Winter 2014 - 4Tucson Magazine by 4Tucson

Winter 2014

A quarterly publication of 4Tucson

magazine

FREE

A Brighter Tucson in 2015

Seeking Change in Juvenile Justice

How Christian churches can stand in the gap

Taking the Next Step Bringing Tucson's poor and less fortunate into focus

Creating a City Mentality In which church do you participate?

Answer the Call!

Government: "Christians, we need your helpâ&#x20AC;Ś" Cover photo by Sue Johnson

In This Issue… Justice Domain —Seeking Change in Juvenile Justice

The mission of 4Tucson is to partner with every sector and domain of society based on common love, common goals and the common good to make Tucson one of the most livable cities in the world, allowing each partner to determine what part it should play.

Social Services Domain —Taking the Next Step

Healthcare Domain —You Are Their Sunshine Bringing your love into the lives of the elderly

We see the Christian church engaged in the needs and dreams of Tucson, serving as a catalyst to bring about spiritual and societal transformation for the prosperity of the entire community.

Feature —National Day of Prayer 2015

Prayer Domain —Creating a Prayer Culture

Government Domain —Positions of Influence

Business Domain —Visionary Strategies for Business Owners

What is 4Tucson?

Visit 4tucson.com to see our Statement of Faith.

What are Domains? Our society illustrates change through one of three primary sectors: Public, Private, or Social. 4Tucson has taken those three sectors and identified 12 specific areas of influence within our city. Those areas of influence we call Domains.

How Christian churches can stand in the gap

Bringing Tucson’s poor and less fortunate into focus

Veronica Acosta provides servant leadership for local effort

Prayer leadership training launches

Making a difference serving on boards and commissions

Helping businesses adopt a Christian worldview

Feature —Strong Families, Strong Community A.C. Green highlights Vail Family Conference Night

Education Domain —Thanksgiving Fall Feast for Families

Media & Arts Domain —Building the Kingdom Through Worship

Church Domain —Creating a City Mentality

Philanthropy Domain —Vital Partners

4Tucson Executive Director Mark Harris – Answer the Call!

A community effort to bless Flowing Wells families

Our city is made up of groups of people within Domains who have expertise and unique knowledge in a variety of subjects. Each person within a Domain will tend to view a specific problem from his or her own perspective. For example, if our specific problem were homelessness, someone in the Education Domain may believe the solution is more education. A professional in the Healthcare Domain may believe the solution revolves around dealing with mental illness, while a leader in the Business Domain may see the problem as a lack of motivation or opportunity. Individually, these views are not the solution to the problem of homelessness—but collectively, each holds a piece to the answer to discovering a real and sustainable solution. Our purpose is to identify difficult problems within the city and bring the expertise of people from a wide variety of backgrounds to focus together to discover and implement long-term solutions. Each Domain has a Domain Director who coordinates the programs and projects that create solutions to problems encountered within that Domain. Visit 4tucson.com to see a full listing and detail on each Domain Director.

Advertise in 4Tucson Magazine Contact Paul Charette at (520) 465-7708 for rates and a personal consultation.

Preview: 2015 Tucson Worship Conference

In which church do you participate?

Joining together for stories of success to His glory

Government: “Christians, we need your help…”

All writers are members of the Writers 4Tucson Team serving under the Media/Arts Domain and Domain Leader Francine Rienstra. Writers contributing to this issue are Suzette Howe, Andrea Arthur Owan, Emily Pearson, Janis Van Keuren, Meg Villanueva, Kathy Watson, and Lily Winchester. Editor and Writers 4Tucson Team Leader is Adam Colwell. Graphic Design is by Caryn Metcalf. Proofreading is by Andrea Arthur Owan and Meg Villanueva. Project Management and Production is by Adam Colwell’s WriteWorks.

4Tucson Magazine Winter 2014 4Tucson Magazine is published quarterly and distributed free of charge online at 4tucson.com and in newsprint. Copyright 2014, all rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without consent of 4Tucson. No unsolicited material is accepted for publication. 4Tucson is located at 5151 E. Broadway Blvd., Suite 1600, Tucson, AZ 85711.

Seeking Change in Juvenile Justice How Christian churches can stand in the gap • by Lily Winchester

Arizona’s foster care system has witnessed a major, ongoing problem that at times seems to be worsening. One aspect of that problem is the Juvenile Adjudication system. Richard Luff, 4Tucson Justice Domain Director, hopes a few changes to the system will improve the process and the foster care system as a whole.

He also suggests that a jury be put in place at a severance trial. He argues that a jury of common Americans who understand the hardships of raising a family would be more able to identify with the plight of the family facing severance than the judge on the bench making $180,000 a year.

“The system needs fixing,” Luff said. “And there are several different ways that you can attack it.”

Both changing a judge and the implementation of a jury in severance trials will require the formation of a committee comprised of attorneys and judges and a petition submitted to the Supreme Court of Arizona.

Dependency is just one part of a two-part process, and it needs the most help. Dependency involves removing children from their home environment when either one or both of their parents are accused of wrongdoing. During this process, the Department of Child Safety (DCS), formerly known as Child Protective Services, removes children from their home and places them in temporary protective care. At this point, Luff said, one of two phases begins. First, the reunification plan offers the parents and children special services in the hope of reuniting the family. This process can last 15 months or longer. If the case does not progress quickly enough, DCS will then move to the second phase: the severance plan. It’s at this juncture that Luff says changes need to be made. The problem lies with the multiple reports submitted to the judge—the sole presider of the case—regarding the parents’ activities and the children’s progress. Having a judge function as the sole presider is not allowed in other types of judicial proceedings. Luff suggests that, at this point, a new judge—with no knowledge of the case—should take over to bring a fresh look to the proceedings. “The problem with the system is the judge,” Luff said. “The judge gets so convinced from the reports that he makes up his mind before that severance trial even comes.”

The second part of the Juvenile Adjudication system is delinquency. This occurs when juveniles are charged with a crime and are sent to juvenile court. Though this process can be chaotic, it is tolerable for the time being. The change Luff would like to implement in both the dependency and delinquency areas is the involvement of the church. Even though there tends to be immunity toward church involvement in the government arena, Luff believes that if a relationship is built between the church and the DCS, the church could be allowed to provide assistance both for families moving through the dependency process and for delinquent youth searching for someone to fight for them. “DCS probably will not want these things,” Luff said. “But they are so desperate and they are so broken that I think that they are at a point where they will try just about anything.” Luff would also like to see more church intervention at the beginning —before DCS ever gets involved—to help strengthen and support the family in crisis so they can succeed. Lily Winchester is a third generation Arizona Wildcat, graduating in 2010 with a BA in Journalism. Her passion is to inform people with the truth. She is also very involved in her church and its ministries.

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Taking the

Next Step Bringing Tucson's poor & less fortunate into focus by Lily Winchester

Since joining 4Tucson in February, Social Services Domain Director Arthur Tigney has spent the past several months addressing the vast problems encompassing foster care in Arizona. With the year coming to an end, Tigney is now setting his sights on the next step his domain will take in the city transformation process.

Tigney’s first plan of action is to identify key players who already provide for the poor and less fortunate. With Tullgren’s help, Tigney hopes to bring these existing agencies and networks together to learn what services are already being provided. The next step is to discover the gaps and areas of lack. Lastly, they will decide how to effectively fill those gaps.

“There is an epidemic in our city as it relates to those who are poor and less fortunate in needing services,” Tigney said. “It is in my heart that this is an area of focus that we as a city have to also address so that we can more effectively address the needs of those we are servicing.”

One problem Tigney wants to remedy is the “Lone Ranger” mentality prevalent in our society. His plan is to create synergy between the agencies to produce more effective results.

To confront issues of poverty, homelessness, addiction and many similar problems, Tigney is working with the Roy Tullgren III, Executive Director of the Gospel Rescue Mission (GRM), the leading supplier of shelters, clothes, food, and other resources to the less fortunate in Tucson. But GRM also has needs that go unmet, such as kitchen volunteers, tutors for children, and prayer partners. If they have needs, other Tucson organizations must have similar needs as well.

“What we often do in our city is this: everyone has the same vision or a vision that is similar, and instead of collaborating, we just begin to create our own,” Tigney said. “The goal is not necessarily to start another nonprofit but to connect people with organizations that are effectively running and then help them to help those organizations.” Once key players have been identified, Tigney wants to connect them with people who desire to be involved and find ways for them to assist not just GRM, but also any other existing agencies. In looking at improvements needed in this area, Tigney believes it is probable that job and training programs will be necessary to help individuals get on their feet. However, he is not just looking at the present problems and trying to find a solution; he is also looking to the future—to solve this issue in its entirety. Tigney hopes that through collaboration to find answers to those questions, he will gain more knowledge and be better equipped to find solutions. “You don’t know what you don’t know,” Tigney said. “And I’m hoping to discover what I don’t know.” Anyone who has a passion for the city’s poor and less fortunate is encouraged to contact Tigney about how to get involved and be a part of the effort to revive Tucson.

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Lily Winchester is a third generation Arizona Wildcat, graduating in 2010 with a BA in Journalism. Her passion is to inform people with the truth. She is also very involved in her church and its ministries.

You Are Their Sunshine Bringing your love into the lives of the elderly by Meg Villanueva Tucson is a haven for the elderly. People come because of the beautiful weather, desert scenery, and products and services that cater to people in their twilight years. Unfortunately, those years are often lonely, as the loss of a spouse or decreased mobility makes it impossible for the person to get out and do the things they did before—like go to church. This often means the elderly person is left without family and friends, and they lose their social structure. The isolation doesn’t happen overnight. As a person declines, he tends to withdraw. Moving into a nursing home can be a great thing because the individual is moving into a community. Russell Burns, director of 4Tucson’s Healthcare Domain, says that moving to an assisted living community might even be better for the elderly person than to continue living at home with private caregivers. “Studies show that if people are isolated and don’t have contact with other people every day, it’s almost like smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. It’s very bad for your health and your cognition.” And working with the elderly is a rewarding experience. Most have gone through some type of catechism and have a religious background, and they are open to others who come to minister. They haven’t forgotten the hymns and lessons of their youth and are eager for someone to come and sing to them or pray with them. Senior citizens also need to be touched. A hand on a shoulder or a hug is essential to those living in assisted care. Because some people are uncomfortable in hospital or nursing home environments, they might have difficulty relating to the elderly and may act unfriendly toward them in those settings. Or there might be a slight odor because the elder person is incontinent, or they might feel awkward interacting with someone who seems

physically frail. But the elderly appreciate the efforts people make to reach out to them and are grateful. To get involved in elder care, contact the activities director at a nearby facility. The director there can organize a time for an activity—like a church service, caroling or serving meals. The elderly also appreciate visits during the holidays, especially on the day itself. You might be the only person who visits them that day. You can minister by bringing cheer and love to these people. Burns sums up the importance of caring for the elderly with this story: When he and his wife were first married, they were invited to care for the elderly in an assisted living home. One of the residents, an elderly man, needed to be bathed every day. Burns found himself in the bathroom with an older Christian lady and this elderly man. He felt overwhelmed and humiliated. As the man sat in a shower chair, Burns started to wash his feet. “I remember feeling that God spoke to me and said, ‘This is how you wash my feet.’ It’s always stayed with me, and I believe that as we minister and love and touch these people, it is like we’re ministering to Christ Himself.” If you’re interested in healthcare and the health challenges in our city, Burns is establishing a team in the 4Tucson Healthcare Domain that will work to find solutions for the community. You don’t have to be a healthcare worker. You just have to have faith. If you’re interested in joining the team or finding a nursing home facility near you, email Russell Burns at Russell@4Tucson.com. Meg Villanueva is a published author, poet, and inspirational speaker on the subject of wholeness. Learn more about Meg at megvillanueva.com.

National Day of Prayer Needs You!

Veronica Acosta provides servant leadership for local effort by Adam Colwell

Veronica Acosta is just like anyone else you’d meet next door. Busy with her family, she goes from one event to another for her children, balancing it all with a full-time job. She’s also a Christian who loves the Lord with all her heart and displays that love in how she interacts with others and in what she does to practice her faith. At the center of that life of faith is prayer. “I have a passion for prayer and for being in the will and presence of God,” she said. “We need God to move in a mighty way.” It’s no wonder, then, that Acosta has added to her responsibilities a role as coordinator for the Pima County National Day of Prayer in connection with the countrywide National Day of Prayer effort. In 2015, the sixtyfourth annual National Day of Prayer will take place Thursday, May 7, and Acosta is both excited and in need of help from the Christian community. “We have a number of open positions that need to be filled,” she said. “We need event liaisons who come to our meetings once a month and are the direct contact with the various Concert of Prayer site locations. I need a secretary to take meeting minutes and help with the agendas. I need a Concert of Prayer coordinator assistant to help and go to meetings I can’t attend.” In 2014, there were 19 Concert of Prayer events in Tucson and Pima County as well as a youth event. In their first meeting in November to discuss 2015 activities, Acosta and her existing team discussed the possibility of having a main event in downtown Tucson, as well as ways to get more residents involved. “We’re trying to target strategic areas of our city so people can more easily come together in unity. That’s where our heart is.” The National Day of Prayer provides resources to help each Concert of Prayer location tailor their event or service as they desire and as God leads them. The Pima County National Day of Prayer liaison helps the leader at those events plan their Concert of Prayer and ensure it occurs successfully. The theme for the 2015 National Day of Prayer is “Lord, Hear Our Cry” with 1 Kings 8:28 serving as the theme scripture: “Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.” Dr. Jack Graham is the 2015 Honorary Chairman.

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Tucson resident Veronica Acosta seeks your help with the Pima County National Day of Prayer. Photo by Chloe Carlson

“We need event liaisons who come to our meetings once a month and are the direct contact with the various Concert of Prayer site locations. I need a secretary to take meeting minutes and help with the agendas. I need a Concert of Prayer coordinator assistant to help and go to meetings I can’t attend.”

- Veronica Acosta

To meet Veronica Acosta and get involved in the Pima County National Day of Prayer, call 520-419-9744 or email Veronica at vacostandp@aol.com. Adam Colwell is owner of Adam Colwell’s WriteWorks in Tucson, AZ and serves 4Tucson in various capacities.

Creating a Prayer Culture Prayer leadership training launches • by Suzette Howe

What a wonderful way to begin a weekend: gathered together with others who are passionate about prayer and the relationship it creates with our Heavenly Father. That type of gathering will occur when 4Tucson and GAP Ministries hosts a special time for prayer leaders in our community in February 2015—to receive equipping, training, resources and inspiration in order to more effectively fulfill their roles as prayer leaders. Those in attendance will be given the opportunity to hear special guest speakers Matt Merrill of GAP Ministries and 4Tucson’s Prayer Domain Leader Brian Goodall. During the event, each person will be asked to allow God —through His Spirit—to personally speak into his or her heart words of encouragement, direction and guidance for His greater plan for their life. Goodall will lead everyone in worship and attendees will have opportunities for response, reflection and personal prayer, self-evaluation and focused sessions on prayer strategies. Goodall is excited about the opportunity to equip congregations with more prayer resources. “I believe that most churches want a thriving prayer ministry but many don’t know where to start,” he said. “Our hope is that we can offer practical tools that will rejuvenate enthusiasm and provide solutions for effective leadership in prayer groups. We see prayer as a tremendous gift and a means in which we get to practically live out the command to love God and love others.” Merrill and Goodall agree that leadership training in prayer is vital and should be ongoing; that God has a heart for prayer leaders, to train and equip

them as they work in the trenches. To do that training and equipping, the two have developed specific tools and resources to allow leaders to learn, and then return to their churches and organizations to implement passion and a vision of what God can do through corporate prayer, small groups, and personal relationships with the gift of prayer. Training sessions and materials have been established from their combined years of prayer leadership experience, working in the trenches, and learning from other prayer leaders. “We need to prepare leaders, not to give up on corporate prayer. It may be difficult, but we need to bring a fresh, higher vision of the power of focused, effective corporate prayer and the need of leadership in this arena,” Merrill said. “Prayer leaders are necessary to the body of Christ, and—like we honor our pastors—we need a place to honor, encourage and pray for those who are humbly and boldly carrying the torch of prayer.” Together, Goodall and Merrill are aiming to create and nurture a prayer culture in Tucson. They believe prayer leaders need to be equipped in order to facilitate the larger vision for corporate unity. To become part of this powerful leadership prayer movement happening in Tucson, so that the community—and possibly the nation—may be transformed, download your own Prayer Leadership Training resources. Email Matt Merrill at matt.merrill@gapmin.com for the link. Suzette Howe develops marketing and graphic materials, promotional campaigns, image branding and product displays. She is married, has three children and lives in Tucson, AZ.

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Positions of Influence Make a direct difference by serving on boards and commissions • by Adam Colwell with Kathy Watson

You desire to be involved in government. You’ve educated yourself (perhaps by attending one of the Government Domain’s Constitution classes or participating in the Truth Project) and you are committed to exercise your right to vote. Yet you don’t have time or desire to actually run for office or work on a political campaign. What else can you do? You can join one of the hundreds of boards and commissions operating in Tucson and Pima County – and have a more personal, direct impact than you may think. “There are so many advisory boards and commissions that help elected officials make decisions,” said Government Domain Director Paul Parisi. “Elected officials are seeking guidance from the electorate, and if the majority of people in the electorate identify themselves as Christians, then we should be serving as Christians and seeking God’s guidance.” “By looking at what opportunities are available in Tucson and Southern Arizona, you can serve on one of these boards or commissions so that godly people will be in positions of influence to advise our elected people. This is a formal and good way to help,” Parisi said. Prior to his involvement with 4Tucson, Parisi spent six years serving on the Oro Valley Board of Adjustment. “I prayed that God would give me discernment on the decisions that needed to be made. I prayed for the officials and leaders,” Parisi said. “We were able to make adjustment on the zoning code for people that fit the legal criteria. It was rewarding to be able to help people in the community and give proper advice to the council.” In the City of Tucson alone, there are over 60 boards or commissions with over 600 active members, and other opportunities depending on where you live (see sidebar). Parisi says you simply fill out an application, then staff will consider your application and recommend you for service, and leadership will decide whether or not to appoint you. A great way to start before applying, he suggests, is to go and attend a meeting of a government entity that you are interested in and see how God leads you. “We know that if God has given us talents, this is a logical way to exercise our gifts and voice and bless our government,” Parisi said. “We can see the chaos going on and our God is not a God of chaos. By having Christians participate in the system, we can bring order to chaos. We do it by praying, by hearing God’s voice, and then doing what God tells us to do.” Adam Colwell is owner of Adam Colwell’s WriteWorks in Tucson, AZ and serves 4Tucson in various capacities. Kathy Watson performed the interview for this article.

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City of Tucson Boards and Commissions http://clerks.tucsonaz.gov/clerks/boards

Current Boards and Commissions: 2012 Bond Oversight Commission (BOC) Addiction, Prevention, and Treatment, Pima County - City of Tucson Commission on (CAPT) Armory Park Historic Zone Advisory Board (APHZAB) Barrio Historico Historic Zone Advisory Board (BHHZAB) Bicycle Advisory Committee, Tucson-Pima County (TPCBAC) Board of Adjustment (BAJ) Board of Commissioners Public Housing Authority (BCPHA) Bond Project Advisory Committee (BPAC) Broadway Boulevard Citizens Planning Task Force (BBTF) Charter Review Committee (CRC) City Manager Appointment Advisory Committee (CMAAC) Civil Service Commission (CSC) Climate Change Committee (CCC) Commission on Disability Issues (CODI) Consolidated Code Committee, Tucson-Pima County Joint (TPCJCC) Convention Center Commission, Tucson (TCCC) Deferred Compensation Plan Management Board, City of Tucson (CEDCMB) Design Review Board (DRB) Downtown Links Citizen Advisory Committee (DLCAC) Economic and Workforce Development Selection Committee (EWDSC) El Presidio Historic Zone Advisory Board (EPHZAB) Environmental Services Advisory Committee (ESAC) Fire Code Review Committee (FCRC) Fire Public Safety Personnel Retirement System Board, Tucson (TFPSPRSB) Fort Lowell Historic Zone Advisory Board (FLHZAB) Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues, Tucson Commission (GLBT) Grant Road Corridor Planning Task Force (GRCPTF) Greens Committee, Tucson (TGC) Historical Commission, Tucson-Pima County (TPCHC) Human Relations Commission (HRC) Independent Audit and Performance Commission (IAPC) Industrial Development Authority (IDA) Kino-22nd Roadway Development Citizen Advisory Committee (Kino-22nd CAC) Kolb/Sabino Canyon Road Connection Task Force (KSRTF) Landscape Advisory Committee (LAC) Magistrates Merit Selection Commission, City (CMMSC) Metropolitan Education Commission (MEC) Metropolitan Energy Commission, Tucson-Pima County (TPCMEC) Metropolitan Housing Commission (MHC) Outdoor Lighting Code Committee (OLCC) Parks and Recreation Commission, Tucson (TPRC) ParkWise Commission (PWC) Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC) Planning Commission (PC) Police Advisory Review Board, Citizen (CPARB) Police Public Safety Personnel Retirement System Board, Tucson (TPPSPRSB) Public Art and Community Design Committee (PACDC) Resource Planning Advisory Committee (RPAC) Rodeo Grounds/Parade Citizens’ Oversight Committee, Tucson Self Insurance Trust Fund Board of Trustees (TRUST) Sign Code Advisory and Appeals Board (SCAAB) Sign Code Committee, Citizen (CSCC) Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Commission (SMWBC) Transit Task Force (TTF) Transportation Advisory Committee, Citizen (CTAC) Tucson Supplemental Retirement System Board of Trustees (TSRS) Veterans’ Affairs Committee (VAC) Water Advisory Committee, Citizens’ (CWAC) Water Service Area Review Board (WSARB) West University Historic Zone Advisory Board (WUHZAB) Women’s Commission, Pima County/Tucson (PCTWC) Zoning Examiner Meetings Pima County: http://webcms.pima.gov/government/clerk_of_the_board/boards_commissions_and_committees Oro Valley: http://www.orovalleyaz.gov/town/departments/town-clerk/boards-and-commissions Marana: http://www.marana.com/1267/Information-on-Boards-and-Commissions Sahuarita: http://sahuaritaaz.gov/index.aspx?NID=258

Visionary Strategizes for Business Owners Helping businesses adopt a Christian worldview • by Janis Van Keuren For the last few years, the hot topic in Christian publications, articles, and documents has been “How do business owners incorporate their biblical principles into the everyday operation of their secular companies?” 4Tucson Business Domain Director Tony Simms possesses an answer to that business dilemma through a program that has been under development for the past two years. “As Christians, we derive our understanding of life from the Bible,” said Simms. “So when we talk about worldview, we are filtering everything we come in contact with through a biblical perspective. As a business owner, you start looking for those principles God would have you set up in operating your company—everything from managing and caring for the people you employ, to the products, services and programs you deliver, as well as the money you generate.” Simms, a mastermind at strategic planning, designed a program that includes mentoring with a curriculum package, marketing materials to attract interested clientele, and a seminar introducing the program to business owners and young entrepreneurs intent on establishing a Christian worldview as the foundation of their businesses. Before Simms joined 4Tucson in 2013, he had his hands full directing three non-profit organizations geared to improving life at different levels within the Tucson community. Last year, a 4Tucson partner recognized Simms’ potential and suggested he meet Mark Harris, 4Tucson’s Executive Director. This meeting of two visionary minds with the same goal—to see God at work in Tucson —resulted in Simms volunteering to be the Business Domain director. Gradually, Simms engaged his strategic planning skills. He considered program and domain goals, the infrastructure needed to achieve those objectives, and how to accomplish them operationally.

Currently, Simms is focused on fellowshipping with other domains through their monthly meetings and providing speakers from Tucson government, chambers of commerce, and the business sector to share their years of knowledge in how to set up businesses, acquire customers, and interact with government. “So far, those who have attended the meetings are connected to me or 4Tucson in some way,” he said. Expanding community outreach will roll out in stages, with an eye to completion in mid-2015. First is the recruitment of mentors; second, the development of curriculum; third, production of marketing materials; fourth, establishment of a seminar; and finally, the recruitment of mentees. Once the program is marketed to the public, a one-day seminar will introduce potential mentees to the curriculum’s core principles. In the beginning, 4Tucson will recruit about 30 business owners or entrepreneurs per seminar. “I think 4Tucson’s more experienced business owners could be mentors,” Simms said. “We want to teach business strategies and principles—finance, accounting, marketing, product development, customer service, and quality management of employees regarding compensation packages, time off, and vacation packages,” Simms said. “How we treat our employees is a biblical concept.” The mentoring curriculum will be spread out over five to ten weeks. How has Simms acquired his depth of experience? “Through many failures,” he says with a laugh. He draws on his 15 years of business experience, time spent developing a mentoring program for youth, consulting manuals he has written for other businesses, his master’s degree in Business Administration, and the help of those willing to mentor him. “We believe in the vision that has been cast, and we believe God has equipped each of us with some special gift to contribute to that,” Simms said. “That’s why we keep showing up: to share the gift God has given us and to see where God takes it.” Janis Van Keuren is a freelance writer who has authored stories and devotionals appearing in Christian publications and an anthology. She also writes her own blog, “Heart-Filled Moments” at heartfilledmoments.com

Tucson businesses set to shine from Tony Simms’ visionary input. Photo by Sue Johnson

Strong Families, Strong Community A.C. Green highlights Vail Family Conference Night by Andrea Arthur Owan

The Vail School District motto is, “Where Education is a Community Effort.” Fifteen years ago, Vail School District Superintendent Cal Baker set out to put teeth into the motto. Because he had a desire to connect with other community leaders, he started by reaching out to the local churches, some of which were using Vail schools for meeting and worship. When Baker began having quarterly meetings with pastors, he quickly discovered they had one goal in common: building strong families and a strong community. Discussion ensued about what each of them was doing to promote it. Then the question arose: What they could do together? They arrived at an idea to do something highly visible to the community. Thus began the Vail Family Conference Night. The annual event—which takes a year for school district staff and local church officials to plan—has hosted many popular speakers, including Tucson psychologist and New York Times Bestselling author Dr. Kevin Leman, and social entrepreneur Wes Moore. This year’s event, held August 21 at Cienaga High School, hosted former National Basketball Association Champion A.C. Green, Jr. Green, who played 16 years in the NBA without missing a game and who heads the A.C. Green Youth Foundation, addressed the audience about hard work, spirituality and character, traits he said he first learned from his parents. As a 14-year-old sophomore, Green said he didn’t have a vision of doing anything in life. He was the class clown and happy with being mediocre. Then the high school basketball coach approached Green and pointedly told him that if he applied himself he could make the varsity team. Green said that encounter was a major turning point in his life. While A.C. Green is an evangelical Christian famous for promoting abstinence from sex until marriage, he believes abstinence is a word that defines a decision to make, one of the decisions made today that affect tomorrow. He pointed out that it’s also necessary to abstain “from being a jerk,” and abstain from allowing peer pressure to guide your life. He said “peer pressure is only pressure if you think it is and you make it to be pressure. A lot of peer pressure is psychological. Turn it into something positive.” Green spoke directly to the parents in the audience when he told them to love their kids whether they make it or miss it and be there at the end. To the kids in the audience, he said to get the job done, sacrifice, and make the effort. Green noted that as an NBA Ambassador, he travels the world, and all of his interpreters tell him the same thing: parents and schools want kids to learn to value parents, teachers and one another.

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Former NBA star A.C. Green speaks to students at Cienaga High School in Vail. Photo by Sue Johnson It was a message he expounded upon that morning with hundreds of Vail School District Seniors at a special assembly. Green told the students to listen to teachers and coaches, because they can see things in them they can’t see themselves. He also pointed out “if you don’t have the character to sustain your talent, you won’t have much at the end of the day. Character deficiencies can cause you to miss out on an opportunity.” Baker said a number of students were clearly impacted and encouraged by what the basketball great had to say. Plans are underway for next year’s Family Conference Night. Superintendent Baker said that the format may change because of the competition they face from other activities parents and kids are involved in, but Vail School District and the local churches will continue to work together to build strong families and a strong community. Andrea Arthur Owan is a freelance content writer, published author, speaker and public presentation specialist with over 40 years of experience. Connect with her at andreaarthurowan@gmail.com or through her inspirational blog, “Broken Hearts, Redeemed.”

Flowing Wells and GAP Ministries collaborated to feed hungry families at Thanksgiving. Photo by Chloe Carlson

Thanksgiving Fall Feast for Families A community effort to bless Flowing Wells families • by Emily Pearson

Enjoying a Thanksgiving meal is impossible for some families, but GAP Ministries and the Flowing Wells Unified School District are working together to change that. On the Monday before Thanksgiving, a true feast was be held at Flowing Wells High School for low-income families. Principals at each school in the Flowing Wells Unified School District determined which families were most in need. Then, at the beginning of November, each school sent out 50 invitations in both English and Spanish to those designated families. If a family did not receive an invitation but wanted to attend, they were put on a list. “No one is turned away,” said Martha Petty, the Director of Flowing Wells Extension Program. The event was formed when GAP Ministries approached Petty with the idea to feed 1,000 people. Petty’s first thought was: “Are you serious?” GAP Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit, has already partnered with Flowing Wells schools on another program. This past summer, GAP’s food truck provided dinner for kids on free and reduced-price lunch plans. “It’s such an exciting partnership,” said Petty. “I don’t know what we would do without them.” Partnerships between the school district and organizations like GAP Ministries, 4Tucson, and local churches are having a positive impact on the community. “[The partnership] allows churches to love on people in our area,” said Bernadette Gruber, who—as 4Tucson’s Education Domain Director—is helping to build relationships between churches and schools. Loretta Bailey-Smith, GAP Ministries’ Executive Chef, was asked to

oversee the crucial and challenging task of preparing and cooking the enormous amount of food for the feast. She enlisted local Joint Technical Education District culinary students to help her prepare the food for the anticipated crowd of 2,000 people—a process that took two weeks. On the menu were Thanksgiving classics like mashed potatoes, green beans, and—of course—turkey. The only things that might be more amazing than the sheer enormity of the Flowing Wells Thanksgiving banquet were the donations and volunteer efforts and the community’s response. “I was overwhelmed with how generous people are,” Petty said. The food for the event comes almost entirely from donations. According to Petty, Jim Click donated $500 worth of gift cards to Fry’s grocery stores for turkeys and held a food drive for the feast. Other groups, like the Optimist Club, the Andrea Hart Foundation, and Tucson Church International provided generous donations as well. Tucson Electric Power donated lights to help decorate. Volunteers from area churches decorated tables and served families the home-cooked meal while the Flowing Wells High School jazz band and orchestra provided musical entertainment. “I don’t know that any other school district in this city has tried anything like this,” said Maureen Gerard-Bennett, the Education Partnership Liaison at GAP Ministries. “Because we are working with the school district the way we are, we’re now hearing from other school districts. Tucson Unified and Sunnyside have contacted us, so it’s working. It’s hitting a need in the community. And what’s interesting is this: our branding, if you will, is that we stand in the gap for the community. And that truly is what’s happening.” Emily Pearson is a student at the University of Arizona.

Building the Kingdom Through Worship

Preview: 2015 Tucson Worship Conference • by Andrea Arthur Owan Does your church worship team desire to be better equipped to lead your congregation in worship or elevate your congregation’s worship experiences to a new level? If the answer is “Yes!” then you and your worship team will want to attend the 2015 Tucson Worship Conference. The nondenominational event, sponsored by 4Tucson and Worship Catalyst, will be held March 6-7 at 22nd Street Baptist Church. Not sure if you qualify as a “worship leader?” Worship Catalyst director Austin Ryan believes that a worship leader is “anyone who helps connect people to God during a church gathering.” That definition includes instrumentalists, actors and actresses, technologists, painters, video editors, pastors, teachers and worship planners. In short, anyone who has a love for the body of Christ and desires to be more effective in the creative arts side of worship for Kingdom building purposes is a worship leader who will benefit from this conference. Ryan says that while Worship Catalyst’s primary focus is to “walk along with church planters while they plant, to help them develop their worship teams,” this educational event will help anyone involved in the planning and development of worship in any church—small or large, new or seasoned—to help them connect people to God during a church gathering. He stresses that the conference crosses denominational and relational lines so there’s no barrier between believers and churches. When Worship Catalyst works with individual churches, their area coordinators, or “connectors,” bring individuals together to assess the church’s needs and then develop people to help the church grow. Together, they focus on discipleship, coaching and training, specifically in the area of worship. For Ryan, a Baylor University graduate, former Tucson resident, and worship pastor for 23 years, it’s all about unifying Christians from different Tucson congregations to work together in the Kingdom. Together, 4Tucson and Worship Catalyst want the Tucson Worship Conference to: 1. Offer high quality training; 2. Connect people from other churches so they can form relational partnerships; 3. Participate in church planting. The 2014 conference was packed with 31 informative breakout sessions. Some of the topics covered were the following: Leading a Contemporary Worship Choir, Bridging

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the Generation Gap, Worship Flow, Tech 101: Introduction to the Technology Worship Leader, Lighting Fundamentals, and Drama in the Church. A variety of instrument-specific sessions were also offered. The 2015 event will again have breakout sessions for different worship disciplines, and it will feature more hands-on, interactive experiences for the attendees and “brain picking” sessions. The registration fee is kept low for affordability. “The majority of smaller churches may never afford to take their people to a training conference,” he says. “It’s just too expensive.” The conference fees are just $20.00 a person for the two-day event, or $100.00 for a team of 10 people, or $200.00 for a team of 20 individuals. Ryan stresses that all aspects of worship are covered and that quality is not compromised. The Friday night schedule will run from 6:00-9:00pm, and the Saturday sessions will be held from 9:00am-4:00pm with a Noon lunch break. Conference registration begins January 1. For more information on the 2015 Tucson Worship Conference, go to www.tucsonworshipconference.com, or www.facebook.com/TucsonWorshipConference. If you’re a local worship leader wanting to participate in the conference through planning and coordinating, contact aaron@22church.com. For details on Worship Catalyst and their 27-session Worship Leader Essentials development process to help you get better at singing, acting, directing, creating, “or anything else to lead people to God,” go to www.worshipcatalyst.com. Andrea Arthur Owan is a freelance content writer, published author, speaker and public presentation specialist with over 40 years of experience. Connect with her at andreaarthurowan@gmail.com or through her inspirational blog, “Broken Hearts, Redeemed.”

Getting a City Mentality

David Drum’s book Jesus’ Surprising Strategy is now in its second printing and available through 4Tucson. Photo by Amanda Martin

In which church do you participate? • by David Drum, Church Domain Director If you worship in a local congregation, I’m willing to bet your congregation immediately came to mind when you read this article’s subtitle.

times it’s been more like leaven distributed throughout much of the loaf of Christianity.

Hopefully, by the time you finish reading this, you’ll have an additional answer to that question.

Do you find it as fascinating as I do that Jesus prayed for none of these things as He prepared to go to the cross? He had taught on many of them earlier that evening, but one thing alone grabbed the lion’s share of His attention in His petition to His Father in John 17: would His followers be unified like He was with His Father? Would that unity be visible to the watching world, so that the love that is God would be evident through His body—the church—since God Himself is invisible?

When you read the New Testament and are asked, “The church is…what?” the correct answer to that particular question might surprise you. It’s not a local congregation. It’s the city. So let me pose another question: What do Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians all have in common? With the exception of Galatians—which was actually a large, geographic area —they’re all addressed to cities. The common analogy of the church as a body is primarily addressed to the City church. The church of Tucson has many parts, each with built-in strengths and weaknesses. No single part of the body excels at everything —and that’s not because of human sin or imperfect leadership. It’s God’s design for His church! Much would change if we could simply view the church the way the New Testament does—as a City church. For a more complete exploration of the concept of church being a city, read Chapter 2 of the book Jesus’ Surprising Strategy.

Perhaps unity grabbed His attention because a unified, connected, collaborating, flowing-together church is the way to prevent various aspects of the Christian life from being overlooked. Blind spots are, by definition, sources of ignorance. It takes somebody else to point them out to us. If we’re well connected to other parts of Christ’s body that are different from us, this happens naturally. Others’ strengths become apparent. But isolation prevents us from ever finding out that we don't know what we don’t know.

• •

Many authors and speakers who love the church have rightfully noticed that one aspect or another of church life is woefully missing. Whether it’s a call for committed discipleship, meaningful small group fellowship, effective evangelism, passionate worship, purposeful planning, serving the community unconditionally, practical reliance on the Holy Spirit, hearts that break at the things that break the heart of God, or a myriad of other biblical aspects to following Jesus, these Christ-followers have often accurately tapped into the pulse and heartbeat of God—and renewal and revival have been the result. Sometimes whole new denominations or movements have emerged. Other

• •

Here are four practical ways to begin adopting a City church mentality: Pray for other churches when you drive by them—if you have time, drop in and get to know them. Participate in the Church of the Week prayer program—either individually, or as a congregation. Before you or your church start some new event/program, see who else might be already working on it and support their efforts. The domains described throughout this magazine reflect a City church understanding. Jump in to one of them and bring someone with you.

David Drum is Church Domain Director for 4Tucson and author of the book on the City church concept and community transformation entitled Jesus’ Surprising Strategy.

Thank You! 4Tucson appreciates and recognizes its Business, Church, & Organizational Partners Business Partners Airtronics | airtronicsinc.com Copperstate OB/GYN | http://copperstateobgyn.com Cornerstone Communites, LLC | http://azsmartliving.com Falcon Properties | Chris and Robin Faulkner - 520.240.2615 Family Life Communications Incorporated | http://myflr.org Fastsell Express LLC | 520.323.2341 Garment Graphics | garmentgraphics.net Good News Radio Broadcasting | rhonda@kvoi.com Legacy Business Properties | Steve Juhan - 520.792.3113 Legal Shield | oatmanpw43.legalshieldassociate.com Paul Charette Realty | 520.465.7708 Thrivent Financial - Saguaro Chapter | lutheransonline.com/saguarochapter Whole Hearted Productions | wholeheartedpro.com Church Partners Beth Sar Shalom | shalomtucson.org Casa de Adoracion | cdatucson.org Central City Assembly of God | Facebook Page Christ Community Church | http://ccctucson.org Community of Hope Lutheran | cdatucson.org Connections Vineyard | connectionsvineyard.org CrossRoads | http://crossroadstucson.com Desert Hope Lutheran Church | deserthope.org Desert Rose Community Church | drcctucson.org Desert Son Community Church | desertson.org Dios es Bueno International | facebook.com/diosesbueno Eastside Covenant Church | ecctucson.org Enchanted Hills Baptist Church | enchantedhills.org Faith Community Church | faithtucson.org Fellowship Bible Church | tucsonfbc.org Fountain of Life Lutheran | follutheran.org Fuente de Vida | Good News Community Church | gncctucson.org Grace Community Covenant Church | gracetucson.org Greater Faith | gfctucson.org Hope Community Church | hopetucson.com Journey Evangelical Free Church | journeyefc.org Joy in the Spirit Fellowship | lutherans.com Legacy Church | legacychurchtucson.com Light the Way Lutheran | Facebook Page

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Organizational Partners Christian Family Care | cfcare.org Community Renewal | transformingtucson.org Desert Christian Schools | desertchristian.org Dios Es Bueno International | Facebook Page GAP Ministries | gapmin.com Good Neighbor Ventures | http://goodneighborventures.org Gospel Rescue Mission | grmtucson.com Hermundslie Foundation Hope of Glory | tucsonhope.org Institute for Better Education | ibescholarships.org Jim Click Automotive Team | jimclick.com Love Everlasting Ministries | loveeverlastingministries.com Man Tucson Ministries | mantucson.org Ministry Resources Intl. | ministryprep.com Sunshine Ministries Inc. Teen Challenge | azteenchallenge.org Tucson Refugee Ministry | tucsonrefugeeministry.com Waypoint Theatre Company | waypoint-theatre.org

Vital Partners

Joining together for stories of success of His glory by Meg Villanueva with Adam Colwell

Martha Petty is just one of hundreds of Tucsonans who has experienced the life-changing benefit of 4Tucson. As Executive Director of the Flowing Wells Unified School District Extension Program, she sees 4Tucson as a “vital partner” whose positive impact on the city’s schools, and their parents and children they serve, is obvious. “Before these partnerships, our schools didn’t know about all of the faithbased resources that we could provide our community. Now, there are faithbased representatives on the PTOs and parent advisory committees fulfilling the needs of both parties: the church’s need for service in the community and the schools need for assistance,” she said. Petty’s story is the first of a series of Success Stories that Philanthropy Domain Director Linda Goode is compiling—and that will be shared with 4Tucson members and financial partners throughout 2015. These stories will solidify why giving to 4Tucson on a regular or monthly basis makes a significant difference in making Tucson a better place to live, as well as a place where God is glorified through the helpful actions of His people. Now a full year since Goode started as Philanthropy Domain Director, she’s led her team in spearheading events and initiatives that has raised awareness and funds for 4Tucson over the past year: • Proceeds from the 4Tucson Golf Tournament in November 2013 supported February’s “Our Kids, Our Care” event, which helped bring awareness to the city’s foster care and adoption issues. • In February 2014, the “Love Our Partners” email campaign focused on praying for and thanking 4Tucson’s monthly partners and inviting new friends to join in the effort. The campaign resulted in new and renewing partners responding and donating from all over the country. • The Summer Bidding and Bowling event had 24 lane sponsors and one title sponsor. Over 164 bowlers from age four to 94 gathered along with numerous volunteers, and 27 items were donated for the event’s auction. Two GAP Ministries’ SPLASH House families were invited to Bidding and Bowling compliments of lane sponsors. The SPLASH Houses— sponsored by Tucson’s GAP Ministries—are group homes for foster children who, due to the lack of foster families in Tucson, have no other place to live.

“The events themselves are a way to bring people in to learn more about what 4Tucson is about,” Goode said. “Often it’s an entryway for those who know about 4Tucson to invite others to come and participate.” For 2015, the Philanthropy Domain is also developing a professional advisory team to assist individuals with their stewardship needs. Whether it’s learning how to budget their money and build wealth, how to provide a secure plan for their family’s future, or how to make a gift of appreciated stock, Goode said there are Christian advisors in the community who can help at all levels. “We need to have the right people around the table at the right time to consider all the options available, knowing where their passions lie and how they want to contribute,” she said. “It may sound complicated, but I love putting the pieces together.” Meg Villanueva is a published author, poet, and inspirational speaker on the subject of wholeness. Learn more about Meg at megvillanueva.com.

Yes! I want to help bring transformation to our community by partnering with 4Tucson. 4Tucson Monthly Partnership _____ Individual ($10/mo) _____ Business/Organization ($35/mo)

Here is my one-time gift of: _____ $100 _____ $500

______ $250 ______ $1,000

Name: ________________________ _______________________________ Street Address: _________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ City/State/Zip: _________________ _______________________________ Phone: ________________________ Email: _________________________ Credit Card (Visa/MC #): _______________________________ Exp. Date: _________ +3__________ Name as it appears on the card: _______________________________

Why Partner with 4Tucson? Because each of us holds a piece to the puzzle to bring people together in service and spiritual change to our community. I partner with 4Tucson because I believe God works best through us when we are united in service.

Home Zip Code:_________________ Please send me additional information regarding the following: (Circle) How to get involved, I am interested in: _______________ _______________________________ Making a donation of stock Including 4Tucson in my Will or Estate Plan Please have someone call me personally. Best time to call:_______ (520) 745-4404, 4Tucson.com, or email

I want to help our public schools, and I know my support to 4Tucson is bringing neighborhood churches and schools together to lift up teachers and administrators, upgrade facilities, and bring tangible assistance to their communities. I value the work that 4Tucson is doing to engage the public to vote. I believe the power of Christian unity across racial and cultural lines can transform our city. My wife and I are business owners here in Tucson. In addition to our church tithe, our business partnership with 4Tucson is another way to express our faith and commitment to make a difference in our city. Individually, the task is daunting and beyond our capabilities. But Jesus prayed to God that we be united – or as one – as Jesus and God are one (John 17:11). Together as one, we can impact our city for God’s glory.

a check to 4Tucson, 5151 E. Broadway Blvd, Suite 1600, Tucson, AZ 85711

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You can be a catalyst for change in our city. Make the commitment today to become an Individual Monthly Partner ($10/mo) or an Organizational Monthly Partner ($35/mo).

Answer the

Call! Government: "Christians, we need your helpâ&#x20AC;Ś"

by Mark Harris Executive Director, 4Tucson

Let’s take a journey in time, through recent American history, back to the early 1900s. The Industrial Age has dawned, the United States has participated in its first global conflict, and the Christian church is active and involved in the country’s burgeoning cities. Seen as the community’s safety net, churches take the lead in caring for the hungry, the hurting, and the poor. Churches are the head collaborators and chief focal points when the cry for help goes forward. Then comes the Great Depression, and everything changes. Like others, churches don’t have the resources to provide help like they did before the 1929 stock market crash. By March 1930, more than 3.2 million Americans are unemployed. Over two years later, Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected president in a landslide over Herbert Hoover. The next year, he establishes the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a government-led relief and employment program for young men. The following month, in April 1933, the National Industrial Recovery Act is introduced into Congress, and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration is created. That’s followed by the development of the Civil Works Administration (CWA), a wide scale program designed to employ up to four million people. August 1935 sees the birth of the Social Security Act. By the time President Roosevelt is elected to an unprecedented third term in November 1940, the United States is supporting Britain’s efforts to stave off a war-hungry, German regime. Just over a year later, America is drawn into World War II, jump-starting U.S. industry and bringing the Great Depression to an end.

Mark Harris

WHEREAS, faith-based and non-profit organizations have a long history of providing support and services to vulnerable populations; and WHEREAS, government has an important but limited role in providing benefits, goods and services and the community-at-large is the principal problem-solver and is essential to the economic and social success of individuals; and WHEREAS, partnerships with faith-based organizations are critical to strengthening individuals and families, increasing self-sufficiency and strengthening communities; and WHEREAS, collaboration among state agencies and faith-based and non-profit organizations to provide community resources improves the overall quality of life in Arizona. In essence, this Executive Order is saying we have come full circle: “Christians, we need your help. Please, come, and offer yourselves to help others.” 4Tucson advocates that Christians are part of the solution to the ills of our community. 4Tucson has a structure in place with 12 Domains, and we’re looking for Christians who want to get involved in creating solutions for the city. We are asking you to plug into one of these domains and start working with other like-minded Christians to identify existing problems and come up with solutions that will make both the city and the state a better place to live. Scripture tells us, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NIV). It’s a biblical truth: if you want to be the greatest in the Kingdom of God, you must become servant of all. As we head into 2015, you have an opportunity through 4Tucson to do good works and let God get the credit. The government and others in our city are asking for our help. This could be our finest hour.

Executive Director, 4Tucson

But something else happened in that pivotal decade. Americans transferred their reliance for help from Christian churches to the federal government. All of those programs—from the CCC to the CWA to Social Security—cause U.S. citizens to view the government as their savior and deliverer from difficulty. Pastors saw no problem with this; at that time, there was no adversarial relationship between churches and the government. Fast forward to 2014. Now, reliance upon government to meet its citizens’ basic needs has depleted the government’s resources. From the federal to the state to the city level, government can no longer help everyone. Arguably, the government’s ability to meet people’s needs has reached its limit, much like the limit was reached for churches in the 1930s. That’s what makes Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s Executive Order 201406 so refreshing. Released earlier this year, the order establishes the Governor’s Office of Faith and Community Partnerships and the Arizona Council on Faith and Community Partnerships. Here are the first five paragraphs of this Executive Order. Read every word carefully. It’s significant to what I’m going to ask you to do as we head into 2015. WHEREAS, the recent fiscal crisis significantly impacted the State of Arizona, including services relied upon by children, elderly, disabled and low-income residents; and

Now, reliance upon government to meet its citizens’ basic needs has depleted the government’s resources. From the federal to the state to the city level, government can no longer help everyone. - Mark Harris, Executive Director, 4Tucson

Answer the call! First, join 4Tucson by becoming a monthly partner. Partnerships start at just $10 per month. Next, choose a Domain and get involved. Join us in praying for God to be glorified in our city through His people. I have talked with a lot of Christians who say they intended to join 4Tucson but haven’t. It’s said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Good intentions are not going to help people. 4Tucson is calling you to be part of the solution. Go to www.4Tucson.com and join today. 4Tucson needs you! Our city needs you! God created you for such a time as this!

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