December 10 at 6:00 pm PJ & Book Drive Live Oak UU Church and Congregation Shir Ami, are collecting new pajamas (in sizes from infant to adult XXXL) and new books for disadvantaged children throughout the month of December to benefit The Pajama Project, which distributes these items to children...
- Nov2023
Interfaith Holiday Pajama Storytime with Rev. Crawford and Rabbi Reice
November 28, 2023
A Season for Renewal
November 28, 2023
One of the most helpful things I’ve heard in recent years is that “numbing” behaviors and actual rest are two different things. Sometimes, we need that numbing – to just zone out mindlessly into a tv series or on social media. But much of the time, it doesn’t do for...
Feast of Breads (and Cider)
November 15, 2023
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...
Live Oak Showing Up for Justice
November 15, 2023
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...
What Does “Community” Mean in 2023?
November 8, 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...
Two Months of Holiday Events at Live Oak
November 1, 2023
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...
- Oct2023
“A Great Ministry for the Neighborhood”
October 19, 2023
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...
Dealing with Heartbreak Over the World
October 11, 2023
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...
A message from your Director of Lifespan Faith Development and Minister: Several reliable news outlets are reporting that parents are being highly encouraged to remove any social media that their children have access to before this weekend. Hamas is threatening to put on social media graphic videos of the atrocities...
Invocation, Leander City Council Meeting October 10, 2023
October 11, 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...