Mark Wenz How do we know that God is with us? According to Paramhansa Yogananda, one of the best known and most beloved of all Indian spiritual teachers who came to the West, there are seven signs that signal divine connection: • You feel a deep inner peace, even when life is chaotic. If a…
Tag: Faith
November 2025, Community News
Gratitude in a World of Contradictions
Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott, Pastor, Sun Lakes United Church of Christ Thanksgiving is often pictured as a table heavy with food, laughter in the air, and family gathered in peace. It is a season to name blessings and give thanks for life’s bounty. Yet, as a pastor, I feel the tension between this image and…
September 2025, Community News
Bible Study in Apache Room
The Bible Study is held on Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m. starting Oct. 2 through Dec. 18. There will be no class on Nov. 27 (Thanksgiving). The Life of Joseph, Genesis 37-50, is the biblical account of a young man, coming from a very dysfunctional family, being sold into slavery by his own brothers,…
September 2025, Community News
Courage to Be Kind
Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott, Pastor, Sun Lakes United Church of Christ Our world feels heavy right now; I am saying nothing new. Political conversations are tense, friendships have been strained, and the news seems filled with anger and fear. Maybe you have felt it, too. I know you feel the tension in the air, because…
March 2025, Religion
Community Church of SunBird Spring Activities
Jamie Morgan Spring bustles with activity at Community Church of SunBird (CCSB), and we would like you to join us. On Sunday, March 23, we invite the SunBird community to join us for a Root Beer Float Social on the patio from 1 to 3 p.m. Enjoy an old-fashioned root beer float and meet new…
March 2025, Religion
The Ripple Effect of Kindness
Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott, Pastor, Sun Lakes United Church of Christ I want you to imagine a world where kindness is not just an occasional act but a committed way of life that transforms communities. The 2000 film Pay It Forward presents this idea through a young boy’s simple yet powerful plan: If each person…
June 2024, Community News
Open and Affirming
Marge Harris Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians, verses 12:4-27, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another,” and “There are varieties of gifts, but it is the same…
June 2024, Community News
The Power of Witnessing
Dr. Honora Norton Years ago in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis reminded us that “every baptized person is called to give witness, with their words and with their lives ….” He asked, “Who is the witness?” And what do we need to do to become a witness? He said that there are three qualifications of…
May 2024, Community News
Derrick Elliott Earns Doctor of Ministry Degree
Audrey Hendry Congratulations, Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott, Pastor of Sun Lakes United Church of Christ, on earning your Doctor of Ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C. Rev. Dr. Elliott decided to take on this challenge so he could increase his knowledge and skill level to help his congregation and community in religious and…