Dear Reader,
This is the Tuesday, January 21, 2025 full edition of the Tapestry newsletter of upcoming events and announcements. All events are open to anyone who wishes to join, except where otherwise noted.
Quick Links to Contents:
Upcoming Sunday Service at 11:00 AM:
Side with Love Week
by Rev. Alisha Mills
With each new year, Side with Love offers an intentional holy time of spiritual nourishment, contemplation, and embodiment. A new year can carry with it the weight and grief of the former while inviting us into possibility and prophecy of the new. 30 Days of Love offers a place to steady and stretch as we faithfully journey toward wholeness and collective liberation. We will share their offering for the week in worship and share ways to engage spiritually with their entire 30 days for the congregation.
The theme this year is Inhabiting Our Freedom Dreams,. The theme draws inspiration from Robin D.G. Kelley’s Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination, tracing the prophetic affirmations and spiritual work of justice movements as guides to how each of us can call new worlds into being. The first week is We Are Home
If you're unable to join us in person, Zoom is still an option by clicking HERE.
Announcements:
Interest Survey - Book reading & engagement We'll All Be Free by Caroline J Sumlin
The book We'll All Be Free is a wonderful and easy to understand book about how White Supremacy Culture has instilled toxic beliefs within us. This book is written with chapters that have activities at the end of each for reflection. Rev. Alisha would like to lead us through the three-part book on either zoom or in-person. Please click this link to be taken to the form that will help her gauge interest and schedule the plan.
Team Leaders Sunday Meetup
We would like to give team leaders the opportunity to meet with their members, plan, create, and do good works on the 4th Sunday of every month. This coming Sunday is the first opportunity to JAM!
During fellowship hour rather than our normal socializing time, we will first get our snacks and then go to tables marked with your team and make great things happen for our Tapestry UU Church!
Choir Practice Sunday 10am
Join us this Sunday to sing with the Tapestry Choir
Stewardship Blog: LOOKING AHEAD
by Geoff Sanders on 1/15/2025
Our church’s finances appear to be on a sound footing for the current fiscal year thanks to the decisions made at our November Special Congregational Meeting, some generously increased pledges, and reductions in some budgeted expenditures. Thank you all for helping us achieve this desirable condition!
Now, though, it is time to look ahead to the coming fiscal year, which will start on July 1, 2025. When we hired Alisha to be our part-time minister, we told her that one of our goals is to grow our church - not for the sake of being bigger, but so that we could expand our ministry and be better equipped to serve our members and the broader community. Chief among our goals is to pay our minister a fair salary commensurate with UUA standards, and if possible, to pay her for more than 80 hours a month.
I trust everyone will agree that Alisha has been doing an admirable job, and she definitely deserves to be paid on a par with other ministers working for a church our size in a major metropolitan area. She is also working hard to attract and recruit new members.
Last year we signed a two-year contract with Alisha, which takes us through June 30, 2026. But the contract also includes an option to renew her contract for an additional three-year term. We were not able to commit to a five-year agreement outright, because we could not guarantee that future pledges would cover an appropriate increase in her salary.
Accordingly, we are asking all members to pledge 2 to 5% of their adjusted gross income to our church, provided that they are able to do so. Of course, everyone’s circumstances are different, and if 2 to 5% is not sustainable for you, we will happily accept whatever amount you are comfortable giving. We also recognize that our members sustain our church in many ways in addition to pledging.
Why 2 to 5%? Our goal is to limit our ask so that we can all also make contributions to other deserving charitable organizations and causes. In addition, these figures reflect the UUA’s Fair Share Guidelines:
AN ANSWER TO HOW MUCH TO PLEDGE:
“How much should I pledge? Your pledge is a personal decision. It is informed by your financial means, your connection to the mission and work of the church, and the needs of the congregation. UUA Fair Share Guidelines suggest that a new member pledge 2% of adjusted gross income, and increase it over time to 5%.” https://uucharlottesville.org/pledge-faqs/.
Read More and Comment on the Stewardship Blog
Exploring the Essence of Unitarian Universalism
From the Southern Region UU Newsletter, January Edition:
Unitarian Universalism is a living tradition which evolves to meet our current reality and respond to current human need. In our shared tradition, we practice discernment about our shared Faith in community with one another, listening for the wisdom among us. Please join your Congregational Life Staff for a series of conversations about three critical aspects of Unitarian Universalism: our shared values, our covenants, and our historical context. Each session will include informational background and current context for each subject, making these discussions appropriate for new UUs, Lifelong UUs, and everyone in between. Click HERE to register.
Cooking Covenant Group: February: Two Events
by Tracy Cook on 1/7/2025
Howdy, Friends and Neighbors!
We met to plan out what we are going to do in 2025, and here is our calendar of events. All of the regularly-scheduled meetings happen on the first Saturday of the month, from 3:00-4:30 PM. Some special events will be held on Sundays, and we will announce them a month beforehand so everyone will know.
For February, we will have a Celebration of All Things Chocolate! I will be making my Chicken Mole again. The from-scratch, homemade mole sauce is vegan, so I will also bring Mole Sweet Potatoes, yum! And probably something sweet, too, because I love-love-love chocolate. This is a pot-luck style event, so come with your goodies ready to eat. And remember some take-away containers!
We had talked about having this at my new place, but I’m having my foundation worked on and it has to settle for six weeks. Then I am having some new tile installed. It might be March or April before I can host. I will keep everyone updated.
So, this event will be held up at Tapestry from 3:00-4:30 PM. No pork or shellfish, please.
We are having a BONUS activity on Sunday, February 9 up at Tapestry. We are hosting a Souper Sunday event during Fellowship time! If you would like to volunteer to bring a soup, please contact me before February 7 so I can get a total and know if we have enough soup. I am making my Feel Good Soup, and maybe another soup because I think soup is the BEST. Allan Perkins, are you going to bring one of your awesome soups?! I sure hope so, they are delicious!
No pork or shellfish for this event either, please.
We are asking for suggested donations of $5 per person, and that gets you as many bowls of soup as you want. You can pay more, this is just a suggestion! All funds go towards Tapestry. Five years and under is free, and visitors eat free as well. Bring a soup and you get to skip the donations part, too!
And so you can have a look ahead to what’s coming up in 2025, here is the entire calendar…
January: Calendaring
February:
- Chocolate
- Souper Sunday!!!
March:
April:
May:
June:
- Popsicles - kid-friendly so bring the munchkins with you!!!
July:
August:
September:
October:
- Spooky Foods - another kid-friendly event!
November:
- Merengues
- Bread Communion
- Thanksgiving at Woodsy Hollow
December:
- Second Annual Holiday Treats Bake Sale
Read More and Comment on the Cooking Covenant Group Blog
2025 General Assembly Registration is Open and Application for Delegates
Registration links are open for the 2025 UU General Assembly in Baltimore, Maryland. June 18-22 at the Baltimore Convention Center. We will be looking for delegates to represent Tapestry UU of Houston.
Are you interested in being a delegate to represent our congregation? We can appoint two delegates, and in doing so we strive to represent the multigenerational and multiracial character of our members. The registration fee goes up after March 31. The fee is $410 but can be covered if you apply to the UUA and are accepted for a volunteer position. Tapestry may also have budget to assist those in need. If you are interested in being considered by the Board as a delegate, please take a look at this application form for Tapestry members and fill it out before the February board meeting if you are willing to make commitments to the following:
- Attending an online orientation for delegates provided by the UUA
- Meeting with the board to discuss workshops you could attend during GA
- Seeking input from the congregation regarding business items to be voted upon (non-binding)
- Giving a brief summary report of your experience and votes at the July or August board meeting
- Represent Tapestry UU of Houston at activities.
Read info and apply for consideration by our Tapestry Board by clicking HERE. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Third Principle Team at 3PT@uutapestry.org.
Share-the-Plate
January's share-the-plate offering is going to the Environmental Working Group, whose mission is simple: To empower you with breakthrough research to make informed choices and live a healthy life in a healthy environment.
The UU Network Annual Leadership Luncheon
Growing and Unifying Our Liberal, Inclusive, Loving Message!
Please attend the UU Network of Houston annual Leadership Luncheon at
Emerson UU Church Westwood Hall
1900 Bering Dr. Houston, TX 77057
on Saturday January 25, 2025 from 11 AM to 3 PM for presentations and a lively discussion/brainstorming about digital media, communications, social media and digital privacy. Every UU Member and friend of Unitarianism who is interested in communications, social media and digital privacy is encouraged to attend. So we can provide lunch for everyone, please register at https://www.uuhouston.org/register/.
With the new administration, it is likely that there will be significant social justice and privacy concerns especially for liberal religions. Effectively planning, growing, and unifying our message needs active social and digital media participation - from participating in social media usage that focuses on consistent UU messaging to counteracting the potential injustices and privacy violations will require prompt social media "campaigns" with consistent messaging that's securely coordinated.
This luncheon will have speakers and videos from the Texas UU Justice Ministry, from the Southern Region district of the UUA, and from our own congregations. The presentations will focus on challenges we face. UU members are encouraged to share their digital communication and social media/social justice success stories. The brainstorming will focus on potential social platform usage ideas, digital privacy, and campaign slogans for Houston area UUs. After brainstorming, we will discuss the steps we should take to further our UU faith.
Please plan now to participate in this stimulating event.
Coyote has stolen The Vanishing
The D&D group has decided to take a break from D&D for a couple months to try a new game: Coyote & Crow. Coyote & Crow is a 100% Indigenous-American written RPG which imagines a science-fantasy world in which colonialism never existed. For our sample story, the players will play Coyote Chasers... people who help communities endure Coyote's pranks, and hopefully come away wiser in the process. In this specific scenario, they are helping three villages deal with expanding rivalries in the run up to their 12 year festival and competitions.
We will continue to meet during our normal 3:00pm time slot at Dragon's Lair. We will return to our normally scheduled D&D game after playing one story in the setting of Coyote & Crow. Our introductory session will be December 15th. Please contact Eric Huckabay if you have any questions.
Circle of Trees Multigenerational Spiritual Formation
Circle of Trees is a multi-generational program of eight workshops that nurture deep connection with trees, nature, and all of earth's living creatures. The program uses trees as an entry point to understand and connect with life on earth. Across many cultures, trees are recognized as a symbol for life on earth—for example, the biblical Tree of Life. Even young children understand trees as sustainers of life, fundamental engines of life on earth as we know it. Trees create and purify the air we breathe. They house and provide resources for myriad creatures, including humans. They bring us peace, joy, and delight.
This program will:
- Provide a basic understanding of why trees are, literally, “providers of life”
- Identify threats to trees and the web of life and provide inspiration to take action
- Explore using methods that are spiritual, non-intellectual, with the hope of fostering deep connection
- Provide meaningful ways in which participants can actively promote the health of trees and, by extension, the web of life
- Reinforce the concept of interdependence as expressed in the seventh Unitarian Universalist Principle, “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part”
- Affirm that stewardship of the earth is an explicit act of Unitarian Universalist faith.
Tapestry will offer Circle of Trees during worship on the 3rd Sunday of each month from September - April. Plan on likely going outside and be prepared for the session to last 60-90 minutes. The opportunity will be announced during worship and those interested in participating will leave after announcements.
Please reach out to the leader directly for any questions.
December 15 - Trees, Sanctuary for the Spirit with Todd Mills
January 19 - Trees, From Peril to Progress with Melissa Huckabay & Jasmine Pantuso
February 16 - Council Among Trees, Part 1 with Dawn Newcomer & Elisa Kaplan
March 16 - Council Among Trees, Part 2 with Grace Ngo
April 20 - Come be with the Trees with James Moore
#UUTapestryHTX #UnitarianUniversalist #ReligiousEducation #uuHouston #CircleofTrees #Multigen
Covenant Groups
The following groups are currently accepting new members:
- Cooking Covenant Group
- Gardening Covenant Group
The Women Aligned Spiritually Group is currently closed, but it may reopen to new members next summer.
For more information, please see https://uutapestry.org/CovenantGroups or to suggest a new group, email pastpresident@uutapestry.org.
Tapestry Caring Team
Tapestry Board Meetings
Your Tapestry Board of Trustees is meeting monthly.
When: 2nd Thursday of each month beginning at 5:30 pm.
Where: On Tapestry’s Thursday Zoom account unless otherwise published.
View the upcoming agenda by clicking HERE.
Tapestry Disc Golf!
Disc Golf GroupMe group SIGN-UP
Interested in getting together for disc golf? If you'd like to play disc golf some early Saturday morning then join the Disc Golf GroupMe group for notifications on the day before the game. Then if you are available show up with some water and a hat. There will be discs available so there is no need to buy or bring discs. The game takes less than 2 hours and is free.
The SIGN-UP list is posted on the white bulletin board at Tapestry. Also you can email dg@uutapestry.org with your phone number or email address for getting an invite to join the GroupMe Disc Golf group. You will get a GroupMe Disc Golf group event notification whenever anyone posts an upcoming disc golf game event with the date, time, and location for the game. Then, if you're in the GroupMe Disc Golf group and see the event notification just show up on Saturday to get some exercise, to spend some time in nature, and to enjoy playing disc golf with friends.
Disc Golf is good fun, companionship, and a great way to get out in nature. All skill levels are welcome, and loaner discs are available. There are a variety of attractive and challenging courses in the NW Houston area (no fees required), and we sometimes organize road trips to sample other venues. See our Disc Golf group slideshow at: https://uutapestry.org/DiscGolf. We also meet on Zoom Fridays at 4 pm CT to talk and plan future events.
The Group is open to current and former members and friends of Tapestry UU Church of Houston who are interested in playing disc golf. Games and other outings are organized on the Tapestry Disc Golfers Facebook private group page. To learn more, request to join the Tapestry Disc Golfers Facebook group, or email dg@uutapestry.org. See you on the course!
Upcoming Events From Our Calendar:
January 21 (Tuesday), 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM: Worship Team Meeting
Weekly team meeting to discuss upcoming services and current projects.
January 24 (Friday), 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Disc Golf V-Beer Meeting
Weekly Friday 3 PM to 4:30 PM disc golf v-beer Zoom meeting
January 25 (Saturday), 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM: The UU Network Annual Leadership Luncheon
Growing and Unifying Our Liberal, Inclusive, Loving Message!
Please attend the UU Network of Houston annual Leadership Luncheon at
Emerson UU Church Westwood Hall
1900 Bering Dr. Houston, TX 77057
on Saturday January 25, 2025 from 11 AM to 3 PM for presentations and a lively discussion/brainstorming about digital media, communications, social media and digital privacy.
. So we can provide lunch for everyone, please register at https://www.uuhouston.org/register/.
January 26 (Sunday), 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM: D&D RPG Group @ Dragon's Lair
Monsters from beneath the streets have long threatened the fantastic cities of the Sword Coast, but now the plague of disappearances has become more literal. Can you stop The Vanishing?
Dragon's Lair Houston
21155A Tomball Pkwy, Houston, TX 77070
https://www.dlair.net/houston-north/
Contact information:
Eric Huckabay - eric.huck@gmail.com
David McCorkell - david.mccorkell@hcpl.net
January 25 (Saturday), 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM: UU Network of Houston Luncheon
Growing and Unifying Our Liberal, Inclusive, Loving Message!
Please attend the UU Network of Houston annual Leadership Luncheon at
Emerson UU Church Westwood Hall
1900 Bering Dr. Houston, TX 77057
on Saturday January 25, 2025 from 11 AM to 3 PM for presentations and a lively discussion/brainstorming about digital media, communications, social media and digital privacy. Every UU Member and friend of Unitarianism who is interested in communications, social media and digital privacy is encouraged to attend. So we can provide lunch for everyone, please register at https://www.uuhouston.org/register/.
With the new administration, it is likely that there will be significant social justice and privacy concerns especially for liberal religions. Effectively planning, growing, and unifying our message needs active social and digital media participation - from participating in social media usage that focuses on consistent UU messaging to counteracting the potential injustices and privacy violations will require prompt social media "campaigns" with consistent messaging that's securely coordinated.
This luncheon will have speakers and videos from the Texas UU Justice Ministry, from the Southern Region district of the UUA, and from our own congregations. The presentations will focus on challenges we face. UU members are encouraged to share their digital communication and social media/social justice success stories. The brainstorming will focus on potential social platform usage ideas, digital privacy, and campaign slogans for Houston area UUs. After brainstorming, we will discuss the steps we should take to further our UU faith.
Please plan now to participate in this stimulating event.
Thank you for your interest and readership...
Newsletter editor, Tapestry Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston
newsletter@uutapestry.org