Dear members and congregants,

On behalf of the Board, I would like to share a short announcement regarding the shared
ministry. Our beloved ministerial team is more than half way through this ministerial year. As
always, the Board is planning ahead and evaluating next steps in this transition period. Our
co-interim ministers, Rev. Jonalu and Rev. Erin, will be completing their one-year contract and
thus their service to First UU at the end of July. We knew going into their time with us that they
would have other commitments to tend to after this year, and all good things do come to an end
eventually! I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for everything they have accomplished
in the last 7-8 months in shared ministry with Rev. Chris. You can refer to a more detailed written
announcement from Rev. Jonalu and Rev. Erin sent on Sunday, March 5. It’s truly been such a
blessed and wonderful journey that they have facilitated for this congregation during this
transition period and I feel privileged to partake in it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to
our beloved ministers!

As I was holding discussions with Jonalu/Erin individually as well as exchanging emails with
them regarding this announcement, Jonalu and Erin reminded me that their work is not done
yet. There is so much more to look forward to!!! The Board facilitated Transitions Committee has
been very busy planning for the Settled Search process with your input. Thank you to everyone
who submitted their nominations. You will hear more about the next steps from the Transitions
Committee led by Kelly Raley in the coming days and weeks.

So what happens after July? Rev. Chris will continue in his current role as the Minister of Values
and Mission. The Board will enter the UUA Interim Search process in the April timeframe to
identify a qualified full-time interim ministerial candidate for the upcoming ministerial calendar
year. To that end, Board members Vic Cornell (President-elect), Nathan Walther and Russell
Holley-Hurt have graciously agreed to lead the search for a full-time Interim Ministerial
candidate. I would like to thank them for taking on this responsibility. As always, we will keep
you updated as we make progress on all these fronts.

If you have any questions, please stop by the Board table in Howson Hall during coffee hour
right after this service. I will also make sure this announcement is part of next Friday’s
newsletter. Thank you and have a wonderful day!
In good faith as always,

Nesan Lawrence
On behalf of the Board of Trustees

If you are heartsick about the rancor tearing our country apart,
If you believe that your opponents should not be your enemies,
If you believe that America’s best days can lie ahead,

JOIN US for our FREE workshop, SKILLS FOR BRIDGING THE DIVIDE.
Saturday, March 25th 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. in Room 17.

This workshop teaches crucial capabilities for having respectful
conversations that:
• Improve our ability to re-frame difficult conversations.
• Explore creative ways to discover seemingly hidden areas of common
ground between us.
• Develop good boundary-setting capabilities to ensure that our
conversations begin, progress, and conclude in more respectful ways, even
in difficult moments of interaction.

For more information, contact Laraine Altun at laltun@braverangels.org.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Austin Justice Coalition has had “a long, challenging year of advocating for change and more equitable policies. (They) have been a part of some key wins:

• Furthering housing justice by eliminating HACA screening criteria that blocked formerly incarcerated people from accessing housing vouchers.
• Working with the Eviction Solidarity network and a coalition of renters to win the ‘Right to Organize’ and seven-day‘ Right to Cure’ period for Austin’s tenants.
• Advocating at the SHFC board and County Commissioner’s Court for the Tenants at Rosemont Apartments
• Encouraging the City of Austin to put the largest housing bond in its history on the ballot, and working in coalition with many orgs and advocates to get the bond passed by over 71% of the vote
• Championing permanent supportive housing developments like Cady Lofts, which will provide housing
• Organized the first Community Investment Budget proposal at the City and saw many of our priorities funded including:
  • A pilot for a guaranteed basic income program,
  • The creation of a Trauma Recovery Center,
  • An increase in the minimum wage for city workers,
  • Continuing the rental assistance and anti-displacement program following the end of federal dollars
  • Additional dollars for inclement weather shelter and permanent supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness

  • Defeated efforts to increase sworn police staffing and the police budget, which enabled many of the Community Investment Budget items above to be funded.

• Supported a successful coalition effort to get a petition strengthening Austin police oversight on next May’s ballot
• Supported the successful unionization drives of workers at the primary public low-income healthcare provider (Integral Care) and nurses at the Ascension Seton Medical Center, creating the largest hospital union in Texas to ensure better conditions for those serving the poor in our community
• Supported allocation of dollars to community-based organizations to support gun violence victims in the hospital and to enable those accused of illegal gun possession to avoid the worst outcomes of the criminal legal system – 2 approaches shown to help prevent future gun violence

& of course (they) served our community in a multitude of ways, including:

• Supported community members financially with childcare, rent relief, medical bills, groceries, funeral expenses, etc… equaling over $100,000 in crisis relief for the community
• Sponsored back-to-school drives, Black youth football, cheerleading, and basketball teams, Brown Boy Productions, UNCF @ Huston Tillitonson, Jump On It, DOLE, Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation, community events, and more.
• Hosted supply drives to support our unhoused neighbors and families in need.*”