First UU members have a very important and special opportunity to go to Dilley, TX, on Saturday, June 27, with the Texas UU Justice Ministry and the National Coalition to End Family and Child Detention. First UU is helping sponsor a bus that will leave Austin that Saturday morning and get back Saturday mid-afternoon. This will be a peace-centered rally with national and local faith leaders in Dilley Park — not going to the gates of the concentration camp.It will be the high-profile culmination of a three-day faith leader pilgrimage from Crystal City, TX, where the US imprisoned Japanese-Americans during WWII, including elders who were in those camps and activists whose ancestors were in those camps, sharing their powerful stories. TXUUJM and partners will be highlighting the US history of concentration camps, including its influence on Nazi Germany, and calling to close the camps and free families. Sulma Franco, who was in sanctuary at First UU, is one of the organizers, along with Rev. Erin and Michelle from TXUUJM.If you were inspired by the Buddhist monks’ recent pilgrimage across the country, this is your chance to be part of something similarly peaceful and inspiring for justice in Texas and beyond. Please see the sign-up link in the TXUUJM blurb to join the June 27 rally in Dilley. Registration is required, whether you want to ride the bus or drive yourself. We are proud of this work and hope to get a big group from First UU!
Unwound Sound presents Voces Olvidadas (Forgotten Voices)
Next Sunday, May 31st at 3:00 p.m., First UU will host Voces Olvidadas (Forgotten Voices), a powerful concert presented by Unwound Sound and featuring our Adult Vocal Ensemble.
The program includes the world premiere of a moving new work by Colombian composer José Martínez exploring memory, humanity, and hope amid the violence of war, alongside a new collaboration between Austin Poet Laureate Zell Miller and musician Brent Baldwin.
Admission is free, with donations benefiting the Austin Sanctuary Network.
We hope you’ll join us for this unique and meaningful afternoon of music and community.
There IS a Planet B
There IS a Planet B – An Evening with Dr. Sailesh Rao
Wednesday, June 3rd in Howson Hall
6:30 PM – Vegan snacks & fellowship
7:00 PM – Presentation by Dr. Rao
Join internationally known speaker, author, and founder of Climate Healers, Dr. Sailesh Rao, for a powerful evening exploring the connections between climate change, food systems, biodiversity, health, and compassion.
Dr. Rao is the author of There Is a Planet B and Guide to Planet B. He travels the world speaking at global conferences and on podcasts about practical solutions for restoring balance on Earth.
This inspiring presentation will invite the audience to rethink humanity’s relationship with the living world and to imagine a more compassionate future for all life on Earth.
Hosted by:
The Veganistas of First UU of Austin – a chapter of the UU Animal Ministry
San Marcos UU Fellowship Environmental Advocates
The Austin Vegan Association
Free and Open to the Public. All are welcome.
2026 March Monthly Service Offering – Casa Marianella
Casa Marianella
-ICE is here in Austin, picking up students, workers, dreamers, and parents.
-Texas is building many detention centers for people from out of state, with our tax money.
-Asylum seekers who go to local courts for a final hearing are losing their cases. Their last recourse might be a habeas review for possibly unlawful detention.
Casa Marianella has all-hands-on-deck for asylum seekers, refugees, and other immigrants. Your contributions help!
Why don’t immigrants just get in line? The truth is that “There is no line.” Instead of “a line,” there’s a convoluted system that is applied unevenly among different nationalities and ethnicities. However, we UUs believe in fairness, inherent worth, justice, and diversity. We help our neighbors avoid deportation and work, live, and raise their kids here.
Emergency and transitional housing are provided in small homes for women and children, single men, single dads, and families. Support includes food, clothing, legal and medical resources, English classes, a bicycle program, and much more. Residents may stay for 3 months; some of them move to host homes for another 3 months as they try to get on their feet.
Convivo is a monthly celebration on the last Sunday of the month (except November and December, when it’s on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day). Residents, staff, volunteers, neighbors, and friends like us enjoy live music, excellent food, fellowship, and dancing. Join the fun at 821 Gunter St, Austin, TX 78702, from 6-8 pm.
More info at https://www.casamarianella.org/.
2026 Austin CROP Hunger Walk
On the first Sunday in March, the Austin community will gather to fight hunger both at home and around the world. Visit the First UU Austin CROP webpage to donate to this important event and learn more about the walk.
The walk will be held at Camp Mabry at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 1st, and the route is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. If you are interested in walking, feel free to contact Emily Speight at espeight2003@gmail.com with questions. The local beneficiaries of this year’s walk are the Central Texas Food Bank, Casa Marianella, Micah 6 of Austin, iACT for Refugees, Hope Food Pantry, Urban Roots, and Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Central Texas.
Together, we will continue to fight against disease, disaster, displacement and other challenges that leave people hungry. Join with us as we raise funds to help neighbors near and far get the meals they need for today and sustainable food security for tomorrow!
Interdependence Discussion
Bis Thorton and Suzie Riddle invite you to join a thoughtful discussion about our new value: interdependence.
The value states, “We honor the interdependent web of all existence. With reverence for the great web of life and with humility, we acknowledge our place in it. We covenant to protect Earth and all beings from exploitation. We will create and nurture sustainable relationships of care and respect, mutuality, and justice. We will work to repair harm and damaged relationships.”
The group will meet in Room 15 on Sunday, February 22nd, at 12:45 p.m. Vegan snacks will be provided. The group is limited to 12 people, so please sign up quickly!
Sign up Now!
February Vegan Potluck
Vegan Potluck
Sponsored by the Veganistas! / UU Animal Ministry Chapter & the Austin Vegan Association
Saturday, February 21st, 6:30 PM
What to Bring:
- A vegan dish serving 10+
- You may also bring things for the salad bar, appetizer table, and desserts!
- You are welcome to bring multiple items. More food is always welcome!!
- We ask that food be free of all animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, whey), animal broth, gelatin, and honey.
- As a courtesy, be prepared to give information about allergens like nuts or gluten.
- Bring your recipe if you want to share it.
- Small serving utensil for your dish
- A plate for yourself and utensils for eating.
- Your own beverage.
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or just veg-curious, you’re welcome to join us. This event is free and open to all. Children are welcome.
If possible, sign up at www.meetup.com/vegaustin or just show up! For more information, message us through Church Center.
Path to Membership March 2026
Did Unitarianism really start in Transylvania?
Who is Reverend Wheelock, and who is Emily Wheelock Howson?
When was this building constructed?
If you are new here and want to learn the answers to these questions and more, this class is for you! We will be hosting our quarterly Path to Membership Class on Saturday, March 28th, 9:00 AM in Room 13.
Here we will learn about the history of this church, as well as the broader history of UUism and its origins. There will also be a time to share our spiritual journeys and make connections with each other. Then, at the end, if you decide you would like to become a member, you will have an opportunity to sign the Membership Book!
Breakfast and coffee are provided, as well as childcare if needed.
*If you require childcare, you must Register on Church Center to let us know.
Questions? Please email membership@austinuu.org
Climate Justice Meeting
Please join us for the First UU Climate Committee and Sierra Club Climate monthly meeting in Howson Hall on Tuesday, February 3rd, at 6:30 p.m., as we focus on solidarity with people in Minneapolis who are facing fear, disruption, and injustice in their communities.
We believe that social injustice is climate injustice. Immigration is a climate issue, as more and more fathers and mothers are fleeing drought-ravaged homes in search of somewhere they can feed their family. Protecting democracy is a climate issue, because our work—already challenging—becomes vastly more difficult if it is replaced by tyranny. Attacks on vulnerable communities, civil rights, and democracy undermine the trust and collective action we need to solve the climate crisis.
At this meeting, we will hear directly from people who live at ground zero in Minneapolis and from others who have been on the ground protesting and supporting affected communities. We are honored that Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt will join us, along with several Minneapolis residents, to share what they have witnessed and how we can stand in solidarity.
If you are unable to attend in person, please Join on Zoom!
February 2026 Monthly Service Offering
Planned Parenthood has been serving patients across Texas for over 90 years. In 2025 we expanded our service area to cover four health centers in Houston. Planned Parenthood provides quality, compassionate healthcare from expert clinicians, medically accurate, inclusive sex education from professional educators, and a fierce commitment to a world in which everyone can access quality healthcare and information to live their lives fully, without judgment. Planned Parenthood’s four Austin health centers offer annual exams, the full range of birth control methods (including IUDs and implants), testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), screenings for breast and cervical cancer, HPV (human papillomavirus) and flu vaccines, PrEP and PEP HIV prevention medication, UTI and infection treatment, gender-affirming hormone therapy, and more.
Two-thirds of Planned Parenthood patients are underinsured or uninsured. For the 20% of Travis County residents ages 18-65 who do not have health insurance, PPGT is a vital sexual and reproductive health resource. Here in Austin, and across the country, lack of access to health insurance overwhelmingly affects our Black and Latine neighbors. Your generosity provides our patients with access to healthcare. In 2025, we served more than 14,000 patients in the Austin area. Despite operating in a hostile political environment and under an extreme abortion ban, our Austin health centers are delivering more care than ever because Texans are counting on us.
To expand access to healthcare appointments for patients juggling work, school, and childcare, at least one of Planned Parenthood’s four Austin health centers feature at least one day a week with extended evening hours, plus virtual visits 7 days a week, and 24/7 asynchronous telemedicine for birth control and uncomplicated UTI needs. Planned Parenthood is a trusted resource for young people seeking health information. Our Teen Advocacy Board (TAB) empowers high school teens to be a knowledgeable resource for their peers about sexual health. TAB members bring essential information about contraception, STI prevention, healthy relationships, and more to their peers in Austin.
January Senior Lunch
Gigs Hodges has spent two regular and six special sessions working as a legislative staffer for Representatives Plesa and Davis. During the 89th Legislative Session, she helped get 11 bills signed into law, the third most of any Democrat, and played a meaningful role in the 2025 quorum break to defend democracy. Gigs believes the government should guarantee the basics people need to survive, and she is determined to change how Democrats use their power in the Texas House to deliver for Texans. After too many sleepless nights wishing she could do more, Gigs is now running to represent HD 49 in Austin, encouraged by Representative Davis and equipped with a clear plan and a deep sense of purpose. As she says, Texans deserve more than crumbs. We deserve the whole pie.
The Speaker’s Race: How Democrats Gave Away Their Power on Day One
On the first day of the 89th Legislative Session, Democrats elected a notoriously bad MAGA Republican as Speaker of the House, with little to show for it. This discussion will cover what happened behind the scenes leading up to the race, how the vote played out on the House floor, what Democrats gained, and whether it was worth it, and the lessons learned for how Democrats can better deliver for Texans.
Congregational Meeting
This is your Official Notice for our December Congregational Meeting on Sunday, December 21st at 1:00 p.m., to be held in the Sanctuary and on Zoom (Passcode 512452). Click on the link below for materials for the meeting.
Congregational Meeting Materials
The church bylaws specify the following regarding voting eligibility: “Individuals who have been members of the church for 30 days or more and who have (as an individual or part of a family unit) made a recorded financial contribution during the last 12 months and at least 30 days prior to the meeting, have the right to vote at all official church meetings.”
The list of eligible voters may be found by clicking here
Any questions about voter eligibility, including if you feel that you were mistakenly not listed on the list of eligible voters, please contact Shannon Posern, info@austinuu.org.
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting!
Women & Fair Trade Festival
Shop Annual Women and Fair Trade FestivalSaturday and Sunday, Nov. 22-23, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.We’re thrilled to invite you to the Women and Fair Trade Festival hosted by Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera, where you may shop with conscience at First UU, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22-23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Therapy Sisters will start the music on Saturday at 10 a.m. For over two decades, ATCF’s Fair Trade Festival has brought together women’s cooperatives from around the world to Austin, creating a marketplace rooted in economic justice, cultural exchange, and community gathering, hosting women-led artisan cooperatives from Mexico, Palestine, Guatemala, Ecuador, India, and the U.S., including Jolom Mayaetik, Palestine Online Store, Fuerza Unida, Colores del Pueblo, Marigold Gateway to India, UPAVIM, Warmipa Huasy, and Las Racheritas/Rug Hook Project. For more info, visit atcf.org. |
Conversation on Mutual with Dean Spade
Please join us this Sunday afternoon to learn about mutual aid and do asset mapping. Child care will be available.
Dean Spade writes that “mutual aid is the radical act of caring for each other while working to change the world,” and that is exactly what this presentation and the work we will do together are about.
We’ll learn about what mutual aid can do, what it looks like, and how we can use our creativity to participate in it. We’ll also learn about what values can ground us spiritually in this kind of community-based work. Then we will work together to identify the assets we have as a community so we can take an inventory. This will allow us, as a community, to respond quickly to the needs of our members and the community.
When: November 23rd at 2 pm
Where: First UU Church of Austin’s Sanctuary
Itinerary:
- 1:45 pm – Begin gathering in the Sanctuary
- 2:00 pm – Watch Dean Spade’s presentation together
- 3:00 pm – Short break
- 3:15 pm – Presentation by Sasha Rose of Austin Mutual Aid
- 3:30 pm – Asset Mapping
- 4:15 pm – Closing
Owning Your Religious Past
Many of us carry wounds from the religion we were raised in or just growing up in a Christocentric society. Owning Your Religious Past is a series of five classes designed to help us heal from our religious wounds and grow in our Unitarian Universalist faith.
From the authors of the program, “We can be most fully and completely present in our religious identity when we see our path as a continuum rather than a series of unrelated episodes. People who feel whole in this identity are more likely to make solid, healthy commitments to religious communities. Because we are usually more certain of what we left in another religion than what we bring forward from it, some tools are needed by which people may establish connections, bridges, and resonances between past and present.”
Please join Rev. Carrie Holley-Hurt and Rev. Dr. Leona Stucky-Abbott for this five-week series of learning, healing, and growth starting on Sunday, January 18th. Maximum participation is 15 people, so Make Sure to Sign Up!
