community event

UUA Connectional Event

DRUUMM continues to partner with the Church of the Larger Fellowship, concerned religious professionals, Palestinian, Arabs, Southwest Asian/North African and Jewish members of our community on a weekly Vigil for Gaza. Vigils are open to all.

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This vigil, held on June 9, 2024, 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Central (8:00 PM to 9:00 PM Eastern), open to all, is to honor the spiritual work toward ending the violence. We are calling for a permanent ceasefire and end to the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, a release of all hostages/prisoners, humanitarian aid, and an accountability process that is not rooted in revenge. We deeply honor the worth and dignity of all Palestinians and all Israelis.

We are centering the voices of those most affected and we ask attendees to hold this with intention. We aim to be present with one another and deepen our attention to the crises in Gaza as Unitarian Universalists. We are mindful of the deep and complex roots in the minds and hearts of Westerners.

Join us as we grieve, rage, learn, and find solace together. The vigil will be held for 45 minutes, and we may host facilitated breakout session afterwards depending on capacity for those who wish to connect more intentionally.

RSVP Required for Zoom: druumm.org/events

View DRUUMM’s previous vigil at youtube.com/@DRUUMM

Hosted by concerned Unitarian Universalist ministers, religious professionals, lay leaders, the Church of the Larger Fellowship, UU Service Committee, UU Women’s Federation, UUs for Justice in the Middle East and more.

DRUUMM logo

Interested in joining DRUUMM? Wildflowers can sign up via our Group Membership Form. Event Registration links are sent directly to DRUUMM members.

Membership is open to those who affirm DRUUMM’s mission and values, self-identify as a Black, Indigenous and/or Person of Color/Person of the Global Majority, and make a modest, meaningful, contribution of presence at one or more of our events or programs each year, volunteer at any of our DRUUMM events or community projects, and/or support financially (as you are able). (Wildflower had paid for a group membership. There is no fee for an individual to join through our Wildflower DRUUMM membership.)

Fatigue, exhaustion, expenses, the “news,” car trouble, isolation, stress—where’s the joy in that! Do we ever get a break? Yes!

Join Simone, as we celebrate World Laughter Day, at Wildflower UU Church, 1314 Oltorf St, Austin TX 78704, on Sunday, May 5, 2pm, with Laughter Yoga, a fun, interactive, accessible session for all bodies that offers tools for finding joy, joy that isn’t reliant on our current circumstances.

(RSVP so that we reserve enough space for you and your guests.)

Laughter Yoga is a scientifically based body-mind practice that began almost thirty years ago in Mumbai, India, that unites unconditional laughter and deep yogic breathing. Through group laughter exercises, meditation, and deep relaxation, participants will bring more oxygen to their bodies and brains, and connect with other people in a heartfelt way without relying on language, or jokes, or even a sense of humor.

Participants will leave with a few techniques they can begin using immediately to feel energetic, more relaxed, connected to others in a safe and meaningful way, and able to transform frustrations into happy, endorphin-filled meditative experiences through Laughter Yoga.

Wear clothes that you can move in and that don’t restrict your abdomen. NO YOGA MATS NEEDED. Wheel Friendly class. All ages and all abilities welcome.

This Laughter Yoga session is FREE and open to the public, and will be held IN PERSON at
Wildflower UU Church
1314 Oltorf St
Austin TX 78704

RSVP here

“It is often necessary to laugh in order to survive.”

–Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

“It is cheerful to God when you laugh or rejoice from the bottom of your heart.”

–Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

ABOUT SIMONE

Simone Monique Barnes, Wildflower’s Director of Membership and Spiritual Life, is a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader.

Trained by the founder of Laughter Yoga, Dr. Madan Kataria, Simone regularly incorporates joy practices into her daily life and ministry.

She teaches Laughter Yoga, knowing that a smile is the shortest distance between two people, and that joy practices sustain us in hard times.