Weekly Newsletter for January 10, 2025

Zoom Links

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acaQZ0PtyT

Ideas Worth Contemplating

1st and 3rd Sundays at 9:30 am

Zoom Link:

https://zoom.us/j/97826544113?pwd=SVVPM2NaNm5vaXJtZmN3ZjgrU3l3UT09

Phone connection: 346-248-7799; Meeting ID: 978 2654 4113; Passcode: 932628

Worship Service on Zoom

Sundays at 11:45 am (2nd Sundays are Zoom only)

Zoom Link:

https://zoom.us/j/95255929970?pwd=RjI2VCtOWExwT01ib1dDUHFXbjVsdz09

Phone Connections:346 248 7799; Meeting ID: 952 5592 9970; Passcode: 605730

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

Board Meetings

2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm

Zoom Link:

https://zoom.us/j/99578028139

Sunday Service

Zoom Only

Sunday, January 12 at 11:45 am

Service Leader: Rev. Nell Newton

Such a Vision!

What is the Beloved Community? Who dreamed it first and what did they mean by it? Let’s sift through history and theology to learn from wise ones, and chart our path forward to such a vision.

Rev. Nell Newton is happy to be visiting Wildflower UU. She is a lifelong UU, a 2015 graduate of Meadville Lombard, and most recently served as the Assistant Minister in San Antonio. She lives in Austin with her husband where she tends a scraggly garden, three cats, and a flock of chickens.

This is a Zoom-only service. There will be no children's and youth religious education classes.

Congregational News

Climate Education:

“Burning Injustice”—

how a community fights a false “climate solution,” toxic waste incineration.

Sunday, January 12 at 9am-10:15 am

Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2635700913?pwd=bjNxMEczWHU2bUp3dXpEcVRXWjhRUT09

Meeting ID: 263 570 0913 Passcode: 002030

For 2025’s first class, we have a short documentary that traces the struggle of a community in California’s Central Valley against a toxic waste incinerator, promoted as a “waste-to-energy” climate solution. What similar issues may exist in Texas, or in Austin? This documentary echoes a key interest of our Climate Team--the many intersections of climate change with equity and social justice. If you wish, watch ahead of time at this link:

https://youtu.be/ZxQYcWu1bCs?si=uH-68DW10wEfECDw
The WildEarth Climate Action Team offers class on most second Sundays at 9:00 am. We’ll reserve plenty of time for lively discussion!

Anti-Racist Elementary Curriculum - Winter 2025

Wildflower is excited to start 2025 with six weeks of anti-racist classes drawn from Drawing Differences and Growing Anti-racist UUs: A Curriculum for Children! This class will be for elementary-age children (grades kindergarten through 5), beginning Sunday, January 26, and taught by our very own Laura Miller! The class will run from Jan. 26 through Mar. 16, with no classes on Feb. 9 or Mar. 9. All elementary-aged kids are welcome to attend, whether Wildflower members or not. Children who attend all six classes will benefit, but kids are also welcome to just drop-in to one or more classes. Please mark your calendars and spread the word to your friends! For questions, contact dre@wildflowerchurch.org.

Wildflower Book Group: Pema Chodron's "The Places That Scare You"

Wednesday, February 5 at 7 pm

Via Zoom

Our next read (we didn't meet in January) for February's meeting is by one of my favorite authors, Pema Chodron. Pema (pemachodronfoundation.org) is a celebrated American Buddhist nun whose many books and audiotapes talk about how mindfulness, compassion and vulnerability allow each of us to take a more kinder view of not just the world around us, but of ourselves. Come join our small group in February to discuss this book. We try to suggest books that are available on Austin Public Library's free Libby ap, or is available for purchase for $15 or less on Amazon and other sellers. Questions: contact Susie - ARE@wildflowerchurch.org

Ongoing Events

Coffee and Conversations

Wednesdays at 10 am

https://zoom.us/j/93681478930

Meeting ID: 936 8147 8930

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.

Wildflower Book Club

1st Wednesdays at 7-8 pm via Zoom

Contact : ARE@wildflowerchurch.org if interested.

Regional and National Information

FIRST TXUUJM NEWS OF 2025: It's Legislature time!

Happy new year from the Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry! After a time of rest, celebration, and rejuvenation, our staff and volunteer leaders are excited to get back to "bending Texas toward justice" with you!

• ACTION HOUR: Please join us on Zoom at 7pm Thursday, Jan. 16th, for the first Action Hour of the year!

• FIRST DAY OF LEGISLATURE: For those in the Austin area, you're invited to the South Steps of the Capitol at 10am Tuesday, Jan. 14th, as TXUUJM's Rev. Erin Walter and UU state Rep. Donna Howard are among the speakers for the interfaith gathering on the first day of the 89th Texas Legislature.

• TXUUJM LEGISLATIVE ACTION DAY AT CAPITOL: Last but not least, registration will open next week for TXUUJM Legislative Action Day at the Capitol on Monday, March 17, 2024 (with additional programming on March 16 and 18). Save the date, sign up for emails, and keep an eye out for the TXUUJM newsletter!

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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