Group
Breakfast
12:15pm
7pm Faith Based
Elders Meeting
Recovery
25
26
27
28
7pm Faith
Based
Recovery

Owen Army

22

17
6:30am
POWWOW
7:30am Mens
Breakfast

23

24

30

31

6:30pm Board
Meeting

29

9:30am
10am
Blessings in a
Newsletter
Backpack
5:30pm Saguaro
Assembly
Ringers
6:00pm SOL
7pm Sanctuary
Choir
Team Meeting
8pm Shelter

Serving Schedule
Elders Serving at Communion Table
Palo verde Service Traditional Service

Ushers
9:00am

Bobbie Butler

11:00am

Jackie Presson,

1/04

Wende Gonzales

KC Estes/Susan Keenan

1/11

Pam Pioche

Adrienne Crump/Brian Lott

1/18

Rachel Sager

Annette Armstrong/Peggy Goforth

Acolyte

1/25

Carol Friesen

Michael Cleveland/Adrienne Crump

Seth Madsen/Areya Roadman

Shirley Gunion, Annette Armstrong

Home Communion

Deacons (*Coordinator)

Communion Preparer

1/04

Peggy Goforth/Carol Friesen

Pa lo ve rde Service

Trish Krebs

1/11

Brian Lott/Pam Pioche

Trish Krebs & Lea Cuzner

1/18

Rachel Sager/KC Estes

1/25

Michael Cleveland/Adrienne Crump

Traditional Service
Shirley Gunion, Susan Lock, Patricia Holmes, Marilyn Hanson,
Areya Roadman

Scripture Readers
Pa lo ve rde Service

Traditional Service

Childrens Moment Leaders

1/04

Stephanie Sager

Areya Roadman

1/04 Gwen Elbert/KC Estes

1/11

Bobbie Butler

Arlie Heald

1/11 Michelle Gusick, Lisa Ledbetter

1/18

Patricia Casey

Shirley Heald

1/18 Michelle Gusick/ Paul Ledbetter

1/25

TBD

Lisa Ledbetter

1/25 Michael Cleveland/KC Estes

January Birthdays
3rd

Marcos Lares

10th

Hila Villa

21st

Kelly Estes

Betty Slaybaugh

16th

Pam Pioche

24th

Margi Lott

4th

Nick Makres

19th

Erika Meyer

7th

Fredda Cox

20th

Fran Johnson

Sharon Steehler

Amastacia George

Meditation Class in January

Want to make your gray matter grow? Have less stress? Be more resilient? Improve your mood? Research is
showing these are among benefits of regular meditation. If you'd like to learn meditation in a completely friendly,
non-threatening atmosphere, join us as we learn from Pat & Joe Ambrosic, Monday evenings, starting January 12
for 5 weeks, 1 1/2 hours each meeting in the chapel. For more information, contact Terry Bagwell.

A Few Thoughts
Baby watch is in full swing! Though the due date is 4 JAN, we are now past 38
weeks. Our whole family is waiting as patiently as possible for the new arrival.
My family and I want to thank you for all of your prayers during this time. Once
baby gets here, I will be out of the office for two weeks as we bond with the new
baby and help our oldest two with the transition. We will really appreciate your
prayers then!
During my absence, Rev. Shelly Tilton will be preaching and handling all the pastoral care concerns. We are blessed to have her. She will continue preaching the
majority of January so that I can help facilitate the transition of our Deacons, Elders, Board of Directors, Sol Team (formerly Ministry Council) and Staff.
I am optimistic and prepared for the beauty and newness of the New Year. Weve
grown much this last year. There were moments of pure blessing and there were
challenges. My hope is that we can settle into that growth as we continue to live
into the celebration of our vision. Thank you for a good year.
Owen

Prayers of Our
Congregation
Barbara Miranda
Bob Purvis
Chuck Mull
Fredda Cox
Helen Ellis
Clayton Gooden
The Larsen Family
Abby Casey
Ruth Harmon
Cece Terry
Arlie Heald
The Youngs
Betty Thompson
Clayton Gooden
Bonnie Logan
Harry Johnson

NBA XPLOR Project

Along with First Christian Church, Tucson, we at Saguaro will embark on a journey with the National Benevolent Association to bring this amazing project to our community.
NBA XPLOR Project is a ten-month residential service opportunity for young adults, ages 21-30, who want to explore
lives of faith and service. We provide opportunities to serve in cities across the United States, while offering Residents housing, a small living stipend, vocational support, career development, travel opportunities and more.
The Four Cornerstones of the XPLOR Project are:
Hands-on Service/Justice Work: Working in and among neighborhoods to empower local mission efforts while gaining
awareness of systems of injustice.
Simple Living in Community: Learning and practicing faithful, intentionally simple and culturally competent communal
living.
Spiritual Discernment on Vocation: Striving through spiritual disciplines to discern the purpose for which ones soul is
made.
Disciples Leadership Development: Living our ones Disciples identity and unleashing ones leadership capacity.
Without naming all the natures of diversity, XPLOR is committed to the cultivation of a widely diverse population living in all XPLOR Houses.
Visit www.nbacares.org/xplor for more information.

OUTREACH
Food Bags Given Out During November: 0
Elders Gift Cards Given Out During November : 2
Primavera Meals Served: 2 Breakfasts, Thanksgiving
Dinner
(Each breakfast serves about 70, dinners about 100)
Blessings in a Backpack : 402 Bags packed,
11 Volunteers
Mobile Meals Delivered: 65 trays

Primavera Thanksgiving Dinner

Christmas Blessings
Thank you to all who have helped to make the
Blessings in a Backpack program succeed. Many
thanks to Wanda and Nick Makres, Jean Coombs,
Peggy Gorforth , Emily McKinney and her sister
Carolyn Connaway, Mary Gregory, Arlie Heald, Milan Kriho and Stewart Bagwell for being there to
pack the bags. And to all the wonderful church
members that contribute to the fund to make the
program successful. We are doing a triple pack on
December 17 to help the children through the
Christmas Holidays. Blessings to all!
Shirley Heald, Pat Sutton, and Dodie Kriho

Over Thanksgiving members of Saguaro Christian

and First Christian came together to shop, prepare
and serve a Thanksgiving meal for Primavera.

Attendance
November
8:00

9:00

11:00

2nd

10

58

111

9th

53

101

16th

83

101

23rd

12

49

80

30th

11

51

97

Financials
November

SPECIAL OFFERING
Thanksgiving special offerings were $1881.00.

Nov. 14

2014 (YTD)

Income

29,568

333,993

Expenses

23,252

356,012

$ 6,316

($22,019)

Income/(Loss)

Letter from a Friend

Dear Bonnie and Saguaro friends,
This is to send my sincerest admiration and thankfulness for the restructuring of the spiritual polity
of SCC as proposed. May the walls keep falling down until all ministries are free to accomplish
their spiritual mission.
I remember a class in seminary that addressed the profound change in the church when it changed
to the committee system- and lost its essence as a spirit-empowered movement. May the fire of
Gods purpose be rekindled in all your hearts.
Love in Christ,
Chuck Mull

Brady Outreach
As we reach the end of 2014 and reflect on the gift we have been given through the birth of Jesus, its also a time
to consider the most generous gift left to Saguaro by the Brady family in the form of an endowment established to
carry on many activities and programs they were passionate about. One of these is the Brady Outreach endowment.
BRADY OUTREACH funds are awarded for areas including neighborhood, community, world/global, Basic Mission
Finance, new church development and ideas beyond the scope of our own church development. Requests are not
limited to church-related projects but are considered for humanitarian efforts and outreach as well. We ask that
groups not apply for funding that will be used for institutional sustainment (salaries, rent, etc.) but rather for specific, preferably new, needs/projects within the organization. Funds should have a measurable impact on a specific
target project and help those outside the membership of Saguaro Christian Church.
Now is the time for you to present to the committee applications for grants to programs and projects that
meet these guidelines............be they religious or secular/humanitarian in nature. There are so many wonderful
groups out there, think about it, won't you be an advocate for one?
Applications are available in the church office and should be returned by the 10 th of January to be considered for
Quarter 4/2014 awards. Questions may be directed to Sharon Jensen, Chair, at ss.jensen57@gmail.com

December 19, 2014

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8302 E Broadway
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Our Mission Statement

Christ has called Saguaro Christian Church
to build a home to serve God and all people through growth and healing in ourselves
and the community beyond our front doors.

For Your Information

Worship Services:
Sunday: 8:00am 9:00am 11:00am
Sunday School: 10:10am
E-mail:

info@saguarochristian.org

Phone:

520-296-5901

Fax:

520-298-0168

Web Page:

saguarochristian.org

Our Staff
Minister
Rev. Owen Chandler
Ministerial Resident
Shelly Tilton
SICP Director
Tanima Lawrence
Office Manager & Christian Education
and Youth Coordinator
Laurie Cleveland
Director of Music
Jeff Myrmo
Accompanist & Contemporary
Worship Director
Keith Koster
Property Manager
Paul Ledbetter
Custodians
Brian Rudigier
Jacob Ansell
Seminarian Resident
Rev. Kevin Prahar
Financial Manager
Laurie Colburn
Media
Frank Terry
Nursery Attendant
Barbara Sager

Sermon Theme for January: Call

January 6: Epiphany
Scripture: Luke 2.25-35
January 11: Baptism of Jesus
Scripture: Mark 1:4-11
January 18: Calling of Samuel
Scripture: 1 Sam. 3.1-10
January 25: Calling of the Fishermen
Scripture: Mark 1:14-20