This week, we celebrate the ten-year work anniversary of our Office Administrator, Lin McKissick!
As the office administrator, Lin is often the first voice, face, or email people connect with at Wildflower. Her work maintains that connection, as she serves our congregation in so many ways, often behind the scenes, but never unnoticed. She is supportive of all our teams, our staff, our Board, our lay leaders, and our community partners. And she knows our congregation and our neighbors by name. Her many years of service and commitment to our congregation and the community help to create an environment for everyone to grow spiritually together, spreading love, justice, and joy.
Here’s a little behind-the-scenes look at Wildflower. The Spiritual Life Team (a cross-team gathering of Wildflower lay leaders and staff) had a wonderful retreat and planning day on Saturday, February 1st, at Austin Youth River Watch‘s location in Del Valle. And the weather was perfect for indoor and outdoor discussions and walks! It was a great time of bonding and getting to know one another better, and imagining our upcoming season of worship, music, learning, and activities at Wildflower this spring and summer. We are thankful to AYRW (one of our past Second Offering recipients) for generously sharing their space with us, and we express much gratitude for the Wildflowers who helped to make the day successful and nourishing for all (including a yummy breakfast, snacks, and lunch for our full day of work).
While we worked a lot, we also made time for worship and spiritual practices, as nourishing ourselves is important as leaders. We learned a new song, “There is Only Love” (lyrics can be found here), and we sang some familiar songs, too, like “Rise Again” by Urban Voices Project, and “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher).”
On Sunday, January 26, Wildflower Church and Faith Presbyterian are joining a coalition of congregations, universities, and local advocates to display Vidas Robadas installations Texas in collaboration with Texas Impact and TXUUJM. Faith and Wildflower will work together to create and install 100 shirts to be publicly displayed outside as part of this state wide project.
Vidas Robadas (Stolen Lives) is a Texas Impact project focused on addressing gun violence. Through memorializing victims of gun violence, Vidas Robadas localizes and makes visible the reality of gun violence for communities across our state. The installations honor and memorialize the thousands of Texas residents whose lives have been stolen by gun violence since 2018.
Schedule for Sunday, January 26:
11:00 am Coffee and preparing the shirts & plant the stakes for display outdoors
Faith and Wildflower congregations and friends (community members are welcome) will work together in Faith’s Fellowship Hall (located across the courtyard from the sanctuary and Wildflower Community Room), immediately following the 10 am worship service of Faith Presbyterian.
1:00 pm Outdoor installation of the shirts, reflections, and Closing Circle
Faith and Wildflower congregations and friends (community members are welcome) will work together, immediately following the 11:45 am worship service of Wildflower Church.
Wildflowers (and friends) are encouraged to come to church early and to stay late to participate in this meaningful, shared experience with Faith Presbyterian. All are welcome to participate in this hands on installation and community project.
The project could use a few additional people to help with set up or clean up, or participating in the program (a reading, sharing a personal experience, poem, music, etc.). Please let us know you’re interested in volunteering by signing up here, or reach out to Daniela or Simone at Wildflower, or Marilyn at Faith if you are interested.
This shirt will be installed on Sunday, January 26th, and will remain on display for 2 weeks (through February 9th).
ABOUT VIDAS ROBADAS
Vidas Robadas is a state-wide installation campaign, where congregations, universities, and any other interested locations display t-shirts that name or represent victims from their community whose lives where stolen by gun violence.
This project seeks to connect the various silos of advocacy and violence prevention, and to unite communities of faith with other advocates to create positive change. The project starts with municipal initiatives, connecting city leaders with advocates to enact gun violence reduction measures.
Vidas Robadas will be active up until the Texas legislative session in 2025, when all of our partners and allies across the state will head to the capitol to demand legislative change.
Gun reform is hard, especially in Texas. But not impossible. We have seen progress this past session that would have been impossible years prior. We have to capitalize on this moment. Lives depend on it.
And Save the Date: February 27th Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Day Event at the Texas Capitol
As we continue living out our mission and values, this quarter (January, February, and March 2025) we are focusing our outreach and donations to an organization who uplifts the Beloved Community: BRAVE Communities. You are invited to learn more about them at this link: https://bravecommunities.org/
Their mission is to cultivate BRAVE spaces for people of diverse backgrounds to come together and Build Relationships Awareness Voices and Engagement so we can co-create more just and equitable communities.
Below are programs offered by Brave:
BRAVE Young Leaders: Equipping local young people, ages 14-24 year old, with the tools to be agents of change for social good, while creating meaningful connections, and gaining hands-on experience to be community leaders and organizers.
BRAVE Communities Connections: Experience powerful, free community-building events with neighbors who want to change the narrative by listening deeply, and connecting with others in a brave space.
Global Social Impact Programs: BRAVE partners with the U.S. Department of State to empower young global leaders, to facilitate their city immersion experience in Austin, for their social innovation programs, fostering leadership and collaboration to address critical community issues worldwide.
MakeATXBRAVE Health & Well-Being: Support communities disproportionately impacted by health disparities. From providing meals and resources to tackling food injustice and mental health stigma, this initiative engages young people in learning and advocacy while driving solutions for health equity and climate change.
BRAVE Fest: This citywide event unites local underrepresented artists, businesses, nonprofits, and community groups to foster connections across cultures and generations.
The objectives of our Second Offerings is to deepen our understanding and work with the chosen nonprofit recipient, and to highlight the good work happening in the community outside of our church walls.
Throughout the quarter we will highlight other ways we can engage with BRAVE Communities including opportunities for Wildflowers and friends to volunteer, to learn, to participate in BRAVE programming, and to serve as a sponsor for events held in our Community Room.
There are many ways to uplift the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other servant leaders of the Civil Rights Movement as we celebrate this annual day on, not a day off. Below are a few activities from our extended Wildflower community and friends to get involved in this week. (You can also read the Austin Statesman for additional activities and volunteer service projects in our region. Or watch programming from The King Center in Atlanta on YouTube or other platforms.)
Thursday, January 16th, 9 am to 12 pm Resist! Pre-Inauguration Kingian Nonviolence Workshop
Join Nonviolent Austin for a Kingian Nonviolence workshop to honor MLK’s birth & meet the moment of the upcoming presidential inauguration. Thursday, January 16 · 9am – 12pm CST. Doors at 8:45am at the Carver Library
Thursday, January 16, 7 PM TXUUJM Action Hour on Zoom
Join Texas UU Justice Ministry as we take action every week, over Zoom, as a community. We check-in and connect with folks around the state as we make calls to elected officials, write letters to the editor, send emails of appreciate to justice partners, and more. https://txuujm.org/
Sunday, January 19th, 11: 45 am MLK Worship Service at Wildflower
“Revolutionary Dreams” sermon by Simone Monique Barnes. Drawing inspiration from some of the music, poetry, and speeches of the civil rights movement and the liberation era, we’ll think about one of the most revolutionary prophetic dreams of all: normal life.
After the Sunday worship service, spend some time in Beloved Community by engaging in conversations and other moments of connection over popcorn and coffee in the Community Room, as we celebrate the life and legacy of Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, and other servant leaders of the civil rights movement and beyond. Encourage a friend or neighbor who needs community this weekend to join us for the service at 11:45 am, or for coffee in the community room from 1 pm
Monday, January 20th MLK March and Festival, 9:30 am to 4 pm UPDATE: The March is cancelled due to inclement weather. Festival is postponed to February 1st
The Annual Community March celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy while uplifting diversity and multi-culturalism in our city. All are invited to march and celebrate Dr. King’s legacy.
The MLK Community March kicks off on Monday, January 20, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. on the south steps of the State Capitol for a rally.
At the conclusion of the program we will march to Huston-Tillotson University for the MLK Festival, from 11am to 4 pm.
The family friendly festival includes vendors and local musical artists to make this year’s celebration the best ever! Come prepared to have a great time. Marchers are asked to help by bringing can goods or non-perishable food items which will be donated to the Central Texas Food Bank. See the march and festival webpage for guidelines on what to donate. https://mlkcelebration.com/celebration-events/march-and-festival/
Monday, January 20th, 2-4PM BRAVE Communities Connection
“MLK’s Dream in Action”. This family-friendly event is a chance for all of us to embody MLK’s values and vision of a beloved community through community conversations, community service, and meaningful connections.
This free event is open to all, but pre-registration is required. Let’s honor Dr. King’s dream by coming together to create the beloved community he envisioned—a community where everyone belongs, and justice and love prevail. Rozco’s Comedy Club, 1805 E 7th St, Austin TX 78702
(Note: The event venue is a very short walk from MLK Festival held at Huston-Tillotson. Festival postponed until February 1.)
Join in a Beloved drum circle to welcome the Winter Solstice. All levels are welcome. Bring a drum or other percussion instrument (we’ll also have some available for use). Sunday, December 22, 1:15 pm – 2:30 pm, in the Wildflower Community Room.
