We welcome everyone to our congregation, recognizing no distinction of class, nationality, race, gender, or sexual orientation. "Conscience is an oracle of the Divinity" - William Ellery Channing SUNDAY MORNING 9:30-10:15 Adult Religious Education 9:30-11:30 Youth Religious Education 10:30-11:30 Program Thoreau Woods Unitarian Universalist Church The Oracle February 2020 February 2, 2020 Rev. Adam Robinson - A Few Thoughts About Grace My dear friend, Reverend Gretchen Weis, gave me a book as a thankyou gift for leading the laying on of hands and blessing at her installation. The title of that book is Pastrix: the Cranky Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint. The book is a collection of stories about journey of faith that brought the author, Nadia Bolz-Weber, to be a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). In one chapter titled “Thanks,ELCA!” she describes how she became a Lutheran. Part of that journey was attending adult confirmation classes led by Pastor Ross. He described grace in that class. From that Nadia breaks it down to 5 bullet points. The first sentence of each bullet points is: · God’s grace is a gift freely given to us. · No one is climbing a spiritual ladder. · We are simultaneously sinner and saint, 100 percent of both, all the time. · The Bible is not God. · The movement in our relationship to God is always from God to us. I would like to take some time to look at each of those bullet points and tell you how I understand them. We can translate them by looking at them through the lens of how each of us experiences grace in our lives. Ordained in 1992 at his childhood church, Maple Lawn Christian Church (Joliet, IL), Rev. Adam has always tried to be ready to share his ministerial gifts and abilities whenever and wherever they are called for. He has served as both a volunteer and paid minister in both churches and parachurch organizations. From his work with the homeless at the Inner Cities Ministries (Springfield IL) thru his time sharing with you all as a regular speaker in the pulpit at Thoreau Woods UU Church he has been shaped by the progressive revelation and discovery of the Divine he understands as God. He and his dog, Chewbarka (Chewy), enjoy country life at their home at Lakeside Village in rural San Jacinto County, Texas. February 9, 2020 Rev. Vicki DellaSperanza Hernandez “Chocolate Communion and the Sweetness of Unconditional Love” In his letters to the Corinthians, Paul declared love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If he were to speak to us today, Paul might say this: Love is the food of our heart, mind and soul. Love is breath of our life. Without love our life is meaningless. We can’t think or imagine anything without love. It is only love which gives us new meaning of our life. It is the sweetness of love that teaches us the purpose of our life. February 16, 2020 Vanessa Lively Saying Yes to Life Vanessa will share the story of entering motherhood late in life after years of working as a touring musician, then coming out of a period where she felt depleted and exhausted, realizing the need to claim her purpose and passion once again post motherhood. Vowing to start saying yes to opportunities instead of a constant "No, I just can't"...which led her to record a demo of a new song, enter a songwriting competition with it, win the Artist Activist Award, come home and start what is now a nonprofit called Home Street Music. She'll expand upon the speech she gave at Southwest Regional Folk Alliance, and sing a few songs to tell more about the struggle and personal obstacles she had to face to open herself up again to say YES to life. Austin, Texas based songwriter Vanessa Lively creates an eclectic blend of folk & world music that beautifully joins heartfelt lyrics with soulful vocals. Drawing on a
Transcript
We welcome everyone to our congregation, recognizing no distinction of class,nationality, race, gender, or sexual orientation.
"Conscience is an oracle of the Divinity" - William Ellery Channing
SUNDAY MORNING9:30-10:15 Adult Religious Education9:30-11:30 Youth Religious Education10:30-11:30 Program��
Thoreau WoodsUnitarian Universalist Church
The Oracle
February ����2020
February 2, 2020Rev. Adam Robinson - A Few ThoughtsAbout GraceMy dear friend, Reverend Gretchen Weis,gave me a book as a thankyou gift forleading the laying on of hands and blessingat her installation. The title of that bookis Pastrix: the Cranky Beautiful Faith of aSinner & Saint.The book is a collection of stories aboutjourney of faith that brought the author,Nadia Bolz-Weber, to be a pastor in theEvangelical Lutheran Church in America(ELCA).In one chapter titled “Thanks,ELCA!” shedescribes how she became a Lutheran. Partof that journey was attending adultconfirmation classes led by Pastor Ross.He described grace in that class. From thatNadia breaks it down to 5 bullet points. Thefirst sentence of each bullet points is:· God’s grace is a gift freely given to us.· No one is climbing a spiritual ladder.· We are simultaneously sinner andsaint, 100 percent of both, all the time.· The Bible is not God.· The movement in our relationship toGod is always from God to us.I would like to take some time to look ateach of those bullet points and tell you how Iunderstand them. We can translate them bylooking at them through the lens of howeach of us experiences grace in our lives.
Ordained in 1992 at his childhood church,Maple Lawn Christian Church (Joliet, IL),Rev. Adam has always tried to be ready toshare his ministerial gifts and abilitieswhenever and wherever they are called for.He has served as both a volunteer and paidminister in both churches and parachurchorganizations. From his work with thehomeless at the Inner Cities Ministries(Springfield IL) thru his time sharing with youall as a regular speaker in the pulpit atThoreau Woods UU Church he has beenshaped by the progressive revelation anddiscovery of the Divine he understands asGod. He and his dog, Chewbarka (Chewy),enjoy country life at their home at LakesideVillage in rural San Jacinto County, Texas.
February 9, 2020Rev. Vicki DellaSperanza Hernandez “Chocolate Communion and theSweetness of Unconditional Love”�������In his letters to the Corinthians, Pauldeclared love bears all things, believes allthings, hopes all things, endures all things.Love never fails. If he were to speak to ustoday, Paul might say this: Love is the foodof our heart, mind and soul. Love is breathof our life. Without love our life ismeaningless. We can’t think or imagineanything without love. It is only love whichgives us new meaning of our life. It is thesweetness of love that teaches us thepurpose of our life.
February 16, 2020Vanessa LivelySaying Yes to LifeVanessa will share the story of enteringmotherhood late in life after years of workingas a touring musician, then coming out of aperiod where she felt depleted andexhausted, realizing the need to claim herpurpose and passion once again postmotherhood. Vowing to start saying yes toopportunities instead of a constant "No, Ijust can't"...which led her to record a demoof a new song, enter a songwritingcompetition with it, win the Artist ActivistAward, come home and start what is now anonprofit called Home Street Music. She'llexpand upon the speech she gave atSouthwest Regional Folk Alliance, and singa few songs to tell more about the struggleand personal obstacles she had to face toopen herself up again to say YES to life. Austin, Texas based songwriter VanessaLively creates an eclectic blend of folk &world music that beautifully joins heartfeltlyrics with soulful vocals. Drawing on a
Coffeehouse News: Getting Shake Russell and Michael Hearne is a major winfor Thoreau Woods Coffeehouse!!! We will need extra volunteers and bakedgoods as we are expecting a large crowd. This is a great opportunity topresent our church to new people from the community.
compelling mix of tempos and styles thatembrace hints of urban, world, Latin, funkand pop, Lively’s songs fully capture hercompassionate nature and love ofcommunity. Margaret Moser of The AustinChronicle describes Vanessa’s music as“folk music on fire with worldly rhythms anda Latin pulse.” Lively was named one of theTop 10 Artists of the Year by NPR AffiliateKUNC in Colorado and was featured inAustin Woman Magazine (March 2019). In2017, Lively was honored by two of her folkheroes Peter and Paul (of Peter, Paul andMary) when she was granted the ArtistActivist Award by Music To Life. With thisaward she founded a nonprofit called HomeStreet Music which works with people whohave experienced homelessness.
February 23, 2020 - Fellowship SundayInstead of a single speaker, all present areinvited to share events, issues, poems,stories, or songs that they find relevant toour UU principles. We will also use thistime to have special ceremonies orcommunions throughout the year.
After the service, we will have potlucklunch. Please bring food to share.
��������������
The Southwest UU Women have aconference on February 28 - March 1 inBaton Rouge, LA. For more info, goto https://www.swuuw.org/.
The UUA has an annual General Assembly. The next one is June 24-28, 2020 in Providence, RI. For more info, go to https://www.uua.org/ga.
�������For other denominational events in theSouthern Region, goto https://www.uua.org/southern/calendar/region.
Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the churchThursdays at 5:30 pm.
Pam Johnson is having surgery on January 31 and will be out for a few weeks.
February Birthdays:February 24 James JohnsonFebruary 25 Joan HindsFebruary 28 Carol Norris
If you have a February birthday and wouldlike to be included next year, please let PamJohnson know.
*****VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES***** Sunday Morning Programs: If you are willing to be the meeting leader, guestspeaker, or read a story for all ages, please contact Pam Johnson [email protected].
Building and Grounds: If you would like to help maintain the building and/orgrounds, please contact Paul Culp at [email protected].
Coffeehouse: If you would like to help with the coffeehouse, please contact PamJohnson via email above or call James at 936-661-6332. We need help withadmission table, kitchen, setup and teardown, and bakers.
Membership Committee: We still need someone to head this committee. CurrentlyRev. Vicki is visiting members who are ill, and Anne True is maintaining themembership list.
JOIN OUR PRISON MINISTRY�������The Unitarian Universalist First Principle affirms the inherent worth anddignity of every person. Yet every day millions of incarcerated people aretold the exact opposite of this principle, that they are worthless andundeserving. Through prison visits and letter writing, we at TWUUC have aspecial opportunity to show incarcerated people living right here inHuntsville that they are inherently worthy of love and justice.We need you to help nurture our nascent prison ministry. Working togetherwe can show incarcerated people that they are not forgotten and that thoseof us in the “free world” care about their well-being. Our program consistsof one-on-one visits, letter writing and phone calls with local inmates at theEllis Unit located on FM 980 in Huntsville.This ministry is organized and led by Vicki DellaSperanza Hernandez andher husband Martin Hernandez who is incarcerated at Ellis Unit. Vickiorganizes and trains volunteers in the so-called free world, and Martin leadsthe program from inside the prison. Together they launched a letter-writingcampaign that connects pen-pals who write monthly. Their vision is toestablish one-on-one (non-contact) visits with men, who over the years,have had either very few visits or none at all. Whether you are interested inwriting or visiting, you will receive guidance and assistance every step ofthe way. Vicki and Martin are committed to ensuring a safe, secure andmutually beneficial experience for both volunteers and inmates. For moreinformation contact Vicki at (617) 970-5430 or [email protected]. �����
CONTACT INFORMATION
The church is located at: 144 East Mosley Lane, Huntsville TX 77340. It is off Hwy.75 South, approximately 1 mile south of McCoy's.
Please do not mail to this address. The mailing address is:P. O. Box 6751, Huntsville TX 77342-6751
LEADERSHIPMusic Director: Karen Peake�������OOS Editor: Sandy FruhmanYouth R.E. Chair: Tamela ShirleyAdult R.E. Chair: Richard LaneBuilding and Grounds: Paul CulpMembership List: Anne TrueParliamentarian: Rick NormanPublic Relations: Rev. VickiWebmaster: Pam Johnson
JUST HELP.There are three interpretations of this mission.It is the journey to answer the complex question"Why am I here?"It is help that is just.It is to do no harm of any kind against ourselves,others or the environment. ��������
Charity of the MonthSAAFE HousePlease make check payable to SAAFE House, andplace in the collection basket.
Their Mission: SAAFE House is committed toempowering victims of family violence and sexualassault by providing individualized immediate,free, and confidential services. Our goal is toprevent family violence and sexual assault byeducating our community.
For more information, goto https://www.saafehouse.org/.
Good Shepherd MissionPlease continue to bring food. Thanks for helpinghowever you can.
Death Penalty WitnessWe will be standing vigil in meaningfulfaith-filled presence to protest the non-redemptive nature and violence of thedeath penalty during someexecutions. �������For a list of upcoming executions, goto������� www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_scheduled_executions.html.
For more information on when, whereand how we participate, go to https://twuuc.org/fellowship/death-penalty-witness/.
