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This Week
Sunday, February 16 at 9:00am & 11:00am
Be Bulgarian
Rev. Joanna Fontaine Crawford
Share the Plate:
Your Donation Makes Their Lunch (Count)
We Share the Plate this month with LunchCounts!, a local organization started by a student at St. Andrews, dedicated to paying off school lunch debt in Austin, Pflugerville and Del Valle ISS schools. All month long, half of all cash donations and all StP-designated checks will be donated to LunchCounts!
January Share the Plate total: $1687.20
Hill Country Community Ministries
Love Notes
Each month, there will be a different group at Live Oak featured in our "Love Notes" appreciation program. You're encouraged to grab one of those pink sheets and let the group know how much you appreciate what they contribute to Live Oak life. January love notes will be for our Nominating Committee. Please be sure to stop by the Love Notes box and show your love!
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A Few Words from the Minister...
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Beta Mode: Fed & Informed
This Sunday, we are in Beta again with our quarterly event "Fed & Informed." I need your support, patience, and good humor! Read more
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Meeting about changes to the bylaws regarding the Outreach Endowment Fund
There will be a meeting on Feb. 18 at 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall to discuss bylaws changes related to the Outreach Endowment Fund. Everyone is welcome to attend.
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We are excited to announce a brand new way to help our community, and to make it happen we need your ideas! In order to help our church do more, and be more we have formed a committee to help raise some extra funds. That's where all of your great ideas come in. We need some outside the box thinkers t
o find innovative fundraising ideas that match our goals and feel like us.
If you're interested in joining us, or just have a couple of great ideas to submit send an email to
policy@liveoakuu.org
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The next meeting of the Book Worms will be on February 19, 2020 at 7:15 pm at the house of Hella Holoubek. Our book is Barbara Kingsolver's UNSHELTERED. I hope you have enjoyed reading it. Call if you need directions. The address is 10421 Mourning Dove Dr. Austin.
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Join the Seniors for Coffee
The seniors gather in the Narthex for coffee and a delicious treat at 10:30 Thursday, February 20th. For more information about the Senior Group. If you have questions, talk to Rev. Joanna.
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January Policy Committee Meetings Draft Minutes
The draft minutes of the Special Policy Committee Meeting in January and the Regular Policy Committee Meeting for January can be found here and here, respectively.
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Music at Live Oak - Spring 2020
Looking for (musical) play dates?
At our recent Music Team meeting, it was decided that we would try to get more of our own (members and friends) up on stage doing music. Although hiring professional musicians is a wonderful change once in a while, there is nothing like being up there playing with and for your own community. Even very simple music can add to the service. It takes courage, but it really is a gift to the congregation. You may last have played your horn or violin in high school. You may have sung in the high school choir but you can't commit to the Live Oak choir. That's OK! If you are willing to do a little work remembering how to play (or sing), along with others, it can be very rewarding, and who knows where it might lead.
Here is a link for signing up on our list. If you would like to comment about it, there is a space for that too. I think we have many amateur musicians in our congregation that might enjoy trying something new! Thanks in advance!
- Rebecca Maze
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All of you are cordially invited to Live Oak UU's Spring
Fed and
Informed Brunch. Whether you go to Live Oak UU every Sunday, or if you pick and choose your sermons, this is a great time to hear from all our teams and see what fun activities and chances for fellowship are up and coming in the next few months!
This
Fed and
Informed Brunch will be held between the services. Religious Education (RE) will not be held that day so that students and teachers may attend!
We need all the help we can get in making this happen. Let's make sure members and guests alike leave with a full tummy by volunteering to bring a dish to share. Please sign up
here.
Q
uestions about the program should be directed to the Executive Team.
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Help Distribute Food to Our Neighbors 
Live Oak UU will distribute food to our neighbors at Fresh Food Friday. Please volunteer for the following tasks:
Thursday, February 20th @ 1:00 p.m. to approximately 2:30 food needs to be separated into smaller quantities for distribution. Meet at Hill Country Community Ministries, 1005 Lacy Drive, Leander TX 78641.
Friday, February 21st @ 8:30 a.m. to 11:15 in the Live Oak parking lot is when we distribute food to our neighbors. Volunteers are needed to set up the tables, help with the selection of food, and to help carry food to our neighbors' cars. You do not need to remain the entire 2 1/2 hours.
Your help is needed!
Any questions please contact Donna Durban at HCCM@liveoakuu.org
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Chalice Pathways and Memorial Garden 
Live Oak is so fortunate to have beautiful space behind the church building, it is much like having our own park. With spring fast approaching take a walk out back, breath deeply and enjoy this piece of nature. In our 'park' there is the chalice circle which is available for life's celebrations holding up to 110 people. Just down the path from the chalice circle is a grove of oaks with wild flowers called the 'memorial garden'. This is a place for sprinkling and burial of ashes and placing a memorial marker to honor a loved one. This peaceful garden is available for members of Live Oak and the general public at a modest cost. Also in the planning stage by one of Live Oak's forward thinking teens is a corner of our garden for pet ashes and remains, please no St. Bernards. If you would like more information, check out our
web page or email
chalicepathways@liveoakuu.org
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As of last Friday, we are the proud owners of two functional replacement water fountains, thanks to your Capital Campaign donations! The remaining equipment is on order and will be replaced soon.
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Accepting Nominations for LOUU Elected Positions
LOUU elections coming up in May - let us know if you have a great nominee!
If you are interested in any of the elected positions, or if you know someone who would serve Live Oak well, please email nominating@liveoakuu.org. If you have questions, the Nominating Committee encourages you to read the Bylaws or contact any member of the Nominating Committee for more information. You may use the nominating@liveoakuu.org email address or you may contact any individual member of the Nominating Committee: Barbara Coldiron, Sanjiv Sarwate, Carolyn Dower, Julia Mitschke, or Becca Russell.
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Are you interested in meeting guest preachers, ensuring the smooth flow of worship, and working with Rev. Joanna to craft fulfilling worship services? If so, email her at minister@liveoakuu.org and let her know you're interested in learning more about the new "Vergers Team" that is being created. (This is separate from being a worship leader, though you can also do both.)
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One - on - One Tutors Needed
Do you want the chance to get to know someone and help them at the same time?
The Adult Basic Education program needs two or more tutors in our Leander Library location. Tutors meet weekly with their student, helping them with reading comprehension, writing, and sometimes math. Please contact Kim Ono biwabiwa@austin.rr.com or Mary Hengstebeck 512-983-7009 for more information.
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Company's Coming to Live Oak - Hosts Needed!
Company's coming! On Thursday, Feb. 20, Live Oak will be hosting the iAct interfaith "Red Bench" event at 6:30 pm. Time to show all those folks how UUs do hospitality! Can you contribute a soup, casserole, or salad? Can you help with set up or cleanup? Please let Rev. Joanna know!
minister@liveoakuu.org
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Have You Heard? 
Have you heard about Live Oak campouts?
Live Oak has campouts twice a year (spring, fall) and all members and friends are welcome! This spring we're camping at Cedar Breaks Park on Lake Georgetown the weekend of April 17-19. You can make your reservations here.
If you're thinking you'd like to try camping but have never done it before or haven't in a long time, talk to some of the folks who go on the campouts regularly. Read more
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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
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Faith Development
Here's what you need to know this week!
This Sunday you are encouraged to join us for Fed and Informed as we gather for brunch and a chance to hear what is coming up at Live Oak this Spring.
Adults are encouraged to register for the upcoming Articulating Your UU Faith workshop on Saturday, February 22, from 9-5. Please see the description on the adult learning page and complete the
form to participate.
On February 23rd, adults can participate in an Advocacy 101 session led by Carolyn Dower. This is a regular drop-in class. You might also consider reading more about the upcoming
UU 101 class which begins in March.
Easter isn't too far off. If you have small pots, either paper or terra cotta that you would like to donate for a project that day, please bring them to the church during the month of March. Flower seeds will also be accepted.
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2020 Camp UU
Hogwarts Summer Camp
Registration opens Friday, February 28
From July 27th-31st, 2020, we continue the annual tradition of transforming First UU of Austin into a magical castle of fun and adventure. Students will have the opportunity to play Quidditch and Wizard Chess, as well as pursue studies of Herbology, Potions, Magical Creatures, and more! Most importantly we relate our UU values and traditions to the rich story of bravery and loyalty and love in the Harry Potter series our classes in Defense Against the Dark Arts and by learning about social justice and service in Muggle Studies. Registration will open Friday, February 28 for members of all Austin area UU churches and returning campers. Registration will open to the public on Friday, March 6, 2020. We welcome campers (rising 1st-6th grade), junior prefects (rising 7th-9th grade), and senior prefects (rising 10th-12th grades) for the full-day camp. Info here.
UBarU Upcoming Retreats & Camps
Men-Aligned Retreat March 27-29
Spiritual Practices Retreat April 3-5
Women-Aligned Retreat April 17-19
Writer's Weekend May 1-3
Family Camp May 22-25
Summer Youth camps June & July (based on age)
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The deadline for the weekly e-newsletter and the Sunday announcements is midnight on Tuesday. The submission form can be found here
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