April 9, 2020
This Week
This Week   
Sunday, April 12, ONLINE at  10:00am  
The Easter Promise
Rev. Joanna Fontaine Crawford
 Join us for Worship at 10:00am:  https://zoom.us/j/612160909
Join us for Fellowship Time immediately following the service: https://zoom.us/j/736860472 
 
Share the Plate:       
April's Share the Plate is going to the Minister's Discretionary Fund.  We always collect for the Minister's Discretionary Fund on Christmas Eve. Now, Christmas is coming early because we anticipate that with the current stay at home orders, more people may need a little help. This account is used to confidentially help members in need. Through this benevolence fund, we're able to give help to that member who just needs one month's rent to be paid so they can make it to their next payday, or help with groceries, or a medical bill. While we are all apart, let us continue to come together to support one another.   
 
Love Notes Recipient for April -- LIVE OAK! 
Every month, we recognize a group for all that they do and bring to the church. Past recipients included the Stewardship Team, our childcare workers, the Membership Team, and others. 
For the month of April, the group we are recognizing is ... LIVE OAK! 
Please write a love note to Live Oak, telling us what this church has meant in your life. Rev. Joanna will read them in the April 26 service. Send those love notes to: lovenotes@liveoakuu.org.
And we need art, too! Whether you are 4 years old or 94, we'd love it if you drew a picture depicting something about Live Oak, and sent it to that same email address. These will also be shared April 26.
 
A Few Words from the Minister...
Staying in Touch
With so many ways to communicate, I want to talk about the best way to get in touch with me. We don't have established
norms, and now with the Pandemic, I need to balance being available, being responsive, and keeping an open "lane" for emergencies.  So, here's the best method for each situation... read more 
A Few Words from the DLFD...
(Director of Lifespan Faith Development)
Here's what is happening this week!  Read more
 
 
 
Special Notices
Kiya Heartwood Concert
Friday, 4/10 at 7:00pm 
Kiya will be presenting a concert on Zoom.  It will also be streamed on Facebook Live.  The Zoom link will be on the What's Happening This Week page.  

Music in our Video Services- and YOU
Music Lives On 
This Sunday, we will hear #146 Soon the Day Will Arrive" during the offertory. In Hebrew, "Bashana Haba'ah" is a song expressing belief in a better tomorrow. Rev Joanna and I feel that this would be a good one to keep repeating at the end of our services, in as many different voices and instruments as we can find among us. Who is interested in singing or playing this, and recording themselves doing it? Voice alone, flute alone- whatever you can come up with in your home would be great! Groups of voices too. Here's the music. Send your recordings to Rebecca at music@liveoakuu.org. Thanks!
 
Sacred Art and Spiritual Writing Groups
Let's do art together! 
Introducing Sacred Art and Spiritual Writing Groups! We will meet every 1st and 3rd Monday at 6pm to share our poetry, prose, memories, and short stories of uplifting and supportive themes with each other. I will offer an (optional) theme but any uplifting pieces of writing will always be welcome. Every 2nd and 4th Monday at 6 pm we will do Sacred Art together! Again, I will offer a theme such as sunlight, or strength in each other, but you can use the time to work on any art or craft while chatting with each other. Looking forward to seeing you!  Check the What's Happening This Week page for the link.
 
Zen Meditation Group Meets on Zoom 
Thursdays 7:00-8:30pm 
The Zen Meditation Group is still meeting on Thursday nights.  But now it's via Zoom.  The session will include a check in, meditation, and reading with
discussion. Currently, they are reading, Falling Into Grace -- Insights on the End of Suffering  by Adyashanti.  The link is available on the What's Happening This Week page. 

Tuesday Night Deep Dive 
This regular 7:00pm Tuesday evening Zoom Deep Dive is for those who need a deeper check-in and a supportive place to process.  The link can be found on the What's Happening This Week page.

"Ready for some party games over Zoom?
Many Jackbox Party games can be played over Zoom, so let's play some Murder Trivia Party 2!  Join us Thursdays at 8pm for a Party Game Night.  Watch out for more information on the Information and Events.  The link will also be available on the What's Happening This Week.
 
Parents of Young Children (PYC) to Meet Virtually 
PYC will be meeting on Saturday, 4/11 at 5:00pm.  The group is open to new families. The link is available on the What's Happening This Week page.    
 
Touch Group for Grown-ups 
Touching is a human need--touching in, touching heartstrings, touching our funnybone.  Losing our ability to touch others may be the hardest part of social distancing. So Rev. Betty is taking the Touch Group idea from our Unitarian Universalist youth and putting an adult twist on it. Our first meeting is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.on Monday, April 20th. So pour yourself a cup of tea or whatever your favorite beverage is, and join us. 
 
We will talk about topics from the serious to the frivolous and about their effect on our lives. Please send an email with your email address to  hskwarek@uuma.org, invitations will be sent later in the month.   
  
 
Zoom!
We encourage you to connect with Zoom in various ways.  
 
If you are planning a Zoom gathering for Live Oak members on your own Zoom account, please provide Diane with the date, time, link and title of the meeting. She will add it to the What's Happening page.  
 
If you need a zoom meeting scheduled on the Live Oak account, send a request to Diane, and she will help you schedule it and provide the link.  
 
What's Happening This Week
Enriching Connections has become an even more vital part of all that we do. We want to make it as easy for you to stay connected as possible. So we encourage you to add something to your morning routine. As you sip your coffee or tea, go to this link:  http://www.liveoakuu.org/whats-happening-this-week/ 
It will have the most up-to-date information about connection events. Be sure and save the link! We want to enrich connections, but we are also putting safeguards in place so that we can feel safer when we gather in this way. (But if you have a friend who might want to join, feel free to privately send them the link.) 
 
Preparing to Get the Most Out of Sunday's Service
Get ready to worship in a completely new way!  Read more

Do You Usually Drop Your Pledge Check in the Offertory Basket?
Here's how to submit payments in the time of Covid-19:
By mail:
Live Oak UU Church
3315 El Salido Pkwy
Cedar Park, TX  78613
Online:
Click the Donate button on the website or follow this link

Live Oak Men's Group 
Thursdays at 7:00pm on Zoom.   
Contact: mensgroup@liveoakuu.org for the meeting link or for more information.  
 
Sack Lunch with the Minister Goes Virtual 
Wednesdays at noon.  
Sack Lunch with the Minister will be virtual instead of in person.   Join us:  https://uuma.zoom.us/j/590764422

ENRICH CONNECTIONS
Have a great potential member? Concerned that someone is struggling to find their place? Contact the Membership Team and we can reach out. Email: membership@liveoakuu.org 
 
In the Community
UBarU Upcoming Retreats & Camps 
Summer Youth camps June & July (based on age)
Visit UBarU.org for more information
 
The deadline for the weekly e-newsletter and the Sunday announcements is midnight on Tuesday.  The submission form can be found here
If you have any questions or comments about this Newsletter please email: editor@liveoakuu.org