The Women's Spirituality Group at the First UU Church invites you to join us in celebrating the longest night and the rebirth of the light on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in Emily Howson Hall. The celebration will include singing, dancing, meditation and candle lighting. Feel free to bring family and friends. We will have special activities for children from 3 years of age through 5th grade for the first part of the evening. Childcare will be provided for children under the age of 3. The children will join the adults later to help celebrate the return of the light. Call Jessica Porter (255-9813) or e-mail jessica.porter@guarantygroup.com  by Monday, Dec. 16 to register your children for the children's activities and child care. For more information: Linda Webster, 458-1852 ( lwebster@bga.com ) or Cathy Rashin, 601-3172.

November 2002

SW District Fall Conference at First Jefferson UU in Fort Worth November 8-10. District conferences have workshops, worship, good food, and energizing connection with other UUs from around the SW conference – like adult rallies, come to think of it, but with less sleep deprivation!

Incidentally, did you know that in SWUUC, limited scholarships are available for adult religious education events? Contact Mary K. Isaacs at mkisaacs@io.com with any questions. And do plan to take advantage of some of these opportunities if you can! 

Austin UU Fall Fest

November 2, 2002, 3pm to 7pm, on acreage next to Pond just outside Creedmoor at the end of Goforth Lane.  The caravan will leave South Austin Senior Activity Center at 2:30 PM to caravan to the property.  There will be fun and fellowship: Bonfire, singing, games, stargazing, smores and more.  Water, soft drinks, homemade apple cider, smores, tables, plates, cups, utensils and hangers for roasting marshmallows or hot dogs will be provided.  Contact Kellis Richter, 441-3991 or krichter@tlpp.org for what to bring, directions or more information.  If it is raining, the event will be cancelled.  

UU BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Everyone at Live Oak is invited to participate in Heritage Club, a city-wide UU book discussion group that meets monthly on the second Friday in people's homes. This group has been meeting for over 40 years and currently is made up largely of people from Wildflower, First UU, and a few out-of-town congregations.

Our next meeting will be at 8pm, Friday, November 8, at the home of Greta and Paul Fryxell, 1708 Windoak Drive, tel. 416-7932. We'll be discussing THE ANGLE OF REPOSE, by Wallace Stegner. Everyone is invited to bring a snack or drink to share,

October 2002

UU NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES

October 11-13  - Leadership Development Conference  At this exuberant event, youth and adults spend a weekend learning to work together in leadership roles.  Specifically for our youth, ages 14-19.

YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) Rally will be at First UU-San Antonio October 25-27. For the uninitiated, rallies are intense, chaperoned, weekend-long party/conferences planned and implemented by and for UU youth. There are workshops, worship, good food, terrible food, sleeplessness, tremendous bonding and great joy. Rallies have to be experienced to be believed!  I hope some of our wonderful youth will plan to go, and some of our wonderful adults will sponsor and attend with them.

SW District Fall Conference at First Jefferson UU in Fort Worth November 8-10. District conferences have workshops, worship, good food, and energizing connection with other UUs from around the SW conference – like adult rallies, come to think of it, but with less sleep deprivation!

Incidentally, did you know that in SWUUC, limited scholarships are available for adult religious education events? Contact Mary K. Isaacs at mkisaacs@io.com with any questions. And do plan to take advantage of some of these opportunities if you can!

Wildflower Church  UU is planning a one-act play, “The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail”.  Open auditions will be held Thursday, Oct. 3^rd & Friday Oct.4^th, 6-8 pm. Contact Laurie Willis, 358-7978 or lauriewillis@sbcglobal.net for more information.

May 2002

CONCERT BY FAMILIAR FACES MAY 11 

The Isaacs Bryant family and First UU's RE program will present a unique family-oriented benefit concert on May 11th, at 7:00 p.m. at First UU. This is the first full-length concert for the family of singers, and it will include over ninety minutes of (mostly a capella) singing. The selections will include eight original songs and the music of Bobby McFerrin, Janet McGaughey, Paul Simon, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and Al Yankovic. Many of the songs will be UU spiritual and gospel songs, which First UU congregants will recognize from Sunday morning services. However, the Isaacs Bryants will also feature some Broadway and Rock and Roll material that is not heard in worship.

The family has been singing together in UU churches throughout the Southwest and charitable concert venues for many years. Last year they were featured on Jon Aielli's "Eklektikos" radio program. Until a few years ago, the family were long-time members of First UU. Now, Mary K. Isaacs is the Director of Religious Education at Live Oak UU Church in Northwest Austin. Martin Bryant is a founding member of Wildflower UU Church in South Austin. Their children Kathleen (14), Mignon (12), and Will (9) find age no barrier to the sophisticated five part harmony vocal arrangements the family frequently uses. Recently the family provided a worship service for First UU which featured Mary K's sermon "Testimony of the Tow Truck Driver" and bluegrass music (it will be reprised here at Live Oak on May 26).

The concert is free, but donations will be requested and greatly appreciated. All proceeds will go to fund the development of a combined coming-of-age program for the youth from all three of Austin's Unitarian Universalist churches. The funds will be managed by Live Oak UU church in North Austin.

April 2002

Women's Springtime Celebration April 26-28, 2002, Sponsored by First UU

The Women's Spirituality Group of FUUCOA offers to UU women a Pagan Beltane celebration at a beautiful retreat space out of San Marcos. We celebrate the fullness of spring. The earth is awake and everything is blossoming. Total cost (including vegetarian food) is $50 for registration. Scholarships are available. Pick up a GREEN flyer at church or call Jean McDermott at 441-5754.

Therapy Sisters at First UU in April! 

Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 13th at 7:00pm, when First UU Church will host the Therapy Sisters in a coffee house style "Group Session" to benefit First Church social action fund. For all of you who are already Therapy Sisters fans, there's no need to describe the therapeutic effects of an evening with this talented duo, which is always able to demonstrate that music and laughter are the best medicine. Come and de-stress with us and contribute to the work of the social action committee at the same time (guiltless pleasure!!) For information call Joyce Messina-Garrison (918-1819) or Wendy Kuo (916-0886).

First UU Church of Austin Family Sale

 The UU Parents Group's FUUCA Family Sale on April 27th is quickly approaching. We need your maternity, infant, toddler and children items, including clothes, toys, equipment and children's furniture.

Interested in consigning? Consignors will receive 60% of proceeds. Any Sunday in April from 10:30a.m. - 1 p.m. in the gallery, consignors may pick-up blank price tags and an information packet as well as sign up for a volunteer job of at least 2 hours. Donated and/or consignment items may be dropped off at church on Sunday, April 21 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Thursday, April 25 from 6-8 p.m. or Friday, April 26 from 6-8 p.m. in room 13B on the south side of the church in the RE wing. Remember that a portion of the proceeds will go to fund the All Ages Playground. Items will be accepted from the community at large. So tell your friends!

January 2002

WHALE COAST … SUMMER 2002 

Five Alaska UU congregations invite you for our sixth year of 10 and 17 day eco-spirituality tours in June, July and August. Visit the Real Alaska! Stay in UU homes, enjoy parties with us AND see whales, bears, puffins and eagles in the wild, Denali's soaring mountains and Kenai's fjords and glaciers. Cruise the Inside Passage to see totems and ride four of the world's most spectacular trains. Admire native arts and dancing and meet artists. Visit our website (www.uuwhale.org): email us at whalecoast@uuwhale.org  or call toll-free 1-866-uuwhale (889-4253) for a brochure. Rev. Dick & Mary Weston-Jones, guides.

UUs for Drug Policy Reform invites you to get involved...

The UUA's Commission on Social Witness has asked all congregations to submit feedback on its drug policy Statement of Conscience draft by March 1.

UUs for Drug Policy Reform is currently facilitating congregations' work on the UUA's drug war Study/Action Issue. We have the resources to help you with the UUA's drug war Study/Action Issue.

We are a national Independent Affiliate of the UUA. See http://www.uudpr.org for an abundance of useful information.

To receive periodic e-mail updates, please e-mail your complete contact info to CharlesThomas@uudpr.org  -- or fill out and send in the donation form on our web page.

BOOKS AND OTHER PRODUCTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. Please e-mail or call 301-938-1577 for more details. Thanks you very much!