Feast of Breads (and Cider)

This Sunday is one of our most popular services … I mean, bread (literal bread) is at the center of the ritual. How can you go wrong, right? At Live Oak, we have 4 annual worship services that focus on an aspect of being an intentional community. They are: Flower...

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Live Oak Showing Up for Justice

Rev. Joanna and members of Live Oak participated in the Interfaith “Move the Monument” rally in front of the Williamson County courthouse this past Sunday. The purpose of the rally was to call for the statue of a Confederate soldier to be moved from its present position in front of...

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What Does “Community” Mean in 2023?

Last Sunday, I told the story about the “Dedham Decision” – a pivotal story in Unitarianism. In a very concrete way, the Dedham decision was about defining what it means to be a community. This is a question that we think about at Live Oak – how do we reach...

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Two Months of Holiday Events at Live Oak

November is here, as are the preparations for all the fun things happening at Live Oak. If you haven’t been here before at this time, let me tell you that this is a congregation that really gets the most out of the holidays. (It’s a great time to invite that...

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“A Great Ministry for the Neighborhood”

We have been having some great conversations this week, thanks to our pumpkin patch. People in the area are stopping by to check out the pumpkins, and are staying to chat about the church, Unitarian Universalism, and more. One person on Monday remarked that this was a great ministry for...

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Dealing with Heartbreak Over the World

In last week’s newsletter, I wrote about being amazed at the beauty and wonder of the world. This week, the news about Israel and Palestine is bringing heartbreak to us, with more violence threatened. Parents are being instructed to remove access to social media for their children, as there may...

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Invocation, Leander City Council Meeting October 10, 2023

Rev. Joanna was invited to give the invocation at the Leander City Council meeting on October 10. On their agenda was a recognition of Hindu Heritage Month. Below are Rev. Joanna’s invocation words: I invite you to join me in the spirit of prayer and reflection:  Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda...

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Be Amazed

Last Sunday, I shared that my personal definition of spiritual involves me paying attention to what is around me, and not taking anything for granted. Often, the outcome of that is being amazed at something I’m looking at, or experiencing. In a poem titled “Sometimes,” the poet Mary Oliver writes:...

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Becoming More Accessible

Part of our goal at Live Oak is to become more accessible to all people. This can take physical forms, such as our elevator, and it can also take the form of being more mindful about communicating, especially about the “norms” in our community. As a society, we are becoming...

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