{"id":22208,"date":"2019-01-23T11:04:28","date_gmt":"2019-01-23T17:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/?page_id=22208"},"modified":"2026-09-18T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T20:30:00","slug":"stewardship","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/stewardship\/","title":{"rendered":"Stewardship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:30px\"><strong>First UU Stewardship<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:30px\">2027 Pledge Drive<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"334\" height=\"91\" src=\"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Living-Love.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-141007\" style=\"width:305px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Living-Love.png 334w, https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Living-Love-300x82.png 300w, https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Living-Love-4x1.png 4w, https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Living-Love-50x14.png 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 334px) 100vw, 334px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--2\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-align-center wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSeJYsvZIMy99i2V4j02RPYcXJCGUmkhsRgoPD-FOv7QwiMwoA\/viewform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Make Your 2027 Pledge Here<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. That action is the testimony of love as the practice of freedom.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2013 bell hooks<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With love and joy, we invite you to commit to the 2027 First UU Pledge Drive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LIVING LOVE- -BUILDING OUR DREAMS, this year\u2019s theme for the pledge drive,\u00a0 is about living our values and supporting each other as we build our beloved community inside and outside the walls of the church &#8211; especially in the face of conflict and uncertainty.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Listen to Rep. Donna Howard talk about what First UU means to her and her family<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Texas State Representative Donna Howard speaks about legacy at the 2026 Legacy Luncheon\" width=\"654\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PQvuNOboGnM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your pledge sustains this community as a place where current events can be put into context, where spiritual exhaustion is met with compassion and hope. Your contributions are multiplied to build dreams inside and outside the walls of First UU.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Show your love for First UU by making a generous pledge to support the mission of First UU in 2027.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are not sure how much to pledge, here are a few options to consider<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1OK3BYtZ89zXAHDDZih0BYyTlDLPH4PLa\/view\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UU Tithe Giving Guide<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Giving-Guide-SR3.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What&#8217;s in Your Cup Giving Guide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First UU prides itself on being a leader in the Austin community as well as the larger UU faith community. Due to increased expenses across the board, we\u2019ve been unable to set the example we desire.\u00a0 For the first time in 3 years, First UU is increasing the pledge drive goal. The primary motivation is to ensure our beloved and valued staff is paid a fair wage. In addition, this increase covers rising core expenses including church insurance and expanding our outreach to let more people know about us and to advocate for our values in this increasingly challenging\u00a0 world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facts of Church Life<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cost per day to run the church $3,245<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">87% of the annual operating budget comes from pledges<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">426 members and friends pledged last year<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a world facing numerous challenges, the need for community, fellowship, spiritual grounding, and social action is greater than ever. The funds we raise through our annual pledge drive are necessary for us to continue offering vital programs that support the spiritual, ethical, and social growth of everyone in our congregation. From uplifting worship services and inspiring music, to our commitment to social justice and pastoral care, your pledge sustains the life-changing work we do together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please make a generous pledge. Your commitment is the lifeblood of our congregation and ensures that our church can be a source of hope, strength, and service NOW when the need is so high and the work so necessary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSe5M2KC9nu7eOAQ0Z0YXuBC_R7YfwFOeI_1AndqPc3gQgyHpg\/viewform\"><strong>Make Your 2027 Pledge Here\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Watch these videos to see the transforming power of love!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Congregational Videos<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5X7dC7IYzI4\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2025<\/span><\/a>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"First UU Austin&amp;apos;s 2025 Congregational Video &quot;Never One Thing&quot; by May Erlewine\" width=\"654\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5X7dC7IYzI4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_sAx-awY7uY\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2024<\/span> \u00a0 <\/a>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Faith, our 2024 Congregational Video\" width=\"654\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_sAx-awY7uY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=DmrPN2pYlNA\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2023<\/span><\/a>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"First UU Stewardship inspiration video 2023\" width=\"654\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DmrPN2pYlNA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" src=\"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Social-Justice-Affirmations.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-136436\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Why First UU?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"First UU Interview with Julie\" width=\"654\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BNH0sxbLli4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Social Activism at First UU Austin\" width=\"654\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KtVqO489jkI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"First UU Testimonials: Tuy\u1ebfn Th\u00e1i\" width=\"654\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J5mRY1c9pvc?start=3&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Paradox Players at First UU\" width=\"654\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KRwpjNkcHVA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>First UU Stewardship 2027 Pledge Drive &nbsp; \u201cThe moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. That action is the testimony of love as the practice of freedom.\u201d \u2013&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-22208","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22208"}],"version-history":[{"count":93,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22208\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":141807,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22208\/revisions\/141807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}