Download your copy of the Saguaro Advent Devotionals here.

It is indeed that time of year again!  The Annual Christmas Party is right around the corner.  On Sunday, December 18 at 6pm Saguaro Christian Church will be celebrating the holidays together.

Tickets will be around $25 per person and will be on sale soon in the Narthex.  We will be feasting in a fajita meal and participating in the White Elephant gift Exchange.   We ask that each person bring a White Elephant Gift to exchange (male/female gender specific) in our gift exchange.

Doors at El Parador will  open at 6pm where chips and salsa will be served  at the no hosts cocktail hour.  Remember, the holiday party will be at the El Parador Restaurant located at 2744 East Broadway Boulevard.

If you have questions or would like to purchase your tickets, please contact Kathy Lindsay.

Hope to see you there!

The Fellowship Ministry Committee

Ministry Fair – November 6th

Join us under the Ramada today to learn more about the volunteer opportunities available at Saguaro Christian Church. Bring your EMM book & form

and all your questions!

Annual Meeting & Celebration Sunday

November 20th

Join us for this ONE SERVICE SUNDAY at 10am on this Celebration and Commitment Sunday. Bring your Pledge Cards and EMM forms to be placed in the

basket during worship. Lunch will be served.

Progressive Sanctuary Decorating

We will be adorning the sanctuary

throughout the season of advent this year.

Come help us begin decorating Saturday, November 26

at 9:00am and again Saturday, December 10 at 9:00am

as we continue adding to the splendor of Christmas and build up to the celebration of the birth of Our Savior!

October 21-23
Celebrating 50 years of ministry!

We hope that you are planning on joining us for our 50th Jubilee events this October. Here is a little more information about all the events!

Friday, October 21
The Jubilee Concert will be held in our Sanctuary and will feature Come Thirsty. This Family event will begin at 7pm. A love offering will be taken up, but tickets are free. Seating is limited, so reserve your tickets in the church office or pick them up on Sunday. Everyone is welcome to attend this event. Hope to see you there.

Saturday, October 22
Will mark the first annual Arts & Crafts Fair and Family Festival with games, food and fun for the whole family. Come join us from 9am – 3pm. Get ready for the holiday season and purchase gifts at this great event as you look at all the local artisans that will feature their works here. Make sure you come out for the great food too! Join us all day or just for a bit. See you there.

Sunday, October 23
Worship
Join us for our progressive worship services! Come to all three or to just one! Communion will be served at each of our services.

8:00am Give me that ole time religion
Join us at Steele School, our first home, for this old style worship as we reflect on our first years in ministry.
Rev. Bill Dunbar Preaching

9:30am Contemporary/Emergent
Gather with us in the Fellowship Hall as we remember the next two decades of ministry. This contemporary worship will remind us of the great transition we made not too many years ago.
Rev. Deb Morgan Preaching

11:00am Traditional
Finally we end our progressive worship in our new Sanctuary as we celebrate our recent years in ministry at Saguaro.
Rev. Dr. Denny Williams Preaching

Banquet
Finally we will end our celebration with our banquet lunch and celebration. After our final worship service we will gather under the big white tent for a wonderful meal catered by El Parador and a wonderful celebration program. To get your tickets stop by the 50th table in the narthex. Tickets are on sale now for $10; kids under 8 eat free but must get a ticket)

Have you signed up yet?
The Long Range Planning Committee invites you to participate in our Congregational Chats beginning September 11. We will be chatting about our Worship, Music, and Christian Education Ministries, as well as we will also take a look into some building opportunities in the future.

These Congregational Chats are just around the corner. Several leaders from our congregation and the Long Range Planning Committee will be hosting these sessions. These chats will happen at a variety of locations and times to accommodate everyone’s schedules.

Soon you will all be receiving calls from leaders and have the opportunity to sign up for these chats in the narthex. There will be sign-up sheets on the bulletin board in the Narthex beginning Sunday, August 28. Please choose the time, date, and location where you would like to chat. We look forward to hearing your ideas as to the future of Saguaro Christian Church. Our hope is that each and everyone of you will participate in these shorts chat sessions!

You only need to sign up for one chat session, so check out the board in the narthex and see what works with you. Groups will be about 12 people in size. If you have any questions about the Chats, please contact Bonnie Logan, 722-3893, or e-mail jbzlogan@aol.com.

Schedule of Chats:

September 12
10am Bonnie Logan Hosting
@ the Logan House

6pm Wendy Gonzales Hosting
@ Sam Hughes Place

September 17
9am Ray Freeman Hosting
@ Saguaro CC Conference Room

September 22
2pm Bonnie Logan Hosting
@ the Logan House

September 25
7pm Kathy Lindsey Hosting
@ the Lindsey Home

October 1

5:30pm Lois Crump Hosting
@ the Crump House

October 6
10:00am Lois Crump Hosting
@ Starbucks (Houghton & Broadway)

Other Chats to Come…
Michelle Gusick
Dave Crobbe
Shirley Heald
Terry Bagwell

Saturday, August 20
9:00am – 1:00pm

For some the school year has already started. For others it’s only 2 weeks away! Whether in school or anticipating the new year, all students will be needing school supplies! We would really love for you to be a part of this year’s
backpack blowout. This is Saguaro’s annual event to help supply kids for school. We have sent out postcards and fliers and are expecting 300-500 kids! If you can volunteer…be here!

Supplies Needed:
Backpacks
Wide Ruled Notebook Paper
Composition Books
#2 Pencils
Lg. Pink Erasers
Glue Sticks
Crayons (24ct.)
Pocket Folders w/brads
Spiral Notebooks
Colored Pencils (12ct.)
Markers
Small Scissors (blunt end)
Small Glue Bottles
Hand Pencil Sharpeners

For more information contact Judy Dunn 749-1361.

Laurie Cleveland
Lois Crump
Stephanie Sager
Amanda Metropoulos
Bethany Keenan
Lauren Connel
JR Tolleson
Heather Tolleson

We’ll explore Jesus’ hometown through the eyes of his mother. We’ll develop a deeper relationship with Christ and one another. We’ll find a greater understanding of life in Israel.

This weeklong multi-generational event begins June 6 at 5:30 PM. Register before May 30! Cost is $20 per child and $15 per adult. A nightly meal is provided.

We’re still seeking a handful of volunteers to help ensure our success! Please contact Keith Koster or Carol Friesen immediately: bluecoyotekeith@cox.net or 990.9684 (Keith) c.friesen@cox.net or 750-9349 (Carol)

On Tuesday evening while they we here, we gathered to hear what it was that came up regarding youth ministry here at Saguaro. It became clear that we DO NOT currently have a sustainable plan for youth ministry here at Saguaro. YMA set before us a 17 month plan to guide us as we set up a plan for youth ministry. Here are some of the things we heard:
on average it take $1000 per youth to do youth ministry, Saguaro budgets less than $1700.
You can expect a youth group to not exceed 10% of your active worshiping membership, we worship 180 and we have more than 25 active 6-12 graders.
For every 50 youth you have, you need one full time staff person whose only responsibility is youth ministry, we have 25 youth, thus should have a half-time youth ministry position

There were also many celebrations:
We have amazing volunteers doing youth ministry, 6 right now, who although close to burn out are leading this program
Our Youth said they felt well loved and supported and that Saguaro felt like family
The youth love the activities that we do like camp, retreats and mission trips
It was also clear that there a lot of people who truly support the Youth Ministry and want it to succeed & continue to grow.

The timeline that YMA put in front of us is 26 pages long. Copies are available in the office building on the front desk. We encourage EVERYONE to stop in and pick up a copy. The Long Range Planning Committee, the Youth Shepherds and the Board will be looking into this plan for ministry and publishing to you how it is we might move forward.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call Heather or Bill. One thing is very clear…we have a lot of work in front of us! We can’t wait to see the ways in which we are called to change the world, one youth at a time!

Peace, Heather