Econnection: August 29, 2024

EConnection

Aug 29

Written By Renee Moreno

Econnection - August 29, 2024

Featured Events

TNL: The Savvy Ally

Tuesdays 9/3 - 10/1 | 6:45 pm

Library or Zoom

Rev. Nancy Mossman will lead a five-week book study exploring skills needed to be an intentional ally including creating safe and inclusive spaces. This book study is for everyone as we can all learn more about creating inclusive spaces for people who aren’t like us. This book study is for everyone as we all have space to grow and learn about creating inclusive spaces for others.

Learn More & Register

Short Stories & Lasting Wisdom

Thursdays beginning 9/5 | 10 am

Library or Zoom

Thursday Morning Lesson is back! Join us Thursday mornings at 10 am. Each class will begin with the sharing of a short story, and then spending some time breaking down text and discussing the lessons each of these stories leaves with us. With a story of the day, you’re invited to attend class as they’re able, weekly attendance not required.

Learn More & Register

Parents Night Out: September

September 7 | 5 - 8:30 pm

Register by September 5

Treat your kids fifth grade and under to a fun night out with friends at UUMC! We'll always have crafts, recreation, STEM, pizza, movie and dessert. This month our theme is Olympics! PNO is the perfect time to do something fun by yourselves or join other parents for community time together. We can't wait to see you there!

Service of Worship

Sunday | 11 am

Join us for worship this Sunday! We will celebrate Holy Communion and Pastor Teresa’s sermon will continue our focus on Psalm 90 “Teach us O Beloved to number our days that we might have a heart of wisdom.” The scripture text is Matthew’s telling of the Laborers in the Vineyard and the sermon will reference the history of Labor Day and the important work of labor unions.

Director of Music Ministry, AV, is planning a music filled worship service to recognize labor day. Special guests Katie Bennet Hobson (violin), Michael Hobson (guitar), and Paul Harper (banjo/guitar) will join our choir and featured singers to bring us arrangements of Pete Seeger's "Turn Turn Turn" and Ruth Moody's "Glory Bound." We'll join together at the end of worship to sing "This Land is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie. AV shares, “Folk music is accessible, singable, and story driven. These attributes make it a vessel for rallying folks together, and for communicating injustice. May our meditations in folk music this Sunday remind us of each human's inherent worth, beyond the products of our labor."

A special note from staff planning worship:

The words to the song "This land is your land” have often been seen as words of welcome and inclusion. However, in recent years Native American activists have rightly criticized the song for overlooking the reality of colonialism. Mali Obomsawin, an Odanak Abenaki First Nation activist and musician, writes, “In the context of America, a nation-state built by settler colonialism, Woody Guthrie's protest anthem exemplifies the particular blind spot that Americans have in regard to Natives: American patriotism erases us, even if it comes in the form of a leftist protest song. Why? Because this land 'was' our land." In Sunday’s service, we’ll include a verse written by activist Carolyn "Cappy" Israel, which Seeger often performed, "This land is your land, but it once was my land / Before we sold you Manhattan Island / You pushed our nations to the reservation / This land was stole from me by you”

News

September Altar Rail Offering

Altar rail offerings in September will go to Habitat for Humanity. University UMC is collaborating on a Habitat for Humanity house building project on September 28. If you’d like to get involved with building, contact Pastor Earl at pastorearl@uumc.org.

UUMC Poetry Group

Do you enjoy reading, listening to, or writing poetry? Check out UUMC's poetry group! They meet on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 PM. We'll rotate meeting locations around the area (usually homes). Gatherings usually entail everyone bringing a couple of poems that they want to share aloud. The poems can be your own, old faithfuls from your favorite poets, or newly-discovered pieces. Reach out to Lauren Hanks for more info: laurennicolehanks@gmail.com.

Next Meeting: September 17 @ 7 pm

UUMC Sunday Social

It was such a joy spending time celebrating back-to-school along with the Sunday school classes and Ministries of UUMC! If you were unable to join us on Sunday but still want information about Youth and Children’s ministries, to find a Sunday school class or to start volunteering, please reach out! We’d love to have you. You can always email our office manager, Renee at renee@uumc.org and she can get you connected!

Special Shoutout to our Pie Competition Winners!

(left to right)

1st Place - Jerra Adams with a Key Lime Pie representing Flower & Card Ministry

2nd Place - Betsy Singleton with a Strawberry Pie representing Racial Justice

3rd Place - Janis Monger with a Chocolate Pie representing Microloans

UUMC Votes - Help Register Students to Vote

In September, UUMC Votes is helping students register to vote on our 24th and Guadalupe corner. If you’re interested in participating, ensure you’ve got a valid certificate as a Volunteer Deputy Registrar (VDR). If you need to get certified (or re-certified) it’s easy and all online! Sign up to attend a training here!

Volunteer to Help Register Students!

Central Texas Interfaith:

Get-Out-The-Vote Walk

Central Texas Interfaith invites you on a non-partisan drive to increase voter turnout. On September 14th from 8:30 am - noon they’ll be walking through East Austin engaging residents to hopefully increase voter turnout. To learn more or participate, contact Trish Merrill (tmerrill6138@gmail.com).