Program aims to link marriage, faith
Tucson will host the Roman Catholic Church’s Worldwide Marriage Encounter Friday, May 27, through Sunday, May 29 to encourage married couples.
The weekend at the Hilton Garden Inn Tucson Airport, 6575 S. Country Club Road, begins Friday evening and ends Sunday afternoon, according to press materials.
Registration costs $75. The deadline to register is Saturday, April 30.
For more information or to register, visit wwme-phx.org or call 477-2121.
Border topic of talk at St. Michael’s Church
St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 602 N. Wilmot Road, will host “From Border Walls to Border Lands: Environmental Impacts of U.S. Border Policy” by Dan Millis, the Sierra Club Borderlands program coordinator.
The free, hour-long talk begins 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 23.
The event is sponsored by St. Michael’s social action committee and the green committee of Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, according to press materials.
For more information, go online to smallangelstucson.org.
Public education topic of Sunday forum
Mountain Vista Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 3601 W. Cromwell Drive, along with Pima County Interfaith Civic Education Organization, will host a forum about the state’s public education 12:30 p.m. Sunday, April 24 at the free presentation, according to press materials.
For more information, visit mvuu.org.
Lawmakers to discuss Arizona, Israel policy
Christians United For Israel Arizona will host an “Arizona-Israel Policy Forum” at New Life Bible Fellowship, 4900 W. Cortaro Farms Road, 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 26.
Arizona legislators including House Speaker David Gowan, Rep. Mark Finchem, Rep. Vince Leach and Sen. Steve Smith will discuss recent legislation that prevents public agencies from contracting with companies boycotting Israel, according to press materials.
For more information available online at arizonalovesisrael.com.
Unitarian minister Dowgiert to resign
After 10 years of services, the Rev. Diane Dowgiert of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson, 4831 E. 22nd St., is resigning, despite her January plan to stay another year.
A recent total knee replacement surgery caused her to rethink that.
“It gave me pause to really think about what I want to do while I’m still able-bodied,” Dowgiert said.
Dowgiert plans to transition into interim ministry jobs at congregations around the country and hopes to move closer to her son and daughter-in-law in New Jersey.
The congregation has applied with the Unitarian Universalist Association for an interim minister to help in the search for a permanent leader.
This comes about a year after long-term debt and a budget shortfall almost forced the church to close its doors.
Donations helped raise enough cash to keep that from happening.
“The budget is always a stretch,” Dowgiert said, noting the church continues to operate despite financial struggles.
Her last day will be July 31.
“It have really enjoyed my time in Tucson, and I love this town,” she said. “It hasn’t been an easy decision.”
