News from Guatemala, plus Announcements Through March 12th, 2016

A Note from Ila Abernathy and the Guatemala Project:
Dorothy and I are in Nebaj, waiting the word if Petrona de Paz, well known to RN Sarah, can leave the hospital in Nebaj tomorrow for new tests in El Quiche.  We had to cut short our time in rural Santa Clara Area (3 communities, 2 best approached on foot, after a 6-hour pickup truck ride to the first) in order to accompany Petrona de Paz to the hospital in Nebaj, for transfer to the cancer hospital in Guatemala City.  We were hoping for departure tomorrow, but it had to be delayed until Monday, while tests were ordered.  We are so concerned not to let this last opportunity slip away for Petrona that we are hiring a pickup truck to follow the ambulance to El Quiche, where two more tests have to be done before we arrive in the capital.  [Social worker got one for free, one at reduced rate, which we will pay].  See earlier note to a few folk below, which gives a bit about the medical condition.  Even the doctors here had never seen a carcinoma quite like this one.

This should have happened two years ago. With the cooperation of everybody, and our presence, and assurances we would accompany all the way to the capital, we got her out of remote Xecoyeu by ambulance on Wednesday (will send photo of the "road"). I sorta had to promise the moon to the sometimes-reluctant husband that we would cover any uncovered medical expenses and his food and transportation in the capital, so feel free to send tax-deductible donations to St. Michael's Guatemala Project, 602 N. Wilmot, Tucson, 85711. Dorothy Chao and I will cover any new expenses personally and get reimbursed after we return to Tucson March 10.

For you medical types, it's a "massive" (approx. 18 x 27 cm.) carcinoma of the left breast, and an earlier, much-delayed biopsy indicated it is a "comedocarcinoma." Dorothy promptly looked it up on her smart phone, and it's a type that usually doesn't metastasize. But this has gone on for three years, and there was also infection when we arrived. Wish the best for Petrona. She is 37, has 8 children.

Ila

More about Petrona and her journey: Patrona dePax Lopez - Welcomes to Ixil and Quiche Mayan Communities ______________________________________________________________

Announcements

United Thank Offering (UTO)

Envelopes and / or Thank Offering boxes are available in the back of church. Please be as generous as you circumstances will allow.
______________________________________________________________

~ You are Invited ~
Please join us THIS MONDAY, March 7th at 5:30 PM in the Smith Parish Center as we enjoy a meal with our friends for the Islamic Center of Tucson. (Reservation sheets in back of church).
______________________________________________________________

Ladies, mark your calendar for Wednesday, March 16th.  The Episcopal Church Women, ECW, will meet at 10:30 am. in the Smith Parish Center.  All women of St. Michael’s are considered members and are invited to attend for fellowship, lively conversation and a chance to make new friends.
_______________________________________________________________

Dear Parishioners, I need your help. Our membership data base is seriously outdated.  People have moved, changed addresses, changed phone numbers and/or email addresses.  Please take a moment to complete an update form, even if you have not made any changes. Simply complete the update, fold it and drop in the collection basket, take it home and bring it back next week, or simply mail it. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration in this important task.              
 ______________________________________________________________

Taizé is celebrating its 5th Anniversary at St. Michael’s! Join us

for a special reception following the March 15th Taizé Service at 6:45 pm.
_______________________________________________________________

March 17th ~ POZ Café Luncheon.
St. Michael's is once again participating with 2 other churches and TIHAN in putting on the March 17th POZ Café luncheon. We have been asked to donate 40 rolls of paper towels, 80 boxes of Kleenex, and 320 disposable razors. These items will be put in the care packages that are given out at the luncheon. The razors and Kleenex can be purchased at the Dollar Tree for a dollar. Please help us fill up the chest in the back of the church. Cash donations to buy these items are also welcome.
We need 6 volunteers to help the day of the luncheon, March 17-time is 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.  (Sign-up sheet in back of church.) See Dianne Gundersen or Diane Tyron for details.
_______________________________________________________________

JOIN PARISH LIFE FOR A St. Patty’s Day Feast!
Thursday, March 17th at 6:30 pm
St. Michael’s Smith Parish Center
$10.00 per person
Music provided by Dave Erhardt and friends!
And Piper ~ Michael Leeming

Dinner prepared by Chef Andy O’Bruno and includes traditional corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, carrots and bread pudding.  Beer additional. Reservations sheets in back of church and reserve no later the March 11th.

Announcements for Week Ending March 5th, 2016

March 17th ~ POZ Café Luncheon.
St. Michaels is once again participating with 2 other churches and TIHAN in putting on the March 17th POZ Café luncheon. We have been asked to donate 40 rolls of paper towels, 80 boxes of Kleenex, and 320 disposable razors. These items will be put in the care packages that are given out at the luncheon. The razors and Kleenex can be purchased at the Dollar Tree for a dollar. Please help us fill up the chest in the back of the church. Cash donations to buy these items are also welcome. We need 6 volunteers to help the day of the luncheon, March 17-time is 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. (Sign-up sheet in back of church.) See Dianne Gundersen or Diane Tyron for details. ________________________________________________________________

Dear Parishioners, I need your help. Our membership data base is seriously outdated. People have moved, changed addresses, changed phone numbers and/or email addresses. Please take a moment to fill out an update form (even if you have not made any changes). Simply complete the update, fold it and drop in the collection basket, take it home and bring it back next week, or simply mail it. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration in this important task. Blessings, Nancy
____________________________________________

 ~ You are Invited ~ Please join us on Thursday, March 10 at 5:30 PM in the Smith Parish Center as we enjoy a meal with our friends for the Islamic Center of Tucson. (Reservation sheets in back of church).
____________________________________________

JOIN PARISH LIFE FOR A St. Patty’s Day Feast!
Thursday, March 17th at 6:30 pm St. Michael’s Smith Parish Center $10.00 per person Music provided by Dave Erhardt and friends! Dinner prepared by Chef Andy O’Bruno and includes traditional corned beef and cabbage, potatoes, carrots and bread pudding. Beer additional. Reservations sheets in back of church and reserve no later the March 11th. _____________________________________________________________

All are invited to attend the Taizé Service this Tuesday, March 1, at 6:45 pm in church. All are welcome.

 _________________________________________________

United Thank Offering (UTO) A program of the Episcopal Church since 1889 invites people to offer prayers of Thanksgiving to God and to distribute thank offering monies through the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. Envelopes and / or Thank Offering boxes are available in the back of church. Please be as generous as your circumstances will allow. ___________________________________________________________________

CASA MARIA ~ FRIDAY MARCH 4 ~ 5:00 PM SMITH PARISH CENTER, BRING A FRIEND AND DOZENS OF HARD BOILED ~ SHELLED EGGS AND JOIN US FOR THIS GOOD WORK!

Announcements for Week Ending February 28, 2016

Parish Life is going Italian! Join us on Thursday, February 25th at 6:30 pm at Dolce Vita, 7895 E. Broadway (NW corner of Pantano and Broadway). Buon Appetito! (sign up sheets in back of church) _____________________________________________________________________


Family Game Night at St. Michael's sponsored by The Family Mass. Friday, February 26th in the Smith Parish Center, 5:30 to 8 pm. If you are missing the fun and friendly challenge of board games, then come to our second Family Game Night. All are invited, families, friends or just yourself. Who knows, you may make some new friends!
 Bring cash for the pizza, (or a bottle of soda or box of cookies) to share round. See you there! ____________________________________________________________

March 17th ~ POZ Café Luncheon.

St. Michael's is once again participating with 2 other churches and TIHAN in putting on the March 17th POZ Café luncheon. We have been asked to donate 40 rolls of paper towels, 80 boxes of Kleenex, and 320 disposable razors. These items will be put in the care packages that are given out at the luncheon. The razors and Kleenex can be purchased at the Dollar Tree for a dollar. Please help us fill up the chest in the back of the church. Cash donations to buy these items are also welcome. We need 6 volunteers to help the day of the luncheon, March 17th; time is 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. See Dianne Gundersen or Diane Tyron for details. ______________________________________________________________________

~ You are Invited ~ Please join us on Thursday, March 10 at 5:30 PM in the Smith Parish Center as we enjoy a meal with our friends for the Islamic Center of Tucson. (reservation sheets in back of church).
 _____________________________________________________________________

Guatemala Countdown: Is this the fast that I choose? What happens with Lenten discipline in a country where, for much of the rural indigenous population, almost every day is a fast not of their choosing? This much I can say: It's not about food. Isaiah 58:6-12, frequently quoted, adds (v.10), "If you pour yourself out for the hungry / and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, / then shall your light rise in the darkness /and your gloom be as the noonday." I leave tomorrow for Guatemala, joined by RN Dorothy Chao of Samaritans (second Project trip) and RN Lahna Chaffee of Green Valley. We’ll travel with Fr. Smith and Terri to Nebaj to meet local health workers and distribute supplies (among other activities). Dorothy and I will continue with health promoters to more remote communities, while Fr. Smith, Terri, and Lahna head for his church in Antigua. We will keep you posted.

What you can do: Right now, include prayers "For Travelers" (BCP p. 831), "For the Oppressed" (p. 826), and "For Towns and Rural Areas" (p. 825) in your Lenten devotions. Just add "and other lands" everywhere the prayers say "this land," and after "especially," add "those in the Ixil Area." Think about joining us, even for a few days, in May and June. -- Ila Abernathy

Announcements for Week ending May 24, 2015

ST. MICHAEL’S NEEDS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP AT THE POZ CAFÉ LUNCH ON THURSDAY, MAY 21 from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm at St. Francis in the Foothills (north west corner of Swan and River Road) We thank you for your help in this opportunity of giving and service to those living with HIV and their guests. If you can help serve or provide other support, please find Sign–up Sheets in back of church.

WE NEED YOUR HELP: We are also collecting: bandages, body and hand lotion to take to Poz Café that day. Collection box in back of church. We appreciate your generosity.

The next WM/ECW meeting is on Wed., May 20, in the Parish Center. We will have a speaker, Nancy Bissell from the Primavera Foundation. Following the meeting, we will have lunch at Roma Imports. Transportation is available, and all women in the parish are invited.  Join us for an informative meeting and good food, lively conversation and fellowship!

Our Women's Ministries group is selling teapots. and assorted china in the Parish Center after all Masses.  These are the items we have used for the English Teas in the past. Stop by and browse.  Perhaps you will find something that will bring some additional beauty into your life.

You are invited, May 19th, Taizé service of meditation at 6:30 pm in church. It is a quiet time of scripture readings, music and meditation.

Parish Life Invites you to join us at Old Pueblo Grille, 60 N. Alvernon Way, just north of Broadway, Thursday, May 28th at 6:30 pm.  Entrees start at $10.

And this is today, Sunday, Mar 17:

Upcoming Events at St. Michael's

MAY 16, SATURDAY ~ 6 PM - PARISH CENTER - GUATEMALA PROJECT TEAM (AND FR. SMITH AND TERRI) SENDOFF. Meal, meet volunteers and the Guatemala Consul, short program, Yoeme (Yaqui) Deer Dance and Blessing songs to conclude.  FREE, though we will ask for donations, any amount.  Think "Goodbye (literally 'God be with you!, Tucson. Hello, Guatemala" (thanks Beatles). Want to help?  Call Ila.*

MAY 17, SUNDAY ~ 3 PM ~ ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH - ARIZONA BAROQUE "MUSIC IN THE SPANISH COURT" CONCERT ~ A fund-rising concert for Arizona Baroque tour to Zaragoza, Spain in August, 2015. (see below)

MAY 19, TUESDAY - 6:45 PM - IN CHURCH - TAIZÉ

MAY 20, WEDNESDAY - 10:30 AM - W.M. - ECW MEETING - SPEAKER FROM PRIMAVERA - ALL LADIES OF THE PARISH ARE INVITED AND URGED TO ATTEND.


MAY 21, THURSDAY - POZ CAFÉ- WE ARE COLLECTING: BANDAGES, BODY LOTION TO TAKE TO THE CAFE THAT DAY.  We need your help at the Poz Café Luncheon from 8:30 to 2:30 pm (or any time you can give) Sign up sheets in back of church or call Diane Gunderson-Skates.*

*Phone numbers are available from the church office or the parish directory.

Thanks and Update from the Poz Café

Hi everyone,

We’d like to share the following information with you about last Thursday’s Poz Café event. Since not all the volunteers from the sponsoring congregations have email, please share this report with the volunteers from your group. You might want to consider including a report in your congregation’s bulletin or newsletter.

We have included some photos from the event. If you would like more, please let me know.

Thank you all for your participation in making our March Poz Café luncheon a success! Caring congregations and organizations putting their faith in action and sharing love and great food!

Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church

St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church

St. Philip’s in the Hills Episcopal Church

With support from March’s fantastic sponsoring congregations, we were able to serve 131 people at this month’s event!  That’s a 13% increase over last year’s March Poz Café.  This number includes people living with HIV, their guests, congregational volunteers, and TIHAN volunteers and staff.  The March lunch buffet featured Salisbury steak, buttered noodles, sautéed zucchini and squash, tossed garden greens, dinner rolls with butter, and homemade chocolate devil’s food cake.  We celebrated with a St. Patrick’s Day theme, with many volunteers dressed for the occasion.

Some highlights from this month:

With assistance from our partner agencies Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest and COPE Community Services, we provided transportation to over 6 CarePartners and guests who otherwise may not have been able to attend.

We distributed 75 Care Packages, decorated bags filled with toiletry items, to our CarePartners living with HIV/AIDS.  The sponsoring congregations donated all of the products to use in stuffing these bags.  Thanks to Our Mother of Sorrows for the festive decorated bags they contributed.

The St. Patrick’s Day theme was complete with Our Mother of Sorrows’ fabulous table centerpieces.

With assistance from the staff at St. Francis in the Foothills, we were able to project a slideshow continuously throughout the event that depicted a 2013 TIHAN year-in-review.  Additionally, during our announcements we recognized the outstanding Poz Café volunteers, educational speakers, Excellence in Caring volunteer nominees, and Models of Empowerment nominees who received certificates and recognition at our recent Annual Meeting.  The CarePartners and guests in attendance at this month’s Poz Café, many of whom helped nominate these individuals, got to see the faces behind TIHAN’s Care and Support programs and applaud these fantastic volunteers.

Finally, many CarePartners received generously donated gift prizes by winning BINGO or the raffle.

And of course we can’t forget the great meal and the hugs and the “safe space” that you help create at Poz Café every month, enabling our CarePartners to meet others living with HIV, increase their social support, and know that there are caring people from faith communities who welcome them and are working to end the stigma that still exists.

Our sponsoring congregations brought 15 congregational volunteers to help this month, at least 3 of whom were joining us for the first time.  Thank you all for your willingness to help!  Our regular TIHAN volunteers did a great job of helping the congregational volunteers have an experience of learning and serving.

 

Each month, we survey the congregational volunteers, and the March responses are below.  (10 of the 15 congregational volunteers completed all or part of the survey this month.)  The survey results were positive and will assist us in future events.

We would also like to share a few comments from congregational volunteers that really speak to the atmosphere of the event:
 
The best part of Poz Café was:

“All the great people I met”“Very well organized”

“Everything!”

       
Special Mention

We want to thank our Poz Café 101 Educational Hour speakers for their volunteer time: Linda relayed the history of TIHAN and the story of the Poz Café monthly event, and taught basic information about HIV and AIDS so that all of our congregational volunteers were prepared to serve with a common level of knowledge about these issues. Jeffrey shared his personal story of living with HIV and becoming part of the TIHAN community, placing Linda’s educational facts into a real-life context. Our Poz Café 101 team hopes you enjoyed the educational hour and feel well-informed to outreach within your communities and continue the mission of decreasing the stigma of those living with HIV/AIDS. The congregational volunteers arrived en masse and were ready to prepare the meal and hall for a fabulous lunch and afternoon of compassion and connecting with people living with HIV.  We appreciate the energy that was generated and all the fellowship that our volunteers provided to our CarePartners. Special thanks go to congregational coordinators Beverly Mahl, Laura Stehle, Consuelo Lucero, Deacon Ralph Taylor, Dianne Gundersen, and Father John Smith for all their efforts in planning, shopping for food, collecting Care Package and raffle/BINGO prize items, and organizing the congregational volunteers.  A special thank-you also goes to out to the clergy in attendance, in addition to those who served as coordinators: Reverend Vicki Hesse and Monsignor Thomas Cahalane volunteered with their congregations.  Thanks so much for joining us!

   

       
We hope you had a great time, and if you’d like to volunteer with Poz Café more than the once a year that your congregation sponsors the event, please contact us at 299-6647!

Having started with just a handful of people at those first luncheons so many years ago, Poz Café is now the largest regular gathering place for people living with HIV in Southern Arizona!  TIHAN is 100% privately funded and counts on people like you to continue this program, and all of our work.

If you or someone you know would like to make a financial donation to help support Poz Café and keep this program operating, your contribution is greatly needed, and appreciated!  Make a donation now and write in the “memo line” of your check that it is for Poz Café (or CLICK HERE TO DONATE to make a secure online donation.)  And please encourage your faith community to make a contribution to keep TIHAN operating.  The economy has affected all of our faith communities, our CarePartners, and TIHAN; but we have faith that you can help us sustain our programs.  We cannot continue this work without the financial support of our faith communities and volunteers.  Please help advocate for funding for TIHAN in your congregation and in any way that you can do so. 
 

Thanks again for your support of Poz Café, and for making so much possible through TIHAN!

Poz Café is made possible in part by donations from compassionate congregations and individuals of TIHAN, along with funding from Rincon Congregational United Church of Christ, St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church, and the Sundt Foundation.  Support for transportation is provided by Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest and COPE Community Services.
    

Deirdre Demers
Program Manager
Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN)
2660 N. 1^st  Avenue
Tucson, Arizona 85719
(520) 299-6647
www.tihan.org
Join us on Facebook 

Most of the CarePartners living with HIV/AIDS who receive support services from TIHAN are people whose household income is less than 150% of the federal poverty level.  Because of this, the State of Arizona now allows TIHAN donors to take advantage of the working poor tax credit.  Your donation to TIHAN could reduce personal income taxes owed to the state of Arizona by up to $200 for individuals and $400 for those filing jointly (if you itemize).  In essence, a donation to TIHAN of up to $200 (or $400 for married couples) may have no cost to you the donor, since you might pay that much less in taxes if you are eligible for this state tax credit.