The quarterly newsletter of First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio Summer 2019

Inspire

Contents

Welcome from the President – page 1

Trust Fund News – page 1

Celestial Celebrations Circle – page 1

75th Anniversary Update – page 2

Bonito –page 4

Black History in the Alamo City – page 7

Bulverde Oaks Natural Preserve – page 8

Sweet Moments at the Bus Station – page 9

Creative Writing Workshops – page 10

Path to Faith Formation – page 11

Our Stories – page 12

A Core Story: Clara Barton – page 12

New Member Celebration – page 13

Your Church Does Not Need Volunteers – page 14

UBarU News: Making Lemonade Out of Lemons – page 16

Welcoming Asylum Seekers – page 17

Protecting the Interdependent Web of All Existence – pg 18

Cowspiracy – page 19

The Climate Flash Choir & SA Climate Ready – page 20

Trans Youth Group – page 20

First UU Transylvania Partnership – page 21

TXUUJM Legislative Action Day – page 23

Gender Diversity Class – page 25

International Golden Rule Day – page 26

Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast – page 27

Congratulations to Our Bridging Teens – page 27

Coming of Age – page 28

Be As a Tree – page 29

Congratulations and Condolences – page 29

Inspire newsletter@uusat.org Check us out on Facebook & Twitter @FirstUUChurchSA Editor Mary Wright Contributors Moon Brand Terri Chadwick Diane Duesterhoeft Roy Ellzey River Fae Gina Humble Megan Janzen Mary Grace Ketner Arlis Olson Donna Pereira Sheri Phillabaum David Rodriguez Arline Terrell Dorothy Wallace Rev. Erin Wathen Mary Wright Inspire is a publication of First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio. We welcome submissions of original articles, short stories, or poetry that encompass a UU theme. All submissions become the property of First UU. Publication of submissions is not guaranteed and is at the discretion of the editor. Send submissions to newsletter@uusat.org. Cover photo: Photo taken by contributor Gina Humble to accompany her short story, Bonito, about migrant farm workers.

mailto:newsletter@uusat.orgmailto:newsletter@uusat.org

Welcome from the President By David Rodriguez

I am entering my first month as the President of the Board. I want to thank David Ringer for his past

service as President and for his five years on the board. I am looking forward to the challenges ahead and

am happy to have such a great group of board members to work with in this coming year.

I joined the church in 2005 and it was the first time I had joined any church of any denomination. I loved

the people I met and the positive messages that I was hearing. I went on to work with the Religious

Education program and with many church committees over my years here. I feel I have gained a good

grasp of everything that we have to offer and am thankful for all the knowledge that I have gained. I want

to make sure that we continue offering a wide range of programs and that we can increase our financial

responsibility to ourselves and to our community.

We are all part of the ministry of this church. Whether it is being an RE teacher, lay leader, worship

associate, choir member, committee leader, staff member or congregant, we all contribute to the messaging

of this church and its ideals. I want to make sure that we continue that ministry to invite, inspire and

involve everyone into our covenant and into our service. I hope your spiritual journey is fed and nurtured

by our church and that you make it your lasting home.

Trust Fund News By Arlis Olson

Thanks to all who have contributed to the UU Trust Fund for Endowments this year. Your generous

contributions have enriched this fund by $5,445.33. This has been mostly due to contributions for

memoriams and birthdays. We had one unspecified donation over a thousand and two over a hundred.

Interest on this fund is often used for unplanned expenses while the corpus is reserved for capital

improvements. This fund is responsible for the long term viability of the church. Contributions are even

more critical when money is tight. Thanks again.

Celestial Celebrations Circle By Darcy Walker

Celestial Celebrations Circle continues to attract interest from new participants with its labyrinth walks,

which fill in the calendar between the eight Sabbats. The Ostara and Beltane rituals were in March and

April. Then two new people joined others to silently walk around the labyrinth and back again on

Saturday, May 18. For Summer Solstice, let's celebrate the heat and bounty of the longest day of the year on

Sat., June 15 at 7 pm at the Jefferson Building. If you can, bring food for potluck and a canned or boxed

food for the food pantry.

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75th Anniversary Update By Mary Wright

As most of you already know, our

church’s 75th anniversary will take

place in the year 2020. Our

anniversary task force has been hard

at work making plans to

commemorate this historic occasion.

We have selected our anniversary

theme “75 Years of Love & Service”

and have planned four major events

for the anniversary year.

To kick off the year, we will hold an

open house on January 25, 2020. The open house will feature historic displays throughout the campus

along with beverages and hors d’oeuvres. First UU member and professor of history, Bill Bush, has been

hard at work updating our church’s history, which will be published in book form. A free copy of the book

will be distributed to all members at the open house and Bill will be presenting a lecture and book reading

as well. The following Sunday our service will feature special Worship elements to commemorate our 75th

anniversary, which may include recognition of members, a special reading, and an anniversary song.

It was in April of 1945 that First Unitarian Church of San Antonio (we had not merged with the

Universalists yet) held its first service, entitled “Foundation Sunday.” We will recognize this important

date with our 75th Anniversary banquet on April 25, 2020. The banquet will be held at the San Antonio

Food Bank. It will feature a buffet style dinner, speakers, a slide show, and dancing. We are proud of our

long relationship with the Food Bank and because ‘service is our prayer’ will ask all attendees to bring a

non-perishable food item with them to the banquet to donate. This will be a family friendly event, with

childcare available. Tickets for the banquet will go on sale later this year. The Sunday following the

banquet will feature a special Worship service also with special worship elements.

In the late summer of 2020, we will host a picnic and concert in the park. With potluck, BBQ, games and

music, it is sure to be a blast. We hope to be able to have some of our favorite guest musicians that have

played at our Worship services over the years perform at the concert.

To wrap up our anniversary year, we will feature a symposium in the fall with featured speakers and

contributors focusing on the future of First UU Church going forward.

Starting this summer, we will begin some special fundraising activities to cover the costs of these exciting

activities planned for next year.

Our anniversary colors are sapphire blue and diamond white. Starting this month, we will begin our

‘Sapphire & Diamond’ donation drive. This is a direct giving fundraiser where individuals and families

can donate at whatever level they select. Levels include: Bronze for $25 and below, Silver for $26-$50,

Gold for $51-$150, Platinum for $151-$250, Diamond for $251-$500, and Sapphire for $501 or above. This

drive will continue throughout the year and you can give as many times as you like. All donations

will be tallied and the donors will be recognized at our Anniversary banquet in April 2020. Look for

First UU Church of San Antonio

75 years

of love and service

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donation envelopes in the pews of the Sanctuary and there will be a special 75th anniversary display in the

Sanctuary foyer. You can also donate directly online at our website www.uusat.org > give > online giving.

On October 5, 2019, we will hold a service auction. Can you cook, bake, do yard work, shop, clean? Just

what is your special skill? Volunteer some of your time so we can auction it off to raise funds to defray the

costs of our 75th anniversary celebration. Contact Maria Bush, the service auction coordinator, at

mfbush003@gmail.com or 813-766-3327 to volunteer.

Huge thanks go to all the members of the 75th anniversary task force: Co-chairs: Dorothy Wallace and

David Rodriguez; Members: Art Severance, Bill Bush, Polly Noel, Maria Bush, Debra Bircher, Terry Palin,

and myself. We have done a lot of work so far, but there is a lot left to do to make our Anniversary year a

success. To volunteer with any of the events described in this article contact either Dorothy at

lee20@flash.net or David at drodz1969@yahoo.com.

Sapphire & Diamond fundraiser

Help support the celebration of our church’s 75th anniversary by donating

at one of the levels below. You can donate as many times as you like. All

donations will be tallied and the donors will be recognized at our

Anniversary banquet in April 2020.

Sapphire ($505 or above)

Diamond ($251 - $500)

Platinum ($151 - $250)

Gold ($51 - $150)

Silver ($26 - $50)

Bronze ($25 or below)

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http://www.uusat.org/mailto:mfbush003@gmail.commailto:lee20@flash.netmailto:drodz1969@yahoo.com

Bonito By Gina Humble

This is a story based on events that occurred in my life in the summer of 2003. The names have been changed and

certain details fictionalized in order to bring the story to life. The important events are retold and accurate, based on

my memories. Though the conditions and demands facing migrant workers is always in flux, I believe this story is as

relevant today as it was over a decade ago.

“Is the temperature okay?” she asked, her hand hovering above the air current.

“Está muy bien señora, todo bien.” It’s fine miss, it’s all good. He spoke politely, shifting in the seat

next to her. Carmen backed the air down a notch anyway, just in case. She could never tell with the

farmworkers. Their politeness made them hard to read.

For months she’d assumed mistakenly, the cooler the better. She figured they’d be so relieved to be

out of the heat, out of the fields, even if only for the car ride. So she put on the radio and blasted the air.

Finally, José Felix had been the one to speak up. “Mam, would you mind if we turned the air down a

little?” He seemed embarrassed to ask. “We’re just not used to it.” Well, she’d felt like an idiot. There

she’d been, shuttling those men, back and forth: thirty miles, forty miles, depending on the farm, thinking

she was doing them a favor.

But Ignacio, now he was shy and she wanted him to feel comfortable. “Do you have a music

preference?” she asked, though she doubted he would say.

“This is good mam, thank you.” His voice was soft, barely registering one decibel up from a

whisper. She advanced the tape deck until it landed on a favorite: “Bonito” by Jarabe de Palo. “Bonito, todo

me parece bonito,” she sang the words, hoping Ignacio might join in. Beautiful. Everything to me seems

Beautiful. “Bonito mañana, bonito el lugar…” she drummed her fingers on the steering column and peered

out the windshield, as the highway rolled out in front of them. “Bonito la vida, respira respira respira…”

To her disappointment, Ignacio, like many of her passengers, seemed indifferent to the music. He stared

vacantly out the window, as row upon row of Carolina pine flew past. Perhaps he preferred conjunto.

Mariachis? Cumbia?

Carmen had grown accustomed to the silences, but still tried to fill them with talk, flaunting her

Spanish just a tad. Evenings, she drove home alone from the clinic, hunched over the steering wheel with

sagging shoulders, cruising past the miles of tobacco fields. Six thirty, seven p.m. and still they worked,

would be there again when she headed out the next morning.

By August, the tobacco had grown so high, the men all but disappeared behind the rows, just the

tops of their heads visible. They were dressed it seemed, for a different season, wearing baseball caps and

long sleeves to protect from the sun. From the waist down, they were comically draped in garbage bags:

long, plastic skirts. Nicotine protection. The dew that collected on the mighty leaves would otherwise soak

clothes and seep into the bloodstream, making grown men green with sickness.

Health Education and Outreach Worker was her job title, but as an intern, Carmen found the

responsibilities somewhat ambiguous. She spent a good deal of time transporting the men from

scattered fields across Yadkin County back into town for medical or dental appointments. She drove 4

vast stretches of country road, trying to catch them on lunch break, to pass out flyers on “the dangers of

dehydration” or “how to spot heat stroke.” She recommended oatmeal baths for poison ivy, bananas for

muscle cramps. Carmen learned to use a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, and carried them with her

always. If there was one thing she knew would conjure a smile, it was a thumbs-up report on blood

pressure. She used the b.p. screening as a relationship building tool more than anything. It was her best

trick, in a very small bag of mediocre tricks.

By and large, she felt the men were tough to reach. She wondered if she was doing something

wrong. Was her skirt too short? Was she too cheerful, trying too hard? Perhaps the migrant workers were

just so inured, accustomed to the fields and the brotherhood of work and trailer life. They were always

polite, grateful for her assistance, but what she really wanted was to connect.

***

As they began to pick up speed on the interstate, suddenly Ignacio spoke, his words cutting

through the thick sheen of ice wedged between them. “Perdóname señora,” he spoke clumsily around the

cotton still wedged behind an upper molar. “I was wondering…” he shifted again in his seat. “Would you

mind it, if we stop at the Walgreens on the way past Yadkinville? If you have the time?”

“Oh…Yeah, I think so,” she said, assuming he might want to pick up some Tylenol or Ibuprofen for

the toothache.

“I’m going home to Mexico in two weeks,” he said, pulling out his wallet. He rifled through the

contents quickly and replaced it in his back pocket. “I’d like to pick out a souvenir for my mother if it’s

possible.”

“Oh right,” she said hesitating, fiddling with the AC again. She really wasn’t supposed to do that:

non- medical errands. But it was so seldom requested. And it was, apparently for the young man’s mother.

“Well, yeah, we can do that. No problem.” She glanced at Ignacio, who was staring down at his lap. When

she looked away, he began to loosen a little, ducking his head ever so slightly in time with the music.

“Thank you,” he said, and the two fell silent again for a moment.

“Are you sure you want to go to Walgreens, for a gift? I mean, I can take you somewhere else, if

there’s something you had in mind.” Suddenly she was feeling generous, even if Walmart was a good

fifteen miles the wrong direction.

“No, Walgreens is fine,” he fiddled with the bloodstained gauze in his mouth. “Walgreens or

CVS.”

“Walgreens it is.” She put on her blinker and sped toward the exit for Yadkinville.

***

The Walgreens checker acknowledged the pair with a silent nod as they entered the store and were

blasted with a rush of cold air. As Ignacio began to peruse the merchandise, Carmen decided to give him

some space. She wandered over to the candy isle and eyed the colorful treats, noting her favorites:

butterscotch hard candies, Junior Mints, Butterfinger candy bars. “Bonito, todo me parece bonito,” she

sang softly.

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She hated to admit it, but found herself wondering about the mother, Ignacio’s mother. What was

she doing just now, while her son was picking out her present? Was she drinking limonada under a

Mexican sun? Counting the days till he returned safely? Did she light a candle for him at night, or keep

his picture by her bedside? “Bonito, todo me parece bonito.” The tune circled round and round in her

mind.

Carmen thought Ignacio still had a baby face, smooth and pale as fresh milk. He hadn’t even

grown his first whiskers, yet he had entered this world, a world made for men. It was a world of back

pain, blistering heat, scars, and rotting teeth. She wondered exactly what kind of mother was willing to

send her son so far from home. Life could get so desperate, she knew. Still, surely there had to be options

for a boy so young.

On aisle nine, she found Ignacio, contemplating an assortment of goods. He was juggling several

items and presented them to her. “Do you think my mother would like these things?” he asked, searching

her face.

A bar of Ivory soap

Purell shampoo

Jergens hand lotion

Her urge was to direct him to the chocolate aisle, or to the stuffed animals clutching pink hearts.

But she stopped herself. “I think your mom will be very pleased,” she said instead. He flashed another

smile, so innocent, so earnest, it tugged at her heart. “Bonito. Todo me parece…” And that’s when she

realized, she had her answer. She knew exactly what kind of mother she was.

Simply, a broken hearted one.

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Black History in the Alamo City By Mary Wright

In February of this year, our Social Justice Committee awarded “Courageous Love Awards” to Baba

Aundar Ma’at and Born Logic Allah. These two local filmmakers have been producing the film “Walk on

the River: A Black History of the Alamo City.” This documentary highlights the history and contributions

of African Americans in the city of San Antonio. We were fortunate to be able to screen the film here at our

church in March 2019 with the film producers present. The screening was a great success with over fifty

attendees. Baba and Born Logic were very pleased with how welcomed they felt by our congregation. A

copy of the film is in the church library, now available for check out.

In conjunction with the film, several First UU members participated in the Freedom Black History Bus

Tour on March 9, 2019 where they visited some of San Antonio's most historic African-American

landmarks and locations. The Freedom Bus Tour was a result of the information and history revealed in

the documentary “Walk on the River: A Black History of the Alamo City” and was organized at the request

of many of its supporters. As the city grows and changes, as the “Eastside” (historically considered the

Black side of town) becomes more gentrified, as historical locations and landmarks are being demolished

or forgotten- they are doing their best to help preserve their history and tell their own story.

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Bulverde Oaks Nature Preserve By Diane Duesterhoeft

On Saturday, March 2, several First UU members joined Ron Tullius on a 2.5-hour tour of the Bulverde

Oaks Nature Preserve. During the nature tour, on a one-mile out-and-back trail, we saw the rescue bee

hives, bird blind, stock pond, pollinator meadow, wildlife, and learned why Green Spaces Alliance is

conserving this land.

Nestled between a major highway and limestone and concrete industries lies an unlikely peaceful oasis.

Bulverde Oaks Nature Preserve, gifted in 2010, is owned and managed by Green Spaces Alliance. This 31-

acre patchwork of nature is a sanctuary for local wildlife and native plants. It sits over the Artesian Zone of

the Edwards Aquifer and drains directly into the Recharge Zone, and more than 50% of the parcel is within

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the 100-yr floodplain. These features make Bulverde Oaks Nature Preserve especially valuable to local land

conservation efforts.

Historically, this land was used for ranching, but pressure to develop the land has increased with

surrounding urban sprawl. Bulverde Oaks Nature Preserve has been spared some of the pressure because

of its location on the floodplain. Now owned and managed by Green Spaces Alliance, those pressures have

been almost eliminated, and the undeveloped island of nature can continue to thrive.

In a city that likely will grow to 3 million residents by 2040, Green Spaces Alliance is shaping Bulverde

Oaks Nature Preserve to be a sanctuary for the citizens of San Antonio, as well. We believe it is vital to

humanity’s well-being to have natural spaces for playing, learning, connecting to our natural environment,

and finding refuge from the busy world of everyday city life. ~ reprinted from

https://greensatx.org/bulverde-oaks/

Sweet Moments at the Bus Station By Moon Brand

In the middle of a crowded, busy bus station, a Honduran father expresses his love for his 15 year old son.

After I explain the itinerary on the map sheet for their three-day (4 different buses) journey to New York

City, I directed father and son’s attention to a corner on the map where there is a list of 1-800 numbers that

are pro-immigrant resource organizations. The father asked me if one of those numbers could help him

find a community that would protect and support his homosexual son. He went on to say that is the main

reason why they are on this trip. "My son is a good, loving, smart, hard working person... I couldn't have asked

for a better son. It hurts me to see how he gets beaten and threatened for being "softer" than other boys. I know I'll

probably get sent back to Honduras...but, before I do, I want to find a place for my son to have a chance. Honduras is

bad for all of us, but so much worst if you’re like my son." At that moment...father and son lock eyes and give

each other a wise, heartfelt nod.

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https://greensatx.org/bulverde-oaks/

Creative Writing Workshops By Mary Wright

The Black Lives Matter Work Group (BLMWG) hosted two Creative workshops this Spring featuring local

poets and musicians.

On March 16th, a writing workshop was held entitled “Letters to the Women of Black Lives Matter”

featuring local poets, Vocab Anderson and Ami Nah. Although not as well attended as hoped, it was an

amazing experience. The event allowed people to express themselves about a topic that people typically do

not want to talk about. People present reported that they were very moved and wanted to have another

event.

BLMWG, in coordination with the Sanctuary Task Force, responded and held a follow up workshop in

May called “Music, Love, and Letters for Sanctuary” which was very well attended and received.

According to Ricardo Espinoza, the BLMWG chair, “Movements that matter grow from concerned and

unified citizens. In order to create change, ideals and beliefs must be formed in cohesion and expressed in a

thoughtful manner to gather momentum.”

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Path to Faith Formation at First UU San Antonio By Sheri Phillabaum

Some readers may be aware of First UU’s Coming of Age program for youth. In this program, youth

(usually youth who have taken several years of foundational religious education classes) work with

advisers and mentors throughout a church-school year to create a credo, or statement of faith. They present

this credo in a worship service that they plan. Now, a similar path will be available to adults!

Adults who choose this path will start out by taking several classes in UU Foundations, move on to

articulating their faith, and then, if they have higher aspirations, may choose one or more culminating

paths. Here’s the plan:

Part One - First UU 101.

Newcomers will attend the First UU 101 class, which we already offer once per month.

Part Two - UU Foundations.

Several times a year we will offer 60- 90-minute classes on UU Foundations after church. Topics may

include: the Principles, the Sources, the Language of Reverence, Stages of Faith, Covenant (History and

Theology), UU History, and History of First UU San Antonio.

Part Three - “Elevator Speeches.”

Have you ever been asked what Unitarian Universalism is and been at a loss for words? In this 60-90

minute gathering participants create their own short statements of their UU faith – good for briefly

explaining your faith and your church to relatives, friends, and strangers you meet in an elevator who ask

about your chalice pin. This class will be recommended for people who have attended at least a few of the

foundational courses.

Part Four - Wisdom track, Credo-writing and worship service planning.

Unitarian Universalists who wish to fully engage in their faith will move beyond elevator speeches and

create a fully formed statement of faith. People who have completed the “elevator speech” workshop, or

who have attended this or another UU church for several years, will be invited to this series of workshops

in which participants will create fully formed statements of faith and will present these to the congregation

in a dedicated worship service. Shy participants will have alternative options that don’t involve presenting

to the congregation!

Part Four - Leadership track.

Church members who aspire to chair a committee, sit on the board, teach a religious education class, or

who just want to know more about leadership and governance will want to attend one or more of these 60-

90 minute classes. Topics may include systems theory, adaptive leadership, and policy governance.

Aspiring leaders are also encouraged to attend anti-oppression workshops offered by our social justice

committee or other entities.

Part Four - Spirit path.

Regardless of classes taken or length of membership, everyone at first UU is invited to tend to their spirit

through Covenant group participation or leadership. Occasional workshops on other spiritual practices

may be offered.

The adult religious education committee hopes to get the foundational classes started by August of 2019.

Watch for them! Questions and suggestions? Contact Director of Lifespan religious Education Sheri

Phillabaum at dlre@uusat.org 11

mailto:dlre@uusat.org

Our Stories By Sheri Phillabaum

What is your favorite story from the Bible? How about a favorite story from another faith tradition? How

about a story that relates to your Unitarian Universalist faith? Stories are a key way that we learn concepts

and make sense of the world. For the past year, I have been working with various church groups to create a

finite list of stories that are important to Unitarian Universalists. The list includes stories about Unitarian

and Universalist forebears as well as stories from our six UU sources.

The idea behind creating a core list is to be intentional about repeating stories in various contexts to build a

common core of narratives for our community. We ended up with a list of 26 stories that we believe relate

to UU principles, play a role in building UU identity, illustrate living UU faith in the world, and include

protagonists of varied identities.

So…if over the next few years you hear a story repeated in various contexts, it won’t be because somebody

forgot we already told that story! It’s because we are consciously working to reinforce key narratives.

Curious minds may request a list of our churches core stories by contacting Sheri Phillabaum,

dlre@uusat.org. Eventually, we hope to post a list with links on our web site.

A Core Story: Clara Barton Clara Barton was born on December 25, 1821 in Oxford

Massachusetts. Every Sunday when she was a child,

Clara's family drove in a horse and carriage to the

Universalist church. Clara's father had helped to build

that church and Clara never forgot the Universalist

teachings she learned there. She learned that God is love

and that all lives are precious gifts that should not be

destroyed.

When Clara was eleven, her brother David fell from the

top of their new barn and was badly hurt. The doctor

said he might die. "Please," begged Clara, "let me be

David's nurse! I'll take very good care of him!" Her

parents and the doctor agreed to let Clara try. This was

Clara's first job as a nurse and she did it cheerfully every

day for two years!

When Clara grew up, the Civil War broke out. Clara

went to work in the battlefields cooking and taking care of the wounded. She even learned to take bullets

out of wounded soldiers with a pocket knife! Later the army surgeon wrote, "If heaven ever sent out a holy

angel, she must be the one!" After that, Clara was known as "The Angel of the Battlefield."

Clara took care of wounded soldiers from both sides, Confederate (South) and Union (North). She nursed

anybody who needed help, because she still believed what she learned in her Universalist church when she

was a child: that every life was precious. She said, "I have no enemies."

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mailto:dlre@uusat.org

One time Clara went to Europe and learned about an organization called the International Red Cross,

which helped soldiers in battle no matter whose side they were on. Clara convinced American lawmakers

that the United States should become a member.

Then, she had an idea. Why not use the Red Cross to help people in all kinds of disasters like forest fires,

floods, and earthquakes? She explained her idea to other countries and many foreign leaders gave her

medals for her work. Clara was president of the American Red Cross for twenty-three years and a Red

Cross worker until she was eighty-three!

The next time you take Red Cross swimming lessons, learn Red Cross first aid, or read about the Red Cross

coming to the rescue in a disaster, remember Clara. She was a shy, but very brave, young Universalist girl

who grew up to start the American Red Cross!

Adapted from “Love Surrounds Us,” a Tapestry of Faith curriculum produced by the Unitarian Universalist

Association.

New Member Celebration By Megan Janzen

The Membership Committee is trying a few new things this year, including a few ways to get to know our

new members better. On Saturday, May 18th, members that joined in the last 12 months attended an

informal get-together at David and Chara Rodriguez's house. Rev. Josh and many of our Greeters attended

as well. There were snacks and drinks to spare, but most importantly lots of conversation and fellowship!

The Membership Committee welcomes our new members and looks forward to our next New Member

Ceremony in the fall!

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Your Church Does Not Need Volunteers by Rev. Erin Wathen

Originally published April 20, 2017 on the Irreverin website (https://www.patheos.com/blogs/irreverin/).

Reprinted with the permission of the author.

I was writing my weekly note to the congregation (a few days late, because I took Monday off and it’s all

downhill from there). Usually in this note, I share a few words about the message for Sunday so that we

can all be reflecting on the same topic throughout the week. It makes the sermon more of an ongoing

conversation. I sometimes discuss something that’s going on in the life of the church, as well. But this

week, it was more of a thank you note. Because when I think about how much work my church folks did

over the last few weeks to get our place ready for Easter, it blows my mind. And as I look around the

property, I can see the fruits of many hours of shared labor.

Sparkling windows and floors; finely manicured landscaping; dramatic paraments, hung with a complex

pulley system by dedicated House Elves in the wee hours. And then I start thinking about the work of the

worship team, the children’s ministry team and musicians; not to mention greeters, hand-shakers, bulletin-

hander-outers, and coffee makers; and the youth group out there hiding eggs for the little ones; plus

more behind the scenes workers I have not mentioned. Just thinking about it makes me overwhelmed with

gratitude. It’s enough to make my mascara run. (I’m not crying, you are).

In writing this note to my people, I wrote that it takes a whole village of volunteers to make all of this

happen…. But then I found myself hitting the backspace button. Because “volunteer” is not quite the right

word for what our people do at church.

I know I’m not the only one who cringes when someone sees me, without kids in tow, and asks if my

husband is “babysitting.” Well, no. I mean, yes, he is at home with the kids tonight. But I do not think you

can effectively say “babysitting” when it is your own dang kid. I’d say we could just call that parenting.

I feel the same when people talk about “volunteering” at church. And yes, I know it’s just a word. But it’s

the wrong word, for a lot of reasons.

If you ask a grandparent, or an elder of your church, I’m pretty sure they will tell you that the church they

grew up in never asked them to volunteer. Historically, the church has asked people to serve–as deacons,

as greeters, as Sunday school teachers, or on the property committee. Whatever the job, it was considered a

service. A ministry.

The language of volunteerism is a pretty recent addition to the church lexicon. It has emerged with the

mega-church of the last few decades—and the culture in which small to moderate size churches replicate

the language and practices of larger churches. “Volunteering” is something you’re asked to do, right off the

bat in these places. It gets folks engaged, which is great. Maybe you give them a flashy name badge that

says “VOLUNTEER” in big red letters, or a brightly colored t-shirt that declares “VOLUNTEER” on the

back. This identifies you as someone who’s there to help; one who can answer questions, give directions, or

generally point you toward the donuts. That’s a good thing.

But I balk at the secular nature of what it means to volunteer. To volunteer means that you are an outside

resource, stepping in to help an organization in need. Volunteering is what we do when we pick up

14

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trash at the park, or build a house with Habitat, or help sort food at the local food pantry. Volunteering is

what I do at my kids’ school on Fridays.

In other words, it’s what you do at a place that is important to you–but not at a place that belongs to you.

And I guess that is the important distinction for me… You cannot volunteer at your own church, in the

same way you cannot babysit your own kid. Because the church belongs to you in the same way your

family does. It’s your own place, your own people. So of course you help take care of it. Of course you do

yard work and make coffee and teach the kids and sing in the choir and whatever all else it is you do for

the home and the people that you love.

A volunteer, in most cases, is just visiting. A fly-by. Maybe it’s a helpful fly-by, but it’s not the same as

belonging to something. It’s not the same as contributing to something bigger than you, something that’s

part of who you are.

Maybe some practices of inordinately large churches are good ones, systems from which we can learn a

great deal about connection and engagement. But ultimately, the language of volunteerism is secular, and

more to the point, it is corporate. The notion is rooted in consumer culture, in which we can swoop in and

give or take a measure that we deem fit, and then dart out again feeling we have done our part. We do a

disservice to our faith, and to the gospel itself, when we reduce the work of the church to something you

can mark on a time card.

All that said, we live in the world we live in, and we cannot realistically extract this word from the life of

the church. It is both a noun and a verb, and it’s the one that just rolls off the tongue when we are asking

people to come and do work. Which, in the church, we are forever asking people to do. Still, as I plan for a

summer sermon series on discipleship and what it means to let the church be the church, I feel a strong

nudge to challenge how we talk about–and think about–the time and energy we spend in ministry. It’s

important to recognize those gifts for what they are–ministry–and I’m not sure the word “volunteer” does

justice to the depths contained in the work people actually do in their churches.

Call it serving. Call it discipleship. Call it the priesthood of believers, or mission, or the ministry that we all

share together. Admittedly, “Priesthood of Believers” does not look great on a t-shirt. And it maybe

doesn’t invite visitors to ask you where the bathrooms are… But whatever we do, we should remember

that we don’t just belong to the church–it belongs to us.

And we do not babysit that which is ours.

Rev. Erin Wathen is a Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP), a published author, and an ordained minister in the

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Erin’s most recent book, Resist and Persist: Faith and the Fight for Equality

was recognized by Publisher’s Weekly as one of the 100 best books of 2018.

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https://www.nonprofitleadershipalliance.org/credential/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7L8ZYT/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-664-26390-4

UBarU News – Making Lemonade out of Lemons by Roy Ellzey

As most are probably aware, UBarU embarked on a capital campaign early last summer with a somewhat

optimistic goal of $400,000 to fund a set of five projects ordered in three tiers (infrastructure, additional

common space, and additional housing) ranging from critical need to need to support growth. The reasons

for having the campaign was, first: to comply with state law regarding the infrastructure at our facility’s

current level of use, and second: to be able to accommodate and serve the growth in usage that is needed to

make UBarU financially stable with respect to its operation and maintenance.

Unfortunately, the capital campaign managed only slightly more than $89,000 (less than 25% of the goal)

after nearly a year in operation, so will continue to receive donations for the rest of the year, in the hopes

that perhaps some progress can be made in parts of the three project-tiers left unfunded. However, the

single most critical project (the new septic system for the Meeting House) was completed in time for the

summer camps close to the $60,000 estimate.

Since the cost of implementing the public water system project was well beyond what was likely to be

raised, the board decided to proceed with the least expensive remaining project that could be funded

(enclosing the gathering area at the Brown Center) which will provide a second indoor work/activity space

other than the Meeting House. This will allow UBarU to attract more groups who need more than one

climate-controlled area for concurrent activities, and also provide better accommodations for groups that

are currently served.

A scaled-down goal from the original plan going forward is to create the public water system (PWS) as

soon as funding can be raised and to add one more cottage instead of the two proposed when funds are

available. And also, to continue improvements that can be accomplished by targeted grants.

One such targeted grant was provided through the Chalice Lighter Program to create ADA-compliant

access to the Fire Circle from the Meeting House. Using the funds received along with the volunteer efforts

of the past two Men’s Retreats, the project is now complete. The project included an accessible parking area

on the south side of the Meeting House, an accessible trail to the Fire Circle, and an ADA-compliant ramp

connecting the parking area and head of the trail to the Meeting House porch. Thus, completing a long

standing goal to provide accessibility to and from the Brown Center (housing) to the Meeting House

(dinning and program space) to the Fire Circle (camp life), so that people with mobility disabilities can

now participate in a significant number of events and activities at UBarU.

Still, UBarU continues to improve while offering the lowest rates of any church-affiliated camp and retreat

center in the Hill Country, contrary to the fact that it is the only such facility that does not receive direct

financial support from its affiliation.

16

Welcoming Asylum-Seekers By Donna Pereira

If you read or watch the news, you are aware of the increasing number of asylum seekers that are coming

from the southern border. After processing, thousands of these immigrants have been bussed to San

Antonio before continuing their travels to their sponsors while awaiting a court date sometime in the

future. These families arrive with almost nothing and often have long journeys ahead. Recently, the

numbers have spiked, including the number of families. Assisting these families is a daily challenge as

many, many hands are needed. How are First UU members helping?

Mary Grace Ketner serves as the co-chair of the Interfaith Welcome Coalition and works to support the

airport teams. Under the leadership of the Interfaith Welcome Coalition, a dozen or more members and

friends volunteer at the Greyhound Bus station and airport regularly, welcoming the immigrants, helping

them understand their tickets, making sure they get on the right bus, offering smiles and conversation

(sometimes in very bad Spanish) and passing out bag lunches and small toys and distractions for the many

children. There are frequently more than 200 immigrants who pass through the bus station daily; the need

for volunteers is great.

Vicki Tullius organizes the lunches that are

being prepared each month and delivered to

the bus station. These lunches may be the only

food that the travelers may have while on a

long bus journey and are received with much

gratitude.

Scott Emerson-Price is coordinating a group of

UUs who volunteer Sunday nights at the

overnight shelter at Travis Park Church where,

on a typical night, over 200 immigrants are

sleeping on cots spread throughout the church.

Immigrants are greeted with a friendly face and

receive tooth brushes, tooth paste and wash

cloths. The most important task is signing in the early risers with their bus or airline departure time so that

the overnight shift can get them up in time to make their connection. It's a tight fit with limited bathroom

facilities but it is a safe space where volunteers work to address their needs before they head out for the

next leg of their journeys.

In addition, Rick Espinoza has been very actively organizing UUs to do advocacy for immigrants and

Moon Brand organizes people to accompany immigrants to court hearings as part of the San Antonio

Sanctuary Network.

A couple of weeks ago, June Kachtik led us in a responsive reading where we reaffirmed our values; we

all recited “We are a compassionate congregation” and “we protect and defend refugees, asylum seekers

and at-risk immigrants”. There are many First UU members who are living these values;

We are making our mark in the effort to welcome asylum-seekers and help them move on to their families

around the country. Want to help? Contact any of the above members to find out how to put your

values into action. 17

Protecting the Interdependent Web of All Existence By Diane Duesterhoeft

The Green Sanctuary Team organized an Earth Day-oriented worship service about “Protecting the

Interdependent Web of All Existence” that was delivered on April 28. The service theme focused on species

interdependence. Here is the link to the audio of the homilies delivered by Russell Hom-Crosier and Linda

Nash http://uusat.org/podcast/protecting-the-interdependent-web-of-all-existence/ The Green Team was

very thankful for the enthusiastic and open-minded response of the congregation.

During Story Wisdom, we showed the short video “There’s a Rang Tan in My Bedroom,” and Paula

Pebsworth discussed using products certified sustainable palm oil, or possibly without palm oil. Palm oil is

frequently derived from fields in Indonesia where rainforests have been destroyed and have displaced

species such as orangutans. Two sites that provide information about companies that sell products certified

by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) are the WWF Palm Oil Scorecard

https://palmoilscorecard.panda.org/check-the-scores/supply-chain#collapseOne and Bunny Army’s table

of Brand Leaders for Sustainable Palm Oil http://www.bunnyarmy.org/articles/list-palm-oil-sustainable-

companies.html In addition, Russell Hom-Crosier would like to be considered a resource for transitioning

to plant-based eating and Paula Pebsworth would like to be considered a resource for palm oil alternatives

and avoiding palm oil products.

The Green Team also provided this table of

Local Actions We Can Take to Help Preserve Biodiversity and Mitigate Climate Change:

Action Good Better Best

Skip the straw Use a paper straw Buy your own reusable

straw and carry it with you

Drink from the cup =)

Bring your own

dishes for

potlucks and

shared meal

events

Buy a set of dishes &

utensils that you leave in

the car and can use for

such occasions

Buy a set of used dishes &

utensils from a thrift store

that you leave in the car

and can use for such

occasions

Look through your dishes

at home and pull out a set

that you can leave in the

car and can use for such

occasions

Help compost @

First UU

If you don’t have

reusable dishes, place

single-use napkins, plates

& cups, & food scraps

(no meat) in compost

bins

Learn what’s compostable

and help monitor the bins

during meal events

If you have city-provided

composting, take a bin

home, place in your cart,

rinse & return bin to First

UU

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http://uusat.org/podcast/protecting-the-interdependent-web-of-all-existence/http://uusat.org/podcast/protecting-the-interdependent-web-of-all-existence/https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154916772984229https://palmoilscorecard.panda.org/check-the-scores/supply-chain#collapseOnehttp://www.bunnyarmy.org/articles/list-palm-oil-sustainable-companies.htmlhttp://www.bunnyarmy.org/articles/list-palm-oil-sustainable-companies.html

Eat local & in

season

Buy food grown locally

at a farmers’ market near

your home

Become a member of a

local CSA (Community

Supported Agriculture)

Grow your own food

Drive less Drive an energy efficient

car (electric, hybrid)

Share a ride -

carpool or use public

transportation

Walk or ride a bike

Say no to

“conflict” palm oil

Buy products made with

certified sustainable

palm oil

(look for the RSPO logo

*)

Buy products that don’t

contain palm oil or its

derivatives

Make your own (snacks,

bread, pizza dough, ice

cream…)

Eat less meat Meatless Monday Eat a plant-rich diet Eat a plant-based diet

Plant a garden Plant trees in San

Antonio

Become a member of a

community garden

Grow your own garden

Switch to

sustainable, clean

energy

Line dry your clothes Drive an electric car Install solar panels

Make your home

more energy

efficient

Increase attic insulation Increase attic insulation +

add a radiant barrier

Insulation + radiant

barrier + solar panels

Cowspiracy By Diane Duesterhoeft

Following up on the Earth-day service, the Green Sanctuary Team organized a

screening and discussion of the documentary Cowpiracy: The Sustainabilty

Secret on Sunday, May 5. It was attended by 30 members, and the Green

Sanctuary Team would like to thank the attendees for their participation and

the wonderful critical discussion after it. We’ve heard that several of those

who attended made changes in their diet following the film. The DVD is

available in the church library for research or just general curiosity.

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http://www.cowspiracy.com/http://www.cowspiracy.com/

The Climate Flash Choir and SA Climate Ready By Diane Duesterhoeft

During the past year, members of the Green Sanctuary Team have been trying to raise awareness and

increase participation in shaping SA Climate Ready https://saclimateready.org/ - the City of San Antonio’s

Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP). The Green Team sought input at the Green Team meeting on

May 2, 2018. SA Climate Ready members June Kachtik and Diane Duesterhoeft encouraged the Team and

our congregation to participate in public engagement opportunities this past year and they continue to

provide updates about the status of the plan and encourage our community to provide input and feedback.

Currently the climate action plan is scheduled to be voted on by City Council in Fall 2019.

(photo capture from video by Greg Harman)

To persuade the City Council to support the CAAP, a number of First UU choir and congregational

members participated in a community Climate Flash Choir on March 20 at City Council Chambers by

singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” with lyrics composed by Dana Clark. The City Council members

who were present seemed moved by the presentation. The Climate Flash Choir also performed on Main

Plaza at the March for Science-San Antonio Climate Rally on Saturday, April 6 and at Earth Day at

Woodlawn Lake Park on Saturday, April 13.

Trans Youth Group By Terri Chadwick

On May 5th after church, the first meeting of the Trans Youth Group occurred in the Mary Shelley room.

We developed a group “covenant” of how we would manage being respectful and having confidentiality

during group. Corn dogs, vegetables and dip and chocolate was shared. Sponsors Katy Evans and Terri

Chadwick were present. As far as Terri has been able to find out, this is the only specifically trans youth

support group in San Antonio, although Fiesta Youth and PFLAG have similar groups for LGBTQ teens.

The support group will be meeting every first Sunday of the month after service. 20

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First UU Transylvania Partnership New Start Weekend: September 21-23, 2019 By Dorothy Wallace on behalf of the Partnership Committee

In April, we voted to become a partner church with a congregation in Transylvania. In September, during

a “New Start” Weekend, we’ll begin exploring that relationship and what that means to us in the future.

The Rev. Roger Bertschausen from the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council (UUPCC) will join

us that weekend to help us through the process. Please set this weekend aside to participate in some of the

scheduled events. To manage events, space requirements and food, we have created FREE tickets through

Eventbright which will be available starting June 15. A ticket is your RSVP!

Goal of the New Start Weekend:

1. Help our congregation learn about Partnership and how to develop a vital, mutual, and enduring

partnership with our new partner church in Magyarsáros, Transylvania.

2. Develop a clear understanding of hopes and expectations for partnership.

3. Familiarize our congregation with best practices for creating a partnership that is mutually

beneficial, responsibly sustained, and linked in joint and mutual covenant.

4. Help our congregation avoid the pitfalls that frequently occur in new partnerships and instead help

the partnership get off to a strong start.

5. Attract members of our congregation of all ages to get involved in the partnership.

New Start Weekend Calendar/Events:

Friday, 20 Sep 2019 Saturday, 21 Sep 2019 Sunday, 22 Sep 2019

6 PM Dinner

Committee/Key

Leadership**

9 AM Leadership Forum**

Board and Committees

9:30 AM Special RE

Class

12:30 PM Lunch w/ Ldshp and

Young Adults/Families/HS

Youth**

1 PM Young Adults/Families/HS

Youth Forum**

11 AM Service

3 PM Afternoon Tea and

Conversation**

12 PM Cake Reception

6:30 PM Goulash Dinner**

**Ticketed Event

21

Brief Description of Events:

1. Friday night’s dinner will include the Ministers, Partnership Committee and key Board leaders.

Discussing how the weekend’s events will be carried out is the main goal of this event. If you would

like to become a member of the Partnership Committee, please let me know.

2. The Saturday morning Leadership Meeting will be with the Minister, Staff and all Board and

Committee leaders. The meeting agenda includes focus on Partnership (with a capital P)—i.e.,

mutual partnership; top rewards and challenges of partnership; inspiring stories; intercultural

competencies; communication with partners; dealing with money; RE and youth involvement;

travel; and UUPCC resources. This event is open to anyone in the congregation who wants to join the

Partnership Committee or work more closely on this program.

3. Saturday’s brown bag lunch will be the transition between the Leadership meeting and a focused

meeting of Young Adults (18-35), Families and High School Youth.

4. Young Adults, Families, and High School Youth are key players in the Partnership process!!! Much

of the interactions with the partner churches will happen as part of Youth Religious Education, so it

is important that goals and aspirations are developed as part of this forum. Childcare will be

provided during this event.

5. Afternoon Tea. This event is designed for longer term members who have questions and want to

posit their ideas for partnering with more senior members of both congregations.

6. Goulash Dinner. We had such a wonderful response with homemade goulash in April, we are

going to have a Goulash Cook Off! Just as with chili, goulash is a food that is unique to its

individual cook. So, bring on your very best recipe. Special prizes will be awarded. Look for more

details as the time nears. Don’t let real Hungarian judges hold you back!

7. On Sunday, Rev. Bertschausen will meet with the children for a special joint RE class, he will be

giving the sermon during worship and stay with us for our final event: a cake reception after

church.

What can you do over the summer? Think about ways that we should be partners with the church in

Transylvania. Learn a little more about the people and culture. Google videos and watch them with your

children. We are only limited by our imaginations in how we partner with our sister congregation.

Világos jövőnk van együtt! 22

TXUUJM Legislative Action Day By Mary Wright

On Wednesday, March 20, 2019 twelve members of First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio

attended the TXUUJM Legislative Action Day. The members who attended were Rev. Joshua Snyder,

Mike Phillips, Diane Duesterhoeft, Mary Wright, Maggi Joseph, Dorothy Wallace, Ricardo Espinoza, Stacy

Barnwell, Morgan Yost, Thomas Yost, Alex Papanastassiou, and Scott Emerson-Price.

Checking In & Orientation

We checked in and received printed material which described TXUUJM, their accomplishments, their key

issues, and their stances on certain bills. We also received a tote bag! Then we gathered to sing some

songs led by Rev. Erin Walter of Wildflower UU church. Rev. Chuck Freeman, director of TXUUJM, then

began speaking: providing Centering words, reviewing the schedule for the day, and discussing our issues

and talking points. Before he was finished, however, our First UU group needed to leave as we had a pre-

scheduled meeting with Representative Diego Bernal.

Diego Bernal Visit

We all met with Representative Diego Bernal privately in his office. Rev. Josh presented our position on

immigration issues. The representative agreed with all our views. He noted that the current Federal

detention facilities that are being run by private companies in places like converted Walmarts are, at least,

subject to state oversight. He relayed, however, that the federal government has been transferring more

and more immigrants to federal military bases so that the state has no oversight at all. That is why places

such as the Tornillo camp has been growing so large. Rep. Bernal has been trying to reach out to the feds

to allow the states to go into the federal bases to provide services and oversight, which the state could do if

the feds gave the okay, but the feds have been resisting up to this point. Bernal recommended we lobby all

the state legislators to put pressure on the feds to allow the state to go into the bases.

Dorothy presented our position on reproductive justice. Bernal reported that they have been working on a

schools bill that will allow the state to take over schools about to close and make changes which would

include providing community services within the schools. There are some who are trying to add an

amendment to that bill which would not allow Planned Parenthood to be one of those community services.

Bernal then discussed his disappointment with San Antonio’s city council’s neutral position on the bills

regarding local control of government. These bills could affect the non-discrimination ordinance and the

paid sick leave policy. He wants to see the council members fight harder against these bills. He stated that

Council members Saldana and Sandoval have been vocal on these issues, but the rest of the members, not

so much. According to Bernal, “it is easier to remove monuments and paint streets, symbolic gestures,

than making more substantive changes.”

He reported that he has been preoccupied with school finance right now. He has also been working on

efforts to have untested rape kits tested and a new bill regarding taxes on feminine hygiene products.

He let us know that phone calls to his office help to let him know what is important to us.

Mike presented our position on the ACE bill to cover work training programs such as Project Quest.

Bernal will look into it and is also working on a bill that would require the state to cover the cost of

GED exams. He talked about the upcoming education bill. The bill will include increased money, but 23

not sure yet how much money or how it will be spent. The basic allotment for pupils will be increased

along with funding for universal preschool for qualifying learners. This should cover most 4 year olds in

San Antonio. Might also cover some 3 year olds, which he feels would be very beneficial. He feels that the

government needs to be deliberate about ending poverty at scale, not piecemeal, by encouraging programs

such as a living wage, paid sick leave, universal preschool, etc. The education bill is also looking at

focusing money on specific campuses instead of going to districts, incentives for teachers to get more pay,

and using census blocks to help solve the “zip code” problem.

Visiting Other Offices

Our group then visited many other offices including Senator Jose Menendez and Representatives Trey

Martinez-Fisher, Ina Minjarez, Steve Allison, Lyle Larson, Leo Pacheco, Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, and

Roland Gutierrez. Unfortunately, none of them were in their offices during our visit. We presented our

literature and were able to talk to a few of the staffers.

Ray Lopez Visit

We were fortunate to run into Ray Lopez, in his almost empty office. Representative Lopez was in Austin

getting settled in his new workplace after winning a special election only the week before. We discussed

many issues with Representative Lopez, including the local control issue. He agreed with Rep. Bernal that

the City’s office has been too neutral surrounding this issue and should start speaking up. We also

discussed other issues such as immigration, reproductive justice, and education.

24

Gender Diversity Class By River Fae

On Thursday, May 23rd, Jamie Zapata, board member of TENT: Transgender Education Network of Texas,

gave a presentation on Gender Diversity in the Fellowship Hall. The presentation included gender

affirming terminology such as: intersex, transgender, trans man, trans woman, and non-binary. It also

included terminology to avoid.

The presentation lead to a discussion about transgender being an umbrella term for anyone that does not

identify as the sex they were assigned at birth. It further lead to a discussion about non-binary being an

umbrella term for anyone that does not identify as a binary trans person.

Towards the end of the presentation, Jamie discussed how to be an ally. Examples of being an ally include

using someone's chosen name, the correct pronouns, and correcting others when they use the wrong name

or pronouns toward someone.

The audience was receptive, engaged in the conversation, and shared their experiences with gender.

Jamie shared her personal experiences about living as an out and proud trans woman including coming

out at a young age, her struggle to be her authentic self which included dropping out of high school,

because the administration wouldn't allow her to be herself. In addition to sharing more personal details

about her life experiences, she shared her accomplishments which include earning her GED as an adult

and earning her real estate license two years ago.

Presenter Jaime Zapata with Rainbow Inclusion Committee co-chairs, Carol Collins and River Fae.

25

International Golden Rule Day, April 5, 2019 By Mary Grace Ketner

On the evening of Friday, April 4, San

Antonio launched #BeGoldenSA

(http://begoldensa.com/allothers/#top) at

Trinity University’s Sky Room with a

greeting from Archbishop Gustavo Siller, a

declaration by Mayor Ron Nirenberg, and

the lighting up our city’s skyline in gold in

anticipation of the dawn of Golden Rule

Day. San Antonio’s designation as one of the

450 world-wide Compassionate Cities means

we strive every day to live the golden rule,

each of us treating others and the planet as

we wish to be treated.

To join the movement, an organization, university, church, business or other entity must (1) declare itself

compassionate, and (2) define one definitive action step to becoming more compassionate. On behalf of

First UU-SA, our Social Justice Committee submitted an affirmation statement which reflects the issues we

have determined to support by congregational vote:

We are

A Compassionate Congregation - We encourage San Antonio to be a more compassionate city.

A Green Sanctuary Congregation - We develop our congregation’s environmental ethic

through worship, education, sustainability, and environmental justice.

A Reproductive Justice Congregation - We stand for the right to make one’s own reproductive

decisions.

A Sanctuary Congregation - We protect and defend refugees, asylum seekers, and at-risk

immigrants.

A Welcoming Congregation - Families and individuals of all sexual orientations and gender

identities contribute to the joyful life of this church.

During the worship service on Sunday, May 19, we

took a definitive action step. Social Justice Committee

co-chair June Kachtik led the congregation in a

responsive re-affirmation of these five congregational

values statements as settled by previous

congregational votes to commit to support particular

causes. We created a display of photographs

illustrating our outreach to the community as related

to each value affirmed in order to re-energize those

now involved, to make new congregants aware of all

that we do, and to nurture the compassion which

exists in the DNA of each of our members. We will

follow the golden rule. We will #BeGoldenSA.

26

http://begoldensa.com/allothers/#top

Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast By Sheri Phillabaum

On May 26, Religious Education hosted its annual Volunteer Appreciation breakfast. Participants enjoyed

breakfast tacos while watching a slide show featuring photos of religious education activities from the past

year. Then, volunteers from the past year were recognized and given a small gift. Special recognition went

to Esperanza Garza, Sondra Gervasi, Justine Hansen, Sarah Silva, and Robby Vance, who have volunteered

for three years. Extra special recognition went to Mark Barnette, Libby Barnette, and Stephanie Hickman,

who have volunteered for five years.

Congrats to our

Bridging Teens By Mary Wright

On May 12th, during the Youth

Religious Education Worship

service, we said congratulations to

our high school teens who are

bridging into young adulthood.

We also recognized this year’s

Wade Richmond scholarship

winner, Alex Bush. We know all of

these young people have bright

futures ahead of them.

27

Coming of Age By Mary Wright

On April 7th this year’s Coming of Age class presented their Credos during Worship Service. The first is a

yearlong classroom curriculum of reading, study, speakers, mentoring and writing exercises for 9th

graders, leading them on a self-exploration of their UU beliefs. At the end of the church year, youth in the

COA class present their written credos to the congregation. Many thanks go to the Coming of Age

facilitators, Susan Dill and Lito Bujanda-Moore, as well as the adults who individually mentored the teens.

28

Congratulations & Condolences

Congratulations … to Faith and Gabriel Lazcano on the birth of their daughter, Claire Lazcano, who was born on March 31,

2019.

Condolences …to the family and friends of Kathryn Kunkel, who passed away on April 5, 2019.

…to the family and friends of Olivia Eisenhauer, who passed away on April 22, 2019.

… to Pat Beck, whose mother passed away in March 2019.

…to Donna Harrison, whose father passed away in March 2019.

If you have a milestone you would like to share in our next newsletter,

contact office@uusat.org

Be As a Tree By Arline Terrell

The tree calls – stand tall.

Spread wide your branches

Plant your roots deep.

Catch the sun’s dancing rays,

Let them reflect kindly

On those who struggle upward.

Nuture the young. Be an example.

Breathe in the pure air

And breathe out the breath of life

To all who pass by.

Love the Great Mother

And all her family

As you journey

To the light.

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First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio

7150 W. Interstate 10, San Antonio, TX 78213-3465

(210) 344-4695 www.uusat.org

We are a Compassionate Congregation

We encourage San Antonio to be a more compassionate city.

We are a Green Sanctuary Congregation.

We develop our congregation’s environmental ethic through worship, education,

sustainability, and environmental justice.

We are a Reproductive Justice Congregation.

We stand for the right to make one’s own reproductive decisions.

We are a Sanctuary Congregation.

We protect and defend refugees, asylum seekers, and at-risk immigrants.

We are a Welcoming Congregation.

Families and individuals of all sexual orientations and gender identities

contribute to the joyful life of this church.

http://www.uusat.org/