Desert Notes October 26, 2023

This week I was happy to attend the installation of the settled minister for the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Rev. Anthony Johnson. SUUF rents space from the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley Synagogue (JCSVV) and the shared space is beautiful, overlooking the breathtaking view of red rocks in Sedona. Rev. Anthony brings a lifetime of service and a depth of spiritual leadership we are lucky to have in Arizona, and I am honored to be colleagues with him. I was also grateful to see many of our UU colleagues in attendance, many of whom will be joining us this weekend for our Installation Service.

I attended a City of Chandler Council meeting with a number of VUU folks (see cover photo) to express our solidarity with librarians who have curated diverse materials including LGBTQIA+ materials and have recently faced a conservative group protesting these and demanding their removal. It was a long meeting, but at the end we joined several other community members in sharing our belief that libraries and librarians need to maintain diverse collections that allow everyone in our community to be represented and included. We were much appreciated!

Finally, I also attended Arizona Faith Network’s annual event that highlights their work, accomplishments, and values as an interfaith organization. From the tables of organizations engaged with the work of AFN to the videos about their work and the keynote speaker, it was an enriching morning.  

Rev. Sarah Oglesby-Dunegan