San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Our identities, complex and multi-faceted, affect the way we see the world, how we are treated, and what matters most to us. The first step to forming deep, meaningful, diverse religious community is owning our own personal identities and acknowledging what that means for us, then beginning to understand others' identities. Rev. Schmidt is a native Texan who was born and raised in Austin, lived in Houston and College Station, and attended Austin Presbyterian Seminary before moving east to attend Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts. He and his wife, the Rev. Kristin Grassel Schmidt, served churches in Massachusetts and New Jersey for six years before being called as Senior Co-Ministers of the UU Church of Berkeley, CA, 2 years ago. They now live in the San Francisco Bay area with their two young sons, CJ and John.

”Singing for Our Lives” - Drawing upon both UU hymns and the powerful music of the Zomba Prison Project, minister and musician Erin J. Walter will explore the ways music can deepen our understanding of our first principle of Unitarian Universalism, the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Erin J. Walter is the Affiliated Community Minister of Wildflower (UU) Church in South Austin, to be co-ordained there by First UU Austin and Wildflower on Oct. 27, 2017. Erin's calling is rooted in the powerful connection between the arts, justice movements, and multicultural community. She is working to plant the next artist-activist Collective of The Sanctuaries in Central Texas. Erin is a Zumba teacher, bassist in the queer rock band Butch County, and mother of two.

What We Can Learn from the Jewish High Holy Days

If we agree there is music that is appropriate for playing in church, just what kind of music is that? This particular church service will include music by the Beatles, Jackie DeShannon, the Romantics, and others. “The Tim and Bob Show”, made up of Kathy & Steve Feinstein and Mary Lou & Don Hymel, is an award-winning Classic Rock cover band from San Antonio who have been making music together for many years, including at Unitarian Universalist churches. SMUUF folks who attended the WUUHOOs house concert at Marc & Laura Haygood’s home in Wimberley last May will recognize Kathy and Steve as the duo,“Fein Tuned”.

Parker Palmer in his book "Let Your Life Speak" writes about living the undivided life. His spiritual discipline is Quaker, but his writings and teachings speak volumes far beyond his chosen faith. He tells about his search for a vocation, for his life’s purpose and the joy that brings. Buddhist teachings offer a similar message and a practice that offers personal peace and deep happiness in our daily lives. But in this world filled with distractions and demands, how is it possible to live the undivided life? The Reverend Betty Skwarek serves as an affiliated Community Minster with Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church in Cedar Park, Texas. Her ministry includes coordinating Live Oak’s Adult Reading and Writing tutoring program, serving on the Board of Directors for U Bar U, officiating at weddings and other rites of passage, and speaking at congregations like San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

“We, the Member Congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association…” Karen Muñoz, Jordan Buckley, Billy Stokes, and Rev. Scottie McIntyre Johnson share their experiences.  Unitarian Universalism is congregationally-based; we have been (at least on our Unitarian side) since our Puritan ancestors declared it to be so in 1648. Each individual church governs itself, ordains and calls its own ministers, and completely supports itself. And, yet, also since 1648, our individual, autonomous congregations have voluntarily joined together for mutual assistance and support. Today, that mutuality is formalized through the Unitarian Universalist Association, the UUA. Our minister and members who recently attended the UUA General Assembly in New Orleans will talk about what it means to be part of such an association.

It’s easy to be dazzled by beauty of nature and when we wander into religious naturalism we are apt to spend more time admiring its prettier parts. Our 7th principle asks us to hold “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” But that web has some dark strands and complex connections that elude our understanding. In this sermon we’ll take a walk through the burned out forests of Bastrop and the scoured banks of the Blanco River to consider the implications of a deep green religion. Rev. Nell Newton is delighted to return to SMUUF, the congregation that watched her grow as a minister and ordained her in 2015. A lifelong UU, she has been called to serve as the settled minister at the Amarillo UU Fellowship. Nell and her husband Monty will be moving up there after she sees us!

The Rev. Phil C. Mason is a native of Austin, Texas and a graduate of The Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in the class of 1996. He was ordained in the Diocese of Colorado and served there as priest and rector for 13 years. On retirement in 2009 he and his wife Susan moved back to Texas and built a home near San Marcos and Wimberley. Since returning “home” Rev. Mason has served as Interim Rector at Grace Episcopal Church, Llano, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Brady. Obviously Phil have flunked retirement and continues to serve as “supply clergy” throughout the diocese.

Our 19th century Unitarian ancestor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, opened a famous speech at  Harvard Divinity School on July 15, 1838 with those words. Emerson’s address harshly criticized and profoundly altered the nature and character of the Unitarianism of his day. Is the Unitarian Universalism of the 21st century in need of a similar change of course? In our own "refulgent summer", let us consider what we might learn from "Waldo", as Emerson's friends called him. (P.S. "Refulgent" is a wonderful word that means "shining brightly, resplendent".)

Recent research indicates that differences in our society on issues such as global warming, defense spending, immigration, and gay rights is, to some extent, deeply rooted in neurobiological differences, particularly in regard to the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. If the brains of liberals and conservatives tend to function differently, is there a path toward reconciliation? What are some of the ways pointing towarda more perfect union? Are there ancient mythologies of war and peace that illustrate our genetic variation and offer hope for humanity?

Liberals and progressives have always been justifiably wary of an uncritical “my country right or wrong” kind of patriotism. But, could it be that our reluctance to “wave the flag” has actually contributed to the rise of the radical right? During these unsettled and unsettling times, it is more important than ever for every citizen of our nation to engage in a true form of patriotism that works for a country “with liberty and justice for all”. Two days before Independence Day, come to church to think about this, sing some patriotic songs, and wave the flag! 

Most religious traditions have sacred texts or stories, ones held in reverence and transmitted through generations as normative for a tradition's life.  The Torah holds that place in Judaism, the New Testament for Christians, the Vedas for Hinduism and so on.  What makes a text sacred? Why are some sacred and others not?  What texts are sacred in your own life?  These are the questions we explore in this Sunday's sermon.

"To Realize We Are Free: A Commemoration of Juneteenth" Although Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Sept. 22, 1862 and Lee surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865, it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, that word reached any of the more than estimated 250,000 slaves in Texas that they had been freed. Today, Juneteenth is a holiday, which celebrates the accomplishments, contributions, and unquenchable spirit of African Americans to our nation. What lessons might all of us learn from this significant event in our history?

San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship June 11, 2017 What is it like for a mystical agnostic Unitarian Universalist to attend a Presbyterian seminary?  Come hear how Austin/Nashville singer songwriter, Patty Griffin, inspires an uncertain reverence as Andy Gerhart, UU seminarian at Austin Presbyterian Theological Sschool, preaches about “unboxing God.”

San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship June 4, 2017. Unitarian Universalist "Flower Communion" is a beloved annual tradition in ours and most other UU congregations. This year it is extra-special, as we join with UU churches all over the world to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the first Flower Communion held in Prague, Czechoslovakia, on June 4, 1922. Everyone - whether you’re a child or an adult - is invited to bring a flower of your own choosing to church on June 4 to add to our common bouquet!

"May we not be oppressed by the eight worldly concerns," says the Buddhist blessing. What is it talking about?? The Eight Worldly Concerns are central to Buddhist philosophy, and pertain to our reactions to praise and blame, pleasure and pain, material gain and loss, and fame and disgrace--in other words, the business of living. We spend most of our time dealing with one or another of these emotional forces, and how we do it can build our spiritual strength or tear us apart. The teaching is surely idealistic, but is it naive? Let’s delve the ancient wisdom and see if it still applies in today’s world.

Before worship this Sunday, the wonderful Hospitality Teams who provide refreshments and clean-up for our Social Hours after Worship each week will meet. They deserve our heart-felt appreciation because food lovingly offered is a very important way to show hospitality. But it’s not all there is to it!  What would it look like to show truly radical hospitality to guests who enter our doors – and to each other?

Mother's Day Service - People’s emotions on Mother’s Day are all over the map - from the sticky sweet sentimental to extreme sadness to anger. No matter what our relationships were or are with our own mothers or our own children, it’s important to acknowledge that we all owe something to those who mothered us, and we can all - no matter our gender - mother someone else. 

On this day when we celebrate the official end of our Stewardship Campaign (although financial stewardship is, of course, on-going), let us consider the many gifts needed to build the Beloved Community we call the San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. We’re all in this together, friends!