SUN-DAY Austin, a Celebration, Education, and Rally Event at Texas State Capitol

Drive a Senior ATX
Building Relationships One Ride at a Time

Drive a Senior ATX enables older adults to live independently, avoid social isolation and age in place by providing free, volunteer-based transportation and other support services to senior adults in Austin since 1985, including

• Daily rides to medical appointments and errands,
• Weekly rides to HEB for groceries,
• Monthly rides for social outings and events,
• As needed handyman services, tech assistance, and social visits.

Our mission is transportation, but our impact is relationships. Our volunteer-based rides come with care, empathy, and inclusion. Our clients are treated like family and build meaningful relationships with our staff and volunteers.

First UU is a founding congregation of Drive a Senior, originally called North Central Caregivers. Our congregation formerly contributed annually to its work and has provided many volunteers since its inception in 1985.

Getting the Most Out of Therapy: A Free Workshop with Brooke Becker, MA, LMFT-A

Join marriage and family therapist Brooke Becker, MA, LMFT-A, on Sunday’s September 14, 21, and October 5, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. for a free, informal workshop designed to empower you in your therapeutic journey. Whether you’re new to therapy or have past experience, this two-part event will offer valuable insights and an open space for honest conversation.

In the first part, Brooke will provide practical education on how to get the most out of therapy—including how to know if you’re receiving quality care, what’s often misunderstood about the therapeutic process, and how to navigate getting the support you need—even when things feel unclear or challenging.

The second portion will be a Q&A and group discussion where attendees can ask questions, share concerns, and process therapy experiences they’ve had so far. 

This workshop is also intended to help break down barriers to receiving care—whether emotional, logistical, or rooted in past experiences—so that participants can move forward with more confidence, clarity, and support. You’ll leave with tools for self-advocacy, a deep understanding of the therapeutic process, and a greater sense of confidence around seeking and engaging in therapy. Attendees are welcome to ask questions, share thoughts, or simply listen in. Whether you’re exploring therapy for the first time or looking to deepen your understanding, this workshop will teach you how to get the most out of the experience.

This is a welcoming, judgment-free space—come as you are and bring your questions.

If you’d like to learn more about Brooke and her services, please visit her website, www.bbtherapypllc.com.

Lifetime Learning Institute course registration has opened on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at NOON.

Register soon to give yourself the best chance of getting the LLI courses you want for the Fall semester.

The process is simple. Just make a list of the course numbers you’d like to take. Have your credit card or Pay Pal information at hand. Then, go to lliaustin.org and click the “Register” button on any page to link to Eventbrite. The link won’t be active until noon precisely, so if you get online before that, remember to reload your page at noon to access Eventbrite.

Unless LLI has sent you a promo code, you can ignore the Promo code box.

Please take care when entering your email address; many instructors/TAs use email to contact students about important class information.

Please note: Some classes sell out very quickly.

Please see Tips for Successful Registration at the bottom of the Courses page for more information: https://www.lliaustin.org/courses

We look forward to seeing you in class starting the week of September 15.

– Mary King

Date: Sundays, August 24, August 31
Time: Immediately following service
Location: Howson Hall

Join us after church to Ask a Spiritual Companion—a relaxed, informative Q&A session with commissioned Spiritual Companion and church member Kathleen Ellis.

A table will be set up in Howson Hall for one-on-one or small group conversations. She facilitates three groups–Spiritual Direction on Zoom (1st Tuesdays at 6), Spiritual Direction in person (2nd Mondays at 1), and an online Poetry Group (3rd Fridays) at 2:30p.m. She also meets with individuals off site; first session is complimentary!

For more about Kathleen, feel free to visit her website: https://www.heartblessings.org/

The Sharon and Brian Moore Gallery will be hosting an art show celebrating the church’s focus on personal expression. Members are invited to submit no more than 2 pieces of their artwork that display ways First UU shows its creativity to the world.

Please submit applications to the Gallery Committee: gallery@austinuu.org, and follow us on @moorealternativespacegallery on Instagram, and www.facebook.com/alternative space gallery on Facebook.

Taking Submissions: Sunday, August 31st, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Submissions should be brought to the table just inside Howson Hall from the Gallery.
Artists, please be sure to talk to a member of the Gallery Committee when dropping off your work.

Opening Reception: Saturday, September 6th, 6-8 PM
Artists are encouraged to take questions about their art during the Opening Reception.

Take Down: Sunday, November 2nd
Artists should pick up their pieces after church on Sunday, November 2nd.
We cannot store any art after this date!

Bill McKibben will publish a new book in two weeks: Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization. Solar energy is now cheaper than natural gas or wind energy. In our market economy, that means clean solar energy will replace burning dirty fossil fuels sooner or later. This may be our “Last Chance” before tipping points start to spiral global warming out of control. Oil and gas still have a lot of money and power to protect their profits and will fiercely work to delay the inevitable. We must have a people movement to counter them. We must educate people, most of whom who still think solar energy is expensive, that it is, indeed, the cheapest form of energy. Our meeting Tuesday night will be an early step towards that.

• A VEGAN* dish to serve 10.
• Be prepared to mark whether your food contains any allergens like nuts or gluten.
• Bring your recipe if you want to share it.
• Serving utensil for your dish.
• A plate for yourself and utensils for eating. (makes fewer dishes for Aubrey to wash) 🙂

First UU Austin will be a collection site for The Eco-conscious Music Alliance’s (EMA) supply drive to support flood relief in Central Texas.  

All donations may be brought to Howson Hall in the donation hours listed below or during your church ministry meeting.

Donation Hours:

• Monday – Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
• Closed Saturday
• Sunday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Needed Supplies:

• Boxes/bins
• Drinking water – gallons as well as individual sized bottles – cases appreciated
• Ready to eat non-perishable meals
• Non-perishable, non-expired food (canned, pantry staples, nuts, beans, grains, etc)
• Snacks, bars, quick protein sources
• First Aid supplies and bandages
• Hydration electrolyte supplements & drinks  
• Cleaning and Sanitizing supplies
• New socks & underwear 
• Work gloves
• Toiletries, including travel sized containers, toothbrushes, soap etc. 
• Larger soap & hand sanitization containers
• Pet food
• Clean clothing, all sizes
• Menstrual products
• Baby supplies (food, formula, diapers, wipes)

Interested in Volunteering?

We need church members to volunteer to help sort donations. 

If you are interested in delivering supplies, please complete EMA’s volunteer form. 

The Eco-conscious Music Alliance (EMA) https://www.ema.earth/ is mobilizing supply drives, events and projects to support  flood relief in Central Texas. EMA brings people together through the change-making power of music and helps grow community sustainability projects, which includes weather event response. EMA is based in Austin and is assisting multiple sites in Central Texas, such as Kerrville, Georgetown,  Leander and Sandy Creek.  Their specialization in relief work is cross-section collaboration, support for underserved people and organizations, and working with the music community in direct response efforts and fundraising concerts. EMA’s Partners and collaborators for flood relief include: Wheatsville Food Co-op, Kerrville Folk Festival, Austin Resilience Network, Austin Mutual Aid, Good Work Austin, Cajun Navy, Salvation Army, Sustainable Living Guide, Green Mesquite BBQ, and many others.

Ask A Therapist

Date: Sunday, July 27, August 10, August 17
Time: Immediately following service
Location: Howson Hall

Join us after a few upcoming Sunday service for Ask a Therapist—a relaxed, informative Q&A session with licensed marriage and family therapist Brooke Becker. This is your opportunity to ask any therapy-related questions, whether you’re curious about how to start therapy, seeking relationship advice, looking for mental health resources, or wondering how to find the right therapist.

A table will be set up in Howson Hall for one-on-one or small group conversations. There will also be information available about Prepare/Enrich, a research-based approach to premarital counseling and deepening connection in relationships at any stage. You’ll also find book recommendations and Brooke’s business cards if you’d like to follow up privately or inquire about therapy services. All are welcome—no question is too small.

To learn more about Brooke and her services, please visit her website at www.bbtherapypllc.com. 

What is the Permanent Endowment Fund (PEF)?
It is an investment account established as part of the 2014 capital campaign. It is
governed by the church bylaws.

What is an endowment fund?
It is a pool of assets, invested to provide a long-term, stable source of funding. The
principal is preserved while the income is used to support our mission.

When can it be used by the church?
Under the revised bylaws, distributions of income and appreciation may be used after
the PEF has accumulated a fair market value of $250,000.

How is the amount available for distribution determined?
Under the bylaws, the Executive or designee shall determine the maximum amount
available for distribution annually, based on the income and appreciation available on
December 31 of the year preceding the year in which distributions are to be made.

Can principal be distributed?
No. It must be preserved.

Can the principal be increased?
Yes. Gifts such as cash and property donated directly, through a will or trust, or received
as beneficiary of a retirement plan or insurance can be used to add to the principal.

What can the distributions from income be used for?
The bylaws are very specific and permit use for the maintenance of buildings, capital
improvements or renovations, debt reduction; outreach into the community such as
through grants to camps and conferences, theological schools, local social service
agencies, and certain special programs; and for the wider mission of Unitarian
Universalism such as leadership training, scholarships or grants to attend schools, etc.

Are there any limitations on distributions in addition to the purposes?
Yes. The Board of Trustees must approve distributions, and it may adopt policies and
procedures to ensure proper administration.

Can distributions be made from the PEF now (after the bylaws amendment)?
Yes. The PEF now has a balance in excess of $250,000. Bylaws changes become
effective when 2/3rds of the members approve them.

The Climate Committee of First UU will join with the Austin Sierra Club Climate Committee on Tuesday, July 1st in Howson Hall. We will discuss ideas for a new Earth Day-like event, Sun Day 2025. Sun Day will be an event that includes hundreds of events and millions of people throughout the country to celebrate and educate people on the fact that solar energy is cheaper than dirty energy and will inevitably replace fossil fuels for almost all energy needs. We will make signs to take to the Sun Day event as well as to other rallies to protect democracy and to advocate for social justice. Bring some cardboard if you’d like to reuse it as a sign, bring extra markers if you have any, and bring creative ideas. You can take home with you signs you make or we can make some extra to hand out at the rallies.

We will have a short presentation on Sun Day 2025, present a few ideas for Sun Day events being planned in other cities, and brainstorm additional activities for Sun Day.

Since most of the meeting will be hands on, we won’t do Zoom this meeting.

6:30 pm    – Start potluck

7:00 pm    – Short presentation on Sun Day

7:20 pm    – Brainstorm ideas and activities for Sun Day

7:30 pm    – Make signs

Our Social Action Committee will sponsor another July for Justice month, this year with a focus on Immigration, starting after we get through the 4th of July weekend.

Look for the posters already hung around First UU with specific info about our Kickoff Immigration 101, lively, interactive training at the monthly Senior Luncheon that’s open to people of all ages, Wednesday, July 9. 

The month will culminate with a Ten Year Celebration of Sulma’s Freedom and Austin Sanctuary Network’s existence working in solidarity with immigrants. In addition to a potluck dinner both Sulma Franco, who won her freedom taking sanctuary here at First UU in 2015, and the Rev. Chris Jimmerson will share their memories and updates about the struggle for immigrant rights.

For more info or to volunteer email Peggy at  insideamigos@austinuu.org