Why We Love CAUCC

One of the things I ask when searching for a new faith community is, “How do they minister beyond the walls of the church? How do they minister to those on the margins?” I want to be part of a faith community that is committed to living out the teachings of Jesus. Jesus never said, “Come worship me.” He said, “Come follow me.”

When I moved back to Tucson in 2019, I found that church home once again in Casas Adobes UCC. When I say, “once again,” my husband and I had been members at CAUCC when we lived here before. But time had lapsed and new faces had come in, some had left – you never know what a faith community will be like when you go back years later!

When I returned to CAUCC in 2019, I found ministries that were thriving and relational beyond the walls of the church.

The relationship between CAUCC and Keeling Elementary had deepened considerably. CAUCC was no longer merely providing school supplies in July and Christmas gifts to children in need in December. I found that CAUCC’s ministry at Keeling had exploded to include:

• volunteers who weekly tutor 1st and 2nd graders, who were behind in their reading,

• a monthly Food Pantry that serves families in need in the Keeling geographic area; and

• volunteers filling “backpacks” weekly with nourishing food that students to take home on the weekend.

In addition, CAUCC’s school supply drives and quest for Christmas gifts had grown exponentially while we had been gone.

A new ministry had evolved with HEPAC (House of Hope and Peace) in Nogales, Mexico. Several members had visited HEPAC, and saw children with crumbled newspapers under their clothes to keep warm. So volunteers began to knit and crochet sweaters for the children. Then the volunteers went to HEPAC weekly and taught the women how to knit and crochet themselves. Relationships deepened between CAUCC volunteers and the women. The HEPAC women created a co-op and sold items through CAUCC and in Tohono Chul’s gift shop. Life changing transformative ministry beyond the walls of the church was taking place.

And because of the deepened relationships between these women, when children started to get separated from their parents at the border, the volunteers started a new ministry at CAUCC – Compassion on the Border. People were volunteering at and collecting supplies for migrants shelters in Tucson.

I saw people at CAUCC being the hands and feet of Jesus outside the walls of the church. And that is why I love CAUCC.

There is an aphorism in my profession that assures us that “the best geologist is the one who’s seen the most rocks.” My life at Casas Adobes United Church of Christ (CAUCC) makes me want to modify that to “perhaps the truest Christians are those who continue to seek new ways to serve God.”

When Linda and I came to Tucson in early 2012, we settled on CAUCC for many reasons. Certainly, the outstanding Rev. Milligan, the choir, the staff and the members were plusses – but every church has many, if not all of these attributes. What made CAUCC different was that it could offer me experiences that I had not imagined before.

The first was TIHAN, my first experience in being with people with HIV/AIDS. The positive energy that our members brought to those gatherings with individuals who were devastated by both the disease and a cruel society opened my eyes and my heart like little had before. That experience was furthered by working with the 5-Points Transitional Housing Project, Keeling School, Reunion House and many others— and all of them remind me of the need for just the little bit of reliable, regular assistance some of our neighbors require to make it through the day. It makes me happy and proud that the members and friends of CAUCC look to create a wide range of basic services for so many, and it exposes me to things I had never seen and perhaps only read about— but now am a part of understanding and addressing. From these new experiences came my desire to help in Sunday School, serve on Council, host Dine with Nine, help with the veteran’s dog-fence project, and collect all the other wonderful samples of life that God has allowed me to walk up to, and examine and learn about.

We have both been actively involved in Casas Adobes United Church of Christ (CAUCC) since retiring and moving to Oro Valley in 2005. The secret to feeling a part of any church is to get involved quickly. We visited a couple of churches after moving here and knew of the UCC since we were members of a UCC congregation in Pennsylvania. Having moved away from our friends in Pennsylvania we were seeking to make new friends and find a church with a mission we shared. After a couple of visits to CAUCC we felt comfortable and were impressed by meeting so many accomplished and friendly people. We were also impressed with opportunities to grow spiritually and serve the community. Suellen, being the one with musical talent, quickly joined the bell and vocal choirs. She was a founding member of the Stitch Witches, was co-chair of the Fellowship Committee and has served as a member of the Music Committee, Personnel Committee, Call to Care, and Scholarship Committee. I soon became a member of Council and have served as Vice-President and as Treasurer for 10 years. Through this involvement we have made wonderful friends and have grown spiritually. We have seen CAUCC rally and grow through several difficult challenges, which speaks to the intellectual talent and skills of our ministers, office staff, leadership, Council and members.

Love in Action, Big & Small

What is attractive about Casas Adobes is that actions of Love are all around, all the time. The church does mission work: Keeling tutoring, TIHAN, Border Assistance, etc. — like all churches. What I love is the sense of Love emanating from the members & friends, not just on Sundays but when we are working together on rummage sales or picnics or cleaning up the classrooms/campus and the like.

My favorite Love story is from 2018, when we were all working hard to set up for the 60th Anniversary Celebration, harking back to the late 50’s/early 60’s. Folks dressed up for the times, which ran the gamut of women in poodle skirts, guys with the slick backed hair and “tough look,” along with Superman/Clark Kent and Cub Reporter, Jimmy Olsen look-alikes. During set-up, the sound folks were testing the rock and roll music and romantic ballads from those times. (Elvis, after all was just becoming King.)

One couple who’ve been married quite a while, took to the dance floor and glided through the steps with swirls and twirls and dips as if they were back at their senior prom decades before. The entire work team was transfixed by how obvious it was to all of us – this was a couple “in love” as much now as when they had first dated. While everyone else was in the Sanctuary for the worship service, we were treated by the vision of lasting love. We were so absorbed, no one took a picture, much less a video.

We worked hard that day. We laughed about the stories through the six decades. Exhausted as we were, the smiles made it all worthwhile. And smiles happen all the time at our Church. This is why I love Casas Adobes.

I placed priority on finding a “new” church when my husband and I moved to SaddleBrooke from Iowa in August 2019. I am a child of the 60s who despite a strong religious upbringing consciously abandoned those traditions once in college. My experiences until then led me to believe there was an incongruity between Christian teachings and practices that I was not allowed to question. Once married with small children, however, I recognized the importance Christ had in my life and wanted a similar foundation for my children as they faced the challenges of our world. After visiting many churches of numerous denominations, I found the United Church of Christ offered the acceptance, love, and hope that I had always associated with Christ and his teachings.

Our move to Arizona was more sudden than anticipated. I felt like a total stranger, knowing very few people and very little of Arizona’s history and culture. How could I possibly “fit in”? Nonetheless, I began yet again to seek out a faith community. Amazingly that search was far less difficult the second time around. CAUCC was the second church I visited but I knew at once I would return.

Each Sunday the congregation at CAUCC invites all to walk together on a faith journey regardless of where each person may be on that journey. It is indeed an open and unconditional invitation. An invitation that has always had meaning, but not intense personal meaning, until I entered Casas Adobes as a visitor. I am still that person who asks too many questions. I continue to need spiritual guidance as I seek answers to those questions. I continue to hope and pray for a life of meaning and purpose. I truly believe such a life is found in Christ’s teachings. It admittedly took me far too long, however, to accept I need the support of others as I make this journey. I became a member of CAUCC in December 2019 because of the warmth and love so easily expressed by its congregation and pastors. Pastor Michael and Pastor John are amazing in their ability to bring meaning and direction to Biblical scriptures in our challenging times. The “work” of the congregation is outward as well as inward. I truly have felt a sense of love and belonging, of community, since first attending CAUCC.

And then came the COVID 19 pandemic. There was time, often too much time, to soul search and dwell on personal and societal shortcomings, past and present. How could a faith journey continue in any meaningful way through Zoom and YouTube interactions? It is easy to list all the bad that has occurred over the past 18 months. Pastor Michael, Pastor John, and the exceptional leadership of CAUCC did not falter. My faith journey has indeed continued with hope and direction when it was most needed. So many of you openly, and without judgment, joined in tough conversations necessary to go forward. The love of the church community continued to expand to a wider community. I have made many new friends, some of whom I still have not and may never meet in person. I have been blessed in so many ways by the steadfast commitment to and demonstrations of God’s love evidenced at CAUCC. Thank you for the privilege of being a member of this church family! The love you have shown over the past two years is awesome and, with God’s grace, will continue to expand within and beyond church walls.

Having worshiped in two much larger churches in the past years makes me appreciate the smaller CAUCC. I married Charlotte Marshall in 2010 in this church. I had been a Methodist all my life up to that point. All who know her, knew my Methodist days were numbered.

Making the transition was easy. Especially with Charlotte’s assistance, as the daughter of Pastor George Vance, the founding pastor of this church.

As a member of the larger churches, whose membership were 1,000 or more, this church seemed to be a gift from God. Friendships developed, and I found myself doing things I had not done before. Charlotte encouraged me to join the choir. She knew I liked to sing, but I said “I had no training and don’t read music." She assured me that would come with time. Darryl and the choir accepted me like a new friend.

I served as a liturgist on Sunday services, member of worship committee, finance committee, worked on annual rummage sale and helped plan and play in the annual golf tournament scholarship fund raiser. I served on the Pastor Search Committee, packed lunches at the Keeling school and helped display Christmas items in the sanctuary. Charlotte and I also participated in the "Dine with Nine" dinners in members' homes.

I am not suggesting we want to always be the size of church we are now...but it is very comfortable and is growing as we get back to in-person services and continue our on-line communications.

The Pastors are terrific, with love of God in their hearts. The staff is special, knowledgeable, helpful, friendly and caring.

ALL ARE WELCOME HERE. AND SO WAS I.