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Reverend Frank Rose

May 12, 2003

It is with very mixed feelings that I sit down to write my last report as Pastor of Sunrise Chapel. I feel sadness when I think of coming to the end of this phase of my life. I feel nostalgia as I look back on the events of the last twenty-one years. And I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment-OUR accomplishment as a congregation.

In July 2002 we reported a congregation of 309 people, with an average at worship of 111. Our facilities include a beautiful Chapel, an extensive Friendship Hall, Gazebo, Children's Playground, Memorial Garden, Wedding Garden, and Path of Faith. There is a strong staff and a full program of activities. This is such a contrast with the congregation 21 years ago. In 1982 there was a total of about 60 people in the congregation. The average attendance at worship was 18. The congregation worshiped in a little church on Country Club and Presidio, with a very small parking lot. The former Pastor, the Rev. Roy Franson, divided his energies among many congregations in Arizona, West Texas, New Mexico and Southern California. People were very discouraged about the future and some thought that the group was too small to warrant its own pastor.

How did we go from 1982 to 2003? Going back over the history, I found far too many things to mention. Here is a selection of some of the key events, year by year.

1982

I visited Tucson for a week in April, and Louise and I moved here in June. I became the first full time pastor the group ever had.

We started off in the fall with a series of brain storming sessions. The first dealt with the question, "Why grow?" At the second we looked at our assets, and what we have to share. Then we listed barriers to growth and began to remove one barrier after another. I also made a point of having a one on one visit with almost every adult in the congregation.

1983

At a special meeting in January the congregation formally voted that growth would be our chief priority. Tackling the challenges we came across in discussing barriers to growth, we made improvements to the chapel.

We started having Ushers (the first one was Bob Walko), and initiated serving refreshments after church.

On January 9th we officially opened our Sunday School. At first it was held in our home a mile from the church. Then we bought a trailer, put it on the church property, added a carpet and speaker so that the nursery people could hear the sermon, and labeled it "Rainbow House." Marlene Thompson was our first Sunday School head.

We began advertising. We improved our parking lot by trimming trees, fixed the roof and made other improvements to our facilities.

That summer our first family camp, The Arizona Mountain Camp was held on Mt. Lemmon.

1984

Continuing to work our way through the list of barriers, we made changes in our worship service, continued to make improvements in the building, bought 50 matching chairs, and did things to make our facilities more comfortable and attractive.

We brainstormed about new programs, and continued to remove barriers to growth. One was our name, which up to then had been: "The Tucson Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem." It took almost a year of meetings to arrive, on October 21, at the name "Sunrise Chapel." We hired a professional artist to create our logo.

After a series of five house meetings we arrived at this Statement of Purpose:

The purpose of SUNRISE CHAPEL is to promote the worship and love of the Lord Jesus Christ, the growth of His kingdom on earth, and the understanding of His will as revealed in the Bible and the Writings given through Emanuel Swedenborg. To this end services of worship and other activities will be provided which support personal spiritual growth and sharing with others in love and understanding. Adopted Oct. 1984

As part of our new offerings, we gave a course on spiritual growth, which we called "The Personal Growth Group." This year we formed an Evangelization Committee, creating a rack for display of literature for new people. Gussy Germain, Irene Gonnason and I made a modest beginning going door-to-door telling people about our chapel. Several people responded to our invitation and came to church.

This was the year a couple who were not part of the congregation asked if I could perform their wedding. This I did, and the wedding ministry ahs been an important part of our work ever since.

1985

By 1985 it was clear that we needed to start planning for a new building, so we formed a Building Committee ender the leadership of Ken Lee. The committee selected an architect and began brainstorming about our building needs. That year I also recorded a series of one-minute inspirational talks on a Christian Radio Station (KVOI). These were aired three times a day, five days a week, for about three months.

We got our first computer with contributions, especially from Mr. Bob Merrell. I became President of the Tucson Ministerial Association.

1986

By 1986 our building project was well under way. We had many meetings to plan for the move. We purchased property, said goodbye to the little church on Country Club Road, and worshiped in the Masonic Lodge on Pantano and 5th street for several months.

Groundbreaking took place on July 26th, and by Christmas the building was almost complete. We had our Thanksgiving service in the outdoor worship area (the wedding garden).

1987

This was a very special year. The construction that had started in the fall of 1986 was completed in January. We started having services in February, and the dedication took place on Saturday, March 14th.

As soon as we moved into the new building, we engaged a Secretary to work in the little office in the Chapel. Suzanne Coughlin kindly took this job, and came to be known fondly as Suzy Secretary.

During 1987 we put a big emphasis on small group activities. In preparation I gave a course on Leadership, to train people in the most effective ways of leading small groups. We had a number of groups for various needs-parents, couples, young people, etc.

We took the step of incorporating and becoming a Society (prior to that we were called a circle).

After the building was dedicated we still had things to do, like adding a communion rail, buying small tables, buying the organ which we had rented for the dedication, and so on.

1988

In 1988 I finally stopped making trips twice a month to Phoenix. For five years I had conducted worship in Phoenix twice a month. Church in Phoenix was held in the afternoon, and so I was able to conduct worship in both congregations on the same day. Much as I loved working with the congregation in Phoenix, it was a great relief to be able to focus all my attention on Sunrise Chapel.

Gradually during the year we added to our furnishing. We bought 100 red chairs for the chapel, and Stanford and Sylvia Lehne gave us a new pulpit.

Rather than continue to use the Liturgy, we created a series of service leaflets, and started using a weekly bulletin insert for announcements.

Our choir first preformed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Perhaps the most significant development of 1988 was the beginning of the "Spiritual Growth Group", which began in the fall and continued to be developed throughout the next few years.

1989

Words "Sunrise Chapel" were added to the tower, and a cross, to identify us as a Christian church. In the fall we had 3 meetings called: "Renewing the Vision."

"The vision has to do with what a church community can be and what the people in it can do for each other. It also has to do with how a beautiful building can enhance and contain that vision. Our vision has carried us far and we have all benefited. It seems like a good time to renew the vision, to remember what we are all about, and to get together to see how to bring it even more into reality."

We bought a laser printer which improved the look of our monthly periodical "The Territorial" as well as out worship leaflets and bulletins. A new four speaker sound system was installed, and we started using nametags.

We felt bad that we had still not provided adequately for the children, and so a committee was formed to look into creating a children's playground

.

The Spiritual Growth program continued to expand, and we sent manuals for leading groups to 43 people in the United States and Canada.

In 1986 when we built the Chapel, we knew that our Friendship Hall was much too small to serve our needs. We held nursery, Sunday School, book center, class rooms, patio sales, etc., all in one small room. This is why, just under three years after we started worshiping in the new building, we formed another building committee to sole the problem. We looked at all kinds of options before deciding to enlarge Friendship Hall.

1990

This year we were feeling the need to adopt some major project. After considering four possibilities we settled on having an adult care home, which we called "Sunrise House". It was run by Mary Iverson, and at first was held in the home of Carol Pierce.

This year we bought an additional 50 chairs to bring the total in the chapel to 150.

In August we published the first number of the Spiritual Growth periodical called: "The Upper Chamber" with Louise Rose as editor.

1991

This is the year we began holding weekly Staff Meetings. It was also the year we had out first student for the ministry-Simpson Darkwah, with his wife, Florence. They were here for a term, before completing his studies in Bryn Athyn, PA and going back to his home country of Ghana.

Our beloved Secretary, Suzi (Suzanne Coughlin) was forced to retire for health reasons. Fortunately we found a replacement, Billie Baty. We increased the Office hours from 16 to 30 hours a week.

We also obtained a high speed tape copier to make sermons available immediately after the service, and to circulate to any who requested them.

We did some brainstorming about our music program, and established a book center under the direction of Herb and Laura Kaler.

1992

Doug Schulze and Sally Thomas put lights in parking lot. A new roof was put on both buildings, and ceiling fans were installed in Friendship Hall.

By October our new building committee under Mike Brown had come up with a design and model of the new addition to Friendship Hall.

Jim and Shareen Blair arrived in the fall of this year. Shareen took over as organist, and started our Sunrise Chapel choir.

We did some preliminary work on the Path of Faith, and established a contributions committee.

1993

Early in the year we hosted a Seminar for clergy wives-17 women from other centers attended, including Mary Alden from Dawson Creek, British Columbia.

The Building committee submitted a building expansion plan, and started work on the playground.

We experimented with two services, one at 9 a.m. and the usual one at 11 a.m. with Sunday School in between. This did not work very well. People would come to church and wonder where every one was.

Sadly our project, Sunrise House, was forced to close its doors at the end of April due to financial and licensing difficulties.

Our young people's group, Y.E.S. under the leadership of Billie Baty and Betsy Gladish, was very active.

At Easter we inaugurated the first stage of the Path of Faith-with a bench and a sign with the quotation: "To feel the joy of another as joy in oneself, that is loving" (DLW 47).

In the fall we had three meetings to work on being more effective as a community. The notice of the meeting said: "We invite you to participate in three meetings on Community to be held on Saturday September 25, Saturday October 9, and Saturday October 16 at Sunrise Chapel. The overall aim of the meetings is to come together and discuss, mainly in small groups, how we can become a more effective spiritual community. Each one of us has gifts and hour higher inner self yearns to share those gifts with others."

1994

This year Jennifer Lindsay, of Pittsburgh, came to help with Sunday School and the youth group, and later, the Rev. David Lindrooth arrived with his wife, Aven and their family, to become the Associate Pastor of Sunrise Chapel. In October our contractor, Dick Furlow started construction on the building extension. David Kline led a group that built the gazebo, as a way of providing some meeting space during construction.

This year I went on retirement pay. This did not affect my work load. It simply meant that I was being paid mostly out of pension funds, which made it easier for the congregation to afford me and our new associate. We began the use of contribution envelopes, and started a pastoral care fund.

Bishop Peter Buss and his wife, Lisa, came down in late October to present Louise and me with the Glencairn Award for a lifetime of service in the Church.

This was the year that Herb and Dorothy Ridlon were baptized.

1995

The year began with a Church Growth Seminar, with guests from many places in the church.

We dedicated our new Sunday School wing, with offices, library, SundaySchool, etc., the week of March 24-26, 1995. Since we now had an Associate Pastor, we went to two services again. Early services, 9 a.m. started and continued for almost a year.

Later in the year stained glass windows by Jan O'Connor and Jim Barry were added to the Children's Chapel.

Harold Rand of Idaho put signs on the reveal strip showing where the office, children's chapel, and other places are.

In May we started talk of having a Memorial Garden. In November David Lindrooth announced that he would be leaving the following July, and so we began brainstorming about how to restructure after he leaves.

Under Richard Cooper's leadership, we put a fence around an enlarged children's playground, the "kids corral", and made plans for new equipment.

A new phone system was installed in both buildings. Thanks to Harry Hueston, we acquired folding chairs for Friendship Hall.

Under Tracy Wright we began having monthly Friday night coffee house evenings with entertainment, which was very much enjoyed.

1996

In January Mike Brown led us in a brainstorming meeting about the future, and rededication to our goals. We also brought up the possibility of having a school, which would have been led by Margot Coffin. The project was abandoned when she became engaged to be married to Seid Waddell of Ohio.

To help me cope with the loss of our Associate Pastor, Herb Ridlon became my lay administrator and Billie Baty was promoted to "administrative assistant". Sue Carr became comptroller.

We had a visit from the musician, Chris Simons, to introduce us to more contemporary music.

We formed a committee for a memorial garden, and began having prayer meetings, once a month on the 3rd Sunday, from 9:30 to ten.

This year, under the leadership of Bob Maginel, we formed "The Arizona Spiritual Growth Foundation" whose aim was "to provide growth programs and materials to as many people as possible and to support them in their spiritual, personal, and interpersonal growth."

We started a Thursday 10 a.m. drop in coffee hour and put a prayer box in the entrance hall to the Chapel.

1997

A straw bale castle for the children was designed by Randy Wade and built by the congregation.

The youth group team met monthly, led now by Stasha Braniff.

In May we finally put air-conditioning in the chapel, which until then was cooled only by evaporative coolers. What a relief!

The Women's Guild installed new kitchen cabinets.

Care for your church day was started to give people in the congregation an opportunity to help with numerous jobs in keeping our facilities in good repair.

We moved the pulpit off of the Chancel for our Christmas services at the end of 1996, and decided to leave it off.

Carol Baker put up wallpaper in the bride's room to make it more attractive.

I did a watercolor painting of Sunrise Chapel, with prints for couples who are married there.

Bob Maginel became the editor of "The Upper Chamber."

1998

Prayer time began meeting every Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m.

Our Memorial Garden Committee started meeting

.

In April Bill Fuller built a platform in Friendship Hall.

At a brainstorming meeting on November 2nd, I was urged to take two days off a week, and spend less time in counseling.

1999

July 1 Steve and Brita Conroy arrive, so that Steve could act as my assistant. He immediately began work with the young people, and the congregation.

The Swedenborg Foundation published "The Joy of Spiritual Growth" by Bob Maginel and Frank Rose.

Greg Glebe made us a Directory sign so that people arriving at the Chapel could see about the events in the Chapel and Friendship Hall.

While Shareen Blair continued as organist, Brenden Kearney and friends volunteered to play music for the interlude every Sunday, starting in September.

2000

Music was a big issue this year. We experimented with having guitar music at an ordinary service in January. And then our organist, Shareen, became ill, and eventually moved back to Ohio. This was a big blow, since she had been such a vital part of our music. We began a series of brainstorming meetings to solve the problem, ending up with hiring Brenden Kearney as our music director, supported by the group of musicians called "The Milk and Honey Generation." Brenden then started to produce new worship leaflets, and eventually took over conducting the choir.

In June Billie Baty and her fellow practitioners offered the first monthly Reiki Share program Sunday afternoon.

On September 17, we had our first annual festival of marriage, for couples married at Sunrise Chapel.

For ten weeks, David Keyworth, of New Zealand, a candidate for the ministry, helped us out.

2001

On January 28, our Memorial Garden was dedicated.

At the Annual Meeting of the congregation, Steve Conroy announced that he would be retiring as my assistant. Fortunately, the Rev. Glen Alden had expressed a willingness to come and take his place.

At my invitation, Devon Carberry sent out a questionnaire to determine some of the needs and wishes of the congregation. This led us, on May 20, to take a fresh look at our Statement of Purpose. So began another series of brainstorming meetings in which we clarified our core purpose, our values, and arrived at a fresh Statement of Purpose. Glenn and Mary Alden were able to be here for part of this vital process.

The results of all this work was:

CORE PURPOSE

To help people experience heavenly joy

CORE VALUES

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

At Sunrise Chapel we are dedicated to helping people experience heavenly joy by honoring the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, seeking His guidance through the Bible and the Writings of Swedenborg, and accepting all into a community of spiritual growth and service.

On October 28, at our Semi-Annual Meeting, we agreed on the Statement of Purpose and voted Glenn Alden as our new Associate Pastor. We did some brainstorming about things we night add or improve in our program in light of the new Statement.

This same year the carpet in Friendship Hall was replaced thanks to many generous contributions.

2002

We continued the brainstorming about our purpose as a congregation and came to the conclusion that one of the main ways of achieving our goals was to establish a small group program.

We started training leaders in March, began establishing a few groups, in April had a Seminar about groups, and soon had about 40 people in the congregation involved in small group meetings.

Since then we have had other training sessions.

I redesigned the Membership Class using small groups.

This year we added signs and benches to the Path of Faith and dedicated it to John and Betty Harmon.

Responding to a request from many people, we offered communion on the last Sunday of every month.

This year the Women's Guild bought 150 new chairs for Friendship Hall.

In the fall of 2002 it became clear to me that it was time to retire. I announced this to the congregation on November 10, and a committee was formed to find a replacement.

2003

Earlier this year, the congregation voted overwhelmingly to invite the Rev. Glenn Alden to become the new Pastor for Sunrise Chapel on my retirement at the end of June. Ever since then we have worked on making this shift.

It seems to me that the key to keeping the life and spirit of Sunrise Chapel lies in the people as much as in our new pastor and his wife. I do believe that the work we did in clarifying our values and purpose will help the congregation to grow and flourish. I also believe that our small group program will be an important factor in helping us all to know in our hearts that what has been started here will not die.

With love and thanks for 21 wonderful years,

Frank Rose