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Dear Wildflowers and Friends,
I regrettably mistitled Skye Howell’s position with Great Promise for American Indians in the below article yesterday. It is very important that the distinction is made as she is no longer the Interim Executive Director, but the Executive Director. This is certainly an important distinction as well as an important role. Congratulations to Skye Howell and apologies for my error.
-Lin McKissick |
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Weekly Newsletter for April 10, 2025
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Sunday Service
Zoom Only
Sunday, April 13, at 11:45 am
Service Coordinator: Laura Jo Acuña
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When the Storm Comes, We Move Together
There is so much change happening right now that it may feel as if the whole world is in a storm. How do we find the way to move with and through the storm? Not running for cover, but finding who we must become to ride it out and emerge triumphant. When the storm settles, as it must, how do we help to keep the house from blowing away?
Rev. Summer Albayati, UUA Congregational Life Staff, Pacific Western Region will help answer these questions. Join us on Zoom this Sunday and explore how we can weather storms together.
This is a Zoom-only service. There will be no children's and youth religious education classes.
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Newsletter Content Submission Guidelines
The link to submit newsletter content has been updated.
Please submit content for weekly newsletter using this form.
Content should be submitted no more than (approximately) 2 weeks in advance of event.
Weekly Newsletter content deadline is Wednesday by 12 pm
Submissions received after the deadline will go in the following week’s edition.
NOTE: Please refrain from using ALL CAPS or “quotation marks” when submitting content.
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Orientation to Membership
Interested in becoming a Voting Member of Wildflower UU Church?
Join us for an Orientation to Membership session, held every other month on the 4th Wednesdays. Next session is Wednesday, April 23, 7pm-8:30 pm on Zoom.
Sign up for orientation today! |
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Partnership with the Community -
March Use of Wildflower’s Community Room
In the month of March our Community Room hosted the events of 5 organizations. All of the organizations are supporting the social and environmental justice areas that we feel are key as a church and are at increased risk today.
We make our space available to those organizations and groups who align with our mission and values and sponsor and welcome them while they are in our space! Gratitude to the growing number of Wildflowers who are willing to be sponsors!!
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Are you looking for a more meaningful way to serve Wildflower and connect on a deeper level with our congregation?
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Flamingo and Gecko
South Austin
Susie Epstein
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Then consider joining the Wildflower Board! This Summer, the
Congregation will be voting for new trustees to join the Wildflower
Board. Help shape the future of our community, develop your leadership
skills, and make lasting connections with other church members.
If you are interested in growing through this sacred work, please
reach out to Adrian, Susie, and Sarah at
nominating@wildflowerchurch.org
or complete the following form:
Wildflower Board Interest Form
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In Their Own Words:
Current Wildflower board members
share their experience serving on the Board of Trustees
Current board members were asked:
What do you like about being on the board?
This week, we hear from Alyxis Mize.
”Before I joined the Wildflower Board, I’d never been on any type of board before. I quickly learned the ropes (thanks to my awesome fellow board members!), and have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far. Wildflower has had our struggles in the short time since the pandemic, and I feel very humbled, honored, and fortunate to have been a part of the board during much of that time. Yes, it’s been difficult at times, especially now that we’re down to three members, but it’s been a huge learning experience for me, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything! If you’re looking for a meaningful way to be involved with the future of our church, I wholly recommend serving on the board!”
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Artists Salon Series
Simone Monique Barnes, Wildflower’s Director of Membership and Spiritual Life, hosts an annual gathering of artists and creative thinkers for virtual living room-style conversations, in the tradition of the Harlem Renaissance. This seven-week salon series of artist-led, artist-centered conversations uses a mix of art, music, poetry, dance, essays, film, current events, and/or spiritual texts as springboards for dialogue and community.
Salons are open to anyone, especially those who self-identify as an artist (in any visual, performing arts, literary, or other creative expression), art lover, or as a creative thinker. You do not need to be a professional artist to attend a salon.
Held on Monday evenings, March 24 through April 28, 2025, on Zoom.
https://wildflowerchurch.org/director/2025-artists-salons/
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Wildflower Book Group: The Message (Chapter 3)
Wednesday, May 7th at 7-8 pm via Zoom
Wildflower Book Group's current read for our April 2nd online meeting is "The Message", by acclaimed Black liberation author Ta-Nehisi Coats. Acknowledging these difficult times, our little group has decided to adopt more ease by dividing our book selections into sections, instead of reading the entire book. Therefore for our May 7th meeting we are reading Chapter 3 to discuss at our next meeting. Come join us! Questions? Contact Susie: ARE@Wildflowerchurch.org |
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*Volunteer Service Opportunity* |
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Spring Work Days are Happening the week of April 7
It’s time for Spring Cleaning!
Faith and Wildflower folks are needed for:
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Gardens, weeding, pruning, and cut back the big bushes 1’ from sanctuary walls
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Courtyard - John to amend soil for black walnut
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Gutters cleanout, roofs swept
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Sanctuary dusting & cleaning
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Fellowship Hall - Food Pantry, parlor, big room - windows, dusting, etc.
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Nursery - windows, dusting, etc.
We encourage you to bring your own tools and supplies. We have a few extra lawn tools, hoses, work gloves, lots of paper lawn bags, but never enough to go around for the whole group at once.
If you’re able to help and haven’t already connected, please contact John Preston by email, ympja572@gmail.com
Thanks and hope to see you there!!
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Climate Education: Climate Scientist on the Run
Sunday, April 13, 9 am - 10:15 am
On Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2635700913?pwd=bjNxMEczWHU2bUp3dXpEcVRXWjhRUT09
Meeting ID: 263 570 0913 Passcode: 002030
Peter Kalmus is a respected climate scientist (and author, and climate activist) who moved his family from Altadena CA, to avoid wildfire risk, to Durham, NC – where he ended up with a front-row seat to Hurricane Helene. In two segments of Democracy Now! news, Peter conveys the devastation, makes the climate-change connection that most of the media has failed to make, and reveals how his opinion piece in the New York Times was edited to downplay what these disasters portend.
Watch the Peter Kalmus interviews ahead of time, if you like, at
https://youtu.be/sk0pxBRTCp8?si=bdtqEJwDyWEakGB- and
https://youtu.be/sk0pxBRTCp8?si=EViBkBZCfyejA84g
then join us, the WildEarth Climate Action Team, on Zoom. As always, we'll reserve plenty of time for discussion and sharing.
The WildEarth Climate Action Team offers class on most second Sundays at 9am.
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Teach-in: Beyond a Land Acknowledgment:
Toward Right Relations with Native Communities
Tuesday, April 15, 7 - 8 pm (on Zoom)
REGISTER HERE
Undoing White Supremacy Austin (UWSA) is hosting a teach-in on Tuesday, April 15, with Skye Howell, Executive Director of Great Promise for American Indians and Wildflower member, entitled Beyond A Land Acknowledgment: Toward Right Relations with Native Communities”.
Until about a year and a half ago, Wildflower included a land acknowledgement in our services. We became aware that this was becoming performative without the development of relationships with indigenous communities especially in Central Texas and engagement in action to support the issues they face.
This teach-in will share the history of Native Americans in Texas, some of the issues facing Indigenous people in Austin today, and etiquette on how we can engage in deeper and more action-centered ways when we show up for activities such as volunteering or attending a Powwow. Great Promise for American Indians will be our second offering this month.
To attend this Teach-in, REGISTER HERE! |
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*Volunteer Service Opportunity*
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Support and Enjoy the Student Led Powwow at Travis High!
On Saturday, April 19 from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm
The Native American Indigenous Collective will hold a Powwow on the campus of our neighbors, Travis Early College High School.
This student powwow was formerly held on the UT campus prior to anti DEI legislation which pushed the students off campus.
This powwow provides Wildflowers with an opportunity to be in relationship with the indigenous students who are organizing this event. There are opportunities to both provide support (as a volunteer or donating to prizes for the dancers) and enjoy the event! To volunteer or to help with hospitality email the student leaders at naicpowwow@gmail.com.
Monetary donations can be made via cash app $The AustinPowwow
or PayPal @AustinPowwow and make a note that says NAIC Powwow.
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Save the Date:
Earth Day Celebration!
Meetup at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center
Sunday, April 27, 2025, 2pm to 5pm
Join CYRE, Wildflowers, and friends as we attend an annual community gathering hosted by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center at 701 Tillery St in East Austin.
Let us know if you plan to attend (note if you need a ride or can offer a carpool ride to/from the event). The PRCC encourages attendees to come wearing flowers. The Taino Spring Ceremony will honor Ataabey (Mother Earth) with Areyto (dance) and activities for the whole family! This event is free and open to the public. |
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Regional and National Information |
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Save the Date:
May 4, 1:30-4:00pm
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Be BRAVE - A Fireside Chat with Rep. Gene Wu, Followed by a High-Energy K-Pop Dance Experience!
Join us on Sunday, May 4th for our upcoming BRAVE Communities Connections, an intergenerational and multicultural event celebrating AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. Connect with the community, hear from Texas State Representative Gene Wu, and enjoy a KPOP demo and lesson by LASA’s Choreopop dance crew!
This event is family-friendly and all racial, religious, cultural, and political backgrounds are welcomed. Space is limited, register NOW to secure your spot
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First UU Reproductive Justice Film Festival
Dates: 3/9, 4/16 and 5/11 at 1pm in First UU Sanctuary
First UU Church of Austin is proud to present a 4-film festival with films about reproductive justice issues.
Contact reprojustice@austinuu.org for more information.
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Austin Youth River Watch Volunteers Needed
Austin Youth River Watch is looking for volunteers to help with meal deliveries to their students and families. The commitment is about 4 hours on Fridays starting between 10am-2pm (depending on your availability). You'll pick up meals at Cook's Nook in East Austin and deliver them to student's homes. Please fill out our Volunteer Meal Delivery Driver Form and Emma Walsh will reach out to you afterwards to go over the details.
Why We Need Your Help
Food security remains a concern for many of the students we work with. Each year, we hear from students who do not have consistent access to nutritious food. That's where our meal delivery program comes in!
For the past four years, our staff has been handling the delivery routes, but as our program grows, we’re hoping some of our awesome supporters (like you!) can step in to help out. This would really ease the load on our team and keep this program running smoothly.
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