Monthly on the second Tuesday at 9 am
NEW LOCATION!
Our monthly breakfast gathering for men is a place for faith, food, and fellowship! We meet at 9 am every second Tuesday at George’s Lakeview Cafe, 10502 W. Thunderbird Rd., Sun City, AZ 85351
Join us!
Each person is responsible for the cost of their individual meal.
A sign-up sheet is available in the narthex or you can call the church office (623) 972-6179.
Disciples of Christ General Minister and President, Rev. Terri Hord Owens, will be here at Sun City Christian Church on Sunday, January 26!
It’s a don’t-miss Sunday, so mark your calendar and watch for more details coming soon.
Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens is the General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. She is the first person of color and second woman to lead the denomination, and the first woman of African descent to lead a mainline denomination.
Elected in 2017, Rev. Hord Owens was re-elected to a second term as General Minister and President in 2023. Her ministry actively reflects the Disciples’ priority of being an anti-racist church, being a movement for wholeness, and welcoming all to the Lord’s table as God has welcomed us. Her exhortation to the church is “Let’s be the church we say we are. It is in being who we say we are that we actively bear witness to God’s limitless love for all.”
Rev. Hord Owens earned her bachelor’s degree in Government with a minor in Afro- American Studies from Harvard University. Hord Owens’ resume includes more than 20 years in corporate America leading diverse teams in data management in health care and other industries before she entered seminary.
A graduate of University of Chicago Divinity School, Rev. Hord Owens served 12 years as the Dean of Students at her alma mater. Rev. Hord Owens also served as the pastor of First Christian Church of Downers Grove, Illinois, where under her leadership, FCCDG became an open and affirming, antiracism, pro-reconciliation congregation.
Hord Owens is widely sought after as a preacher, speaker, and workshop facilitator. Her ministry and intellectual interests include spiritual development, a theology of reconciliation, cultural intelligence, developing inclusive and multi-cultural congregations, and the mentoring of young adults.
In addition to collaborative service with Disciples ministries and congregations as they seek to make justice happen, she has been active in leadership in the Poor People’s Campaign, Repairers of the Breach, and other ecumenical and interfaith collaboratives. In keeping with the Disciples’ historic commitment to Christian unity, she serves in leadership at the National Council of Churches as the Treasurer of the Governing Board and a member of the World Council of Churches Central Committee.
Rev. Hord Owens is married to Walter Owens, Jr. They are the proud parents of an adult son, W. Mitchell Owens, III and daughter-in-law Adriana Owens. She is also the joyful grandmother of Zachary Owens.
All members, former members, and friends are invited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Sun City Christian Church on Sunday, November 3rd, 2024.
Worship service begins at 9:30 am. The message will be given by Mark D. Anderson. Following the service, we will gather in Cobb Hall for a time of remembrance, food, music, and fellowship.
Audiences are entranced by lovely ladies and dapper gentlemen in their outfits and are amazed at the characters brought to life through living history portrayals. Where else can you talk to a famous madame of the Old West and later visit with one of the wealthiest men of the Gilded Age? Or maybe join in an old-fashioned sing-along?
Desserts of the Decades will follow the program on Wednesday, October 9 at 1 pm.
Don’t miss a special surprise appearance by one of the founders of the Disciples of Christ denomination!
Reservations are required! Please call 623-972-6179.
Free will offering with a suggested minimum of $10.
Wednesday, November 6, 12:00 pm
A light lunch will be provided with a suggested donation of $3 per person
Medical fraud, waste, and abuse is a critical issue in healthcare, as it raises the premium costs for everyone. Dr. Marcia Blake, a seasoned healthcare fraud analytical investigator will discuss the difference between fraud, waste, and abuse, with emphasis on how individuals can identify potential fraud, waste, and abuse in their encounters with medical providers. She will discuss how to review the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) received for a visit or encounter with the healthcare system, and how to compare the statement to what happened at a visit or encounter within the healthcare system. Attendees will learn how to understand medical statements with special emphasis on Medicare and Supplemental insurance statements, what to do if you find or suspect discrepancies in billing or abuse of system (e.g., billings for services not received or upcoding of services) along with what to do if you suffer physical or psychological abuse from a provider.
Over the next six months, our Wellness Committee will offer educational sessions collaborating with qualified internal and community professionals. Future educational sessions will address osteoporosis; falls and fractures; aging and agism/dementia; navigating the healthcare system; keeping important medical/legal information; visual & hearing impairments and assistive devices; nutrition for seniors; Footcare/Podiatry; medication; and end of life issues, including the Five Wishes program. In addition, an exercise program will begin soon to augment the informational sessions to support an active and healthier community.
The mission of this project is foremost to empower individuals to be self-advocates for their medical care and wellness, as well as that of their loved ones through the programs and information provided by the project. A secondary goal is ensuring trusting relationships are built between participants that help alleviate isolation and loneliness. In addition, individuals are encouraged to seek ways to remain active, better understand the aging process, community resources, and the medical system.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 10:11
This Sunday’s “Faith through our doors” offering will guide our attention to the Cobbs Hall entrance door we utilize every Sunday. The theme story we will spend the most time with, is the upper inside panel. It might just be the most comforting image in Scripture: Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
This powerful metaphor illustrates not only Jesus’ deep love and commitment but a desired fulfillment for his followers of knowing that we are never separated from the Divine.
Jesus knows each of us by name, guiding us through life’s valleys and celebrating with us on the mountaintops. His voice calls us to follow Him, offering direction in times of uncertainty and peace amidst chaos. Just as a shepherd tends to his flock, providing for their needs and protecting them from danger, Jesus nurtures our spiritual growth and safeguards our hearts.
In a world filled with distractions and challenges, we can take comfort in knowing that Jesus leads us. We are a part of the flock, and as those connected with Sun City Christian Church, we know that the lost will be found. It is a Spiritual gift of our congregation, to be there for each other. The Holy Spirit is moving through us in ways that comfort, guide and support when it is needed most.
On Sunday we will reflect on how we can listen more closely to His voice and follow Jesus’ example of love and service. As we gather for worship and fellowship, may we encourage one another to embody the characteristics of the Good Shepherd—compassion, care, and a willingness to lay down our own interests for the sake of others. Together, let us strive to be shepherds in our community, extending Christ’s love to those around us.
I look forward to worshipping with you in person or on YouTube!
Brett
We had a great turnout for the fantastic steel drum concert on September 22! Thanks, Dick Huggins, for these photos!
We had a wonderful time at the annual Arizona Disciples Women’s Ministries Retreat in Prescott!
Here we are with Rev. Carole Williams, a retired DOC pastor from Coolwater Christian Church. The 2025 retreat is scheduled for September 12–14 so save the dates, mark your calendars, and watch for registration early next summer!
“Study to show yourself approved unto God.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (translation on the outside panel of the office door)
Have you heard the one about the soldier, the athlete, and the farmer? No, this is not the set up to a joke but one could think so. Rather, it is essentially the mixed metaphor used by the apostle Paul in his second letter to his mentee, Timothy.
In 2 Timothy 2:1-15 Paul is attempting to illustrate for Timothy (and us), what it means to be a worker for God. He is painting the picture of personality traits that we might identify with as those who effectively serve with the Holy Spirit moving through us.
We become a model for others. The ways in which we share the love of Christ, also becomes a metaphor for how the church is called to be the living presence of the Holy for each other today. Verse 15 according to the NRSV says, “Do your best present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.”
On Sunday we will explore in greater detail why this verse is etched into our church office door and how we continue to be faithful examples as (Disciples of Christ). You do faithful work, and I would encourage you to think about your gifts, your passions and the ways in which you uniquely represent Jesus to those you encounter.
It is a constant privilege to serve alongside you and I look forward to worshipping together in person or on YouTube this Sunday.
Blessings. Brett
