July 14, 2022
This Week
Worship
July 31st 10:00am - In Person or online (visit www.liveoakuu.org for the link)
Are Moderates Obsolete?
CT Goss

In today’s increasingly polarized world, is there a place for consensus, moderation, and compromise thinking? Are there certain topics where “the middle way” is detrimental?

Share the Plate
Live Oak benefits from Fifth Sunday
The Share the Plate recipient for this fifth Sunday in July is Live Oak's House and Grounds budget. Unexpected expenses have created a deficit of almost $4,000 in the budget category for repairs and maintenance of our building and property. We can help defray that with StP donations this week.

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”.
A Few Words from the Minister
Rev. Joanna will be on sabbatical through August 31. During this time, we will be sharing some of her writings.

This week's article:
Mine is a deliberately syncretic faith. “Syncretism,” to many in exclusivist religions, is a heresy, an un-holy mess, something to be avoided at all costs.

Special Notices
Take Live Oak’s annual engagement survey!
Please take 3 minutes before July 31st to take Live Oak's annual engagement survey to measure how connected we are with each other over time and update directory information.

Please note that this survey also includes an opportunity to give feedback about programs funded by the church’s Endowment Fund.



Save the Date
We'll be celebrating Live Oak's 30th Anniversary on
October 1st
LOUU Voting Pledge Card Now Available
Let's be a 100% voting congregation!
The Live Oak voter pledge card is now in circulation. Look for the cards and the return box in the lobby each Sunday. We want to document how many registered voters, VDRs (Volunteer Deputy Registrars) and pollworkers we have at Live Oak. Those under 18 can sign too on the "I will vote when I'm eligible" line.
Voting Rights Team Completes 40 Letters
Join us next time!
On July 17, the Live Oak Voting Rights Team completed 40 VoteForward letters, and we're inspired to write more. Join us at our next gathering. If you prepare your own letters at home through VoteForward.org, we will work with you to fold, seal, stamp, and address them. Anyone can help with these final steps. All of the letters will be mailed on the national mail-in date, October 29.

SOCIAL JUSTICE MINISTRY NEWS
Persist!

HELLO FRIENDS! Question now on every progressive’s mind: how do I manage my distress over the recent Texas, (and now national), retrogressive policies? Here are our humble suggestions with hopes that everyone will add ideas.
1. Stay positive! We can change this. Hopelessness in not an option. Know this: we will never, never give up!
2. Focus on what you can do, big or small. Step by step gets us to the destination. 3. Take pride in even the smallest of your efforts. Our reward will not come from the political world right away, so pats on the back and “atta boys” need to come from ourselves. And we deserve them!
4. Take time for fun and humor.
5. Help each other stay positive. Remember, we are taking a stand for the cause of love. What’s not to be proud of with that?
6. And, as always, BREATHE!

Engage? Contact the Social Justice Ministry team at socialjusticeteam-members@liveoakuu.org

In the Community
UBarU Annual Star Party
August 27-30, 2022
The 2022 UBarU Star Party (USP) is being held over three nights in late August since it offers a phase of the Moon that is better-suited for deep-sky viewing than over Labor Day weekend 2022. This is our sixth comprehensive star-party event (which includes, in addition to the star parties: astronomy-related lectures, meals, lodging, and more) offered at our IDA-certified Dark-Sky Park in Mountain Home, Texas. Please register via https://www.ubaru.org/ubaru-star-party

LiveOakUU.org Pages to Visit:
Worship Service & Fellowship Hour: http://www.liveoakuu.org/
Community Outreach & Social Justice: http://www.liveoakuu.org/justice/
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