Southwest Conference UCC

Southwest Conference UCC Extravagantly welcoming & affirming followers of Christ called to embody God’s unconditional justice & love.

The Southwest Conference comprises all UCC churches in Arizona, New Mexico, and El Paso County, TX. We are an Open and Affirming Conference, proud of our Progressive view of the Gospel and the way we live that out every day. Our office staff raises the bar of excellence and provide outstanding support to the churches of this Conference. The Conference and over half of our churches have approved an

"Open and Affirming" covenant welcoming all people, without regard to sexual orientation, into the life and ministry of the congregation. Although each congregation is autonomous, we are all connected by covenant and are welcoming to all. http://www.uccswc.org/

Our Mission Statement:
Extravagantly welcoming and affirming followers of Christ called to embody God’s unconditional justice and love. No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here. Our local congregations offer a friendly welcome to visitors and newcomers. Many of our church buildings offer beautiful settings for weddings and a caring ministry to young couples. Babies are baptized as infants (we're happy to baptize young people and adults who affirm their faith and who have not previously been baptized). Children are warmly included in the life of our churches, many of which offer a children's story time during worship as well as educational programs for all ages. Children and Youth Programs:
The Southwest Conference has an active summer camping program for children and youth, as well as annual retreats for junior high and senior high. There is also an annual "Thanksgiving Alive!" service project held in different cities every year, where 150 youth from around the conference will gather to do such helping ministries as repairing low income houses, cleaning or painting a shelter for abused families, and sort food in a food bank. Conference and Church Leadership
We welcome the leadership of both men and women - we've been ordaining women to be pastors since 1853, the first US denomination to do so. The United Church of Christ has voted at its national meeting, the General Synod, to try to become a more truly multi-cultural and multi-racial church. Open and Affirming
The United Church of Christ welcomes all people without regard to racial or ethnic background or sexual orientation. Being in the Southwest, many of our congregations have a large number of active, interesting retired persons as well as singles and families.

From The Good Shepherd United Church of Christ: This evening at 5:30pm, Wednesday, June 24th the Good Shepherd UCC will...
06/24/2026

From The Good Shepherd United Church of Christ:

This evening at 5:30pm, Wednesday, June 24th the Good Shepherd UCC will host a Community Forum to Discuss Potential Data Center Developments in Sahuarita.

If you are in town, it would be great to have you physically present in our sanctuary to hear the speakers and the conversation. If you are unable to attend in person--we will live stream the Forum on our Good Shepherd page: https://www.facebook.com/thegoodshepherdsahuarita

Interest in data center development has grown rapidly across the country as demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure increases. In southern Arizona, data center development has become a growing topic of public discussion. In September 2025, the Green Valley News/Sahuarita Sun reported that the developer of Rancho Sahuarita requested and received confirmation from the Town of Sahuarita that a data center would be a permitted use on the privately owned 200-acre site west of I-19 on Sahuarita Road (Which is just 2 miles from the Good Shepherd.)

The forum will explore questions and potential impacts a data center could have on the Sahuarita community and surrounding area, including increased demands on water and electrical resources, potential air and noise pollution, and public safety concerns related to large-scale lithium-ion battery storage.

Our speakers will include:

Anna Casadei, Community Development Director for The Town of Sahuarita

Melanie Cooley, The Watershed Management Group

Speaker from Trico Electric Coop.

Reed Spurling and Glenda Avalos, No Desert Data Center

Pima County District 3 Supervisor, Jennifer Allen

Welcome to The Good Shepherd! So come, just as you are, we are expecting you!

"The word “politics” is flung as a dirty word in the church. The notion that the church is not or should not be politica...
06/24/2026

"The word “politics” is flung as a dirty word in the church. The notion that the church is not or should not be political is a false one when politics permeates the life of the church and the church has sought to influence political will throughout its history. Add to that, the prophetic witness required of the church demands being able to read and comment on the signs of the times, calling truth to power and advocating for justice in the public square."

Another church convention closed in this season of church conventions, assemblies, general conferences, general synods, and annual meetings. The

06/23/2026
“One way that I would look at this is through the words of the UCC itself: God is still speaking,” she said. “Is this on...
06/22/2026

“One way that I would look at this is through the words of the UCC itself: God is still speaking,” she said. “Is this one way that God is still speaking to us? That God is making themselves known among us? I definitely think so. I know that several of my colleagues also think so. And if so, it behooves us to understand how we might access ways that God might be making themselves known in this moment, in this time. It’s also on us as folks with lineages of Christianity and carceral logic. How might we have participated in the criminalization of medicines that, for millennia, were used in sacred rituals? Medicines that our ancestors in the Christian church then demonized, marginalized, and took away the sacred use of for so many peoples all around the country and the world?

“It matters that we have a conversation about the impact of criminalization. And what decriminalizing some of these medicines might actually look like. I think that’s on us. I think that is our work to do.” - Rev. Molli Mitchell

The Rev. Molly Baskette recalls a conversation with a mother who shared that her young adult child’s life was saved by treatment with a psychedelic

Southwest Conference time zones: 12:30 pm AZ / 1:30 pm NM & El Paso
06/22/2026

Southwest Conference time zones:
12:30 pm AZ / 1:30 pm NM & El Paso

📲 In this digital age, how do we find meaningful connections with each other and our wider communities?

Join Brooke Canada, UCC's Social Media Specialist, as we explore ways to support each other, amplify our messages of love, and encourage growth across ever-changing digital landscapes.

We’ll share tips and tricks for quick content creation, our favorite progressive Christian influencers, resources, and more! Bring your questions!

👉🏾 Register to join us live, or to receive the recording later:https://ow.ly/qVQI50ZeTQw

06/21/2026

We were honored to have Southwest Conference Minister Rev. DrToni Hawkins preach this morning for our Juneteenth Sunday!

06/21/2026
"In this new age, no one is safe or secure outside of the established norms of a white “Christian” nationalist framing. ...
06/21/2026

"In this new age, no one is safe or secure outside of the established norms of a white “Christian” nationalist framing. Being a person is not enough. Being Christian is not enough. Being a citizen is not enough. White Christian nationalism is an exclusive ideology that decides who is in and who is out, who is valued and who is deemed unworthy."

Read "More Greatness: A New Gilded Age?"
by Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson:

More Greatness: A New Gilded Age? The United States of America will commemorate its semiquincentennial anniversary on July 4, 2026. Across the nation,

The Climate Ambassador Training for Groups is free, flexible, and designed to help you connect, reflect, and gain the sk...
06/20/2026

The Climate Ambassador Training for Groups is free, flexible, and designed to help you connect, reflect, and gain the skills to speak up on faith and climate in meaningful ways. You’ll also join a network of ambassadors, with access to exclusive resources, events, and support.

Explore what’s possible: https://blessedtomorrow.org/climate-ambassador-training-for-groups/

06/20/2026

Address

PO Box 44968
Phoenix, AZ
85006

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 1pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16024683830

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