With the General Election just a few months away, your involvement is more critical than ever.

This past month, people of faith across Arizona united around our shared values of Accompaniment, Belonging, Public Prayer, Nonviolence, Solidarity, and Truth to ensure a free and safe primary election. Now, we must continue this momentum to ensure Arizonans Rise+Vote in November.

Through joyful and moral resistance, we are organizing and training the faithful to become Faithful Constitutional Observers. Our community will continue to gather at the ICE Field Offices, Immigration Court, the State Capitol, and the polls to ensure all families are protected and no one faces fear alone.

Rooted in Love Assembly activities include:

• Leadership Development Sessions: Civic and political education regarding what is at stake, along with community organizing strategies.

• Organizing Opportunities: A call to commit to protecting our communities, including organizing accompaniment for mixed-status families facing heightened ICE activities during this election cycle, and supporting the “Hands Off Our Elections Arizona” efforts.

• Organizing Tools: Support with creating and identifying local faithful teams and community gatherings.

• Community & House of Worship (HOW) Engagement: Neighborhood encounters to help us connect, organize, and act together.

We are committed to building a space for agency, leadership, and faith in action as we discover creative paths to build community together. In that commitment, we encourage you to invite members of your faithful community, network, household, etc. to attend alongside you. We will break into teams, allowing you to best imagine and collaborate with those in your region. You and your community can register here:

https://bit.ly/RootedinLoveAssembly

If you register, please let Pastor Jay know!

ROOTED IN LOVE Q&A:

DATE: Saturday, August 29th

TIMES: 9:30am - 3:00pm, Registration and morning breakfast networking open at

9AM

LOCATION: Phoenix, AZ the address will be shared with you the week of the gathering.

How can I register?

• Register Here: https://bit.ly/RootedinLoveAssembly

Nourishment: Will meals be available?

• Light breakfast, Lunch, & snacks will be provided.

• We will do our best to support food restrictions and needs. Please complete registration form and connect with David Ramirez at 602-637-6597 or email David@corazonaz.org

• Please bring a reusable container for water.

If you would like to help, please reach out to Pastor Jay to help get you connected!

Where: Chapel Rock in Prescott, Arizona
When: Friday evening, 9/11, to Sunday, 9/13, noon
What: Worship, Workshops, Games, Delicious Food, Scriptures about strong women, New Friends, Beautiful Nature, Service Projects, Raffle, etc.
Registration will close on August 28th.

Register online at https://azdisciples.org/dwm-retreat/
Partial scholarships are available.

Contact Briana Cruz, DWM Coordinator, bcruz@azdisciples.org for applications, which are due August 1st. Did you know? 61% of children living at or below the poverty line have no books in their homes. 67% of American 4th graders read below grade level, setting them up for difficulty in school and in later life. This year’s Mission Project is to provide new or gently used children’s books to families around the state, helping to build proficiency, love of literature, and academic success.

Rev. Kelley Dick (Pastor Jay’s wife) will be our keynote speaker this year! Workshops will include painting braces to correct club feet in infants, prayer techniques, meal prep hacks, Bible study, hiking, and more! More information will be provided after registration in your orientation packet. Hope to see you at this year’s retreat!

We’d love to have some delegations from other congregations who are also working on voter protection, immigration and detention center policies, trans rights/LGBTQIA++ rights, and workers’ rights. (and other justice issues!)

UU The Vote Solidarity Summit in AZ all day on Sept 5, 2026 at VUU:

What does it mean to respond to this moment with moral clarity, courage, and collective power?

Join us (UU’s from across the state and or partners!) for a UU the Vote Solidarity Summit — a regional interfaith justice training and gathering designed to build the relationships, skills, and shared strategy needed for this moment.

Across faith traditions, we are increasingly called to respond to authoritarian violence, community harm, and democratic crisis with care, coordination, and action. These gatherings create space to strengthen our capacity for justice-centered organizing, deepen regional relationships, and root our work in the spiritual values that sustain long-term transformation.

Whether you are new to this work or deeply engaged already, there is a place for you here.

WHEN: Saturday, September 5, 9-3 with lunch provided

WHERE: Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6400 W. Del Rio Chandler, AZ 85226

Featuring workshops on voter protection, organizing for change and stories to inspire you and sustain you! Also, singing for justice and spiritual grounding as well as space to deepen our connections to each other.

Register here

AZ HUGS WEBSITE

You will have two class sessions to choose from, so choose what works best for you:

1. Every other Sunday Morning 9:45 am (in-person and online). Gathering at Brick Road Coffee.

2. Every other Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm (online only). Gatheirng during the Anti-Racism study time.

Please sign up to receive updates on when this class will start!