inside this issue… · 2020. 5. 6. · look to the past for their identity: an enslaved people set...
TRANSCRIPT
VOL 50—NO 5 MAY, 2020 TEMPE, ARIZONA
By ERIC O. LEDERMANN Pastor
It was Bob Dylan who wrote the iconic
song served as a call to action for youth
frustrated with the state of things in the early
1960s. He sang it for the first time as the
opening number at Carnegie Hall on Octo-
ber 26, 1963. Just one month later, President
John F. Kennedy was assassinated. In the years that followed, Dylan was
troubled by the fact that people would ap-
plaud when he started singing it. He even
considered not ever playing the song again.
He wondered what people were clapping
for, because the song was not to be an
“uplifting” tome, but one to inspire action.
He kept on singing it anyway and it has
become a mantra-of-sorts when big things
happen that alter the course of human histo-
ry. It has seen tens of artists share it on their
albums, including Peter, Paul & Mary, the
Beach Boys, Cher, Billy Joel, and Joan Ba-
ez. In fact, the song has been featured on
one album or another nearly every year
since 1964. The lyrics are timeless, really. NPR did
a feature story in September, 2018, stating
the song, “Still speaks to our changing
times.” Little did Lynn Neary, the reporter
of that story, know just how much things
would be changing just two years later. At
the March for Our Lives rally on the nation-
al mall in Washington, D.C., led by youth
survivors of a mass school shooting in Flori-
day, Jennifer Hudson wrapped up the event
with a soulful rendition of Dylan’s song,
backed up by the local Destiny Road Choir. Lynn Neary ended her NPR story with
this: “And so, 50 years after Dylan wrote it,
‘The Times They Are a-Changin’ vibrates
with new meaning. Perhaps that’s because
the song itself doesn’t look to the past—rather, it’s an anthem of hope for a future
where change is always possible.”
Come gather 'round people, wherever you
roam / And admit that the waters around you
have grown / And accept it that soon you’ll be
drenched to the bone / If your time to you is
worth saving / Then you better start swimmin'
or you’ll sink like a stone / For the times they
are a-changin'
Come writers and critics, who prophesize with
your pen / And keep your eyes wide, the
chance won’t come again / And don’t speak
too soon / For the wheel’s still in spin / And
there’s no tellin' who that it’s namin' / For the
loser now will be later to win / For the times
See FAITH, page 2
Inside this issue…
Youth Fellowship News ............................ 3
Celebrating Carol Rickel ........................... 4
New Director of Music & Director of Christian Education ................................... 5
The Church During this Time ................... 5
PW Man and Woman of the Year .............. 6
Senior Service Award Honorees ................ 8
The Matthew 25 Corner ............................ 9
The Mitchells: “All Hands On Deck— Part 2” .......................................................10
Worship Volunteers .................................. 11
Discovering Church in New Ways: Guide to UPC Social Media .................... 11
If Carpets Could Talk: 40 Years of Supporting UPC Worshippers .................12
Birthdays and Prayers ..............................14
March Calendar........................................15
This issue of the UPC NEWS & Current Events
is brought to you by… the word…
Easter Easter, also called Pascha in Greek and
Latin (thus, the “paschal” candle, often
referred to as the “Christ candle”), was
developed from the Old English
Easterdæg, which is from the Proto-Germanic austron-, meaning “dawn.” It
is also from Eostre, the goddess of
fertility and spring, possibly originally
referring to the sunrise (in the east).
Anglo-Saxon Christians adopted the
name and many of the practices around
the worship of the goddess in celebration
of the Day of Jesus’ Resurrection. Most
oher languages use a variant of the Latin
Paschal for the Day of Resurrection
festival. Eastertide lasts 50 days until the
Festival of Pentecost.
Page 2 UPC NEWS & Current Events MAY, 2020
they are a-changin'
Come senators, congressmen, please heed the
call / Don’t stand in the doorway, don’t block
up the hall / For he that gets hurt will be he
who has stalled / The battle outside ragin' / Will
soon shake your windows and rattle your
walls / For the times they are a-changin'
Come mothers and fathers throughout the
land / And don’t criticize what you can’t under-
stand / Your sons and your daughters are be-
yond your command / Your old road is rapidly
aging / Please get outta' the new one if you
can’t lend your hand / For the times they are a-
changin'
The line it is drawn, the curse it is cast / The
slow one now will later be fast / As the present
now will later be past / The order is rapidly
fading / And the first one now will later be last /
For the times they are a-changin'
In Luke’s gospel, Jesus speaks with sev-
eral would-be followers. One declares he’ll
follow Jesus wherever he goes. To another
Jesus says, “Follow me.” But this one re-
sponds, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me
first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus
responds back, “No one who puts a hand to
the plow and looks back is fit for the king-
dom of God.” It’s been a challenging exchange for
many. One of them tells Jesus, “First let me
bury my father.” Jesus responds, seemingly
harshly, “Let the dead bury their own dead.” The traditions of the people of Israel all
look to the past for their identity: an enslaved
people set free by God; a wandering people
who rebelled against God; a conquering
people backed by the power of God. Jesus
was trying to challenge them to look forward
to what could be, to look where God was
leading them: to the promised land, which
wasn’t a land at all. The promised land is a
way of being, not a place. This month we give thanks for the faith-
ful service of Carol Rickel for 15 years and
Sophia Horen for 2 years. While Carol re-
tires and Sophia moves on to begin her so-
cial work career, we prepare for change. Yes, “The Times They Are a-Changin’,”
and God continues to call us forward, one
step at a time. God continues to challenge us
to find new ways of being the church in
each and every age, “For such a time as
this,” as Mordecai said to Esther, his cousin
who was orphaned and he adopted and
raised as his own daughter. To move forward without looking back
is not to forget the past. It’s to not live in the
past, to move forward without looking back.
Bob Dylan’s prophetic anthem reminds us of
that call. May we move forward through our
present experience, and trust that God is,
indeed, leading us. Be of good courage
and know that you are loved!
Faith Continued from page 1
Fourth Sunday of each month!
Food pantries are often short of money and protein foods. The pantry at Tempe Community Action Agency (TCAA) needs your contributions of:
Drop off food donations Sunday mornings
in the bins in the narthex.
Financial contributions may be sent to the office (make checks out to “TCAA” )
with “Food Pantry” in the memo).
May 24, 2020
139 E. Alameda Dr. Tempe, Arizona 85282
(480) 966-6267 www.upctempe.org
www.facebook.com/upctempe
Office Hours Tuesday-Thursday: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (Closed for lunch 12:00 p.m. –1:00 p.m.)
Friday: 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (Closed for lunch 12:00 p.m. –1:00 p.m.)
Ministry Staff The Rev. Dr. Eric O. Ledermann
Pastor [email protected]
www.facebook.com/ericledermann www.facebook.com/faithandcoffee
www.faithandcoffee.com www.twitter.com/ericledermann
Sophia Horen Director of Christian Education
Carol Rickel Director of Music
Jon Sywassink Organist/Accompanist
Arhonda Washington Administrative Assistant
Sharlan Pierce Attendance Secretary
Doyle Burke Clerk of Session
Andrea White Treasurer
Carrie Miter Custodian
UPC NEWS & Current Events is published monthly.
Submissions of announcements, stories, op-eds, and reflections on recent events at UPC are welcomed.
Submission requirements: Announcements: 500 words or less
Articles/Reflections: 1100 words or less Letters to the Editor: 750 words of less
Submissions may be edited for content, grammar, and space available.
Send submissions by the 20th of each month to:
• tuna • beans • canned meats
• ramen noodles • canned vegetables • soups
MONTHLY CANNED FOOD DRIVE
MAY, 2020 UPC NEWS & Current Events Page 3
By SOPHIA HOREN Director of Christian Education
Just like the rest of the in-person
activities and events at UPC, youth
fellowship has moved to virtual gatherings
while we respond to the coronavirus. On
Sunday afternoons at 3:00 p.m., the youth
meet via Zoom for a time of fellowship and
a chance to check-in and pray together.
Each week, we have also have different at-home competitive challenges: first to
complete BINGO on a special youth group
BINGO card and the most creative Easter
egg, to name a few. All youth grades 6-12
are invited and welcome to join. It is definitely not the way any of us
expected that the program year would end,
but we are fortunate to have virtual
platforms that allow us to engage with one
another while we are physically apart
To receive weekly updates via the
Remind app, text the message @upcyouthf
to the number 81010. For a complete
schedule of youth events, please contact
Director of Christian Education, Sophia
Horen at [email protected].
Youth Fellowship News
Find UPC on the ‘net …
...and spread the
word! National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK
(1-800-273-8255)
Talk to someone. If you’re thinking about suicide, are
worried about a friend or loved one,
or would like emotional support, the
Lifeline network is available 24/7
across the United States.
En Español: 1-888-628-9454 Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889
Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255
Buy Groceries and Help Raise $ for Youth Missions
Raising Funds for Youth Mission is as simple as
grocery shopping. Do you grocery shop at Fry’s using
your VIP card? Enroll or re-enroll in the Fry’s
Community Rewards Program by visiting
www.frysfood.com/topic/new-community-rewards-program. Register using your Fry’s VIP account and
our organization number (NN199). Each time you
swipe your VIP card at checkout, a portion of the sale
will go straight to UPC! Funds from Fry’s will go
toward UPC Youth Fellowship and Mission.
Are you on our email
distribution list? Every
Thursday we email our weekly
announcements, which includes
once per month a link to
download the monthly
UPC News & Cu�ent Events
If you are not receiving our
weekly emails, be sure to sign
up at: www.upctempe.org/
email, or contact the Church
office for assistance. To receive
the monthly newsletter via U.S.
Mail, please contact the Church
office at (480) 966-6267 or
www.upctempe.org
Page 4 UPC NEWS & Current Events MAY, 2020
By LAWN GRIFFITHS Webster defines “carol” as “to celebrate
in song” and “to sing joyously.” For 15 years, Carol Sue Rickel has led
UPC in celebrating God’s glory in sweet,
sweet song. As Director of Music, she has
conducted the Chancel and Hand Bell
Choirs in infinitely joyous music that
resonates in hearts and minds for days that
follow. Along the way, she assembled a
brass ensemble that regularly has taken
worship to bold heights, often in tandem
with our choir and bells. Bringing out the
best in her musicians has been a hallmark. Carol retires at the end of May. Sadly
Covid-19 is preventing her choirs from
closing the year with flourish or in
accordance with Carol’s diligent plan laid
out last winter. While she steps down, the
UPC family can treasure untold memories
of Christmas Dessert concerts showcasing
our musicians, memories of Carol
demonstrating her impeccable skills on the
keyboard for preludes and offertories on the
Petrof piano, memories of rehearsals where
Carol might insist the sopranos repeat five
bars of music five times to get it just right,
memories of twice annual choir retreats
where new music was introduced, and her
fierce belief that anthems’ lyrics should be
printed in the worship bulleting for full
impact. It was fate in 2005 that UPC was
seeking a pianist and accompanist. As Carol
recalls, Barbara Hillyard noticed her in
worship and encouraged her to become
involved in the music at UPC. Her first year
at UPC as worship pianist overlapped with
her last year at Xavier College Preparatory
Roman Catholic High School in Phoenix
where she had been the Music Department
Chair and Director of Choirs since 1995. At
the all-girl school, she had three choirs and
taught a class in music history. In a short
time at UPC, the Director of Music post
opened and she was hired. She stepped into
a role for a church widely known for a
quality music ministry. Born Carol Sue Tynes, she was raised in
Southern California where she enjoyed
playing in the orange groves behind the
family home in Placentia. “School, music
and church were essential to my family
life.” She said her father was a high school
teacher and coach. “When I was 8 years old,
my mom thought I should take piano
lessons,” Carol said. The wife of her high
school’s music teacher was hired to teach
piano to Carol and her sister, Mary, at the
family home. She stayed with the piano
right through her formative years earning a
BM degree in Piano Performance at ASU in
1965 and a MM degree from the University
of Southern California in 1967. Upon her
graduation from USC, she had to decide
whether to join the Peace Corps in South
America working in recreation or accept a
teaching position at Chapman College (now
University) in Orange, California. For two
years she taught piano at Chapman College
and spent the interim summer studying in
Fontainebleau, France. In 1968, she married Harry Rickel,
Professor of Music at ASU, and returned to
Arizona. Carol combined studio teaching in
her home with teaching at the Yamaha
Music School in Phoenix. She also became
active in the Arizona State Music Teachers
Association and served as president from
1978-1980. The Rickels were married for almost 25
years before Harry passed in 1997. Carol
had lost her brother, Bill, from AIDS ten
years earlier. “Working at Xavier was intense!” In her
fourth or fifth year, she got permission to
create an advanced, auditioned choir, Honor
Choir. The only time Sr. Joan Fitzgerald
could work it into the school schedule was
as an A hour class at 7 a.m. That meant
Carol arrived at school 20 minutes before
that so “I could be all bright and cherry” for
the girls. Even though the kids drug
themselves in after a late night of studying,
that Honor Choir gained membership until
there were 40.” About that time, they began
traveling to festival competitions in cities
like San Diego, San Francisco, New York,
Anaheim and twice to Chicago being
judged by clinicians such as Z. Randall
Stroop, David Stocker and Edith Copley.
Carol said she was immensely heartened
each time the choir returned and gathered at
their rehearsal hour to sit in a large circle on
the floor, exhausted, and pour out in tears
and laughter about how transformative the
travel and musical experiences were for
them. They felt like a family and asked,
“Why don’t we do this at the beginning of
the year?” Carol would always get flowers and
thank-yous on “concert night,” but, like
many teachers, would wonder if she had
really made a difference in any lives. Then
See CAROL RICKEL on page 7
Celebrating Carol Rickel
Carol Rickel in her home studio. PHOTO: LAWN GRIFFITHS
MAY, 2020 UPC NEWS & Current Events Page 5
By ERIC O. LEDERMANN Pastor / Head of Staff
Beginning June 1, 2020, we welcome
Ted Gibson to our staff as both Director of
Music and Director of Christian Education.
Yes, both. Some may remember Ted when
he was a part of UPC during his undergrad-
uate years at ASU. He said he learned a lot
at UPC about faith and music, and is excited
to come back and share what he has learned
in the intervening years. Currently, Ted is serving at Palo Cristi
Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, where has
been since 2013 as both Director of Music
and Director of Christian Education. Ted
learned from Carol Rickel that she would be
retiring and immediately began having dis-
cussions with me about coming back to
UPC. Through those conversations, Ted
learned that Sophia Horen would also be
leaving her position at UPC to pursue her
career in social work. The fit and timing
seemed perfect. Ted felt his time at Palo
Crisit wrapping up, and was looking with
his wife, Ashley, for some-
thing closer to their Mesa
home. After months of con-
versations, it was agreed that
Ted would come on board at
UPC in both capacities. While attending ASU,
Ted was hired by then Pastor
Al Gephart as a soloist for a
Christmas Cantada at UPC.
Soon after he was brought on
more long term to lead the
tenor section of UPC’s chan-
cel choir. It was his first foray
into presby-world, and it
didn’t take long for him to find his place.
Though he grew up attending Grace Com-
munity Church in Tempe, the diversity of
thought and faith at UPC captured Ted’s
exploring spirit. He soon became a member. It wasn’t long before Ted caught the
spirit of Montlure Presbyterian Camp. Sev-
eral years since he has served as a music
leader and a camp counselor. In 2011, before heading off to graduate
school at NAU to earn a Masters of
Music in Choral Conducting, Ted
exchanged vows in the UPC sanctu-
ary with the love of his life, Ashley.
After graduating in 2013, and while
Ashley finished her bachelor’s de-
gree at NAU, Ted moved back to the
valley to begin teaching choral music
in Mesa, heading up the hill every
weekend to be with his wife. Ted’s passion for church choral mu-
sic led him to accept the position of
Director of Music at Palo Cristi Pres-
byterian Church, where
he and Ashley also be-
came members. In 2015,
their daughter, Ella was
born. And, we just
learned that Ashley and
Ted are expecting a boy
in August! With a grow-
ing family, the push to
find a church community
closer to home became
more important. Though
they love the community
at Palo Cristi, it was time
to move on. For those of you who weren’t around
when Ted was previously a part of UPC,
you may have met and heard him perform
at our 2019 Choir Christmas Desert! Com-
ing back to UPC will be nostalgic in many
ways, Ted said after accepting the positions. Pastor Eric has known Ted for many
years and is excited about welcoming him
on to the UPC team, and looks forward to
working with him. Things will be different without Carol,
for sure. But I believe that Ted will bring a
fresh perspective while also respecting the
traditions that Carol and others have patient-
ly cultivated here. Ted joins UPC at an awkward time, as
we will still not be worshiping in person
when he starts in June. However, Ted told
me that he will be ready to jump in and do
what is necessary to make worship happen.
We all look forward to the time when we
will be able to formally welcome Ted and
his family in person.
Welcoming Ted Gibson “Back”
The Church During this Time A Project of the Congregational Involvement and Outreach Committee
By BIANCA OSORIO and JEAN LUCE “The Church is the people"—not a building, not a steeple,
though these things may be important. In the June issue of the UPC
News & Current Events, new and ongoing activities at UPC during
the COVID-19 Pandemic will be highlighted. The CIO Committee is
seeking submissions about what your group is doing.
ATTENTION Members, Leaders, Committee chairs, Educators,
Mission leaders, Presbyterian Women, Deacons: Please send us
news that will be incorporated into the June newsletter by
Wednesday, May 13th: • one paragraph • photo - if possible
E-mail to: [email protected] or [email protected]
Ted Gibson. PHOTO PROVIDED BY TED.
The Gibson Family. From left to right: Ella, Ashley, and Ted. PHOTO PROVIDED BY TED.
Page 6 UPC NEWS & Current Events MAY, 2020
At this time all events have been put on hold.
Hope that all of us stay healthy. It is our hope that all women who attended meet-
ings this year feel that they have been both spiritually
enriched by the study and nourished through fellow-
ship and sharing with other women. Thanks to all the
women who provided hospitality and prepared and
led lessons for their circle. We all look forward to
another great year at the end of summer when we
begin our 2020-2021 season.
Upcoming... The summer Mission Focus is the TCAA & Food
Banks. Please bring donations to the narthex once
church services restart.
Presbyterian Women News
By LAWN GRIFFITHS
Sue Legg and her husband Steve White
have respectively been named the 2020
Woman and Man of the Year by
Presbyterian Women of University
Presbyterian Church. The announcement was made April
19th by Chris Casanova, PW co-moderator,
at the end the virtual worship service. The
annual honor recognizes longtime service to
Presbyterian Women and UPC. Members of
the Kayenta and Chinle Circles each spring
make nominations and then vote. Names of
the two recipients are not revealed until the
Gifts of Women Sunday. Recipients are
given certificates and pins granting
Honorary Life Memberships in Presbyterian
Women of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Sue has served three years as PW
secretary, and each year she makes a lovely
holiday quilt that is raffled off at the PW
Christmas Tea, with the proceeds going to
mission projects. In 2004, Sue joined
longtime friends Pete and Joyce Godfrey
and Carl and Paula Campbell in UPC’s
service at Paz de Cristo. In 2012 Sue joined
the Chancel Choir at the encouragement of
Barbara Hillyard. For two years, Sue has
been a member of the Bell Choir. For four
years, she helped prepare Wednesday-at-Church meals. Annually, she also is at the
center of carrying out PW’s Fat Sunday
Brunch, Raffle and Auction. A native of Effingham, Ill., she came to
Arizona in 1979. Sue worked 20 years as a
licensed practical nurse and 10 years as a
school nurse in the Gilbert Unified School
District. Sue is mother of three daughters
and four grandchildren. Steve, who has served two terms as a
UPC deacon and currently a term on the
Board of Trustees, has spent 46 years (since
1974) as a bass voice in the Chancel Choir.
He is called on often for solos and
ensembles. With a rich, mellifluent voice,
Steve often serves as a narrator for
programs. For a generation of UPC kids, he
was the “Voice of God” that boomed with
authority over the speaker system. A skilled
photographer, he worked 48 years in retail
photography management and is now
retired. He shared those skills in audio-visual projects at UPC. Twice, Steve carried
out the daunting task of photographing the
congregation for photo directories. He was
the photographer for the congregation’s
group photo for the cover of the 50th
anniversary book of church history in 2002.
He joined the Bell Choir about two years
ago. Steve has regularly compiled PW news
for the church newsletter and prepared the
PW’s Coordinator Team minutes. Steve came with his family from
Pennsylvania in 1966. His father was a
marketing professor at Arizona State. A
licensed private pilot, he flew for about 20
years, took a break and has returned to that
hobby. His daughter, Sara, lives in Seattle.
The couple, who were married in April
2014 with Pastor Al Gephart officiating,
enjoy traveling and camping.
Past UPC Honorees: 1986: Louise Lamberts, Irvin Lawler. 1987:
Kathleen Fite, Jim Beal. 1988: Jan Beal,
Milt Sivesind. 1989: Sue Wilson, John
Wilson. 1990: Hazel Davidson, J.J.
Lamberts. 1991: Norma Raby, Lawn
Griffiths. 1992: Ruth Trimble, Frank
Armstrong. 1993: Bobbie Overby, George
Overby. 1994: Wilma Niemeier, Marion
Niemeier. 1995: Barbara Hillyard, Jim
Hillyard. 1996: Betty English, Pat
Gallagher. 1997: Mary Danforth, Carl
Smith. 1998: Jeanette Miller, John Bell.
1999: Helen Alderson, Jim West. 2000:
Bonny Henry, Walter Danforth. 2001:
Hellen Roush, Gerry Edson. 2002: Ede
Yarter, Bill Raby. 2003: Betty Dumond, Jim
Hershauer. 2004: Martha Walker, Pete
Godfrey. 2005: Lillian Oliver, Chet Henry.
2006: Sandra Simmons, Dwayne Fink.
2007: Barbara Harden, Junior Meier. 2008:
Edna Fink, Jim Knorr. 2009: Debbie Sands,
Jey Young. 2010: Joanna Fancher, Jerry
Harden. 2011: Bev Phillips, Dan Abbott.
2012: Trudy Hebert, Don Morton. 2013:
Chris Casanova, Rick Casanova. 2014:
Suzanne Niemann, Jim Niemann. 2015:
Joanne Maloney, Dan Maloney. 2016:
Natalie Horne, Paul Green. 2017: Kay
Hosek-Knauss, Dennis Gililland. 2018:
Kathy Wagner, Scott Horne; 2019: Patty
Griffiths and Chris Trella.
Presbyterian Women Name 2020 Woman and Man of the Year Congratulations to Sue Legg and Steve White
MAY, 2020 UPC NEWS & Current Events Page 7
one of her students who went on the New
York City trip wrote her a note saying that
when she joined the Honor Choir, she had
lost her connection with spirituality and
God, but through the music, it had come
alive again. “It was the music that impacted
her life and I am so fortunate to have been a
small part of that.” Carol spent 14 years at
Xavier College Prep and was named
Teacher of the Year in 2008. She retired in
2009. Carol feels fortunate to be in her 15th
year as an alto 1 in the Sonoran Desert
Chorale, a group of approximately 60 who
present four sets of concerts a year in the
valley. Touring with the chorale has been a
highlight for her, visiting and singing in
some of the world’s most beautiful, historic
and resonant churches and cathedrals in
Europe. She joined the chorale on trips to
Italy, twice to France (which included being
recording by the BBC at a celebration in
Bayeau), Germany, Austria, and the Czech
Republic. When asked what is more important
when she searches for music for worship,
Carol had a quick answer: “It’s the text.
That is something I had to learn, coming
from the instrumental world as a pianist.
Initially I would listen for great harmony,
melody and rhythm.” But it was at a music
clinic, she was made aware that “text is
always first”. “That is especially true with
our church, which is heavily oriented
toward social justice.” Carol praises the UPC musicians: “They
have always been so willing to do whatever
I ask.” She has also enjoyed collaborating
with the choir on such things as tempo, note
changes, diction, word changes and more.
Among her favorite memories are the
satisfaction she feels looking into the eyes
of her choirs at the close of an anthem.
“After the cut off, I just smile and enjoy the
yummy feeling of that last chord.” “The
hand bells have been fabulous, and I can’t
thank them enough for how hard they work.
We spend an hour and we just boogie,” she
said In retirement, Carol hopes to do some
traveling with a friend from Idaho, continue
her golf avocation as well as gardening. “After I went to Xavier, the choirs were
incorporated into the masses. I believe, God
was preparing me and leading me to UPC.
It has been an incredible journey to serve as
music director at UPC and I am deeply
grateful for the opportunity to serve this
cloud of witnesses”. Several UPC musicians offered these
words about Carol: Jon Sywassink, organist: “Carol, with
great creativity, superb musicianship, and
unfailing positive energy, has led us into the
realm of profound music for our worship
experiences. Her knowledge of a vast and
varied repertoire is put to use and, at times,
challenges us to stretch beyond the known
and familiar. All is done with caring
leadership that includes collaborating with
singers, ringers, and co-workers about both
musical and non-musical decisions. I have
enjoyed playing organ and piano duets
with Carol and appreciate her tremendous
keyboard and conducting skills. She will
be missed.” Joanne Maloney, Handbell Choir and
Chancel Choir member: “It's impossible
for me to express how I feel about Carol
and her impact on my life. The best I can
do is this: Her love of music,
professionalism, dedication, sense of
humor, vision and giving nature. My list
goes on and on.” Sara Hershauer: Chancel Choir and
Handbell Choir member: There is no limit
to the words that describe Carol.
However, here are a few that come to
mind: talented, outstanding pianist,
teacher, patient perfectionist, brings out the
best in choir and bells, a joy to work with,
thoughtful, kind, loving, special friend. It’s
been such a pleasure to have her as our
music director at UPC.” Joan Grey, Chancel Choir: “She never
gives up trying new exercises and
techniques to make us sound better. I’m
amazed she doesn’t show us her frustration
at telling us the same thing over and over:
“end word consonants” or “watch your
eeees.” She could always find the positive
in what we were doing. I love that she uses
both new music as well as the oldies-but-goodies. I am impressed by how much she
loves the text of the song and wants the
congregation to know the words, too. That
Inspires me to pay more attention to what
we have been singing. She’s real with us –
teacher and friend – shares things in her
life.” Steve White, Handbell and Chancel
Choir: “I had the privilege of sitting with
the committee when Carol first interviewed
for a position at UPC. After a full day
teaching at Xavier College Prep, she had
forgotten whether she was applying for the
position of accompanist or Director of
Music. The consensus was that she would
be splendid at either job, and as it turned
out, she has been at both. She shared with
me that she felt her musical life trajectory,
from piano performance student, and
accompanist and choral director at Xavier,
were all leading her to the mission of music
at UPC. We have been well and truly
blessed by her spirit, talent, and dedication.”
Carol Rickel Continued from page 4
Carol Rickel during the filming of Easter worship, April 8, 2020. PHOTO: ERIC O. LEDERMANN
Page 8 UPC NEWS & Current Events MAY, 2020
2020 Senior Service Award Honorees By LAWN GRIFFITHS
The Session of University
Presbyterian Church has selected Bonny
and Chet Henry as the 2020 Senior Service
Award recipients for their longtime
devotion to service. Each church in the
Presbytery of Grand Canyon is invited
annually to choose an individual or couple
for the recognition. Tentatively, they will be
honored at the 36th Annual Senior Service
Award Luncheon on May 21 at Desert
Palms Presbyterian Church in Sun City
West. The Henrys join a long list of UPC
members, going back to 1984, for
“outstanding voluntary and supportive
service to their churches and the
community.” To be eligible, nominees must
be at least age 65. The Henrys, members since March
20, 1972, have engaged widely in the
ministries and work of UPC over nearly a
half-century. Bonny may be best known for
her caregiving and her way of looking after
members who are in need of extra attention
or transportation or companionship. Chet
has been an active ruling elder, strong in
finance and stewardship and a member of
virtually every pastor search committee
going back to the 1970s. In fact, Chet has
served six three-year terms as a ruling elder,
one term as a trustee and one as a deacon
between 1976 and 2015. Altogether, that
adds up to eight terms as a church officer.
Most of those years, he chaired the Finance
Committee. Bonny has served five three-year terms as a deacon, plus part of a sixth
term between 1980 and 2019. Chet chaired the search committee for
the calling of the Rev. Stan Jones as interim
pastor in 1991 and for the calling of the
Rev. Dr. Eric Ledermann, head of staff, in
2011. He was also on search committees for
the calling of the Rev. David Hunter as
assistant pastor in 1978, for the calling of
the Rev. Craig Miller, associate pastor, in
1998 and the calling of the Rev. Lorelei
(Hillman) Kay as interim associate pastor in
2007. Bonny and Chet were church school
superintendents for the years 1978 and
1979. Bonny recalls the first day they took
over those duties. “We were
really nervous, and there were
lots of kids in those days,”
Bonny remembers. “Debi, our
youngest, who was 4, put a bean
up her nose, so on the way to
our first day there, we had to go
to the emergency room, but we
managed. I did the recruiting
(of teachers), and Chet handled
the church office like ordering
supplies. Bonny taught Sunday
school for about 15 years. For
years, the Henrys coordinated
the breakfast served by the
youth following Sunrise Easter
services on the patio. The
couple are longtime ushers at
UPC. Bonny has been a
communion preparer, and
regularly served refreshments on Sundays
on the patio after worship. Both Bonny and Chet held leadership
roles in two major fund-raising campaigns,
“Called to Grow” in 1999 and “Reaching
Out, Gathering In” in 2004. Presbyterian
Women at UPC selected Bonny as its
“Woman of the Year” in 2000, while they
chose Chet as “Man of the Year” in 2005. Bonny underwent Stephens Ministry
training with former Interim Associate
Pastor Al Young. Focus was on providing
quality, Christian-based caregiving to
congregants and others. Out of that came
the parish nurse program. UPC had a
registered nurse as part of the church’s
caring ministries, which Bonny chaired. Bonny was born in Los Angeles. Her
father, James Meckel, was off fighting in
World War II in the Pacific. Tragically, he
was killed in Okinawa when Bonny was
just 13 days old. Soon her mother,
Geraldine, took her to Wadena, Minnesota,
where they lived until Bonny was 12. Her
stepfather, Dr. Thomas Davis II, was a
family practitioner in the small town, as was
his father. Bonny’s stepfather was killed in
an auto accident when she was 9. “My
mother had a friend in Arizona, and she just
wanted to get away from the cold,” Bonny
said. “So, we came and have been here ever
since.”
Chet (Chester) was born in Phoenix,
son of Eleanor and Chester M. Henry. His
father was in the Army Air Corps and they
moved around before settling down in
Phoenix after the war. Bonny and Chet met at Camelback
High School in Phoenix where they played
together in the band – Bonny on saxophone
and Chet on clarinet. Before that, when
Chet was in 8th grade, he became so talented
on the clarinet that he was invited to
perform on the legendary Lawrence Welk
Show. “They wanted him to be on their
show with his clarinet, but he was too shy,”
Bonny explained. Both attended Arizona
State University where Bonny earned a
Bachelor’s Degree in social work in 3 ½
years, while Chet gained a Bachelor’s
Degree in Engineering followed by a
Master’s in Engineering from ASU. Chet
spent 35 years (1968-2003) with a company
with ever-changing names like AiResearch,
Garrett, Signal, Allied Signal, Honeywell
etc. “The family joke,” Chet said, was “that
I worked for five companies and never
changed desks!” Later in his career, he managed a work
force from 80 to 120 people, largely in
design work for various gas turbines -- fan
engines, auxiliary power units, helicopter
See SENIOR SERVICE on page 13
Chet and Bonny Henry. UPC DIRECTORY PHOTO
MAY, 2020 UPC NEWS & Current Events Page 9
By BIANCA OSORIO Chair of Congregational Involvement and
Outreach Committee
In the Summer of 2002 Walter Danforth
was a new retiree looking for a way to serve
the church full-time with his wife Mary.
Walter heard about work Mark Adams was
doing with the bi-national Presbyterian
border ministry, Frontera de Cristo, as they
partnered with Lirio de los Valles (Lily of
the Valley) Presbyterian Church in Agua
Prieta. Walter reached out to Mark to offer
his help. From Mark, the Danforths learned about
recent drops in the price of coffee driven by
demand for lower prices (regardless of
quality or fairness of pay) from countries
like the US. The decrease in prices meant
growers in traditional coffee producing
regions were less capable of paying for their
children’s school, caring for aging relatives,
or feeding their families in general. As a
result, younger generations from the
southern state of Chiapas were making the
dangerous and expensive journey north to
seek work in the US, or Mexican border
towns like Agua Prieta. Frontera de Cristo sought to improve
the situation in Salvador Urbina, Chiapas by
aiding in the formation of a coffee co-op. A
business plan was created that would allow
the community to keep to profits after
roasting, packaging, and selling the finished
product. This co-op became Cafe Justo. Feeling compassion for communities in
Chiapas, and seeing their ability to help,
Walter and Mary jumped right in. Before
long, they were spending 3 weeks in
Mexico visiting families that would be
joining Cafe Justo as growers and offering
computer training that would help them get
started. In Salvador Urbina, the Danforths were
shown how the coffee was grown
organically, dried, and stored. While
meeting the families, Mary often thought of
the children who migrated with aspirations
of making a living and helping their parents.
She regularly asked
growers, “if this takes off
and things get better here,
will your children come
home?” Mary remembers
the parents were kindly
dismissive of the notion,
stating that their children
wouldn’t want to uproot
their lives in the US to
move back to their
childhood homes. After Cafe Justo sent
their first harvest to be
roasted, the team realized
they needed help
distributing the coffee. The
Danforths seized their
opportunity to lend a hand
by purchasing an RV and
driving across the US
selling Just Coffee. They
visited churches and
explained the mission of Cafe Justo. Not
only were they routinely selling out of
stock, they were also signing on new
partners that would continue purchasing
Just Coffee for years to come. The
Danforths found themselves in the coldest
parts of the country during the coldest
months, which were great circumstances for
selling coffee. Walter used to joke that he
knew it was Mark’s plan and not God’s
because God would not send him to
Buffalo, New York during the fourth week
of January. Over time, the establishment of Cafe
Justo led to positive change in Salvador
Urbina. The Cafe Justo warehouse doubles
as an internet cafe where there was
previously no access to the internet for
about 20 miles. The warehouse also offers
water purification services and English
lessons. Restaurants and convenience stores
have opened amidst the economic
improvements in the area. Mary noted that
some of the children who migrated north
moved home and reunited with their
families.
“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their
fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of
my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work
of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the
Lord— and their descendants as well.”
Isaiah 65:21-23 Mary says of her time with Cafe Justo,
“If you could take two years of your life,
and make this kind of a difference for so
many others, I believe anyone would do it.”
Enjoy a cup of Just Coffee with the peace of
knowing it is an investment in fair pay and
the resilience of a community.
The Matthew 25 Corner Café Justo— “They Shall Not Labor in Vain”
Walter and Mary Danforth.
Page 10 UPC NEWS & Current Events MAY, 2020
The Mitchells Installment 22 — “All Hands on Deck, Part 2”
By ERIC O. LEDERMANN As Mr. Clyde Stevenson, the Faith
Presbyterian Church sexton for some 18
years, walked into the Fellowship Hall,
several people were nearly finished setting
up chairs in neat rows with a center aisle
down the middle. Others were positioning
the old heavy pulpit from when this space
served as the sanctuary. Mr. Charlie Ruckert
was pulling microphone cables, helping
Stan Wiley get the sound system set up.
Word had spread quickly that there was an
emergency at the church and they needed all
hands on deck. Many people responded. One of the folding tables was setup with
a purple cloth draped over it to serve as a
communion table. Ms. Rucket helped Ms.
Wiley set communion ware and a small
bowl as a baptismal font on the table. They
had brought some potted flowering plants in
to try to make the space feel more cozy and
worshipful. Mr. Mitchell walked in from the kitchen
to ask Ms. Rucket and Ms. Wiley if maybe
the glass bowl he had found might make a
bigger and better baptismal font. “We can add some of the glass stones
from the worship decoration closet and
some water to give it a more baptismal
feel,” Ms. Rucket suggested. “That is a beautiful idea,” Ms. Wiley
responded. Ms. Rucket went to fetch the stones. People were already starting to arrive
for worship, which was to start in 15
minutes. Everyone was scrambling to get
last minute details covered. Several deacons had volunteered to staff
the parking lot to welcome worshippers and
direct them to the Fellowship Hall. The
stench from the sanctuary and narthex was
starting to seep out into the walkway, where
people had to pass to get to the Fellowship
Hall. Worshippers could be seen quickening
their pace as they passed. Inside the sanctuary, Mr. Kragg, the
plumber, and Mr. McGregor, the emergency
clean up specialist, were hard at work
digging soil and sewage out of the narrow
planters at the front of the sanctuary. Mr.
McGregor had setup one of the suction
hoses from his tanker which cleaned up
much of the sewage. Several men of the
church had brought shovels and wheel
barrows from home to assist, taking loads of
soiled soil out the side door and dumping it
onto a large tarp that had been laid out on
the grass. “It looks like these drain pipes go down
and then make a hard right out to the space
behind the sanctuary,” Mr. Kragg said after
several loads had been taken outside
already. “I think we need to dig there. We
have to cut the pipes there to keep more
sewage from coming into the sanctuary.” Several men immediately took their
shovels and wheelbarrows out the side door
to the other side of the wall and began
digging. It took only minutes for them to
find the pipes and create a big enough hole
to access them. Mr. Kragg took a sawzall and began
cutting a one-foot section out of each 4 inch
drain pipe. “I have a snake camera on the truck,”
Mr. Kragg said as he dashed out to the
parking lot. He returned with a large coiled cable on
a wheel and a large bag that had some
serious electronic equipment in it. Within a
minute he had the camera hooked up and
plugged in. The holes dug by the men were already
filling up with sewage, but not as quickly as
in the sanctuary. It seems the backup had
eased a bit. Mr. McGregor used his giant
vacuum to clear more of the sewage into his
tanker truck. Mr. Kragg began feeding the
stiff camera cable into one of the openings. He found where the two planter drains
converged. Several other pipes fed into the
pipe, which eventually took a hard left turn
just before the sidewalk. He feed nearly 40 feet into the pipe
before he found the problem. The drains for
several buildings fed into this one drain
pipe, that eventually became a 6 inch pipe.
About 50 feet in there was a major clog,
with all kinds of debris wrapped around
what looked like a large clump of roots that
had broken through the pipe. From the
looks of it, the roots had been there a long
time. It was a wonder why it hadn’t clogged
a long time ago. Mr. Kragg fetched some flags from his
truck, and he and Mr. McGregor began
flagging where they believed the pipe went
based on the measurement markings on the
snake camera. At about 50 feet they placed
the last flag and motioned for the men with
shovels to start digging. It took about an hour to dig and cut
away the mess of roots. They found the pipe
which had all but disappeared. Debris had
built up for several feet in front of the roots. Church had already let out, and a small
crowd had gathered to watch the work.
Pastor Cobb and Mr. Mitchell eventually
joined the group just as Mr. Kragg was
finishing placing a new section of drain
pipe. “Okay, I think we’re good,” he said. “We might want to look farther down
the pipe to see if there are any other
problems,” Mr. McGregor suggested. “Good idea,” Pastor Cobb added. “My camera has about 150 feet,” Mr.
Kragg added. “We should be able to see all
the way into the main sewer line.” The rest of the drain looked clear all the
way to the main sewer under the street. The
men with shovels went to work returning all
the dirt into the holes they had dug. “I’m afraid the stench is going to be
here for a while,” Mr. Kragg told Pastor
Cobb and others gathered. “But, as the
sewage dries up and breaks down, it should
go away.” “I have some kitty litter that we can mix
in with the soil that may help,” Mr.
McGregor suggested. “And I’ll have one of
my guys come take all the dirt from the
planter later today to have it processed.” Everyone agreed on the plan. A few of Mr. McGregor’s employees
came and spent the rest of the day cleaning
up the sanctuary in hopes that worship
could resume there next Sunday.
MAY, 2020 UPC NEWS & Current Events Page 11
Most of what happens at UPC would not happen if not for an actively involved membership! Below is the schedule of worship volunteers
for the next couple of months. If you are listed and have a conflict, you are asked to please find a replacement and then contact Ruling Elder
Helen Griffin or Sada Reed, co-chairs of the Worship Committee.
To volunteer or get on one of the rotations, contact Helen Griffin or Sada Reed! Thank you!
Worship Volunteer Schedule
May 2020 Trustee on Duty ................................................................................ Steve White Deacon of the Month:................................................................... Diane Hillyard Sanctuary Readiness Team .......................... Kathleen Davison, Donna DeLutio June 7—Trinity Sunday/First Sunday after Pentecost
Liturgist ....................................................................................... Faye Gardner Children’s Moment ...........................................................................Pastor Eric
June 14—Proper 6/ 2nd Sunday after Pentecost Liturgist ........................................................................................ Helen Griffin Children’s Moment ....................................................................... Helen Griffin
June 21—Proper 7/ 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Liturgist .......................................................................................... Dan Abbott Children’s Moment ......................................................................... Dan Abbott
June 28—Proper 8/ 4th Sun. after Pentecost Liturgist ...................................................................................... Joyce Godfrey Children’s Moment ..................................................................... Joyce Godfrey
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic session decided it was in everyone’s interest to suspend all non-humanitarian in-person gatherings at
UPC. Session is monitoring the situation, but is not planning to resume regular activities until at least the beginning of August, 2020. The elders
know this is difficult for many, and continue to hold the community of UPC and other faith communities dealing with the same situation in
prayer. Session thanks you for your patience and for your faithfulness, and encourages the community of UPC to hold one another in prayer. LITURGISTS and CHILDREN’S MOMENT LEADERS: All worship staff and volunteers are being asked to record their parts of the
service at home using either a tablet or smart phone, and then upload the video clips to Dropbox or Google Docs folder. From there, the files
can be shared with Pastor Eric at [email protected]. Leaders should expect to receive information sometime Tuesday of each week.
Trustee on Duty ........................................................................... Position Vacant Deacon of the Month: ........................................................................ Nan Beams Sanctuary Readiness Team ......................................Roann Monson & Judy Earl
May 3—4th Sun. of Easter Liturgist ........................................................................................ Vicki Jacobs Children’s Moment .......................................................................... Pastor Eric
May 10—5th Sun. of Easter Liturgist .......................................................................................... Shelly Moe Children’s Moment ......................................................................... Shelly Moe
May 17—6th Sun. of Easter Liturgist ....................................................................................... Nob Ichishita Children’s Moment ................................................................... Position Vacant
May 24—7th Sun. of Easter / Day of Ascension (5/21) Liturgist ............................................................................................ Sada Reed Children’s Moment ........................................................................... Sada Reed
May 31—Pentecost Sunday Liturgist ................................................................................ Sharon Tompkins Children’s Moment ............................................................... Sharon Tompkins
June 2020
With the COVID-19 pandemic,
organizations around the world have had to
adapt quickly to the changing landscape of
how they go about doing what they do.
Many churches who never dreamed of
streaming their worship have adapted
quickly in order to continue being the
Church. At UPC, we’ve discovered skills we
never knew we had. It’s been rocky at
times, but we’ve persevered and have
discovered Church in new ways. If you
haven’t caught our worship on Sundays at
9:30 a.m. via YouTube, or fellowship time
and Sunday School via Zoom, or the
Weekday Prayers @ Noon with Pastor Eric
via Facebook Live, you are encouraged to
check them out:
Sundays
9:30 am Worship via YouTube www.upctempe.org/youtube 10:30 am Virtual Coffee & Fellowship zoom.us/j/804495312 11:00 am Adult Sunday School zoom.us/j/145625508
3:00 pm Youth Fellowship zoom.us/j/108504544 Monday-Friday
9:00 am Weekday Prayers @ Noon www.facebook.com/upctempe/live Wednesdays
9:00 am Lectio Divina Bible Study zoom.us/j/114222645 6:00 pm UPC LIVE! zoom.us/j/145625508 7:30 pm UKIRK Campus Ministry zoom.us/j/236912196 To join a Zoom meeting, enter the links in
your browser, set up a free account, download
the software, and then enter the link again.
You should connect immediately.
Discovering Church in New Ways
Page 12 UPC NEWS & Current Events MAY, 2020
By PAUL WILLIAMS Songwriter
When you go out and see the empty streets, the empty stadiums,
the empty train platforms, don’t say to yourself, “It looks like the end
of the world.” What you’re seeing is love in action. What you’re seeing, in that
negative space, is how much we do care for each other, for our
grandparents, for our immuno-compromised brothers and sisters, for
people we will never meet. People will lose jobs over this. Some will
lose their businesses. And some will lose their lives.all the more
reason to take a moment, when you’re out on your walk, or on your
way to the shop, or just watching the news, to look into the
emptiness and marvel at all of that love. Let it fill you and sustain
you. This isn’t the end of the world. It is the most remarkable act of
global solidarity we may ever witness in our lifetimes. Recently posted on Instagram by the artist.
Walkin’ Nashville Come Join Us at Paz de Cristo!
424 W. Broadway in Mesa
Fourth Tuesdays, each month Two shifts: 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
and 5:30 p.m.-7:15 p.m.
Join 12-15 others in helping prepare and serve a nourishing meal to 225+ people each month. Each shift either preps, cooks, serves, or cleans up!
Paz also assists families with food boxes, hygiene items, job searches, etc. Thanks for the continuing support from the congregation with peanut butter and jelly, hotel shampoo, soap, lotion, razors, etc. For more info, contact Joanne Maloney at (480) 242-2060 or [email protected].
By LAWN GRIFFITHS
Who could have expected it 40 years
ago? On June 22nd UPC marks the 40th
anniversary of the dedication of the
sanctuary. Some 405 people attended on
June 22, 1980 to celebrate the move from
the Fellowship Hall east to the new
sanctuary. What’s really amazing is the blue, tight-
woven carpet that covers the sanctuary,
narthex, and bride’s room. The same carpet
laid then has endured 40 years of war and
tear. That’s resiliency! A close eye will see
some small grape juice stains and a few
spots below the chancel steps from some
communion mishaps—literally memories
stained into the very fabric (literally) of our
worship space. It’s a tribute to attention to
detail and forethought of the building
committee and architect Bob Hershberger. Some may remember the serious
discussion years later to remove all the
carpet for better acoustics in the sanctuary.
But think of it: foot traffic over four
decades, the relentless rhythm of feet that
press down, rub, and ramble across those
fibers.
How can there not be more evidence of
worn carpet? The internet says landlords
typically replace carpet every 8 to 10 years,
while homeowners do it five to seven years.
Perhaps the carpet’s toughness reflects a
congregation’s tenacity through the forces
of change these 40 years. Surely we can
give a significant amount of credit to
custodian Carrie Miter and others, including
with Judy Earl, who have cared for that
carpet with periodic deep cleaning. Have you ever pondered the fact that at
countless moments in our lives we occupy
the precise space that others have filled? I
have passed through the doors of the White
House, stood at the top of Washington
Monument, passed on walkways into the
Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, walked the
narrow steps up the Statue of Liberty and
the steps of the Eiffel Tower, and many
more places where billions have trod. Moving through those spaces, I can say,
“I have stood where millions of great and
famous and obscure have passed.” We have
essentially been “trading spaces.” Did our
energies converge? At Mount Vernon, I stood where George
Washington once passed. At Abe Lincoln’s
home in Springfield, Ill., I occupied a space
where the Great Emancipator stood. When I
visited the Phoenix home where Pope John
Paul II’s would soon eat and sleep, I felt it
was sacred space. When I met and followed
Mother’s Teresa in 1989 during her Phoenix
visit, we occupied many of the same
physical space at different times. The same
with George W. Bush, Frank Kush, Alice
Cooper, Pete Godfrey, Bob and Elizabeth
Dole and the Dalai Lama. The laws of physics say two things can't
occupy the same space at the same time.
Yet, back and forth, I have occupied the
same space as John McCain, Marie
Osmond, George McGovern, Doug Ducey,
and Walter Cronkite. But All of us, by mere
travel on I-10 or along Hollywood Blvd. or
New York’s Fifth Avenue, have “passed
through” the space where notable people
and strangers have passed. The next time you walk on UPC’s
resilient carpet, just know you’re following
in the footsteps of the Great Cloud of
Witnesses who have long been going the
Way of Jesus.
If Carpets Could Talk 40 Years of Supporting UPC Worshippers
MAY, 2020 UPC NEWS & Current Events Page 13
engines and other products. It was satisfying
work “because of the fact that you were
always on the cutting edge with technology
and computer analysis tools.” “We were
always getting a lot closer to the edge
wherever the edge happens to be out there.”
Because he routinely evaluated and hired
employees, he was able to use some of those
skills with the pastor nominating
committees. Although Chet has been
“retired” since 2003, he continues working
as an engineering consultant. It has been that
work and managing so many people that
have suited him well from many years
leading UPC’s finance committees. Chet and Bonny were married Jan. 21,
1967, at Shepherd of the Hills United
Church of Christ in Phoenix. They lived in
an apartment near Scottsdale Road and
McKellips. Bonny worked for the Maricopa
County Department of Public Welfare as a
case worker for three years. She later went
to Chapman College and earned a Master’s
of Arts Degree in curriculum and
instruction. From 1983 to 1988, Bonny
worked as a teacher’s assistant in Tempe
Elementary School District. She went on to
teach grades 4 and 5 in the Kyrene School
District (1988-97), specifically in Kyrene de
La Paloma Elementary and Kyrene de las
Brisas Elementary – a school where she was
part of the start-up faculty.
How did they become to UPC? Bonny said. “Phoenix College had a
class called Parent Study held at UPC.
There were classes for parents of different
ages of kids – preschool to teenagers … We
then started attending UPC.” “Chuck
Jenkins was the pastor then, and we really
liked him, and we thought driving to UPC
with two little kids, was a lot closer” than
Shepherd of the Hills. The Henrys became parents of three
daughters, Chris (1969), Kathy (1970) and
Debi (1974). Both Debi, who passed away
from cancer last year, and Chris followed in
the steps of their father by earning degrees in
engineering. Kathy earned an MBA in
Health Administration. Kathy and Dr.
Andrew Hershberger, a professor of art
history at Bowling Green State University,
live in Bowling Green, Ohio. Chris and
Gary Schatz live in Woodinville, Wash.
Debi’s husband, Jeff McDermott, and their
twins live in Gilbert. There are seven
grandchildren, four boys and three girls.
They try to travel to Ohio and Washington
once a year to see their daughters’ families,
and every two years, the family has a
reunion. The next is planned for Glacier
National Park in Montana. Among Chet’s hobbies are model
trains. He has enjoyed showing off his train
layout. He has a train room under constant
renovation! In summers, as a boy, Chet went to
Williams to spend time with his uncle and a
cousin. “They were three blocks from old
Highway 66 and one more block from the
main line of the ATSF Railroad,” Chet said.
“We would go down and put pennies on the
track and watch the trains go by. They
would go uphill to Flagstaff and we’d watch
them race downhill going to Ash Fork.”
Caregiving has been Bonny’s passion.
She has “adopted” a number of UPC
members, some of them in their final years.
“I like to do respite,” spending time with
them, often freeing up loved ones for a
break.” “I believe we are put here to love
and serve others,” Bonny said. Reading is
also a joy of hers. For Chet, his service to the church “is a
responsibility when you are a member of an
organization. You support your organization.
My skills are not on the caregiving side, like
Bonny’s are. I’m more comfortable with
‘back-office’ tasks and hence have
contributed to the Finance Committees and
PNCs. Bonny and Chet consider it an honor to
be an active part of our UPC family.
Previous Honorees: 1983 – Irvin Lawler, J.J. Lamberts; 1985 –
Kathleen Fite; 1989 – Marion Niemeier, John
Wilson, Bobbie Overby, George Overby; 1991
– Bill and Betty English; 1992 – Louise
Lamberts; 1993 - Frank Armstrong; 1994 –
Catherine Rubush; 1995 – Ruth Trimble; 1997
– John Bell; 1998 – Dot Maple; 1999 – Gerry
Edson; 2000 – Jim Hillyard; 2001 – Helen
Alderson; 2002 – Jeannette Wilson; 2003 - Hans and Trudy Hebert; 2004 – Jim West;
2005 – Ede Yarter; 2006 – Barbara Harden;
2007 – Betty English; 2008 – Don Morton;
2009 – Ruth McHenry; 2010 – Evelyn Colby;
2011- Dwayne and Edna Fink; 2012 – Jim and
Barbara Hillyard; 2013 – Jeanette Miller; 2014
– Betty Dumond; 2015 – Jim and Sara
Hershauer; 2016 – Doyle Burke; 2017 – Junior
Meier; 2018 – Joyce and Pete Godfrey; and
2019 – Mikki and Pat Gallagher.
Senior Service Award Continued from page 8
UPC continues to be a leading and actively par-
ticipating congregation in a number of missions to
help the homeless and hungry, including Family
Promise, Meals on Wheels, and I-HELP. It takes a community of volunteers to offer these
services to the most vulnerable members of our wid-
er community. Thank you to those who have helped
UPC continue this important ministry. Working to-
gether we have provided food and shelter to about 40
homeless men and women every month for over a
decade! There are lots of ways to participate, from
helping provide dinner and breakfast items, to donat-
ing items like white socks, underwear, T-shirts, dis-
posable razors, toothbrushes, and travel size toilet-
ries. Right now, you can also help if you have extra
pillow cases—we could really use them! For more info or to volunteer, contact Jill Russell
at (602) 315-9026 or via e-mail at [email protected].
Come Help With I-HELP Next Evening of Hosting—Fri., May 15, 2020
Page 14 UPC NEWS & Current Events MAY, 2020
If your birthday is missing or we have the wrong date, please call the office so we can update our records. We wish a special day to anyone we may have missed.
May Birthdays
Please keep these folks in your prayers this month and lift up thanksgiving for each one of them (even if you don’t know them, go ahead and
lift their name up in thanks, or even send them a card to express your appreciation for them).
Prayer Requests... Medical personnel and first responders
on the front lines of battling COVID-19 ASU students away from home Teachers transitioning to online teaching Don Morton Alice (Danforth) Boykin
All of creation, and for t he strength to
stand up for environmental conservation Those affected by the coronavirus, the
families of t hose who have died. Elected & community leaders, that they
can bring peace to our nation and world UPC Officers: elders, deacons, trustees
Military personnel, stateside and abroad Peacemakers/Mission Workers Our nation and world—praying for peace Immigrants, especially those separated
from families Those who are suffering & marginalized Those struggling with mental illness
As a community of Christian
faith, seeking to follow in the Way
of Jesus, it is important we hold
one another in prayer regularly. As
a spiritual practice, we invite our
members to spend time regularly
praying over our church directory,
lifting up each name to God, and
paying attention to any special
nudgings we may experience from
God’s Holy Spirit to reach out to
someone. Each month we list those who
may especially be in need of
prayer—particularly our shut-ins.
Please hold them in your thoughts
and prayers, and feel free to send
a card once in a while to remind
them that they are with us in
spirit. If you are aware of a prayer
concern, please call the church
office or your neighborhood
deacon.
Homebound Members
Evelyn Colby Gerry Edson
Elaine Murray Mary Nickerson
Let us remember in our prayers...
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Newsletter Submissions
Poems, Stories, Reflections
UPC actively seeks submissions. Did you have a particular “God
moment” you’d like to share? Send stories, information, letters
to the congregation, photos, and
announcements for the
UPC News & Cu�ent Events.
Send submissions to: [email protected]
and be sure to review the submission
requirements on page 2.
2 GG Saravia 4 Cathy Richardson Katie Raines 5 Winston Reed Hector Saravia 8 Meredith Robbins 9 Lorrie McAllister 11 Dale Hardy 12 Mary Frances Knoxx,
12 Josephine Silcox 16 Jerry Berndt 17 Eleanor Reed
Joyce Godfrey, Joanne Maloney
18 Billie Fraser 19 Chris Trella 21 Nancy Reckard 24 Junior Meier
24 Judy Riden 26 Carol Allen,
Helen Griffin 27 Rev. Shelly Moe 28 Jill Russell 29 Ruby Trella,
Sue Coleman
MAY, 2020 UPC NEWS & Current Events Page 15
May 2020
Fri, May 1 2:00 pm I-HELP, Quakers (FH, K) 8:30 pm A. A. Meeting (Rm 7)
Sat, May 2 7:00 am I-HELP guests depart Sun, May 3 9:00 am UPC Virtual Coffee/
Fellowship Time (Zoom) 9:30 am Worship Service
(www.upctempe.org/youtube) 11:00 am Adult Sunday School (Zoom)
Mon, May 4 8:30 pm A.A. Meeting (Rm 7)
Wed, May 6 4:30 pm Staff Meeting (Zoom) 6:00 pm Wednesday Night Live @
UPC! (Zoom) 7:30 pm UKIRK @ ASU (Zoom)
Thu, May 7 9:00 am Worship Filming (S) 7:00 pm CE Committee (Zoom)
Fri, May 8 8:30 pm A. A. Meeting (Rm 7)
Sun, May 10 9:00 am UPC Virtual Coffee/
Fellowship Time (Zoom) 9:30 am Worship Service
(www.upctempe.org/youtube) 11:00 am Adult Sunday School (Zoom)
Mon, May 11 2:00 pm I-HELP, LDS (FH, K) 7:00 pm PW Kayenta Circle (Zoom) 8:30 pm A.A. Meeting (Rm 7)
Tue, May 12 7:00 am I-HELP guests depart 7:00 pm Worship Committee (Zoom)
Wed, May 13 6:00 pm Wednesday Night Live @
UPC! (Zoom) 7:30 pm UKIRK @ ASU (ZOOM)
Thu, May 14 9:00 am Worship Filming (S) 7:00 pm MSJP (Zoom)
Fri, May 15 2:00 pm I-HELP, UPC (FH,K) 8:30 pm A. A. Meeting (Rm 7)
Sat, May 16 7:00 am I-HELP guests depart Sun, May 17 9:00 am UPC Virtual Coffee/
Fellowship Time (Zoom) 9:30 am Worship Service
(www.upctempe.org/youtube) 11:00 am Adult Sunday School (Zoom) Mon, May 18 8:30 pm A.A. Meeting (Rm 7)
Wed, May 20 NEWSLETTER DEADLINE
Thu, May 21 9:00 am Worship Filming (S)
Fri, May 22 8:30 pm A. A. Meeting (Rm 7)
Sun, May 24 9:00 am UPC Virtual Coffee/
Fellowship Time (Zoom) 9:30 am Worship Service
(www.upctempe.org/youtube)
Mon, May 25 2:00 pm I-HELP, Extra Assistance
(FH, K) 8:30 pm A.A. Meeting (Rm 7)
Tue, May 26 7:00 am I-HELP guests depart 7:00 pm Session Meeting (ZOOM)
Thu, May 28 9:00 am Worship Filming (S)
Fri, May 29 8:30 pm A. A. Meeting (Rm 7)
Sun, May 31 Day of Pentecost 9:00 am UPC Virtual Coffee/
Fellowship Time (Zoom) 9:30 am Worship Service
(www.upctempe.org/youtube) 2:00 pm I-HELP, Quakers (FH, K) 8:30 pm A. A. Meeting (Rm 7) 8:30 pm A.A. Meeting (Rm 7)
UPC Calendar
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time by subscribing
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View or subscribe
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calendar
Submit corrections, additions, or deletions to the church office at (480) 966-6267 or [email protected].
Check online for updates or to subscribe on your computer or device: www.upctempe.org/calendar
Location/Room References: (CH)-Choir Room (CR)-Conference Room/Office (COR/Rm7)-Community Room (FH)-Fellowship Hall (HSR)-High School Room
(MSR)-Middle School Room (K)-Fellowship Hall Kitchen (L)-Lounge (MR)-Meeting Room (N) Nursery (PO)-Pastor’s Office (Rm#)-Room Number Indicated (S)-Sanctuary
UPC NEWS & Current Events University Presbyterian Church 139 E Alameda Drive Tempe, AZ 85282
UPC NEWS & Current Events (USPS 652-720)
Published monthly by University Presbyterian Church ● 139 E Alameda Dr, Tempe, AZ 85282 ● (480) 966-6267 ● www.upctempe.org ● Email: [email protected]. Periodicals Postage paid at Tempe, Arizona.
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