Desert Notes

Last weekend I attended an all-day training with the ACLU called “Power and Purpose.” This training included some popular education that helped us define and understand how authoritarianism is developing in our country and what we can do about it. We talked about the history of non-violent mass resistance, reflected on our own values and how they…
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As I return to the desert after being on both off the coast in Baltimore and also along the coastline of Oregon and Washington, I am arriving feeling both more settled and less certain. I’ve always said that it takes three years to make most major life transitions–to live into them and begin to feel a…
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Rev. Sarah is at the UUA General Assembly through Sunday, then on study leave and vacation. Sarah (and Desert Notes) will return in August.

After an exciting, fun and exhausting trip with 13 teenagers and four other adults, I am just trying to catch up with the many little tasks that need my attention. I hope to be able to write more next week!   …Cheers, Rev Sarah

This week I am in the unenviable position of getting sick in the middle of a busy time. I am bumping into some of the residue of COVID times, which for me means working from home and communicating with people across many platforms on a less than rigid schedule. Now when I am sick, it is…
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Safety/Security CERT Training: Safety/Security Training at VUU: Tuesday May 20 1-3; Please RSVP to Rev. Sarah. This is a preliminary training, and will be followed by more opportunities. If you serve in a leadership role and are available, please join us.   —Rev. Sarah Oglesby-Dunegan If you are new to VUU or Unitarian Universalism, you may be used to clergy who…
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CERT training: Rev. Sarah is attending a Community Emergency Response training over the next two weekends offered by Chandler Fire.  I will be integrating this learning with developing plans for training individuals and groups at VUU for emergency and preventative responses we can engage to maintain safety on our campus.  There were limited slots, and…
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New Members that were recognized in April, your books are in the box next to the door of my office–stop in and get yours! Last weekend I had the chance to visit Beacon UU in Flagstaff and to hear guest speaker (via zoom) CB Beal give a sermon. CB developed an idea called pre-emptive radical inclusion, an idea I…
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I hope that you all had as much fun as we did on Easter!  Our Spontaneous Pageant was funny, moving, and theologically very UU!  Our volunteers had fun with costumes and signs and our musicians shared a wide range of music.  Coming of Age kids served us a wonderful brunch and many of us stayed…
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