Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry (TXUUJM) is our UU state action network, which brings UU congregations together from around the state, online and in person, to bring UU values and voices to the public square. We know Texas needs that! 

TXUUJM has also been doing the work of organizing and educating UUs around crucial issues, from trans inclusion to racial justice, all year long. TXUUJM co-hosted an OWL facilitator training this year with First UU Austin, as well as supported Executive Director Rev. Erin Walter in traveling to New Mexico as a chaplain for people seeking abortion healthcare. TXUUJM also became part of the Teach the Truth Coalition, which is advocating to our State Board of Education for accurate and inclusive social studies and other curriculum. 

Every Thursday night in Zoom Action Hour, TXUUJM members take action together around climate, immigration, the death penalty, and more. 

TXUUJM is a grassroots justice nonprofit made possible by people power

and the generosity of congregational dues and individual donations. By sharing the plate, we join with fellow UUs around the state in the lifelong work of Bending Texas Toward Justice.

We are the justice ministry. TXUUJM cannot do this work without us – without you. Thank you for First UU’s generous support!

Learn more here about Chalice Lighters: Carrie’s TXUUJM Story.

Hello Climate Solution Advocates/Champions
2024 is a new year for us to make progress cleaning up our climate

One area of growing concern/action is plastics everywhere. The Climate Crises/Solutions First Tuesday pot luck at 6:30 p.m. and meeting at 7 p.m. in Howson Hall (roberthhendricks@aol.com, and or, seastarvsh@aol.com ). Is supporting a group working on Plastics and making progress> sean@plasticreductionproject.org

Katharine Hayhoe’s free positive, fun and hopeful climate Newsletter has a special on Plastics, check it out: talkingclimatenewsletter@outlook.com

Here are some  GOOD NEWS highlights:
We’re finding micro-plastics everywhere, from raindrops to sea salt to human breast milk and every day scientists are learning more about how it affects our health and that of the nature that surrounds us.  So many different people are in fighting back against climate injustice and that there are wins all around us. As someone who works with communities to help them engage with climate advocacy, talking about climate change as part of our everyday conversation is key to finding solutions that fit everyday people.

Check out Katharine’s link in this paragraph on plastics and methane:
Most of the oil and gas we use is burned for energy. This produces the heat-trapping gases that are the main driver of climate change. But some fossil fuels are used to create the petrochemicals. These petrochemicals aren’t a big source of heat-trapping gases, but they are the building block for plastic production.

Dr Hayhoe’s Guest Editor is Heather McTeer Toney,  Beyond Petrochemicals,  her first book, Before the Street Lights Come On: Black America’s Call for Climate Solutions. she calls for immediate climate action in and for marginalized communities. “Black Americans, facing double the likelihood of hospitalization or death due to climate-related causes, are best suited to spearhead the campaign for climate justice. To add insult to injury, their plan is to place or expand petrochemical facilities in communities generationally overburdened by climate pollution.” 

WHAT YOU/WE CAN DO:
Join with others here spreading the word and taking action about plastics. Here> sean@plasticreductionproject.orgBreaking stereotypes about Black people help change the narrative about “who” is an environmentalist . “Cherish and protect the Earth, a precious gift from God.” I couldn’t agree more!”
 
To learn more, you can follow Heather on Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok; read her book; or check out her website. And Katharine here: talkingclimatenewsletter@outlook.com

Green Sanctuary Ministry of First UU, green@austinuu.org, Beki & Richard Halpin

At the Congregational Meeting on December 17, the Board of Trustees will ask the congregation to approve a change to the bylaws updating the way we define our ministry and executive teams. We would like to be clear about the intention and impact of these changes before we cast our votes.

The board and ministers have been vocal about our preference for co-lead ministry and we have successfully adopted this model during our interim period, which started in August 2022. However, the vote on Sunday is not a referendum on co-lead ministry.

The bylaws changes we have proposed would allow for co-lead ministry, but they also allow for a number of other ministry and executive team arrangements. We would not be locked into co-lead or any other specific ministry model. Instead, the board, the congregation, and the ministers in collaboration would have the ability to define our ministerial and administrative approaches to meet the needs of the congregation as they evolve. 

Specifically, today we only have the option to call one minister, identified as the senior minister. Having the option to call a second minister is required in order for us to pursue co-lead ministry long term, but we could optionally call a minister who does not fill the lead role if that arrangement better suits our needs. 

Additionally, the changes explicitly entrust the definition of the executive team to the board. (The executive team is responsible for all activities of the church, like a CEO.) Currently this authority is granted as an exception when a senior minister is not serving as executive. Updating this language brings our bylaws in line with the practical responsibilities of the board and makes clear that the congregation ultimately decides how our church is managed, through their representatives on the board. 

Finally, the board is committed to engaging with the congregation to determine our needs and preferences before taking further steps to define our future ministerial team. An affirmative vote on the bylaws change signals willingness to engage in a conversation about co-lead ministry and other ministerial arrangements, not necessarily a firm commitment to the co-lead model. We expect to begin conversations on this topic in January 2024 so that we are clear about the composition of our Executive Team prior to initiating a search for a second minister.

Thank you for being active participants in our evolution as a congregation and helping us to discover our best reality together.

A Global Stocktake is happening, more countries are signing the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, and a free award-winning K-12 educational resource.

Here are the highlights – and lowlights – so far.
The latest draft calls on countries to “take further action in this critical decade towards” either: 1) “A phase out of fossil fuels in line with best available science,” 2) ”Phasing out of fossil fuels in line with best available science, the IPCC’s 1.5 pathways and the principles and provisions of the Paris Agreement,” 3) “A phase-out of unabated fossil fuels recognizing the need for a peak in their consumption in this decade and underlining the importance for the energy sector to be predominantly free of fossil fuels well ahead of 2050,” 4) “Phasing out unabated fossil fuels and to rapidly reducing their use so as to achieve net-zero CO2 in energy systems by or around mid-century,” or 5) leaving out language on the future use of fossil fuels.

As I talk about here, “unabated” is what I refer to as a weasel word: it allows fossil fuel producers to weasel out of reductions by promising to capture their carbon at some time in the future (and when they get to that time, they’ll most likely claim it was too expensive/too hard to do what they promised). So as you can imagine, the precise language to be included on future fossil fuel use is the most contentious issue at COP28 right now. And make no mistake, it is a huge fight.
Read Dr Hayhoe’s whole piece here:  talkingclimatenewsletter@outlook.com

Beki & Richard Halpin, Green Sanctuary Ministry, green@austinuu.org (512) 658-2599

Regifting is this Sunday, December 17th. Bring your lovingly used or new treasures you want to share with others to Howson Hall early Sunday for the Regifting Tables. A congregant told me, “I had no money, no gifts for my husband and son. I stumbled into “Regifting” by accident. It was like the answer to a prayer- a miracle. There were free gifts I could share with my family.”  Join us. 

Bring us your Books! Please donate your books, magazines and calendars to Inside Books Project in the 2nd gray tub in the Welcome Center. Inside Books is busy sending free books to individual Texas prisoners again. The prisoners read all kinds of books, so please donate whatever you want. Inside Books also takes boxes of books to county jails in Texas to be distributed to inmates or placed in their libraries. The need is great and we have started sending free  boxes of books to programs nationwide, such as ICE programs (Spanish language mostly), juvenile program libraries, counseling programs at prisons and out of state prison chaplains. So, bring the books on! And thank you!

SouthWest UU Women Con 2024

“Nurturing Creative Spirit”

Registration is open!

Join us for the SouthWest UU Women annual conference in Navasota, TX.

The conference begins with an opening on Friday and continues through Sunday.  Your registration and Camp Allen lodging choice include access to all the workshops and vendors, dinner on Friday, three meals on Saturday including the Gala dinner Saturday night and Sunday breakfast and lunch.  Single day registration without lodging is also available.

Space is limited.  Single rooms are sold out and only double rooms (with a roommate) are available.  

Early Bird Registration is $160 plus the room ($227) per person for a double room.  January 1 – January 22, registration is $185 plus the room ($227) per person for a double room.

January 22 is the last day to register.

Established in 1921 Camp Allen is a year-round facility located one hour northwest of Houston near Navasota, Texas.  Their 1,100 beautiful acres features a hotel and conference center, two lakes, miles of trails, and much more.  We invite you to explore and awaken your spirit in their piney woods!

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 for SWUUWCon 2024 now!

SWUUW Workshops

The Keynote Speaker and Conference Musician will be
Reverend Kiya Heartwood from UU Church of the Brazos Valley, TX

We are beginning signup for Circle Dinners, drawing from past First UU programs (Sharing Suppers, 4×4 Dinners) that offered members, friends, and non-church partners an opportunity to enjoy fellowship over dinner. For Circle Dinners, groups of 6 – 9 people will meet for 3 – 4 potluck meals in each other’s homes over the coming year to get to know each other better. Details will be sent to each group after they are formed.

HOW TO JOIN:
By Monday, January 15, 2024 (Groups will be formed the following week.)

1) Click on this link to sign up for Circle Dinners or

2) Complete & return a form available during Sunday coffee hour in Howson Hall.

Blank forms will be located at a table with a CIRCLE DINNERS sign.

NOTE: PLEASE NOTE IN OTHER COMMENTS IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING AFTER DARK AND/OR PREFER DAYTIME TO EVENING MEALS.

Questions? Reach out to Margaret Borden at margaretborden@utexas.edu

“13 Investigates found more than 100 prison employees fired this year”

Clean Energy and Storage Surging, and Policy-Makers Paving the Way

The Connections Fair will take place on December 10th from 12 – 2 p.m., in the Gallery & in Howson.