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Weekly Newsletter for September 18, 2025
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Sunday Service
In Person and on Zoom
Sunday, September 21 at 11:45 am
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The Both And of Wildflower - Part 2 - 2025
It is the Autumn Equinox, one of balance of two moments in the year when the Sun is exactly above the Equator and day and night are of equal length. Spiritually, the autumnal equinox is a reminder for us to assess our accomplishments instead of our shortcomings. It is a time of gratitude and harvest; a time of letting go, and a time reflecting on the blessings in our lives. It is a time to prepare for transformation and change.
For the autumn equinox, let us look outside of our individual selves, and reflect on the life of this congregation. Let’s collectively harvest the wisdom of our experiences and carry what we want into the new season of this community, doing this in solidarity with one another.
As we engage in the service we will be connected in rhythm and the energy of sound vibrating in our cells. Our opening and closing hymns during the month of September are: “Sigamos Adelante / Keep on Moving Forward” and “Busca el Amor” (#1004 in the teal Singing the Journey hymnal). During September and October 2025 our worship services explore the theme “in solidarity.”
Service Leaders are Wildflowers who are guides for our time together in community
Children and youth in kindergarten through 12th grade will be meeting in person in their classes after being present in the sanctuary for the first part of the service. The nursery is available for babies and children from 6 weeks to 5 years old during the entire service period. You may choose either option for your child if they are 5 years old.
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Drum Circle After the Service in the Sanctuary:
Following the service with a critical pause for reuniting with children and resetting the sanctuary, we will hold an hour-long drum circle in the sanctuary to celebrate this time in the earth’s turning, the autumnal equinox. It will be led by Laura Jo Acuna.
This setting offers a wonderful acoustic opportunity as we engage in this percussive activity that fosters spiritual connection and collective energy through sound and vibration. We will have some percussives present and invite you to bring some to church with you - drums, rattles, shakers, tambourines, rainsticks, . . . your body.
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Congregational News and Events |
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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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Announcement About Our Blended Services
Last Sunday, we announced our worship plan to PAUSE our blended Zoom services this fall (pause start date to be determined). This temporary pause is to work on improving our in-person and our at-home worship experiences. With some of our audio and visual tech “gremlins” that frequently make challenging (sometimes humorous, sometimes frustrating) glitches during our worship experiences, our small, stretched thin, team of volunteers and staff recognize that we need time and energy to focus on addressing our equipment, software, and training, and test our refreshed practices and equipment to improve our worship experience for everyone–including in-person and at-home attendees, worship team, tech, and hospitality.
Know that we are working to create a Worship-at-Home weekly email list, to provide recorded access to services, and a method of submitting joys and concerns during this pause.
We also want to encourage more congregants to attend our 2nd and 5th Sunday Zoom-only services, as it is both a meaningful worship experience AND it allows our members who only worship with us virtually to engage with a wider group of congregants. After worship there are breakout rooms on Zoom for informal conversations that offer the chance to connect, learn more about each other, and build community (and welcome newcomers).
In addition to testing and strengthening our technology, skills, and equipment, during the pause, the worship and volunteer teams will work to keep our virtual attendees connected to Wildflowers and encourage deeper connections between congregants. We will also reach out to gather input and feedback about service access and experiences from regular Zoom attendees that will inform our future virtual worship excperiences.
Please be patient, and encouraging, as we work to support our beloved communities, together. |
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Dinner and Game Night for 7th - 12th Grade UU Youth Hosted by First UU, Wildflower and Live Oak UU!
Saturday, September 20 from 4-7
Kick off the start of the school year with UU Youth from all over Austin! This is a time to build and strengthen our Austin UU Youth Community. Please invite your friends, too!
Click here for more info and to RSVP: http://bit.ly/4fXqWw2
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Film Screening and Healing Circles, Thursday, October 2, 2025
Hosted by the Native American Cultural Center and Undoing White Supremacy Austin
Wildflower Church Community Room
1314 E. Oltorf, Austin, Texas 78704
Doors open at 5:30, program starts at 6pm CDT; light refreshments will be provided.
As we move towards celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 13, and the Austin Powwow on November 22, join us for a collective viewing of the documentary, Remaining Native. This film shows the strength of Indigenous communities as they engage in generational healing and cultural revitalization to overcome historical oppression. The screening will be followed by facilitated healing circles to reflect on our role toward being in right relations with Native communities.
Remaining Native is “a coming-of-age documentary told from the perspective of Ku Stevens, a 17-year-old Native American runner, struggling to navigate his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as the memory of his great grandfather's escape from an Indian boarding school begins to connect past, present, and future.”
Donations will be welcome at the event to support the Native American Cultural Center for the Austin Powwow.
If you have any questions or would like to assist with this event, please contact UWSA at undoingwhitesupremacy@gmail.com or Dee Adams at worship@wildflowerchurch.org
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Wildflower Church 2nd Offering Recipient for Q’3 2025
Wildflower Church has selected Out Youth to be the recipient of our Second Offering for the third quarter. We collect our Second Offering on the third Sunday Service of each month during the quarter; that is July 20, August 17 and September 21. Payment from the collections will be forwarded in early October.
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About OutYouth:
For 35 years, OutYouth has supported Central Texas LGBTQIA+ youth and their families by providing safe spaces where they are loved, acknowledged, and accepted for exactly who they are.
We host a variety of programs and services aimed at promoting the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being of LGBTQIA+ youth. These include social programming at our drop-in community center, individual and group therapy, case management to connect the community with resources, and so much more—all for free!
Learn more about OutYouth's work at outyouth.org
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Did you know you can donate your used car to Wildflower?
https://careasy.org/nonprofit/wildflower-church
Donating your used car or truck to Wildflower is easy-peasy! Just click on the above link to make your couch-potato friendly arrangements for your used car or truck to be picked up and turned into the cash Wildflower needs to continue our mission of spreading Love, Justice and Joy! |
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The Disability Team wants to hear from YOU!
Did you know that Wildflower has a Disability Team?? The Disability Advisory Team coordinates with our Facilities and Worship Teams along with the Board (and with Faith for all architectural/building modifications) to improve accessibility. Past projects include: installation of wall-hung diaper-changing stations in bathrooms, leveling of the sidewalk and courtyard pathways, Community Room ramp and doorbell, insulation of HVAC closet to decrease noise in Community Room, and a donated wheelchair left by a former team member.
What ideas and recommendations do you have to increase Wildflower's overall accessibility???
We'd love to hear from you! Contact Alyxis and Susie at: disability@wildflowerchurch.org |
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Wildflower Orientation Dates
We organize Orientations to Membership to help people understand Wildflower’s culture, structure, and history and how to become involved in the life of the congregation. We welcome new members and pledging friends
https://wildflowerchurch.breezechms.com/form/orientation-2025
Upcoming dates (on Zoom) are:
Wed, Oct 22
More dates to come...
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Coffee and Conversations
Wednesdays at 10 am
https://zoom.us/j/93681478930
Meeting ID: 936 8147 8930
Hi, Wildflowers! Come check in about life, the universe and everything with other Wildflowers, Chaplain Bis, and the Pastoral Care Team. Chaplain Bis is also available 1:1 Zoom sessions, which you can sign up for at calendly.com/wildflowerpastoralcare
Ideas Worth Contemplating
1st and 3rd Sundays at 9:30 am
https://zoom.us/j/97826544113?pwd=SVVPM2NaNm5vaXJtZmN3ZjgrU3l3UT09
Ideas Worth Contemplating is an ongoing group led by Wildflower Mike Ignatowski that uses inspiring and thought-provoking TED Talks to generate discussion about important topics.
Climate Education Zoom class
2nd Sunday, May 11, 9:30 am to 10:15 am
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2635700913?pwd=bjNxMEczWHU2bUp3dXpEcVRXWjhRUT09
Meeting ID: 263 570 0913 Passcode: 002030
Our Climate Education classes usually feature a 20-30 minute video, and ample time left over for lively discussion. Join us! Next class is a week from Sunday, topic To Be Determined, but probably related to this Spring's 15-year anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf. Our WildEarth Climate Action Team offers this class on most 2nd Sundays of the month.
Wildflower Book Club
1st Wednesdays at 7-8 pm via Zoom
Contact : ARE@wildflowerchurch.org if interested.
Tarot Circle: 3rd Wednesdays @ 7:00pm
Come and explore your spiritual life with support from the tarot!
On May 14th, the KNIGHTS of the tarot will guide us in the practice of aligned self-expression.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81959828225
Contact MelissaOMeeks@gmail.com to register. |
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Regional and National Information |
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Hospitality is an opportunity to make sure that the dancers, drummers, staff, and volunteer are fed and cared for during that full day celebration.
To volunteer for hospitality for the 11/22 Powwow, register here.
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Peace & Justice Fest Sunday
Sunday, September 21, 2025 12-6pm Princeton Palace (2505 Princeton Pl, Austin, TX 78741). FREE, all welcome, picnic style.
PERFORMERS: Nagavalli, Parker Woodland (acoustic), Stephanie Bergara, Qi Dada, Estani Frizzell, Kiya Heartwood, Alison Tucker, MC Salcidation, Javier Jara, The Therapy Sisters, Bonfire Choir Acoustic.
Donations benefit Nonviolent Austin & Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry.
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