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Election Protection: Poll Chaplains & Peacekeepers Needed
Arizona Faith Network is recruiting volunteers to serve as Poll Chaplains and
Peacekeepers for both the primary and general election as part of our nonpartisan Election Protection program. These faith-rooted volunteers help create safe, welcoming, and peaceful voting environments where every eligible voter can participate with
dignity and respect.
No prior experience is required. Training and support are provided through partnerships with
Election Protection Arizona and Faiths United to Save Democracy. People of all faith traditions and people of goodwill are welcome. Training sessions via Zoom will be offered on multiple dates/times
starting June 10th (today at 6pm). See the registration form below for additional dates and details.
Join us in protecting democracy, promoting peaceful civic participation, and supporting our communities during the election season.
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AFN Monday Meditation
Mondays at noon MST via Zoom
Start your week with meditation led by Bandhu, AFN's Interfaith Manager, and guests.
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Interfaith Dialogue: Shared Values in American Scripture
Thursday, June 25, 5:00 - 6:00 pm MST via Zoom
Join AFN for a series of four monthly online gatherings followed by an interfaith prayer vigil as we mark 250 years of the American experiment. Drawing on the
faith250 framework,
we will gather to reflect on texts that have shaped our history, from the call of the
New Colossus, to the promise of the Declaration of Independence and more. We will hear from diverse guest speakers and together, we will seek divine guidance to move beyond polarization and toward a future where "liberty and justice
for all" is a lived reality for every neighbor.
These conversations will also acknowledge the complex and unfinished nature of the American story. For many, the ideals of liberty and equality have been sources of hope and belonging; for others, the nation’s history carries deep wounds connected to colonization,
slavery, exclusion, and broken promises. In this series, we hold these realities together with honesty and humility, recognizing that living within the identity of the United States means wrestling with both its aspirations and its contradictions.
Register using the link below to receive Zoom information and occasional updates about the series. You may participate in as many of the five sessions as your schedule allows.
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Bags of Hope: Interfaith Heat Relief Bag Packing Events
Phoenix Area:
Sunday, June 28, 3:00 – 4:30 PM
Foothills Christian Church, Glendale
3951 W Happy Valley Rd, Glendale, AZ 85310
Tucson Area:
Sunday, July 26, 3:00 – 4:30 PM
Prince Chapel AME Church
602 S Stone Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701
Join Arizona Faith Network for a powerful, hands-on service opportunity as we come together across communities to pack Heat Relief Bags for those most vulnerable to Arizona’s extreme summer temperatures. These interfaith events are open to all who want to help
protect lives and show compassion in action.
Each event will include community-building, light refreshments, and the chance to pack bags that will be distributed through AFN’s network of Heat Relief Sites and outreach partners.
How You Can Help:
🌟 Attend and share the event
🌟 Donate – You can give funds to support supplies by
clicking
here or bring items to one of the events (see RSVP form for a list)
🌟 Ship supplies – Buy and ship directly to us from our
Phoenix
Area Amazon Wish List, our
Tucson
Area Amazon Wish List or contact Katie.Sexton@azfaithnetwork.org for shipping details.
Make a tangible difference this summer. Help pack Bags of Hope and ensure no one is left in the heat. Please RSVP using the link below so that we can keep you updated via email.
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What it Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World
Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 pm MST via Zoom
July 22nd, 29th, August 5th, 12th and 19th
Join us for our 5-week Summer Book Series on
What
it Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World. We’ll be exploring multi-faith embodiment practices and rituals from local experts and through conversations and practices, this study will help us embrace the principles
of embodiment, understand the beliefs that inform them and how we move towards a future in which healing is done in community.
This book is an invitation to help us explore our bodies, minds, and souls so we can develop the interpersonal skills necessary to break down the doors of disconnection and take the necessary risks to reshape our world toward justice.
Note: this series was originally scheduled for May 27th - June 24th.
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Protect Sacred Land and Water: No Tailings on State Trust Land
We are at a critical time in the fight to protect the sacred at Oak Flat. In the fine print of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the mining operations is that after the mine closes, the Skunk Camp tailings dam will receive no further monitoring,
inspection, maintenance, or review (click/tap
here for details).
Governor Hobbs is in a position to block Resolution Copper’s next step toward destruction. Arizona faith leaders and people of faith and spirit are invited to sign on to a letter to Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, calling on her to protect the state trust lands
in Dripping Spring Valley from destruction,
(this alert was shared with AFN by our partner,
Arizona
Interfaith Power & Light)
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WE NEED YOU: Support Extreme Heat Mitigation Funding in Arizona
Arizona is facing a growing extreme heat crisis, and we need your voice now.
Over the last several years, communities across Arizona expanded cooling and heat respite centers, transportation assistance, outreach teams, and emergency heat response systems using temporary federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Those federal
funds expire at the end of 2026.
Without continued investment, Arizona risks losing critical life-saving heat-relief infrastructure that communities across the state now rely on during dangerous summer temperatures.
Extreme heat is one of the leading weather-related causes of death in Arizona. More than 900 Arizonans died from heat-related causes in both 2023 and 2024. These deaths impacted housed and unhoused individuals alike, including seniors, outdoor workers, families,
medically vulnerable residents, and people living without reliable cooling.
We need Arizona leaders to act now and support dedicated Extreme Heat Mitigation funding in the FY2027 Arizona State Budget.
Current Proposed Heat Relief Funding:
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$4.2 million for Cooling Centers and Heat Relief Infrastructure
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$3.7 million for Heat Relief Training
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$1.5 million for Statewide Heat Call Center Operations
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$500,000 for Critical Transportation Services
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$130,000 for Statewide Heat Surveillance and Data Systems
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Contact Your Legislators
Ask: “Please support funding for Extreme Heat Mitigation in the FY2027 Arizona Budget.”
Find your lawmaker here: www.azleg.gov/findmylegislator
Share your stories:
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Experiences with extreme heat
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Cooling center or respite site experiences
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Impacts on seniors, workers, families, unhoused neighbors, and medically vulnerable residents
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Why heat relief matters in your community
Contact the Governor
Thank Governor Hobbs for supporting Extreme Heat Mitigation efforts and urge continued long-term investment in Arizona heat resilience and public health infrastructure. Contact the Governor Here:
azgovernor.gov/contact
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Documentary Screening: "Sanctuary"
Friday, June 12, 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
100 W Roosevelt St, Phoenix, AZ 85003
The RE-Humanization Project(TM) presents a Pride Month showing of Sanctuary, a feature documentary. This free event includes dinner at 6 pm, then the film at 6:45 with Q/A to follow. All are welcome.
Sanctuary is a feature-length documentary that exposes the plight of LGBTQIA+ individuals within modern faith systems— told through the eyes of a visionary architect whose passion project becomes a lifeline. As doctrine collides with identity, a sacred space
rises from rejection, offering refuge and hope. Alongside his journey, scholars and spiritual leaders from a variety of religious traditions share how they are transforming their institutions to welcome the marginalized and reimagine what it means to belong.
Click on the link below for more info and to reserve your spot.
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National Weekend of Prayer and Action for Elder Justice
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is observed annually on June 15 to raise global awareness about the abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of older adults. Elder abuse impacts more than 1 in 10 older adults annually. Often hidden and rarely
discussed elder abuse leaves many older adults and families suffering in silence. Faith leaders and faith communities can play a critical role in breaking the silence and supporting older adults who may be experiencing abuse.
Safe
Havens and the National
Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) have come up with some easy ways to spread the word, take action and increase justice. From suggested newsletter articles and social media posts, to ways to share and connect, there are many ways to break
the silence around elder abuse and promote Elder Justice in your community.
In addition, you're encouraged to participate in the 5th Annual National Weekend of Prayer and Action for Elder Justice, June 12-14. Safe Havens has provided
non-denominational
prayers as well as some information that explains the importance of addressing elder justice. To learn more, visit Safe Havens'
WEAAD
page (which also includes resources in Spanish) and
NCEA's
WEAAD site.
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AI, Faith & Our Shared Earth
Sunday, June 28, 2:00 - 3:00 pm PT (same as MST) via Zoom
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming nearly every aspect of our lives - from how we work and communicate to how we learn, build community, and understand ourselves. Yet AI also carries significant environmental costs, including the growing energy
demands of data centers, alongside profound questions about human relationships, spirituality, attention, and responsibility.
This upcoming conversation will create space for participants to reflect together on both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI. Through a faith-rooted lens, we will explore how communities can engage emerging technologies with wisdom, compassion,
and care for the Earth. Participants will have the opportunity to share their own experiences and concerns, learn from one another, and consider what responsible stewardship of technology might look like in an increasingly AI-shaped world.
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Position Available: Chaplain for Adobe Mountain School
The Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) is seeking a Chaplain II to provide spiritual care, religious programming, and pastoral counseling to juveniles at Adobe Mountain School. This role supports the holistic development and rehabilitation of
youth by addressing their spiritual and religious needs while coordinating interfaith religious services and resources. The Chaplain works collaboratively with facility staff, volunteers, and community religious leaders to create a supportive spiritual environment
that respects diverse faith traditions. They also provide crisis and counseling services to youth. The position closes on June 16.
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The coming week (today through next Tuesday) brings the following observances:
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Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Sikhi) – June 16
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First of Muharram (Islam) - June 16-17
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Please consider making a tax-deductible gift to AFN today! Your partnership makes our Arizona community thrive.
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