November 4, 2021
This Week
Worship
11/7/2021
Still Rejecting Calvinism After All These Years
Rev. Joanna Fontaine Crawford
 
There is one thing you can change in your theological thinking that will allow you to live a happier and more fulfilled life and will also make you more effective at designing a world that you want to live in. And both our Unitarian and Universalist ancestors knew this.


Join us for Worship at 9:30am in person or online: the link will be on the Live Oak homepage: www.liveoakuu.org

Join us for Fellowship Time immediately following the service (approx. 10:15/10:30): https://link.liveoakuu.org/FellowshipHour

Share the Plate
Giving Thanks Through Sharing Our Plate
Here’s your chance to share a meal though Share the Plate.
Our November 2021 Share the Plate community partner is the Round Rock Area Serving Center. The Serving Center offers many programs and services: The Community Gardens, clothing and furniture vouchers, Computers for Kids, Keep Round Rock Warm, alternative loan repayment program, and financial assistance (utilities, rent, prescriptions, transportation & temporary lodging). It also runs a food pantry initiative that distributes fresh fruits and vegetables to the Round Rock area community.

RRASC was chosen as our partner specifically for November, as Americans give thanks for their abundance. www.rrasc.org

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”. In addition to those designated donations, half of all undesignated gifts in November will go to the fund.
Exploring Membership
Are you interested in learning more about Live Oak? Join me at noon this Sunday at https://link.liveoakuu.org/ExploreMember for our Exploring Membership gathering. In this hour long zoom gathering, I'll share with you some information about Unitarian Universalism and what it means to be a member of this congregation. Feel free to bring your lunch over to your computer as we chat and get to know each other. -- Rev. Joanna

A Few Words from the Minister
The Joy of Feeling Hopeful
I am experiencing a vague feeling I sorta remember from the past... Hope. And even the excitement of anticipation. Read more
A Few Words from the DLFD
(Director of Lifespan Faith Development)
What's Your Spiritual Practice?
I get it...it can be hard. Read more

Special Notices
Faith Development 11.1 to 11.7.21
November updates... read more
November Family Focus: Gratitude
Click on image below
Stewardship Pledge Campaign 2022
Pledge Now to Support Live Oak!

The one week LOUU Stewardship Pledge Campaign 2022 ended on October 31 with a Celebration, Cereal Brunch and Raffle! Thanks to all who pledged and participated. It was a fun and festive celebration.

So far we have raised $160,000. We are about two thirds of the way to our goal of $246,000. For those that haven’t yet pledged, we need to finalize our numbers so the board can plan next year’s budget. Click on the link to the pledge form here.

Remember, we have a matching pledge challenge of up to $4500 so your increased or first time pledge could be doubled! If you are considering pledging to Live Oak, now’s the time.

If you have questions about Stewardship, email stewardship@liveoakuu.org.

In case you missed it, be sure to check out the videos of members talking about why Live Oak is important to them:

Ray and Becky McPherson here

Joel and Stephani Bercu here

And The Jimenez family video here
Christmas Pageant
I can't believe it is time again but here it is. This year is a strange one for sure, but we are forging ahead with our live worship that will also be livestreamed. We need singers, mimes, storytellers, and readers. People of all ages are welcome.
This year's theme is A Very Unitarian Christmas.
Pageant date: December 12, 9:30 AM. There will be one blocking rehearsal on Saturday, December 11, 9:30 AM. There may be additional rehearsals for the singers. Rebecca will provide recordings for practicing the songs at home.
If you would like to help with this fun, active worship service, please fill out the form below.
??? - contact Carrie Krause, dlfd@liveoakuu.org.

The Condor and the Eagle Film Screening and Discussion
Gather to watch the award-winning environmental documentary followed by a discussion. Read more

Help with the Holidays
Our Fresh Food Fridays partner – Hill Country Community Ministries (HCCM) is gathering a few special items for their holiday meal kit. Grab your green bag (or any bag) and pick up a few of the suggested items - canned corn, canned sweet potatoes, Jello, pudding, pie filling, canned peaches, cranberry sauce. The HCCM monthly needs list can be found here. Want a Live Oak Green Bag for HCCM Donations? You can pick one up on Sundays or at the church during office hours.
A Big Thank You
A Big Thank You to everyone for bringing food donations for Hill Country Community Ministries (HCCM). We delivered 350 lbs. of food, paper goods and toiletries today. Keep it coming! You can drop off food on Sunday or anytime during church office hours. The HCCM monthly needs list can be found here - https://hccm.org/pantry_list.php Need a Live Oak Green Bag for HCCM Donations? You can pick one up on Sundays or at the church during office hours.

Live Oak Seniors' Coffee Hour
Join Rev. Joanna for Coffee hour on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays at 10:30am. November's discussion topics:
  • November 4 - Mystical Experiences
  • November 18 - Food & Nostalgia
The Zoom link will be on the What's Happening page.
Call for Share the Plate Nominations
The share-the-plate team is now accepting nominations for next year’s partners.
This year, we will be accepting nominations quarterly—we will plan partners 3 months at a time so that we can choose new partners as the year’s news and events unfold. This means we will need your help on an on-going basis. Nominees can be local, state, or federal 501(c)3 organizations that share our UU values and mission. Submit your suggestions here:

Nominations are accepted from LOUU members, friends, and youth.






Our Kitchen Coordinator is taking the coffeemaker to the repair shop. It has been turned off for almost 2 years and when it was turned back on water leaked everywhere!
The Mitten Tree is Back
Is it really time for the holidays again? The mitten tree says ‘yes.’
As you remember, LOUU partners every year with Hill Country Christmas Bureau. After some experimenting last year with how to navigate the mitten tree in a pandemic, the elves at the Christmas Bureau have asked us to just focus on a few different types of items that will cover a lot of the requests they get each year. Because we like alliteration, we decided to go with blankets and board games. Purchase any size or style of blanket, and/or board games for any ages, and drop them off at church unwrapped on December 12th.
That’s the day of the LOUU pageant, so bring the blankets and board games to service for collection. We will likely have an after-service drive-through option as well (details will be confirmed as we know them). If you have an item to donate but can’t get there on the 12th, please let Cindy La Greca know and we will figure out another day.

LOUU typical overachieves on the mitten tree and I hope this year is no exception.

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
Online Meditation Group
Meditation is a skill strengthened with practice. Join us on Tuesdays at 6:30 Central to share 30 minutes with other meditators.  On the third Tuesday of each month, we add an extra half hour to explore different forms of meditation. The group is led by two Unitarian Universalist ministers, Rev. Betty Skwarek, and Rev. Rob Moore. We meet on Zoom To register follow this link.
 
For more information, contact Rev. Betty Skwarek at hskwarek@uuma.org or  512-994-8748.

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