September 2004 Worship Services

Ministerial Cognitions

A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. --- Margaret Mead

Well, the church is has begun, and we are moving very rapidly. In August, we began the work on bylaw changes that will change our decision-making model from one that uses Robert's Rules of Order to one that uses the process of Consensus. This process involves everyone in the church being more invested in any of our decisions rather than just the simple majority making decisions for the church. The church Board of Trustees meetings and the congregational meetings will be run using a consensus model. Please look over the bylaw changes--they will be sent to you in various manners, including this newsletter--because we will be voting on the final form of these changes after our next Potluck, the third Sunday of September. For those of you who want more information about this process, please get with me and I will explain it in more detail.

In addition, we are considering ways to reach out to the community. We have done some personal outreach, by helping two families in need financially. And the board is looking at other programs that already exist in the community that we can become involved in. If you have some ideas, please pass them on to your board members or myself. We are going to support a family at Christmas this year; we will be getting more information to you soon.

And in November, many--if not all of us--will be voting in the presidential election. Part of our responsibility to help those who are not registered to vote to get registered, members of our congregation and members of our community. I received an email from UU Meg Riley which stated: "The UUA has made voter registration, mobilization, education, and poll monitoring a priority of our public witness work this year.

The UUA has signed on as a partner to Campaign for Communities - an historic "black, brown, white"

coalition comprised of the Earth Day Network, NAACP Voter Fund, Project Vote, and the Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project (SVREP).

This historic national partnership is focusing on registering African American, Native American, Latino/a, low-income communities, and youth and young adults in states where their empowerment can make a real difference to their communities.

As on aspect of our Campaign for Communities Partnership, SVREP has approached the UUA looking for 30 UU congregations to partner with them in their 13 priority states: Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Oklahoma, as well as Washington, DC.

We would like to invite your congregations to partner with SVREP and work directly with SVREP nonpartisan voter registration projects set up through SVREP Steering Committees.

Such a partnership would be a way to be in solidarity with these communities in a very active way. It could also be the beginning of advocacy and community work that lasts beyond November. It will provide an opportunity for new relationships to be formed and to cross boundaries of race and class to work together for participatory democracy and empowerment.

Please contact Sarah Craft, the UUA Voting Project Coordinator, if you would like assistance in creating such a partnership for your voter efforts at voting@uua.orgor call (202) 296-4672 x22."

My hope is that Spindeltop Unitarian Church may get involved in a voter registration drive, perhaps this SVREP voter registration drive. Please get with me if you are interested.

It is indeed a busy time at our church, and I hope we will continue being involved in these important projects for ourselves and for our community.

Worship Services:

September 5

What is Your Work? by Dr. George Wall

Dr. Wall is a retired Lamar professor of philosophy & author of the book Religious Experience and Religious Belief.

September 12

Do We Vote? by Rev. Tom Capo

Perhaps I should have called this sermon, voting as a spiritual path, because it is our responsibility to be involved in the political process as part of our spiritual/ethical lives. One of of UU principles reminds us that we affirm and promote the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.

September 19

Our Transylvania Partner Churches by Rev. Tom Capo & Erin Corwin Westgate

In the 16th century, Transylvania was one of the birth places of the Unitarian faith. There are still many Unitarian churches in what used to be Transylvania--now the churches are in Romania--that are in partnership with many of our American UU churches. Come learn about our history, and how many UUs are still involved with these Transylvanian Unitarians.

Board Meeting: 9 a.m.

Congregational Meeting NOON

Community Feast/Pot Luck NOON

September 26

Democracy in Danger, Dissent in America by T.J. Geiger

TJ, Spindletop member and Lamar University student, will address the erosion of civil liberites in America illustrated by the treatment of protesters and demonstrators at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.