After the service on Sunday, April 13, several organizations including Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL), the Sierra Club, and TXUUJM, will set up information and opportunities to take action about climate change in Howson Hall. You will be able to sign a petition, write a letter or email, and/or make a phone call to elected officials. Often, our messages fall on deaf ears, but not always. CCL sent over 200,000 messages to Congress to urge passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the most important climate legislation passed. Before finally passing, it was declared completely dead several times.

With an administration opposing action on climate, we especially need us, the people, to take action. CCL for one works on several bills and actions Congress is taking up, including rescinding the IRA. We are optimistic that we can succeed on at least some of them.

Please join us after the service. We need to act on climate change now.

Rules of the Road: 10 Principles for Sound Investing

The world feels uncertain in so many ways right now and financial markets have seen heightened volatility in the last 90 days. It is especially difficult to navigate long-term financial decisions when the news cycle gives us reason to panic (almost daily). Jonathan Bryan (financial advisor and First UU member) has offered to host a presentation on Tuesday, April 8th at 7 p.m. in room 13 with Q&A afterwards to provide timely perspective on Social Security, investment principles, and not letting our emotions hijack our critical thinking.

A bit about Jonathan, from Jonathan:

“First UU family, my wife Sharon and I first came into your building during a Black Lives Matter event 5 years ago, and like most UUs, didn’t become members until several years later. Over the last 11 years I have provided financial advice and guidance to hundreds of families from every walk of life. My parents filed bankruptcy when I was 5 years old. That life experience led me to a career where I can help other families avoid the same fate. I am truly passionate about helping people make good decisions and achieve a life that is financially stable and personally rewarding. My goal for our discussion is educate you on important financial principles, discuss emergency fund/prep basics, and empower you to acknowledge your emotions instead of allowing them to take control of your financial future.” – Jonathan Bryan

Website: www.EdwardJones.com

LinkedIn: Jonathan Bryan, CEPA® | LinkedIn

April is Earth Month

First UU will have opportunities for learning and taking action on climate change issues in Howson Hall after the services on Sunday, April 6 and April 13. On April 6 the theme will be how to continue to lower your personal carbon footprints and on April 13, the how and why of taking action to change climate policies.

In addition, on Sunday, April 6, we plan to launch composting food waste at First UU. When we compost, we add much more carbon into the soil instead of having it go into the atmosphere to do further damage. There will be a clearly marked place to put food waste for volunteers to haul off and have composted.

Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders served as the first African American and second woman to be the United States Surgeon General, from 1993 to 1994. During her 15-month tenure, Dr. Elders was known for her outspokenness and focus on controversial public health issues, including sex education and substance abuse prevention and was eventually forced out of this position because of her outspokenness. As she later concluded, change can only come about when the Surgeon General can get people to listen and talk about difficult subjects. This film looks back at the way she served our country and is a timely reminder during this time when we so badly need leaders who will speak truth to power.

Help Guatemalan families by shopping at First UU Sunday, April 13

UPAVIM will bring Fair Trade goods from Guatemala to sell at First UU in the Gallery Sunday, April 13 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.  Buy with conscience in solidarity with a Community Development Foundation whose mission is to empower women.

At UPAVIM they believe when women are economically empowered, families thrive and communities are safer. Through their income generating projects, the women are able to support themselves, their families and their community, even though they live in a Red Zone of Guatemala City plagued by gangs and violence. Your support of UPAVIM offers a place of sanctuary through camaraderie, employment and security.

“How do we stay sane and effectively resist the tyranny that besets our country?   How do we take care of ourselves and each other when times feel too hard?” “How do we avoid the kind of collapse that beset the German people when the Nazis were rising ?” To understand how tyranny works to keep us weak, for mental and emotional tools to fight despair and stay strong. and for specific resistance resources, come hear Victoria Hendricks speak on Tuesday evening, March 4th at 7:00 p.m. in Howson Hall.

Potluck first, starting at 6:30 p.m Victoria says “To provide what I see as a metaphoric survival kit for times of tyranny, I have drawn heavily  from Timothy Snyder’s excellent small book, On Tyranny, Twenty Lessons From the Twentieth Century and added bits from Elizabeth Warren, Beto O’Rourke, Joan Baez, Dan Rather and many more.  As Citizens’ Climate Lobby founder Marshall Saunders reminded us, we can’t afford to wait for rescue. “We are the cavalry.”

Let’s stay strong and connected in community for what may well be the fight of our lives. 

Book Talk with “Imani Rituals” Author, Ayanna Kafi

Thursday, February 27th @ 12:00pm ET 

Join us for a rich discussion of disability and black spirituality as I interview my friend and colleague, Ayanna Kafi about their upcoming skinner house release, “Imani Rituals: Nurturing African Spiritual Heritage.”

We’ll discuss the book writing process, the intersection of race and disability, and ways to adapt rituals for individual access needs.

Ayanna Kafi (they/them/theirs) is a neurodivergent, nonbinary, Black woman living on occupied Creek land, commonly known as Stone Mountain, a beautiful city within the collective of cities known by locals as Atlanta. They cohabitate with their partner, teenager, and granddog. They believe that their ministry springs from their embodiment, home, and community so they strive to fill their life with laughter, music, movement, intentional rest, and the discipline of ever-expanding joy.

SWUUWCon25

March 21-23, 2025

“Sacred Spaces Sacred Places”

Registration is open!

Join us for the SouthWest UU Women annual conference at the Houston Hilton NASA in Clear Lake, Texas.

The conference begins with an opening on Friday and continues through Sunday.  Your registration includes access to all the workshops and vendors, and lunch and dinner on Saturday.  

There are twelve fascinating workshops which will address our Sacred Spaces and Sacred Places in a variety of ways.  Workshops will illustrate spiritual connections to the sacred within and around us through appreciation of the universe, of nature, of pilgrimages, of futuristic tools, and of artistic perspectives.  Small group ministries and social justice initiatives will show ways to appreciate and enhance the sacred spaces in our lives.

With so many interesting workshops, you will have difficulty deciding on just three!  Space is limited, so make sure to register early to be assigned to your favorite workshop.

Do you like to shop?  We will have your favorite vendors back this year, as well as new local talent.

After a Gala Saturday dinner, enjoy dancing and singing to music provided by a professional DJ – who also enjoys facilitating karaoke.

Registration is open until March 7, 2025 at $250.

Rooms for the Hilton SWUUW Conference Block can be reserved now.  The cost is reasonable: $139/night, taxes to be paid when you check into the Houston Hilton NASA Hotel. Reserve Here.

Celeste Kennedy,

SWUUW 2024-25 Board President

SWUUW is a non-profit organization that supports social justice issues, leadership development and learning; explores feminist theology, promotes friendships and celebrates the diversities that make us unique women on our individual spiritual paths.

Register at https://swuuw.org/register/

Workshops: https://swuuw.org/workshops2025/

The Keynote Speaker will be Catherine Vance, Intern Minister at Galveston Fellowship.  Catherine is also an author. Her book “Mountains Under Her Feet”, recounts the stories of strong women over generations in Tennessee.  

Our Chaplain will be the Rev. Katie McQuage-Loukas the newly called and settled minister of Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church.

Another legislative session starts in January 2025 and it can be hard for UUs to get through this season without feeling discouraged. Yet one of the ways we give up our power is by letting hopeless take over. Join UU seminary student AJ Juraska on Sunday, January 12th from 1 – 2:30 p.m. at the church in room 13 to learn ways to not only survive but thrive while doing justice work. If you are burnt out or worried you will be, this workshop is for you! Register in Church Center to join us!