Dear Reader,
This is the Monday, October 12, 2026 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:
Profiles in Courage
by Bill Cork
I first saw it on my grandmother's bookshelf when I was probably five years old: John F. Kennedy's 1956 book Profiles in Courage. His was a political book, telling of courage through the stories of eight US senators. Even in that day he was criticized for including only men, so in 1958 he wrote an article on "Three Women of Courage."
The virtue of courage is hard to find in today's politics, but we need it. Reflect on this idea. Who has inspired you, in any sphere of life? Whose courage has been a source of strength and hope? I'll share some stories that speak to me.
If you're unable to join us in person, Zoom is still an option by clicking HERE.
Announcements:
Women Aligned Spirituality Group
Our next meeting will be a daytime “field trip” to Coldspring TX on Saturday, October 17. We will learn about releasing inner emotions while guided in somatic movements, journaling, breath work and a “scream circle”. Time is TBD and carpooling will be available. Please email co-leads Erika Calderon and Laurie Buffington if interested in attending so we can get a head count at wasg@uutapestry.org.
Please note that our group will be closed to new members after this meeting. In November we will resume meeting monthly on the 3rd Thursday @ 6:30pm.
Cooking Covenant Group: November: TRIPLE Events This Month!
by Tracy Cook on 10/6/2026
Howdy, Friends and Neighbors!
This is a busy time of year for a lot of us, and Tapestry is no exception. We have three events coming up next month!
1. Tamalada on Saturday, November 7 at Tracy’s house starting at 3:00 PM. We will go late on this day, guaranteed! But there will be lots of laughter, too. Many hands make light work.
- If you wish, bring a tamale filling already prepared, enough to fill an 8X8 baking dish. That gives you enough to have some of your own and also share with others.
- Make sure your filling is not too wet, or your tamales will never firm up.
- If you just want some tamales, you can have some, but you have to do the work! For your efforts, you will get a dozen tamales. You can mix and match, if you’d like that option.
- I am making: Sweet Potato Mole (vegan); King Ranch Casserole; and Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
2. Bread Communion
- This event will be held in the Fellowship Hall after services on Sunday, November 15. Please bring bread, or a dish whose main component is bread. Homemade or store bought is fine! Alternately, you can bring something to put on the bread - butter, jellies, cheeses, etc.
3. Thanksgiving - Thursday, November 26
- We had so much fun at Meyer Park last year! I have reserved the same pavilion as last year - I can’t tell you where it is because I am directionally challenged, ha! But it is through the archway, and in the same section as the dog park. There is a sign-up sheet (coming soon). But you can also just show up and eat some food. Last year I had enough leftovers to last several days without cooking! Isn’t that great!
- I will be there at 8:30-ish in the morning. I say ‘-ish’ because this is vacation and Before Coffee. George will start the grill for reheating, and it will be ready to receive items around noon. We can start nibbling on snacks and appetizers at any point, but the Main Meal will begin at 3:00.
- Please feel free to stop by even if you are having your own festivities at home! Say hello to people, maybe get a piece of pie…
- And remember your to-go containers!!!
Read More and Comment on the Cooking Covenant Group Blog
Letter From Our Minister: New Religious Education Course Announcement
by Laura McGuire on 10/5/2026
Join us virtually on the below dates for the new UUA Woven Faith course. Explore your faith, thought-provoking questions, and more with your Tapestry friends and Rev. Dr. McGuire. More information can be found HERE.
1 PM CT at this ZOOM LINK.
- October 25th
- November 22nd
- December 13th
- January 17th
- February 21st
- March 28th
- April 11th
- May 30th
- June 27th
- July 25th
- August 15th
Read More and Comment on the Letter From Our Minister Blog
Share-the-Plate
October's share-the-plate offering is going to The League of Women Voters of Houston, which fosters a thriving democracy by engaging all people in the political process through nonpartisan information sharing, passionate civic engagement and by providing opportunities to participate in the democratic process.
The Pagan Pages: September Meeting: Summary
by Tracy Cook on 9/28/2026
Alrighty, Folks! We had a great meeting this month, with lots of laughter and learning!
This month, we talked about things we can do to honor and celebrate the Full Moon. We talked about charging some water with the energies from the Full Moon. Fill a glass container - a cleaned-out jar is fine, or use something nicer if you’d prefer. Set it outside or on a windowsill for the night before, the night of, and the night after a Full Moon. You can then use the water for several tasks:
- Cleanse your tools
- Add it to a spray bottle and cleanse a room. This would be similar to smudging a room with sage. You can also clap your hands in the corners of the room.
- Add it to your bath water
- Use it for blessings. My younger son asked for Moon Water on his head the day he took tests.
We also talked about harvesting, and what this means for non-gardeners. What habits have you been growing? Celebrate this! Look back at where you started the journey, and see how far you’ve come!
We talked about gratitude journaling. My BFF has a daily practice which she shares on Facebook. She says sometimes these are grand moments, but some are small moments that would otherwise go unnoticed. You could also write these down and keep these more to yourself. The noticing is the point here.
One member shared her learning about reading tea leaves. She made a presentation sharing the history of reading tea leaves, which was fascinating! We looked at some examples of shapes, and learned that some people also did a similar reading with coffee grounds. Then she shared the style of cup she used, and did a reading of her own tea leaves. I tell you what, this experience made me decide to dig out my grandmother’s china tea cup (it might even be my great-grandmother’s?) and give this a try!
We were scheduled to talk about Samhain (pronounce Sah-wen) before the actual day, so I’m assigning homework for this one, ha! Look up how it’s celebrated, and bring any questions you may have. We will discuss the different forms this ritual may take, such as Dia de Los Muertos and Halloween, and the various traditions associated with them. We will share the resources I have, too.
Read More and Comment on The Pagan Pages Blog
UBarU News: Fall Events at UBARU
by Tracy Cook on 9/8/2026
September 11-14: Creative Arts (NEW!)
Bring your art projects to work on, share, and collaborate with friends at UBarU! Formerly known as “Fiber Arts” but we have expanded the range of projects. Come join the Fun!
September 18-21: Writers’ Retreat
Come with your drafts, finished products, and empty pages. All genres welcome, from fiction to memoir, from poetry to sermon.
October 2-4: Bioblitz
Over the weekend we will have time for learning, sharing and fellowship, and gathering info about plants and other wildlife at UBarU
October 16-18: Women’s Retreat
Every fall and spring UU women-aligned folks gather for a weekend of relaxing, having fun and Sharing Our Stories. Please join us for this Friday evening through Sunday morning retreat at UBarU. ALL ARE WELCOME!
October 16-18: Men’s Retreat
You are invited to join other Men-aligned folks from UU churches across Texas who will gather for a weekend retreat at UBarU Camp & Retreat Center near Kerrville. Come and enjoy fellowship in the Texas Hill Country. Rest, relax, enjoy delicious meals, and use the time as a break from your normal routines and schedules.
November 6-8: GenderfUUl
The Genderfuul retreat is an affirming retreat where trans, non-binary and agender UUs can build community with each other. From nature walks to spiritual discussions and crafts, we hope that each person is able to relax and connect with the sacredness of being genderful. Our chaplain will foster an environment where everyone is encouraged to acknowledge and value a wide variety of identities, experiences, feelings, and vocabulary.
Read More and Comment on the UBarU News Blog
Four-Day Local Buddhist Retreat
There has been interest among Tapestry members to learn more about Buddhism and this 4 day retreat in Hempstead offers time and reflection in the Buddhist tradition. It is led by the Mindfulness Practice Community of Houston (MOCH) and former Buddhist monk and now teacher Michael Ciborski. Scholarships are available for those who would like them and the deadline for submission for scholarship is September 7th. Deadline to register for the retreat is October 16th. If you have questions before registering, please feel free to contact Michelle. See more information here: https://www.mpchouston.org/retreats/2026-fall-retreat
We're Looking for More Liturgists!
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!
Tapestry Caring Team
Upcoming Events From Our Calendar:
October 12 (Monday), 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM: Pastoral Care Services
Rev. Dr. Laura McGuire will be available to schedule pastoral care sessions. Please use the following link to schedule your time with them.
https://calendly.com/ncea/tapestry
You can also email them at TapestryMinister@gmail.com
October 12 (Monday), 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM: WITS Meeting
- What's that Document Repository all about and how do I use it?
- I'm on the worship team and I'm puzzled about some of the features of the Worship Schedule.
- I'm a snack provider, greeter, or liturgist and I have questions about how the scheduling works.
- How can I update the church calendar, or submit a newsletter article to the editor?
These are some of the many questions you may have if you are a member of Tapestry and have explored the Members Portal and other interactive sections of our website.If you would like to know how to use all the features available to you, and discover more that you weren't aware of, feel free to attend one of our WITS meetings on the second Monday of each month at 4:30 pm. Click here to join via Zoom, or contact wits@uutapestry.org at any time to ask questions or provide suggestions for our website.
October 12 (Monday), 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM: Worship Team Meeting
This meeting is to discuss ongoing Worship Team tasks
October 12 (Monday), 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Nominating Committee
October 15 (Thursday), 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM: WASG meeting
Women Aligned Spirituality Group monthly meeting - 3rd Thursday.
October 16 (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. Contact dg@uutapestry.org for more information.
October 17 (Saturday), 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM: WASG meeting
WASG meeting - “day trip” to Coldspring for special event. **TIMES ARE TBD.
Thank you for your interest and readership...
Newsletter editor, Tapestry Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston
newsletter@uutapestry.org