Dear Reader,
This is the Tuesday, March 11, 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:
Poetic Justice
by Melissa Huckabay
When times are tough and you need to be either comforted or challenged, where do you turn? Modern poetry offers powerful lessons in how to meet this moment in our country—from fighting racism to combating transphobia—and it also offers solace to the suffering. Whether you are feeling despair, anger or overwhelm, hear from some of America’s most powerful poets and gain insight, empathy and hope to fuel our fight for justice.
If you're unable to join us in person, Zoom is still an option by clicking HERE.
Announcements:
Stewardship 2025
Have you made your 2025-26 pledge yet? We need to have all pledges in by the end of March so that the budget can be prepared and voted on at our Annual Meeting on May 4th.
You should have received a Stewardship email on March 1st explaining this year’s process and our financial goals. If you haven’t seen your note, please email stewardship@uutapestry.org, and will send another one to you right away.
Thank you for all you do for our church!
Letter From Our President: Welcome to March! And Happy Birthday, Tapestry!
by Tracy Cook on 3/5/2025
Welcome to March!
This is my birthday month, and also Tapestry’s birthday, how exciting is that?! We have so much going on this month, so let’s dive in…
For the first Sunday this month, we have Birthday Sunday, and I will be standing up there hearing all of y’all’s beautiful voices and basking in the love, along with several others! I wonder what kind of cake we will enjoy?!
The second Sunday this month we will be off-site at the Juge’s clubhouse. The location is at 17623 Moss Point Dr. The time is still the same, 11:00-12 noon. But there will be no Zoom, so make sure to adjust your plans if you wish to attend.
For the third Sunday, our Circle of Trees will meet starting just past 11:00. Hopefully we can meet outside! It has been so nice recently! But I enjoy this class any way I can get it. The sermon on Sunday promises to be a good one, from Melissa Huckabay, titled Poetic Justice. She is a published poet, so I think she may know a thing or two about the topic!
The fourth Sunday Rev Alisha Mills will be in the pulpit with a message about Spring. This season is all about creativity and new life, new energies brought into new or familiar projects and activities. I enjoy the invigorations of spring and what all is blooming and sprouting up from the ground.
And this month we have a fifth Sunday! Rev Alisha is in the pulpit again this week preaching about the creative contributions of five wise and wonderful women.
We also will be kicking off our Stewardship Campaign this month. Please keep an eye on our Stewardship Blog. And, hey, this month it features MEEEEEE! As if you don’t get enough of me already, ha! But, please do read the testimonies from other people and not just mine. There are soooooooo many reasons to love this church and this community. I’m very glad I found Tapestry. How about you?
Read More and Comment on the Letter From Our President Blog
Stewardship Blog: Howdy, Friends and Neighbors!
by Tracy Cook on 3/5/2025
Howdy, Friend and Neighbors!
My name is Tracy Cook, and I have been a member at Tapestry Unitarian Universalist Church for oh my goodness, almost 20 years. Where did the time go?!
I think one of the times where things pass so quickly has been with my kids. I have two boys, although they aren’t really boys now. They are grown men. But they will always be ‘my boys’. They started attending when they were shorter than me, which tells you something. I am a whopping 5’1” standing up tall! But they grew, as kids do.
When I look around at our kids today, I love what I see. Older kids watching younger kiddos and helping care for them. And the littles just absolutely adore the attention! On our Thanksgiving camping trip, the adults and kids all traded stories and experiences and LAUGHED!
I want more experiences like this. More time spent with kids learning from the adults - and not just their parents! My kids learned so much from other adults in the Tapestry community. Whenever we went to UBARU, they learned new skills from people. How to plant a tree. How to cut cedar saplings. And they learned from our more common experiences, too. How to care for a garden here in Houston. How to make bread. We have a lot of experience here at Tapestry. Share what you know!
None of this takes any money at all, it just takes a little bit of time. And that’s one of the three legs of the Stewardship stool: time. Also, talent! Another leg!
So, what about that third leg: money?
My dream for Tapestry is to have a vibrant and dedicated group of adults who will step up and make sure the next generation of UUs is ready to lead. That means we need a solid Faith Formation program, which since the UUA has just changed the focus from the 7 or 8 Principles to the ‘octopus’ (Love in the center, with the principles on the arms) is going to cost some money. I think our kids are worth it! And I’m willing to increase my pledge to support this.
What are your dreams? How do you want to help reach them?!
Read More and Comment on the Stewardship Blog
Cooking Covenant Group: April is Imposter Foods: Potluck-Style Event
by Tracy Cook on 3/4/2025
Howdy, Friends and Neighbors!
We just finished our meeting for March (my birthday month) which was CHEESE! Glorious cheese! I posted some pictures on Facebook, go check them out!
Our next event is our annual Imposter Foods event. This exciting event will take place on Saturday, April 5, from 3:00-4:30. Because we do still have some concerns about access to electricity at church, we will have this event at Dawn and Elisa’s place.
What is an Imposter Food, you may ask?!
Well, it can be something that looks like one kind of food but is actually another. We had “cupcakes” one year that were actually meatloaf topped with mashed potatoes. I’ve made “nachos” made with sweet stuff like pudding for the beans and coconut dyed green for lettuce.
Or, it can be something that doesn’t look like food but really is. I think the Food Network has a show called “Is It Cake?” or something like that. One show has people go through a grocery store and try to find items that are really cake. Another showcases cake artists and things they’ve created - like a laptop that’s a cake.
Be creative! Make it fun! Look up “imposter foods” online and make something, or use the results to get inspired.
You can also just show up and look at what other people bring, too! We love sharing!
RSVP to this event via email or text, please, so we know how many seats to have available.
Read More and Comment on the Cooking Covenant Group Blog
Tapestry Disc Golf!
Disc Golf Signal app 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 Signal app group for notifications on the day(s) 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.
You can email dg@uutapestry.org with your Signal app phone number or userName to get an invite to join the Signal app Disc Golf group. If you have the Signal app installed you can send a message to: oldwippersnapper.01 to join the group. Then you'll get a Signal app Disc Golf group event notification whenever anyone posts an upcoming disc golf game event with the date, time, and location for the game. If you 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 and via the Signal app. To learn more, request to join the Tapestry Disc Golfers Facebook group, or email dg@uutapestry.org. See you on the course!
Share-the-Plate
March's share-the-plate offering is going to the Environmental Justice Foundation. The EJF is a nonprofit organization that works to protect the environment and human rights. They use investigations and film to expose environmental and human rights abuses.
We're Looking for More Liturgists!
UU Mental Health Network Book Club selection: "Bedlam"
Save the Date
April 19, 2025 for UUMHN Book Club
The Unitarian Universalist Mental Health Network (UUMHN) is pleased to announce its next Book Club selection: Bedlam - An Intimate Journey into America's Mental Health Crisis.. The UUMHN Book Club meets quarterly via Zoom. All are welcome to attend our discussion on April 19th, 2025 at 6 p.m. EST, 3 p.m. PST. Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83198699901
Tapestry Board Meetings
Your Tapestry Board of Trustees is meeting monthly.
When: 2nd Thursday of each month beginning at 1:00 pm.
Where: On Tapestry’s Thursday Zoom account unless otherwise published.
View the upcoming agenda by clicking HERE.
OWL Facilitator Training
Need adult OWL facilitators? Need more 7-9/10-12 facilitators? Come to Memphis!
Dates: Thursday, March 27-Saturday, March 29
Times: Tentatively 9 am to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, ending late afternoon Saturday
Hosts: Neshoba UU Church (host site) and Church of the River (registrar)
Cost: The true cost of this training is approximately $475 per person.
Registration is available on a sliding scale from $300 - $625, with additional scholarships available upon request to those in need.
We ask that if you are in a position to register at the higher end of the scale that you do so to help us keep this training accessible to those with greater financial need.
Registration link: https://churchoftheriver.breezechms.com/form/71b79b58
Your trainers are Jessica Laikeman and Eric Morrow for the adult level, Kathy Smith and Caleb Hampton for the youth level.
We're looking forward to seeing lots of folks there!
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
Upcoming Events From Our Calendar:
March 12 (Wednesday), 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM: Worship Team Meeting
Weekly team meeting to discuss upcoming services and current projects.
March 13 (Thursday), 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Board Meeting
Board meetings are the 2nd Thursday of each month via Zoom. Any member of Tapestry UU Church is welcome to attend.
March 14 (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
March 16 (Sunday), 11:15 AM - 12:30 PM: Circle of Trees Multigen Workshop
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
March 16 (Sunday), 1:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Brew CrUU
The Tapestry Brew CrUU meets at a different brewery or brewpub every 3rd Sunday after church. All are welcome, even if you don't drink beer! Please contact brewcruu@uutapestry.org for more information.
Thank you for your interest and readership...
Newsletter editor, Tapestry Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston
newsletter@uutapestry.org