June 24, 2021
This Week
Worship
June 27, 2021
10:00am
"Opening the Question Box"
Rev. Joanna Fontaine Crawford

Every year, members give Rev. Joanna their questions, and she answers them in this service. Come join us for answers about Unitarian Universalism, Live Oak, and anything else members have curiosity about. 
Join us for Worship at 10:00am: the link will be on the Live Oak homepage: www.liveoakuu.org

Join us for Fellowship Time immediately following the service (approx. 10:45/11:00): https://link.liveoakuu.org/FellowshipHour
Share the Plate
Animals need our help
Live Oak’s Share the Plate recipient for June is Texas Critter Crusaders. This all-volunteer group works almost nonstop to raise money for the sometimes desperate needs of animals at the Taylor Animal Shelter and in other small communities. For example, they have paid for vet care for a dog hit by a car, surgery to remove a dog’s disabling tumor, and treatment of a cat’s broken leg. In some cases, they’ve raised money to help individuals pay for emergency care for their beloved pets that’s otherwise unaffordable for them. They also run adoption events to try to get these animals into forever homes. June’s Share the Plate is a way we can directly aid the sweet critters in our “interdependent web of all existence.” Visit https://texascrittercrusaders.com for more information.

Please help. Go to the Donate link on the Live Oak website’s home page. Use the drop down menu to designate your donation for “Share the Plate”.

May recipient: NAMI - $460.00
A Few Words from the Minister
Shared Ministry at Live Oak During the Pandemic
In re-reading Michal Shamai’s Systemic Interventions for Collective and National Trauma, I feel that as difficult as the past 15 months have been, Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church has much to feel proud of. Read more
A Few Words from the DLFD
By the Water I Feel Whole
I’d forgotten that my body was carrying so much anxiety, self-doubt, guilt, pain, and fear. Read more
Special Notices
Faith Development 6.21 to 6.27.21
This week's updates...read more

Vote for Your Favorite Worship Service
Deadline EXTENDED JUNE 25 - Technical issue has been fixed, go vote now!
Will it be a service on the Blitz? The post-election "Schrödinger's Sermon"? How about Christmas in August? To give staff and producers a break for vacations and study leave, we will be following the tradition of Church of the Larger Fellowship and replaying our most popular services this August. Vote today for your favorite service! This will narrow down the list, then you'll get to vote again for the finalists later this month. Deadline for this round:


To see descriptions of services: https://link.liveoakuu.org/servicedescriptions

Books on Self-Differentiation
Last Sunday's worship service was an overview of many of the concepts from Bowen Systems Theory that we use here at Live Oak -- self-differentiation, healing wounds, etc. It was requested that I share some of the books I recommend on this topic for those who wish to go deeper. Here you go!

  • Extraordinary Relationships: A New Way of Thinking about Human Interactions, Roberta Gilbert
  • Growing Yourself Up: How to bring your best to all of life's relationships, Jenny Brown
  • The Dance of Fear: Rising Above Anxiety, Fear, and Shame to Be Your Best and Bravest Self, Harriet Lerner
  • Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life, Henry Cloud
  • The Eight Concepts of Bowen Theory, Roberta M. Gilbert
This past year Carmen and I participated in Beloved Conversations Within online. It was an amazing learning and growth experience for me. The registration has opened for next year's online program - and there is a GA discount of 20% if you register this week. No matter where you are on the journey to being anti-racist, you can learn from this offering! Learning pods and material are offered for both white people and people of color.
My dream? If enough Live Oak people take the class, we can move on to the next learning, Among, with a coach from the BC team! This tagline says it all...
"We are looking forward to a new year of programming, learning, and community building towards collective liberation!"
Carrie Krause

Live Oak UU Covid-19 Policy
Update for the Summer
For Live Oak members planning on using church grounds over the summer for meetings or gatherings the following is the Covid-19 policy:

Outside:  Groups can gather without masks.  Again please be cognizant of others with their comfort levels about social distancing and masks.

Inside (schedule with Administrator!):  
  • Groups ≤ 20 members in size can meet without masks as long as all members consent.  
  • Groups of more than 20 members should wear masks.  Masks should be worn in common areas such as hallways or bathrooms as people may come into contact with others not necessarily in the meeting.
  • Groups with children should always wear masks.

Again these are temporary restrictions over the summer, and we will continue to relax restrictions with updates from health authorities. Read more

Notice to Members

MASKS ARE NOT REQUIRED ON CHURCH GROUNDS!

Members you are encouraged to:
Embrace Joy
Enrich Connections
Encourage Growth
Empower Dreams

Volunteers Needed to Listen to Stories!
Sign up for a 30-minute time-slot (children are welcome to join you) to hear one of our adult ESL students read a children’s story over Zoom. They have been invited to read to elementary-aged children at a local school and they just need to practice first. This is the easiest half-hour you can donate to this important social justice work. Just listen to them practice reading their stories.

Each student is assigned a set of books that should take about 25 minutes to read. Feel free to sign up for more than one slot--our ESL students want to be full of confidence when they are in front of school kids.

You can signup to help by using this link or contacting one of the coordinators listed below:

Mary Hengstebeck (512-983-7009), Kim Ono 908-392-1888), or Audrey McCann (903-603-5070)

Live Oak Seniors' Coffee Hour
Join us for Coffee hour on Thursdays at 10:30am. On the 1st & 3rd week of the month, Rev. Joanna will lead a lively discussion. The other weeks will be an informal gathering. The Zoom link will be on the What's Happening page.
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LiveOakUU.org Pages to Visit:
Worship Service & Fellowship Hour: http://www.liveoakuu.org/
Community Outreach & Social Justice: http://www.liveoakuu.org/justice/
In the Community
UBarU Camp & Retreat Center is offering e-events to help you connect with camp and with each other. All the details are at http://ubaru.org/home/e-events. The cottages are available for personal and family get-aways. Just send me an email and we can confirm plans. Details about rates and accommodations

Each Friday at 6:30 p.m.   Join us for Friday Fellowship with Rev. Betty. Friday Fellowship includes meditation, readings, homily and discussion. All are welcome! Co-sponsored by UU Free Range Ministry and UBarU Camp & Retreat Center registration

Each Friday at 10 a.m. Friday  Dance as a spiritual practice, for all ages (adults and kids), genders, abilities, and fitness levels. Set an intention for joy, energy, movement, and community. Open to UUs and wider community, led by Community Minister Rev. Erin Walter. Questions or song requests, contact erinjwalter@gmail.com  link

Star Party 9/3 - 9/6 Details at www.ubaru.org

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