Welcome to the United Church of Sun City
Pastor's Post
All are welcome at United Church each Sunday at 10 am
for the worship and praise of God.
Greetings,
I remember July of 1969. I was
five years old when astronauts
landed on the moon for the first time.
I was at my great-grandparents’ house
watching the coverage with everyone else, until I ran outside, looked up at the moon, and ran back in to announce, "I don’t see anybody up there!"
I was reminded of that moment as I watched coverage of the Artemis II mission carrying humans all the way around the moon and back home. Another first-of-its-kind adventure. And for a moment, I noticed something unusual. Everyone seemed to be watching. There was a shared sense of wonder, curiosity, and pride. It didn’t matter who you voted for or what your background was, there was a collective "wow" with the lift-off and a collective sigh with splashdown. It felt like we were united in something bigger than ourselves.
There are few things left in our world that bring people together. Turn on the news, scroll through social media, or listen to just about any public conversation, and it doesn’t take long to find division. We seem to disagree about almost everything—how we live, how we lead, and even how we understand one another.
But every once in a while, something different breaks through. The Artemis II mission had that kind of effect.
Of course, not everyone sees it that way. Some raise very fair questions about the cost. Why spend billions of dollars on space exploration when there is so much need here on Earth? It’s a question worth asking, one that deserves thoughtful conversation.
However, perhaps it’s not an either/or, but a both/and. Because moments like these, moments when we lift our eyes up and see more than just ourselves and our feet, matter more than we think. They remind us that we are capable of dreaming together. They invite us to imagine a future not defined by our opinions and our differences, but also by our shared humanity.
In a way, that feels spiritual. Scripture often calls us to "lift up your eyes" (Isaiah 40:26, for example). This isn’t a command to ignore the struggles of the world, but to see beyond them, to remember that God’s vision for creation is larger than our present moment. When we look up, whether at the night sky or toward the promise of something new, we are reminded that we are part of something vast, interconnected, and still unfolding.
Maybe that’s part of what we have been witnessing. Not just a rocket in space, but a glimpse of what it looks like when people pause, even briefly, and share in awe rather than argument. We need more of this, more moments drawing us together instead of pushing us apart.
Because whether we are talking about space exploration or our life together as a community, hope often begins the same way, by lifting our eyes and looking toward the glory of God.
Peace,
Pastor Brady
United Church of Sun City, a congregation of the United Church of Christ, has the distinction of being the first church to be established in a Del Webb retirement community. Organized in 1960, United Church has been serving Sun City and the surrounding area since at the current location of 107th Avenue and Sun City Blvd.
Today, with an atmosphere of inclusion and care and with respect for diverse theological thought, the goal of United Church is to create a church family, while nurturing individual and collective spiritual development through meaningful biblically based worship, music, education, fellowship, and involvement of members and friends. United Church strives to provide wider community service, social justice, and responsible stewardship.
Senior Pastor Rev. Brady Abel, the United Church staff, and the entire congregation extend a special invitation to everyone for Sunday worship. All are welcome!
We're a lively congregation where age is a number and life is a gift.
- a fabulous music program
- a varied and stimulating activities program
- meaningful mission and creative outreach
- thought-provoking sermons and wonderful worship
New to United Church of Sun City? Check out our Visitors Page or watch to a recent sermon. Read our ONA statement.
In short, we're a community where people come to be part of family who worship, work, and have fun together.
The United Church of Sun City was the first church established in Sun City, Arizona. We have a well-deserved reputation for excellence in programming and warmth in our welcome. But we aren't stuck in the past! We know God is still speaking, and we are still listening! Come see for yourself.
Wherever you are on life's journey, you are welcome here!
United Church of Sun City
United Church of Sun City
11250 N. 107th Avenue, Suite 105
Sun City, AZ 85351-4002 MAP
(Corner of 107th Ave. & Sun City Blvd.)
Phone 623-933-0058 Email office@uccsc.com