While the weather in Austin may not change very much as we move from summer to fall on the calendar, that doesn’t mean that we have to stay the same. Change starts from within. Education can play a vital role in our spiritual growth, helping to shape our actions, our sense of purpose, and our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. In this service, Simone Monique Barnes will explore how education can change us. Special guest Jose Dominguez will share with us a song in the Coahuiltecan language, and after the service, he will lead us in the cultural practice of drumming, rooted in integrated teachings from his Coahuiltecan elders and Toltekan spiritual community. All are welcome! An interdisciplinary artist, writer, educator, and lay minister, Simone Monique Barnes works in community ministry, and is a regular guest worship leader and lay speaker at Wildflower UU in Austin TX. Her professional and spiritual pathways are influenced by the religious lineages, histories, and traditions of Absalom Jones and Richard Allen (The Episcopal Church, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church), along with a connection to community, the arts, and the healing practices of yoga, prayer, and meditation. Simone is a Harvard trained educator, who is also trained in the teaching practices of Laughter Yoga and Afro Flow Yoga which help provide the fuel she needs to stay in “good trouble” doing the work to build and nurture the beloved community. Children (age 5 and older) and Youth will be meeting in person in their classes after being present in the sanctuary for the first part of the service. Children 6 weeks to 4 years of age are welcome in our Nursery.