In this Issue... A Mountaintop Experience
What is 4Tucson? 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. 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. 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. Our city is made up of groups of people within these domains who have expertise and unique knowledge in a variety of subjects. Each person will tend to view a specific problem from his or her own perspective. For example, if the specific problem were homelessness, a teacher 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 of 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 and discover and implement long-term solutions. Each domain has a director who coordinates the programs and projects that help create solutions to problems encountered within that domain. Visit 4Tucson.com to see a full listing and detail on each domain director.
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Interdenominational Tres Dias Weekends to engage churches citywide
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United for Tucson Local events to join Christians in prayer
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Fifty Years Changing Lives Teen Challenge of Arizona celebrates the Jesus Factor
A Gathering to Inspire The 2015 4Tucson banquet encourages attendees to “pray, serve, give”
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One man’s attempt to relocate poverty
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Damond Holt Joins 4Tucson Leadership
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Wayne’s World
New Justice Domain Director unveils three-fold vision
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More Than Worship Tucson Worship Conference to focus on creativity and intimacy with God
Preparing to Thrive, Not Just Survive
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Pastors in Covenant groups encourage unity and success
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A Craig’s List for the Christian Community Find it on TucsonKingdomConnect.org
This Village Raises Strong Kids Vail Family University unifies students, parents and the school and faith community
City Infrastructure: The Framework of Society
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The final seven of 4Tucson’s 22 goals for the city 4Tucson Magazine Winter 2015 Editor: Adam Colwell Assistant Editor: Meg Villanueva Contributing Writers: Suzette Howe, Rachel Lunsford, Janis Van Keuren, Emily Pearson, Meg Villanueva, Lily Winchester Graphic Design: Caryn Metcalf Printing: Arizona Lithographers Project Management and Production: Adam Colwell’s WriteWorks
4Tucson Magazine is published quarterly and distributed free of charge online at 4Tucson.com and in print. Copyright 2015, 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.
A Mountaintop
Experience
Interdenominational Tres Dias Weekends to engage churches citywide
Church Domain Director David Drum from atop “A” Mountain. Photo by Chloe Carlson. by Janis Van Keuren A weekend that will bring Christian renewal to churches throughout Tucson and deepen one’s relationship with the Lord is taking shape citywide. Known as John 17 Tres Dias, the weekend is the first of its kind in Tucson, according to 4Tucson’s Church Domain Director David Drum. “This retreat is consistent with our mission to unify the body of Christ citywide,” said Drum. “The approach crosses denominations, ages, and ethnic backgrounds. As Christians, we are all on the same team and we worship the same Lord.”
to be leaders, using their influence for Christ. This can be accomplished by becoming involved in our domains.” Dave Strong, a lay leader involved in Tres Dias weekends since 1975, is igniting the John 17 Tres Dias movement locally. He and Drum have worked on similar retreats in Tucson. When Strong approached Drum about a Tres Dias movement in Tucson, Drum said, “If you are looking to expand the movement in a particular denomination, I’m not interested. But if you are targeting a broad base of churches, then sign me up.”
The Tres Dias Movement started in 1972 to bring Christians into a closer, more personal relationship with Jesus. Its format is similar to Cursillo, as well as Via de Cristo and Walk to Emmaus retreats. What sets this movement apart, though, is its interdenominational character, emphasis on community, and a call to Christian leadership in the church and city.
A spiritual enthusiasm and a living connection with God on these weekends yield a mountaintop experience for participants. Strong related his own encounter with the Lord while serving on the leadership team at a recent retreat. “I had felt the Lord twisting my arm to initiate a weekend in Tucson, but I didn’t feel the affirmation until this last weekend,” he said. “When the community began singing the lyrics, ‘I will believe, I will receive the call you placed on my life, Lord,’ I knew the Lord was affirming the call.”
“Weekends encourage engagement in your local community,” said Drum. “This aligns with 4Tucson’s mission. Participants are called
The emphasis of a Tres Dias weekend is gathering together in community for the purpose of deepening each other’s relation4Tucson Magazine
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ship with Christ. There is theological instruction by clergy and lay people, encouraging the participants to dig deeper into Scripture and their own beliefs. Individuals encounter the Holy Spirit through meditative and silent moments. Participants sleep and eat at the hosting facility and refrain from outside contact. “On a weekend, about five or six people will gather around a table, sharing as community for the entire retreat,” said Strong. “A set of talks are presented by team members. The talks build on each other. The persons giving the talks have the opportunity to relate how God has acted in their lives, to talk about the hardships they may have gone through and how God has helped them, and to embrace others from different denominations realizing they can serve the Lord together. After each talk, there is an opportunity for table discussion.” “Every weekend is different because God is working individually in each person’s life for them to see, ‘God really does love me.’” Sponsors are assigned to individuals to prepare them for the weekend and to follow through afterwards. The goal is to encourage small group gatherings where people can continue the experience beyond the event, sharing God’s movement in their lives, delving into Scripture and its personal application, and relating how they have become active in their churches and community. In preparation for Tucson’s John 17 Tres Dias weekends in summer 2016, leaders as well as participants will be recruited. Leaders must have previously attended a weekend retreat. Because of this
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requirement, some of the initial Tucson leaders will come from other cities. “If you have participated in Tres Dias, Walk to Emmaus, or Cursillo, you are eligible to serve on the team,” said Strong. “Also, we are talking with people in different Tucson churches who are interested in serving as leaders. We are encouraging them to attend a weekend in Phoenix this spring. We want to get a team going here as quickly as possible.” 4Tucson will gather participants in a variety of ways. Word of mouth, information nights advertized through Church Domain newsletters, and materials available at Tucson Ministry Alliance meetings will provide information. Only 50 participants can attend each of the two weekends. According to the principles of the Tres Dias movement, men and women attend separate weekends. The men’s weekend will be held July 7-10. The women’s event is set for July 14-17. For more information about John 17 Tres Dias in Tucson, contact either David Drum (dave@4tucson.com) or Dave Strong (daveruns100s@msn.com or 520-760-3075). 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.
United for Tucson
Local event to join Christians in prayer
by Lily Winchester Every year on the first Thursday in May, Christians in the United States take time out to seek God for the country and their city. This upcoming National Day of Prayer event is no different. Local church leaders are envisioning something new that could spark catalytic change in the city. As a result of several prayer meetings that included leaders from 4Tucson and the Arizona National Day of Prayer Task Force, Apostle Jamie Benjamin of Greater Faith Church and Catherine Mark, AZNDP Pima County Coordinator, say the group agreed God was directing them to host an event that would heal the divisions Tucson and its surrounding areas had faced for so long – and United for Tucson was put in motion. “What we felt led to do for this year is for all of those smaller venues to come together as one large Body of Christ to really have a big blowout,” said Benjamin. “United for Tucson is a banner that everyone can come under to worship God and believe that revival will begin to break out in our city.”
Team United (L to R): Brian Goodall, Veronica Acosta, Rev. Lois Blei, Catherine Mark, and Apostle Jamie Benjamin. Photo by Sue Johnson.
“The passion is to come in one accord,” said Mark. “To accept each other wherever we’re at in our walk and to love unconditionally.” Benjamin emphasized the importance of unity for this event, from planning all of the way through to who attends and what will be done at the event itself. Mark said that the goal is to draw up to 6,000 people to the Tucson Convention Center Arena (TCC) from multiple generations, ethnicities, and denominations. She emphasized that this a “greater Tucson” event that includes the surrounding towns of Marana, Oro Valley, Vail, Sahuarita and Green Valley. By bringing these various groups together, it is hoped that it will help break down prejudices and barriers that keep our congregations divided. “We have all agreed that we wanted to steer away from one group being mentioned or singled out,” Benjamin said. “It’s the Body of Christ for the Tucson area.” The event will be held at the TCC Arena the evening of May 5, 2016 and will last approximately two hours. Though an official order of service has not yet been finalized, Benjamin stated that aside from times of targeted prayer, City Psalms will provide music specifically written as prayers for Tucson’s future. Benjamin also mentioned that a film will be premiered that shares stories about our local spiritual history – how God has been leading us in the past. There will also be a time of repentance, seeking God for His mercy in the ways we’ve rejected His leadership.
“It’s something that has never been done in the way we’re doing it,” Benjamin said. “It’s going to be really engaging.” The event is already being promoted on Facebook and by word of mouth. Promotional items such as fliers and posters are being created and printed. The cost of the event is being covered through donations and other fundraising efforts in order to keep it free to the public. “In our walk with Christ, the most important thing is that communication link through prayer,” said Mark. “That’s why I believe this National Day of Prayer is such an amazing event.” “Our city is ready for a large-scale event bringing Christians all across our community together in unity,” explained Brian Goodall, 4Tucson’s Prayer Domain Director. “So many people are hungry for this type of gathering and the time seems right.” “This has really been overdue,” said Benjamin. “We are hoping that this event will kind of be a catalyst for God to do powerful works in Tucson.” If you have a desire to help contribute financially to United for Tucson, please contact Brian Goodall at brian@4tucson.com. Lily Winchester is a third-generation Arizona Wildcat, graduating in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Her passion is to inform people with the truth. She is also very involved in her church and its ministries. 4Tucson Magazine
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Fifty Years Changing Lives Teen Challenge of Arizona celebrates the Jesus Factor by Suzette Howe A vital part of Tucson and a major component of the city’s legacy of para-church outreach, Teen Challenge of Arizona is commemorating a half-century of service, a reality Executive Director Snow Peabody says is overwhelming. “Teen Challenge of Arizona stayed true to our mission to reach troubled youth and adults with a real message of hope and certainty that faith in Jesus Christ could change their lives,” Peabody said. “Evangelism is such a vital part; we don’t just wait for them to come to us.” School and youth group programs like Stay Sharp drug prevention program exist to set people free from addictions early in life, while Redeemed 2 Repeat is for students who go through the Teen Challenge program to stay connected afterward. “It’s always been the power of God and even the government did an actual study of Teen Challenge back in the mid-seventies,” Peabody said. “They told us, ‘The thing that makes Teen Challenge different than anything else is the Jesus Factor.’” Ladelle Peabody, Snow’s wife of 39 years, is a huge proponent of that factor, actively involved directing the Teen Challenge Choir. David Wilkerson created Teen Challenge in 1958 in Brooklyn, New York. Wilkerson wrote the famous book, The Cross and the Switchblade,” addressing drug issues that weren’t talked about in the Christian church. After hearing about the ministry, Bob Stewart founded Teen Challenge of Arizona in 1965. Later, Johnny Sanchez, Director of the Phoenix Men’s Center, met Peabody, a University of Arizona student, and introduced him to street culture. Peabody volunteered with Sanchez until the Lord directed him to begin the Tucson Men’s Center in 1971. An expansion into residential care became a reality for the Tucson Men’s Center when Pastor John Casteel of Grace Chapel made the Esperanza House, a men’s home the church operated out of the old Thunderbird Motel on Oracle Road, available to Peabody. “Our board and staff were praying to expand our services 6
4Tucson Magazine
from a 750-square foot office on Fourth Avenue, but taking over a $30,000 note was impossible,” Peabody said. “Then board member Ray McAllister spoke up at a meeting and mentioned a note totaling $30,000 that he had to renew in a few days. He donated it, making the property available to obtain!” One of the thousands of people served since then through Teen Challenge of Arizona is Jeff Richards. Casteel referred him to the program. “My girlfriend dropped me off at the center on Oracle and we both knew I needed help; that was my introduction to Teen Challenge,” Richards said. “We decided to stick with it, I stayed a year, and God brought us back together, so that gal who dropped me off is my wife of 27 years.” Richards is now Director of Operations and his wife Tiffany is the Teen Challenge of Arizona Fiftieth Anniversary Coordinator. Other residential outreach successes include the Springboard Home for Youth in Crisis directed by Dr. Tori Ferrari, a former graduate of the home; and the Christian Life Ranch in New River north of Phoenix, property that was a gift from the O’Rielly Family Foundation. Teen Challenge’s women and children’s program is now located in Casa Grande at the Home of Hope. All of the Teen Challenge Centers are debt free. Suzette Howe develops marketing and graphic materials, promotional campaigns, image branding and product displays. She is married, has three children and lives in Tucson
Then and Now: Teen Challenge of Arizona’s Snow and Ladelle Peabody
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A Gathering to Inspire
The 2015 4Tucson banquet encourages attendees to “pray, serve, give” by Rachel Lunsford 4Tucson hosted its annual banquet September 15 at the Skyline Country Club in the Catalina Foothills. 4Tucson Marketing Director Francine Rienstra said the location was chosen “because of the view of the city, and because 4Tucson is an organization that wants to create change in the city, to mobilize Christians across the city, to make an impact on areas of importance…to help follow God’s plan to change things for the better.” Current 4Tucson partners, their friends, and those interested in learning more about the organization’s mission gathered to learn about 4Tucson and the work it has been doing over the past year. The event theme was “Pray, Serve, Give” – three ways people can be involved to support 4Tucson in being a catalyst for positive change. Rienstra said they showed three videos at the event—one about each area—inspiring attendees to get involved in whatever ways they can and encouraging those who have already partnered with them. First, 4Tucson asks people to be involved in prayer. 4Tucson Prayer Domain Director Brian Goodall spoke in one video about a group of people who met to pray for rain in Tucson. He went on to say that as the group was faithful to ask God for rain, God provided – often on the same day or in the same week as their prayer meetings. Looking at the statistics of rainfall in the both the Tucson area and in the greater Colo-
rado River Basin, Goodall states that prayer has had a noticeable effect. 4Tucson also urges people to serve. Kevin Bredehoft, a ChurchSchool Partnerships volunteer, spoke in his video about the need for service. “It’s amazing to see,” Bredehoft said, “how … God has utilized people from secular society and from churches to establish a program [for refugee tutoring] basically from the ground up. It was evident to me from reading Scripture: God calls us to action.” Finally, 4Tucson encourages people to give. “Fearless giving is generous giving,” Goode says, “and it blesses the giver.” Beth and Jim Weisert, a couple featured in the video, reinforced the theme of giving, saying they learned that though they had thought they were generous, God had called them to much more. Both Rienstra and Goode noted the powerful impact of one of the banquet’s final moments. Pastor Warren Anderson of Living Water Ministries asked everyone to turn around, look out the window, and pray for the city. In the darkened evening, the lights of Tucson were spread out like a glittering blanket. It was “an incredible visual,” Rienstra said. Goode expressed awe at the chance to “send our prayers out over the city,” praying for each domain and each area of concern. “It was magical,” she said. Rachel Lunsford is a freelance writer living in Prescott, AZ. 4Tucson Magazine
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DESERT
CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS
Discipling Young People to Make a Difference in Their World
Wayne’s World One man’s attempt to relocate poverty by J. Michael Davis, Social Services Domain Director My second full-time ministry assignment was at Second Baptist Church in Ponca City, Oklahoma. It was your typical all-white, middle class, small town church. They had a commemorative centerpiece of fresh flowers at the altar every Sunday morning donated by a church member, flanked by a huge white Bible. The auditorium was bathed in a luminous golden light like that of Heaven. All the women wore their best dresses and the men wore suits and ties. It was Church World to them as it was meant to be, but this idyllic world was about to be disturbed by a man named Wayne. No one knew where Wayne came from. We knew he lived in a cardboard box somewhere near the church and that he had somehow taken an affinity to attending our little church regularly – a little too regularly. Wayne had a hygiene problem. You could walk around the church and know where Wayne had been by the residual odor, a mixture of nicotine and perspiration. Wayne also muttered incomprehensibly to add to our Southern discomfort. In short, Wayne’s World was colliding with ours.
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It somehow became my assignment as director of music and youth to solve the Wayne problem. I decided the best course of action was to find Wayne a home, preferably several miles away. I found a rescue mission near the Stockyards in Oklahoma City that would take Wayne. When Wayne found out he was thrilled. “Road trip!” he yelled. I’ll never forget the day I drove Wayne to Oklahoma City with all the windows rolled down hoping to ventilate the odor while poor Wayne was in the back seat as happy as a lark. I drove up to the homeless shelter, said my goodbyes (sans hugging, for obvious reasons), and dropped Wayne off, thinking I had done both my Christian duty and the church a favor. Poverty can’t be relocated like Wayne was. We can write a check, donate clothes and give away food, but after the money is gone, the clothes wear out and the food is consumed, poverty remains. It’s an endless cycle. We won’t be able to break the cycle of poverty unless we can relate to it, understand its challenges and engage with its people – people like Wayne. There is real hope for people in poverty in Tucson. Open Table is a movement where people of faith gather around an impoverished brother or sister and using their resources, connections, time and wisdom, help them help themselves out of poverty. It’s not a relief program but a transformational program that works through building trust and hope. One out of seven people in Tucson live in poverty. If you want to do something about poverty, it starts with relationships. To find out more how you can make a difference through Open Table, email me at jmichael@4tucson.com or call 520-745-4404.
Damond Holt joins 4Tucson New Justice Domain Director unveils three-fold vision by Shawn Over “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 is a theme for Dr. Damond Holt, Director of 4Tucson’s Justice Domain. Damond is also the Senior Pastor of Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, Chairman of the Interdenominational Missionary Alliance (IMA) Justice Domain, and a father of two. Damond has a three-fold vision for improving and upholding justice in Tucson: leadership held accountable by the citizenry, positive relationships between police officers and the communities they patrol, and a system that better enables criminal offenders to rehabilitate themselves with education or counseling. Soon after Damond began his new role with the IMA, news erupted with reports of civil unrest in Ferguson, Missouri. Similar stories escalated tensions that were already at the breaking point. Damond spoke with Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villasenor and they agreed that unless they worked together to take preemptive measures, Tucson could be the next city to make headlines. To put in place a model that would uphold peace and justice, Damond looked to historical examples of godly leadership. “After the civil rights movement,” Damond said, “[law enforcement] started an initiative: police were coming into the community, knowing the people by a first-name basis, getting to know their district and building rapport.” Hoops With Cops is a his brainchild: a program that brings off-duty officers into the neighborhoods they
patrol to play basketball with kids. “Hoops for Cops” is building positive interactions between police officers and youth who need help seeing potential in themselves. Initiatives like these were neglected over time, and as a result tensions in certain neighborhoods re-escalated. But Damond believes that this system can be restored and can work again. It starts with finding common ground and listening with empathy; an approach that does not tolerate political agendas. Damond also desires to see the Christian church take upon itself the privilege of mentoring youth. He cites the command in Scripture concerning the fatherless, and he knows this is a proactive step toward bringing the community together to shape a bright future. Damond quotes Proverbs 22:6, “‘Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is grown, he will not depart from it.’ There are certain principles that we should instill into children which will eventually give them a good life, because you are what you think.” Damond proposes a common-sense evaluation of individual criminal cases to determine whether, if given the opportunity, the criminals will better themselves and turn their lives around. One of Damond’s major goals is to significantly reduce recidivism, the propensity for criminals to return to crime once they are freed from incarceration. While this cannot be eliminated, it can be reduced. Shawn Over is an intern with the 4Tucson Marketing Department. 4Tucson Magazine
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More Than Worship
Conference to focus on creativity and intimacy with god by Emily Pearson God, the maker of all things, is the most creative being in the universe. So why not worship him creatively? Creativity is the theme of this year’s third annual Tucson Worship Conference. The conference, presented by 4Tucson and Worship Catalyst, is a two-day event focused on unlocking the God-given creativity every individual has to create a dynamic worship experience. It will be held February 19-20, 2016, at Twenty-second Street Baptist Church and offers over 30 different hands-on workshops and classes that focus on every aspect of worship service: instruments, technology, leadership and more. Austin Ryan, the founder and director of Worship Catalyst, says the mission of his group is to ignite worship teams in small and new churches. “Smaller churches have struggled to have any training or opportunity for someone to just pour into them on the music and creative arts side of their worship experience,” Ryan says. “We saw a need there.” After recognizing this need, Ryan and Aaron Petre, the Worship and Youth Pastor at Twenty-second Street Baptist Church, were inspired to start a conference that could reach a wider group of churches all at once. At the same time, Francine Rienstra, former Media and Arts Domain Director of 4Tucson, and her team were working on a similar project. After deciding to collaborate, the Tucson Worship
Restoring Lives, Renewing Hope
Conference was established. Unifying Christians who are in the performance genre is the goal of both 4Tucson and Worship Catalyst, Rienstra says, adding that the past two conferences have been extremely successful. “People walked away going, ‘Wow, that was the best thing ever!’” This year’s conference, Petre says, promises to be “different from any year we’ve done before. It’s gonna be fresh.” Equipping worship leaders with a deeper knowledge of how to lead worship is one focus of the conference. Jeff Crandall, Worship Pastor at Saguaro Canyon Church, provides this kind of worship leader training through Worship Catalyst. He stresses the importance of making sure worship leaders and teams are fed spiritually. “Music is secondary to a person’s love for God,” he says. “Your ability to lead is better when you’re tight with God.” The theme of creativity is important to leadership, too. “When you’re creative it helps people listen better,” says Crandall. “When we are creative, we are furthering the cause of Christ.” Four different types of classes will be featured at the conference: creative gift development, leadership development, creative worship development, and spiritual development. Ticket prices are available at www.tucsonworshipconference.com. Emily Pearson is a student at the University of Arizona.
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Preparing to Thrive, Not Just Survive Groups encourage unity and success by Rachel Lunsford Across Tucson, members of small groups called Pastors in Covenant meet on a monthly basis to experience a safe place filled with prayer, encouragement and support. Glen Elliott, Lead Pastor at Pantano Christian Church, participates in three such groups. “I really think every pastor needs to be in a group like this,” he says. Elliott says Pastors in Covenant groups cultivate trusting relationships, encourage pastors to live in harmony, allow for accountability if a pastor asks for it, and are places where pastors can share and seek advice and prayer. The groups Elliott participates in are comprised of lead pastors since, he explains, peers are best able to understand and support each other. “The best part [about these groups] is I have a bunch of really good friends,” Elliot says. “I could call any of these guys and talk about anything, and just say, ‘Hey, I’m struggling,” or ‘I’ve got a question. What do you think I should do here?’ We do that all the time with each other.” Elliott says the groups are small to allow for a more personal and intimate connection. He recommends a maximum of five participants. In Elliott’s case, the groups meet once a month at local restaurants that provide adequate privacy and quiet. Through the months, Elliott says, they alphabetically rotate through the members of the group, each taking turns hosting the meeting. The host begins with prayer and pays for the group’s meal so they can be courteous to the staff and avoid splitting the check. Another benefit of these groups, Elliott says, is that they take away “possibilities of evil that can be used to get us off track, discourage us, and frustrate us.” He described how, by building these close friendships with other senior pastors, gossip can be thwarted. Elliott also explained that if a person needed to leave his congregation, he would refer that person to one of the churches pastored by another in the covenant group, and they would do the same. “They’re very supportive,” Elliott said of the others in his groups, “and because we’re not in competition, they can encourage me and pray for me.” Despite denominational differences, these pastors desire to work together in harmony. “There’s a basic willingness on the part of a person [in these groups] to want to be a part of something bigger than themselves and not be isolated,” Elliot says. “We never have an issue with attendance, because the guys want to be there. They really value the time.” Elliott has encouraged other pastors to start such groups because of how valuable they have been. “These groups happen to be lead pastors,” he says. “But there’s no reason why student pastors couldn’t do that, or children’s pastors, or anybody. There are no rules to it. Anyone can start one.”
Dear Pastor, As a leader, you realize that people are at their best when you invest the time to pour into them. But who regularly pours into you? There often isn’t anyone to call when you are the one in charge. That’s why many pastors burn out. There is a better way than doing it alone. Coaches are catalysts for helping you become your best. That’s why CEOs, athletes and artists hire them. Timothy had Paul. Mark had Barnabas. Who’s coaching you? Want to know more? Contact Dennis of 4Pastors Coaching to learn when our next Introduction to 4Pastors Coaching is happening. Dwatson48@msn.com Sponsored by 4Tucson
“We’re most vulnerable when we’re alone,” Elliott concludes, “but these groups build friendships that help us to thrive, not just survive.” Rachel Lunsford is a freelance writer living in Prescott, AZ. 4Tucson Magazine
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A Craig’s List for the Christian Community Find it on TucsonKingdomConnect.org
RuthAnn Smithrud outside St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Photo by Sue Johnson. by Meg Villanueva Does your church have an extra refrigerator? Does your new preschool need supplies? Are there a few dozen chairs in your basement that need rehoming? Do you need a new job? Try TucsonKingdomConnect.org! The five-month-old website began to take form when David Drum, 4Tucson’s Church Domain Director, realized that there are resources, needs, and opportunities in the Christian community. “The problem is, we don’t know who needs them. If there’s a new startup community, we don’t know who has things available to meet their needs.” As Church Domain Director, he has received dozens of requests. “I make the connection, but I become the bottleneck because of time commitments on my part.” A solution needed to be found—a way to eliminate the middleman and allow people to communicate with each other directly. That solution came in the person of RuthAnn Smithrud. Smithrud, Local Outreach Director at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, met with Drum in 2014, and during their conversation it was mentioned that the Christian community needed an online clearinghouse that could share resources, needs, and job opportunities. “I just kept getting prompts from the Lord to do this website,” Smithrud said. “Now, I am not a ‘tech guru’ of any kind, but I knew that I could do something. Dave was my cheerleader who would push me. Finally, I had the time, so I sat down and did it.” Smithrud says it is time for someone who is a tech wizard to get involved. “I’m looking for a volunteer – eventually more than one. I see this person as being retired and ready to serve. Technology is 12
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their strength, and they are ready and able to build this kind of website.” Drum and Smithrud hope TucsonKingdomConnect.org will quickly outgrow its capacity and would like to see more sophisticated search capability so that people who need can be connected easily with people who have. Of course, TucsonKingdomConnect.org is only useful if others know about it, and Smithrud and Drum agree that publicity is a problem. Right now, Drum promotes it in his Church Domain newsletter, but Smithrud would like to see it in the newsletters of other 4Tucson domains and promoted through other organizations. The more promotion, the better the website can serve the Christian community. “There is a big population of people that have,” Smithrud says. “They don’t know what to do with the things that they already have when they want to buy something new or downsize. We need to take advantage of the gifts God has given them and allow them to be used by others. That’s where the heart of God comes in—His desire to bless people.” For more information about TucsonKingdomConnect.org or to volunteer your technological expertise, please contact Dave Drum at dave@4tucson.com or RuthAnn Smithrud at rsmithrud@sapctucson.org. Meg Villanueva is a published editor, author, poet, and inspirational speaker on the subject of wholeness. Learn more about Meg at megvillanuevasnewwaywriting.com.
The Village Raises
Strong Kids Vail Family University unifies students, parents and the school and faith community
Dr. Kevin Leman shares with parents at Vail Family University. Photo by Chloe Carlson. 4Tucson Magazine writer Suzette Howe was asked to attend Vail Family University August 14 and share the event with you from her point of view.
and Partner’s Love Language,” highlighting the options of Quality Time, Loving Words, Kind Actions, Physical Affection, or Thoughtful Presents.
Joining parents for Vail School District Night Out was a joy! We participated in the Vail Family University, a unique collaboration between the district, faith community, teachers, parents, and students. The motto in the Vail School District is that “education is a community effort.” Vail Family University was designed to help encourage and strengthen families while demonstrating the vital partnerships Vail has with the faith-based community.
The second class I chose was “College: A Means to an End, not an End in Itself.” We were immediately engaged in “bell work” answering a few questions, and then we viewed an information-packed presentation to further assist parents through the college selection process. The presenters did thorough research and were willing to work with parents and students to ensure more informed decisions toward college and future careers.
Vail Superintendent Calvin Baker envisioned and began this event 15 years ago, but this year it went to a new level with 15 sessions on Parenting, Finance, Health, Marriage and Education taught by local experts prepared to “Educate – Equip – Empower” the community.
Back in the auditorium, we enjoyed dessert and a fun-filled time with Dr. Kevin Leman. He shared several topics he believes are critical for parents. “Kids have an agenda, and they know all your soft spots,” he said as he encouraged parents to get smart and get involved with their children. “Kids view themselves as social equals. Step up and be the parent you need to be.” Leman said the Vail District should be a model for the entire country.
Cienega High School was buzzing with energy as attendees arrived. Childcare was available with colored armbands for security. At check in, we received an informative pamphlet mapping out the classrooms and where each of the 15 sessions and two breakout sessions were going to be held. In the auditorium, parents were asked to select the two session subjects most important to them. Between the selected sessions, student volunteers served a dinner of garden salad, baked ziti pasta and bottled water. It felt like I was in high school all over again. 4Tucson Education Domain Director Bernadette Gruber was part of the Vail Family University Committee and was on duty that evening. She asked me to attend the “Reigniting Your Romance” class, where we received a beneficial hand out on better communication in marriage. In addition, a worksheet was offered: “Discover Your Own
Heather Stough was director of the event and demonstrated brilliant organization skills delegating the overall flow of volunteers. Ben Pitney, Lead Pastor for Vail Christian Church, says members of his church have attended this event for 12 years “building a heritage and culture that is good, appropriate, received, and an accepted partnership because of Calvin Baker.” Emcee and committee member Jeff Logsdon mentioned how amazed he was “at the amount of people that were attentive to so many moving parts with more than 40 volunteers from the district, churches and students. I believe we need to brand this event and continue to make it even better each year!” 4Tucson Magazine
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Nearly 30 Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) students attended the LeCrae concert on August 7. 4Tucson, through donors and community partners, provided the TUSD equity departments with tickets to share with students and chaperones. The TUSD African American Student Services Department reached out to parents of students who had participated in their STEM Summit and STEM summer program to attend. With parent permission, the department secured a bus and transported 28 excited students to and from the Tucson Convention Center for the concert. On the bus ride back, department specialists Richard Langford and Marilyn McGlory talked with students about their experience. They discussed LeCrae’s background as an artist, songs they had not heard, their impressions of the concert and the possible impact on their lives. “It was fun to go to my first concert and hear uplifting songs,” said Octavius Thomas, an eighth-grader at Rollins K-8 School. Other students echoed similar thoughts, stating that LeCrae’s music is very different from other rappers because he does not sing about gangs, shootings and drugs. Some students focused on the stage lighting and how the lights changed based on the music and LeCrae’s energy. Report provided by Jimmy Hart, Director of TUSD African American Student Services. 14
4Tucson Magazine
Inside the rattlesnake bridge east of downtown.
City Infrastructure: The Framework of Society The final seven of 4Tucson’s 22 goals for the city by Rachel Lunsford
1. Water
4Tucson is comprised of individuals who are passionate about serving as a catalyst for positive change in our city. This change comes through seeking God’s will and uniting individuals across the city into a harmonized whole. Meeting together in prayer, people at 4Tucson have come up with 22 focus areas for the city. The first 15 focus areas – relating to our Moral and Cultural Heritage as well as Community and Family Stability – were included in the last two issues of the 4Tucson Magazine. This issue features the final set which relate to City Infrastructure.
Definition: Potable and non-potable water is essential to maintain human, animal and plant life. Assured and Adequate Water Supply Programs are based on demonstration of a 100-year water supply, considering current and committed demand as well as growth projections.
City Infrastructure is the set of interconnected structural elements that provide the framework for enabling, sustaining or enhancing societal living conditions. A city’s infrastructure can allow for greater efficiency in accessing the goods, services and facilities necessary for an economy to properly function and meet the needs of its citizens.
Challenges/Issues: It is expected that Pima County will exceed two million people within the next 20 years. Access to clean potable water is a primary building block for a healthy, prosperous community. It is essential to use our water resources to serve the needs of our citizens rather than dominate or manipulate their behavior. Proper management includes developing all available water resources, protecting existing water resources from contamination, maintaining and repairing existing water delivery systems, and using various methods of conservation and reclamation.
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4Tucson Goal: Assure that Tucson has a 100-year water source for two million people.
2. Energy Definition: The capacity of a body or physical system to perform work. Energy is finite, is usually expressed in joules or kilowatt hours, and without energy, no activity is possible. Challenges/Issues: Inexpensive, available energy is critical for the sustainability and economic prosperity of our city. Inexpensive available energy provides opportunities for upward mobility, independence and self-determination for people and businesses at all levels of the socio-economic scale. 4Tucson Goal: Become energy independent and an energy exporter to other states.
Consider how you can use your gifts, talents and passions to aid improvement in these and the other focus areas. 3. Transportation Definition: The means or system by which people, goods, products, materials and services are moved from one place to another. Challenges/Issues: Transportation infrastructure is a critical ingredient in economic development at all levels of income. It supports personal well-being and economic growth. Transportation infrastructure plays a role as a capital input into production and wealth generation. The success of a business is more and more tied to the speed at which a company’s products can be moved from creation to the end user. The economic impact of good transportation infrastructure can be transformative, especially at lower levels of income. 4Tucson Goal: Become a transportation hub for the movement of interstate and intrastate goods and services.
4. Access to Capital Definition: An environment where credit is accessible and priced appropriately to allow entrepreneurs the opportunity to start, grow and expand businesses, as well as create jobs. Challenges/Issues: Small businesses employ more than half of the private sector workforce. Net new job creation from small businesses should be the backbone of our city’s economy and the heart of our city’s future. Access to capital has been, and continues to be, a key impediment to the growth of current businesses and the start-up of new businesses. 4Tucson Goal: To become one of the top tier financial centers in the Southwest where Tucsonans of every demographic have the opportunity to access capital.
5. Economic Opportunity & Development Definition: Economic development is the sustained, concerted actions of policy makers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area. Economic opportunity is the accessibility of an individual to directly participate in elevating his/her standard of living. Challenge/Issues: While economic development is a policy intervention effort with aims of economic and social well-being of people, economic opportunity is the occurrence of individual contributions to market productivity. 4Tucson Goal: To create viably tangible opportunities for upward mobility supported by public policy. 6. Natural Resource Management Definition: The implementation of effective policies for the management of natural resources – such as land, water, soil, plants and animals – with a particular focus on how management of each affects the quality of life for both present and future generations (stewardship). Challenges/Issues: Natural resource management recognizes that people and their livelihoods rely on the health and productivity of our natural resources, and their actions as stewards of the land play a critical role in maintaining this health and productivity. Environmental resource management is the management of the interaction and impact of human societies on the environment. Stewardship is the high value placed on responsible planning and management of all our community resources for the benefit of its citizens. 4Tucson Goal: To manage the resources of Tucson for the highest and best use of people.
7. Land Use Definition: The scientific, aesthetic and orderly disposition of land, resources, facilities and services with a view to securing the physical, economic and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural communities. Challenges/Issues: Arizona covers 72.6 million acres and is the sixth largest state (after Alaska, Texas, California, Montana and New Mexico). Land for future growth ought to be abundant; however, only approximately 12 percent of the state lands are in private hands. More land in private hands would expand the tax base and provide for more orderly growth around Arizona’s largest cities. 4Tucson Goal: To preserve private property rights and to encourage the conversion of 25 percent of publicly owned land into private ownership and expand the tax base. Consider how you can use your gifts, talents and passions to aid improvement in these and the other focus areas. Executive Director Mark Harris urges people to join 4Tucson in being a part of the positive change in our city. Rachel Lunsford is a freelance writer living in Prescott, AZ.
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4Tucson Magazine
Come alongside 4Tucson by advertising your business or ministry in this magazine. A variety of ad sizes and rates are available.
Contact: Francine Rienstra – 520-954-1811
No Ordinary Radio Program… “4Tucson at 4:00 is a unique radio talk show in that we don’t just look at issues affecting our city and region, we look at them with a biblical perspective,” says Mike Shaw, veteran award winning journalist and host of the “4Tucson at 4:00” Radio Show. “While we might spend time on the show identifying problems, we also see what the Bible has to say and explore solutions. How can we as Christians serve our city to make it a better place to live for all of us? That is the key question that drives 4Tucson at 4:00.”
“4Tucson at 4:00” Radio Show with Mike Shaw The Voice 1030 KVOI-AM Monday-Friday 4-5pm
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Corporate Partners 4Tucson Partner Businesses
10 Talents, LLC | 520-512-5400 Airtronics | www.airtronicsinc.com Al Vasey Agency - State Farm | www.alvasey.com Allegra of Tucson | www.allegratucson.com Bekki A. Harper | www.bekkiharper.com Christian Senior Residence Copperstate OB/GYN | www.copperstateobgyn.com Cornerstone Communities LLC | www.azsmartliving.com Crest Insurance Group | www.crestins.com Doug Newborn, Attorney | 520-390-4141 Falcon Properties | 520-240-2615 Family Life Communications Incorporated | www.myflr.org Fastsell Express LLC | 520-323-2341 Garment Graphics, LLC | www.garmentgraphics.net Good News Radio Broadcasting|www.goodnewscommunications.com Intelligent Office | www.intelligentoffice.com/arizona/tucson Jim Click Automotive Team | www.jimclick.com K.C. Eye Specialists, M.D’s, P.C | www.kceyespecialists.com Legacy Business Properties | 520-792-3113 Legal Shield | www.oatmanpw43.legalshieldassociate.com Legendre Palo Verde Behavioral Health | www.paloverdebh.com Paul Charette Reality Praise Promotions | www.praisepromotions.net Robert E Hinske CPA PC | www.hinskecpapc.com Safeguard Tucson | www.safeguardtucson.com Sandbrook Benefits Group, LLC | www.sandbrookbenefits.com Sheila Goetz, CPA | 520-405-9912 Sports Institute of Tucson | www.sportstucson.com Stone River Studio | 520-204-4044 Terry L. Cropp - State Farm Insurance | www.terrylcropp.com Thrivent Financial | www.thrivent.com Tucson Presidio Rotary Club | www.tucsonpresidiorotary.org Whole Hearted Productions | www.wholeheartedpro.com Wide Marketing, LLC Your Guidance Office | www.yourguidanceoffice.org
4Tucson Partner Churches
Abiding Savior Free Lutheran | www.abidingsaviorfreelutheranchurch.org Agape Christian Church International | www.agapecci.org Beth Sar Shalom | www.shalomtucson.org Book of Life | www.bookoflifecc.org Cactus Community Church of the Nazarene | 520-746-0929 Casa de Adoracion Tucson | www.cdatucson.org Catalina Heights | 520-499-2337 Central City Assembly Of God | www.centralcityonline.org Christ Community Church | www.ccctucson.org Christ Lutheran Vail Church | www.christlutheranvail.org Church of Jesus Christ Peniel Church On the Street, Tucson | www.cotstucson.org Desert Hope Lutheran Church | www.deserthope.org Desert Son Community Church | www.desertson.org Desert Streams Fellowship | 520-591-4286 Dios Es Bueno International | 520-661-0471 Eastside Covenant Church | www.ecctucson.org Enchanted Hills Baptist Church | www.enchantedhills.org Faith Christian Fellowship | www.fcftucson.org Faith Community Church | www.faithtucson.org Fellowship Bible Church | www.tucsonfbc.org Fountain of Life Lutheran | www.follutheran.org Fuente de Vida | 520-628-7729 Good News Community Church | www.gncctucson.org Grace Community Church | www.gracetucson.org Grace Temple Baptist Church | www.gracetemplembc.com Greater Faith | www.gfctucson.org
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Hope Community Church | www.hopetucson.com Iglesia de Dios Tiempos Profeticos | 520-358-0651 Ironwood Hills Church | www.ihcaz.org Joy in the Spirit Fellowship | 520-885-6015 Legacy Church | www.legacychurchtucson.com Light the Way Lutheran | ltwchurch.com Living Water Ministries | www.lwmaz.org Neighborhood Church | www.nctucson.com New Destiny Church International | www.dci.nu New Life Bible Fellowship | www.newlifetucson.com New Life Community Church of the Nazarene | www.nlccnaz.org Northminster Presbyterian | www.npctucson.com Northwest Bible Church | www.northwestbible.com Open Heavens Fellowship Church | www.openheavensfellowship.com Pantano Christian Church | www.pccwired.org Pathway of Hope Foursquare Church | www.pathwayofhope.net Real Life Christian Fellowship | www.reallifetucson.com Redemption Church | www.tucson.redemptionaz.com Restoration Community Worship Center | 520-314-4130 Restoring Wholeness Ministries | www.restoringwholeness.org Revolution Church | www.tucsonrevolution.com Richland Lutheran Church | www.richland-lutheran.org Rising Star Baptist Church | www.risingstarbaptist.org Saguaro Canyon Evangelical Free Church | www.saguarocanyon.org St. Andrews Presbyterian | www.sapctucson.org Sunshine Ministries Inc. The Gate Church | www.thegatechurch.com The Journey | www.journeyefc.org The Oasis Church | www.theoasischurch.net Tucson Church International | www.tucsonchurch.org Victory Outreach Church | www.votucson.com Victory Worship Center | www.vwcaz.org Vineyard Christian Community | www.vineyardcc.net 4Tucson Partner Organizations Abba’s Storehouse Foundation | 800-839-1745 Answers for Life Pregnancy Center | www.afltucson.com Arizona Baptist Children`s Services | www.abcs.org Christian Care Tucson | www.christiancare.org Christian Family Care | www.cfcare.org Community Renewal | www.transformingtucson.org Deeply Rooted Ministries | 520-808-8099 Depression Support Alliance | www.dbsatucson.org Desert Christian Schools|www.desertchristian.org Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund | www.fidelitycharitable.org GAP Ministries | www.gapmin.com God’s Vast Resources | www.gvrconnect.org Good Neighbor Ventures | www.goodneighborventures.org Gospel Rescue Mission | www.grmtucson.com Hands of Hope | www.handsofhopetucson.com Helping Hands for Single Moms Tucson | www.helpinghandsforsinglemoms.org Hermundslie Foundation | 520-749-2982 Hope of Glory | www.tucsonhope.org Human Life International Inc. | www.hli.org Injoy Thrift Stores | www.injoythriftstores.com Institute for Better Education | www.Ibescholarships.org Love Everlasting Ministries | www.loveeverlastingministries.com Love Thy Neighbor Ministries | www.ltnm.org Man Tucson Ministries | www.mantucson.com Ministry Resources Intl. | www.ministryprep.com OCJ Kids | www.ocjkids.org Pima County ECAP | www.webcms.pima.gov Southern Arizona Home Builders Association | www.sahba.org Tucson Refugee Ministry | www.tucsonrefugeeministry.com Tucson Teen Challenge | www.azteenchallenge.org United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona | www.unitedwaytucson.org Wayland Baptist University | www.wbu.edu/tucson
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