Min. Krista's Office Hours: by appointment (you can also email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to set up another time to talk)

Do you need assistance with transportation or are you available to help out those who do?

We're implementing a new program to help coordinate rides and other transportation issues! Each week we'll have a designated Care Coordinator who will help match up those in need of a ride with trustworthy volunteers. To make arrangements prior to church email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before 6pm Saturday or speak with the Care Coordinator listed in the Order of Service on Sunday morning.

Adult Religious Exploration

No topic this week - come early if you like for coffee and conversation

Childcare available, and coffee as we get closer to service 

Donate-the-Plate this Sunday to Calaboose Museum

SMUUF will take up a collection during our offering for the Calaboose African American History Museum. Dr. Elvin Holt, President of the Board of Directors of Calaboose, and Diana Garcia, Calaboose Board Member and friend of SMUUF, will be present during the Worship Service to tell us about Calaboose and accept our donation.

The Calaboose is housed in a historic building and serves as a home for African American history and culture in San Marcos and Hays County. Through preservation, events, and education, the Museum strives to serve as not only an African American History Museum, but a center of support for the San Marcos community.

Our Donate-The-Plate collection to Calaboose will be used to purchase a a greatly needed public address system and a projection screen; any remaining funds will be applied to their lead docent's stipend. As always, Dr. Holt expressed that Calaboose is extremely grateful to receive a donation from SMUUF.

Write your checks to SMUUF with Calaboose or D-T-P on the memo line. Please be generous to this very worthy non-profit organization whose values align with SMUUF's values.

FUUDies (Fantastic UU Diners) 

THIS WEEK: Thai Thai (formerly Imperial Garden), 1104 Thorpe Lane, San Marcos

SMUUF Social Justice Homeless Backpack Project Planned for January

This Sunday, January 19, we will collect items to place in backpacks for the homeless for the last time during this Social Justice Project. We are working with H.O.M.E. Center —— Homeless Outreach Mitigation and Emergency Center — who will distribute the backpacks to the homeless on Thursday, January 23, from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the small building behind St. John's Catholic Church on Hopkins by City Hall.

Besides the items we are collecting, SMUUF has donated 20 of our string backpacks with our Helping Hands logo that will be folded and placed in the bigger backpacks. People can us the string backpacks when they go to the laundromat to put their clean clothes in or for other items they collect.

Much thanks to the members of our congregation who brought so many items for the backpacks last Sunday! We appreciate your care and generosity! We hope to see as much this Sunday. When you enter the UCM, leave the items on the table in the hallway outside the coffee lounge.

See the attached list of suggested items and continue bringing them each Sunday.

Point In Time Brochure

We can also help the H.O.M.E. Center by participating in the Point in Time Count (PIN Count) of the local homeless population. To receive the short training, call Hannah Durrance at (512) 214-1732. Also, pick up a H.O.M.E. Center brochure on the table in the hallway by the backpack item collection box. Ask Jeannie Lewis, SMUUF Social Justice Chair, for more information.

If you missed the in-person training, you can click here for info on how to complete it online. You must complete the training and register online to participate in the Jan 23 event.

Thursday, January 23, 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. in the small building behind St. John's Catholic Church, 624 East Hopkins. Point in Time (PIT) Homeless Count and Backpack Distribution

We hope some SMUUF members will volunteer to help in this project.

Contact Jeannie Lewis at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (512) 353-2872 if you plan to help.

Hospitality Lead Update

Members of Hospitality Team 3 are serving in January. Thanks to these folks for making coffee, providing refreshments, greeting, and generally making the church ready for worship and fellowship!

Dear SMUUF Families with Children,

We continue our Soul Matters unit on "Attending" in our RE classes. Children meet during the service after Time for All Ages. This week we will continue our lessons on "Awe".

Our Whole Lives (O.W.L.) Lifespan Sexual Education has begun. Young people in grades 7-9 will meet through March 1. Grades 4-6 will meet January 5, through March 9. We are excited to offer this program to our community.

Thank you for being a part of the San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and for bringing your children to church! Our congregation is greatly blessed by their presence among us.

SOUL MATTERS THEMES FOR 2019-20 CHILDREN’S RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

October: Belonging

November: Attention

December: Awe

January: Integrity

February: Resilience

March: Wisdom

April: Liberation

May: Thresholds

June: Play 

RE Class Time

Children meet downstairs right after "Time for All Ages". Parents are asked to help children pick up their name tag at the top of the stairs and go into service. Children are welcomed into service in order to help them link with our larger community. They will be sung out after the story and met by teachers to go downstairs.

Room and Teacher Assignments:

Here are some upcoming events to mark in your calendar:

(A calendar is posted downstairs with dates and themes)

SEE YOU SUNDAY!!

Week of Friday, January 17  - Thursday, January 23

Check the SMUUF Calendar for current listings of activities

New Events

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Activities

Saturday, Jan. 18 - Childrens' Activities at San Marcos Public Library - 10:30am-12:30pm

Join the Dunbar Heritage Association for a celebration of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Discover new books, art, videos, and crafts, and create your own poster for the upcoming annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March, along with other fun crafts to learn and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This is a family friendly event. We’ll have lots to do for children of all ages! All craft materials and snacks will be provided.

Monday, Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial March and Celebration, San Marcos - 9:30am

Dunbar Heritage Association, San Marcos, TX – The Dunbar Heritage Association will host the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial March and Celebration, at the LBJ MLK Crossroads Memorial Intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and South LBJ Drive. Martin Luther King Day is a national holiday, celebrated on the third Monday in January, that honors the United States’ most famous civil-rights activist.

The theme of the 2020 observance is “2020 Vision: Without a Vision the People Perish” (Proverbs 29:18).

There will be a public wreath-laying at 9:30 a.m. at the Crossroads Memorial, on the corner of South LBJ and MLK Drives, believed to be the only intersection of roads with the two names of these civil rights proponents in the United States. This year we are inviting local businesses and organizations to participate in this solemn tradition by donating a wreath and presenting it during the ceremony. Then, all are welcome to join a silent march to the Dunbar Recreation Center 801 W. MLK St. in San Marcos, TX for a memorial celebration. Our distinguished 2020 MLK guest speaker will be San Marcos High School’s own, Principal Denisha Presley.

For more information on the MLK activities, or to donate a wreath for the wreath-laying ceremony, email the Dunbar Heritage Association at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please let Jeannie Lewis know if you will bring a wreath on behalf of SMUUF. If you can pick up our SMUUF banner at church this Sunday to carry in the March, let Jeannie know that, too. We hope many SMUUF members will wear their yellow SMUUF T-shirts and participate in these MLK Day activities, as we always do! For more information see Jeannie Lewis, SMUUF Social Justice Chair.

Monday, Jan. 20 - Community Walk and Gathering in Wimberley - 9:45am

Come our 1st Annual Celebrate MLK event!

9:45am - We'll start with a community walk from Community Pizza to Blanco Brew, Wimberley - 9:45am. All activities will be in the grassy area behind Blanco Brew.

10-12 - Live Music and Activities

11am - We'll have a birthday cake to sing for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

There will be live music performed by Kit Holmes! We will also have Crafts, Face Painting, Origami, Hair Chalk, Raffles, Games, & More. Activities will be hosted by any local businesses, organizations, churches that want to display their favorite MLK quote and offer something free and simple to our community, in the spirit of MLK. This is a family friendly event. Please bring a chair or blanket to sit on and enjoy the live music and other programming.

If you are a local business or community organization and interested in hosting a table at the event, please email Lindsey at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can set up at Blanco Brew early around 9 or a bit earlier if you need to then just have someone [staff] the table until noon. We were hoping to have each table have some sort of activity for kids or something to give out (snacks, drinks, etc.) then have a MLK quote displayed on your table somewhere. Also, you will need to provide your own table.

Corridor Interfaith Alliance for Families Meeting

SMUUF is a dues paying member of the Corridor Interfaith Alliance for Families. As such, any of us are welcome to attend this CIAF Meeting at Buda United Methodist Church in the Moses West Room (the side of the office building, closest to the worship center and playground). The purpose of this meeting will be to plan for Primary Candidates Roundtable in February with candidates for State Representative in House District 45. Candidates who will be invited to the Roundtable in February are Democratic candidates: Erin Zwiener (Incumbent) and Lilian Posada and Republican candidates: Carrie Isaac, Austin Talley, and Kent Wymore.

Please attend this CIAF Meeting to help shape the agenda, decide what issues to highlight, and prepare for the first action of the 2020 election year! Please contact Jeannie Lewis, SMUUF Social Justice Chair, if you plan to attend. If you have any questions email Jeannie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call her at (512) 353-2872

Current Events

CTI Gun Safety Petition Deadline Extended Indefinitely

Petition asks Senator Cornyn to support a Senate vote on four House bills (two that have already passed in the House) covering enhanced/universal background checks, restrictions on high capacity magazines, and a federal "red flag" law. The Senate Majority Leader has so far blocked a vote on House-passed legislation. Petition cards will be available to sign on the table at the rear of the sanctuary Sunday (preferred), or can be submitted online at http://www.austininterfaith.org/gunsafety.

Make sure to put SMUUF as your institution. Pass the word. You don't need to be a SMUUF member to sign the petition.  

Weekly Events

SMUUF Choir

Sewing Guild

The Guild will pause meetings until February 6.

Normally meets Wednesday afternoons at 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
The Allen Family home in Martindale

The Sewing Guild has made and delivered over 700 quilts to children in need.

Friday "Talk, Then Walk"

Meet at 10:00 a.m. @ Redbud Roasters for coffee, then a walk around the river or on a nearby hiking trail.

Enjoy good company, conversation, refreshments and a healthy walk. We usually walk about 45 minutes around the San Marcos River, Lower Purgatory, Ring Tail, Spring Preserve and other nature trails. Hope to see you there!

For more information, contact Garrie Borden at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Stand on Every Corner San Marcos - Fridays on the Square

We gather every Friday to protest the present administration, especially it’s mistreatment of emigrants crossing our southern Border.

Our hours are any time from 4:30 till 6:30 at the corner of LBJ and Hopkins, at the statue of Jack Hays. We have water and some extra signs.

Contact Ann Whitus: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

League of Women Voters Texas Wine and Beer Tasting

The League of Women Voters of Hays County hosts a very popular Wine and Beer Tasting featuring only Texas wine and beer each year to fund their free to the public totally non-partisan Debates, Forums, Voters Guides, VOTE411.org, Voter Registration Drives, and many other voter informative events for our area communities. It's the only fundraiser they hold all year and depend on the proceeds to fund events all year.

The featured Texas Winery is Winery on the Gruene serving four wines — Shiraz, Chianti, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. There are two Texas breweries that will be serving - Aqua Brewery serving Blonde and Apricot, and Middleton Brewery serving Pecan and Easy Rider. And you can go back for seconds! Non-Alcoholic beverages will also be served.

Delicious refreshments will be served and there is a very popular Silent Auction. Tickets are a mere $20 each and available from SMUUF members Jeannie Lewis, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (512) 353-2872; or Marissa Fehler, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Southwest Women's Unitarian Universalist Conference – Call for presentations and workshops

One thing we're looking forward to in 2020 is the SWUUW Conference! We hope you can join us for some soulful sisterhood, engaging discussions, and some rockin' Cajun music!

All our conference information - including hotel information and booking link, keynote and musical guest bios, t-shirt info and more - can be found on our website.

Do you enjoy leading group activities or discussions? Do you have a presentation that your fellow SWUUW https://www.swuuw.org/conferences/2020

UBarU Camp & Retreat Center Upcoming Events

There are some fun events coming up at UBarU Camp & Retreat Center! For more details and to register please go to www.ubaru.org. If you want to rent a cottage for a quiet weekend not during a retreat, email Robyn at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Click each date to view the flyer (if available).

• Dec 27-30 - Winter Family Camp featuring Rev. Betty Skwarek as the chaplain
• Feb 14-17, 2020 - Fiber Arts weekend - Bring your projects - new, unfinished, stalled and share, learn and work on those projects in a community of fellow artists of all levels of experience. 
• April 3-5, 2020 - Contemplative Spiritual Practices retreat - Join Rev. Moore and Sandy in a weekend of contemplation, spiritual growth and renewal.

• Men-Aligned Retreat March 27-19

• Women-Aligned Retreat April 17-19

• Writer’s Weekend May 1-3

• Family Camp May 22-25

• Summer Youth camps June & July (based on age)

• Human Sexuality Camp (base on the values of OWL) for rising 8-9th graders July 12-18

A week of camp at UBarU is a time to make new friends and reconnect with old friends. We will swim in the beautiful limestone swimming tank, ponder the Milky Way on clear evenings, do some community service, walk the labyrinth, and take field trips to enjoy the gorgeous Texas Hill Country. And of course, we spend some time having fun while we deepen our UU faith.

San Marcos Contra Dance - 4th Sundays after SMUUF Service

San Marcos "4th Sunday" Contra Dance
All Dances are Prompted by a Caller... and Danced to Live Music!
Beginners Welcome! No Partner Necessary! This is a Family Friendly Event

We dance in the acoustically beautiful UCM Wesley Building, 510 N. Guadalupe Street, San Marcos TX. Free parking is available in the facility lot or the first level of the parking garage across the street.

$10 regular admission, with discounts for TAADA members and students.

For more information about Contra Dance: What is "Contra Dance"?

Check Out the Dance Hall in this You Tube Video for SM4sCD!

All dances held at:
United Campus Ministry 510 N Guadalupe San Marcos, TX
1:30-4:30pm

If you haven’t joined or renewed membership in TAADA, please bring the $20 and become a member. In addition to discounts on dances and access to dance reminders, your membership pays for our dance insurance and helps to keep dance prices lower.

Please come fragrance free for our dancers with allergies.

After the dance, some of us go to dinner at Italian Garden 2 blocks away to continue visiting. This is an open invitation and anyone can join us.

For more information and upcoming events, see our website https://sites.google.com/site/smcdtx

Joys and Concerns

SMUUF Donates-the-Plate to Southside Community Center

At our Worship Service on Sunday, December 15, we took up an offering for Southside Community Center in the amount of $700. Jeannie Lewis, SMUUF Social Justice Chair, said, "SMUUF has a long history of donating to Southside Community Center. When Rev. Aaron White was our minister back in the day, he at first, suggested that we "Share-the-Plate" once a month — donating one-half of our monthly collection. Southside was one of the first non-profits we selected. Over-time, we decided to donate all funds (except pledges and otherwise designated funds) to a local non-profit once a month."

Lewis continued, "At one point our monthly Hospitality Team was preparing a home-cooked meal the 4th Wednesday of each month to feed the homeless at the Southside Homeless Shelter. There were usually 30 to 50 people we served. But when the City cracked down on food service and ruled no more home cooked meals allowed to be served at Southside, we decided to add them to our Donate-the-Plate recipients."

Southside's statement is that, "Southside's aim is to meet the needs of the individual families by finding resources for proper housing, food, and shelter. The focus is on providing resources and a temporary safe place for families and individuals during transition while they are experiencing a financial crisis in their life."

Southside's Board Member, who also serves on their Finance Committee, Jeanne Balkman, attended SMUUF Sunday morning Worship Service to inform SMUUF about Southside and tell how the donated funds would be used.

Balkman said, "As the holidays are upon us, the need has never been greater. Our SMUUF donation will be used to increase the number of individuals Southside can assist through our Specific Assistance Program. It will be in the form of utility or rental assistance paid directly to the utility company or landlord for individuals who are short on funds to pay these bills. It may also be used for medical assistance to pay directly to the medical service. This is assistance outside of our normal operating parameters."

When informed of the amount of the donation, Balkman said, "I am very happy to know how many more individuals and families we can serve with this donation. We are extremely grateful to SMUUF for this generous donation!"

Presenting the "Big Check" to Southside Community Center are left to right: SMUUF Social Justice Chair Jeannie Lewis, Southside Community Center Board Member Jeanne Balkman, SMUUF Board President Jordan Buckley, and SMUUF Minister Rev. Krista Webber Huang

 SMUUF Monthly Conference Call with TXUUJM Update

Jeannie Lewis, SMUUF Social Justice Chair, is our SMUUF representative on the Texas UU Justice Ministry (TXUUJM) Advisory Council and participates in a monthly Conference Call with other Advisory Council Members across the state led by Executive Director Rev. Chuck Freeman. TXUUJM actively lobbies the Texas State Legislature on issues that align with UU values and participates in other social justice activities across the state.

On the December 17 Conference Call we discussed the following issues:

1. Doodle Poll for Call about ----TXUUJM Environmental Justice Solidarity with the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas (possible UUSC grant) https://doodle.com/poll/y9wthrue3zhav9kv

Google doc about collaboration here

One of the issues discussed was the climate and cultural impact of a Border Wall.

2. TXUUJM’s involvement with migrants in Nuevo Laredo (possible UUSC grant).

Over 100 asylum seekers are being kept in 1200 square foot housing. We are seeking a grant from the UU Service Committee (UUSC) to purchase more housing. Meanwhile, they need blankets.

3. TXUUJM looking for PRN (as needed) Administrator/Membership Development person - 5 hours a month or so. Paid 15/ hour. Let Jeannie Lewis know if you are interested at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,

4. Congregational sharing - Jeannie shared the following:
SMUUF's homeless backpack project planned for January
SMUUF's Donate-the-Plate to Southside Community Center for $700
SMUUF's public relations success with regular newspaper articles about our good works.

 UU-UNO Monthly Call Summary and Minutes

Jeannie Lewis, SMUUF Social Justice Chair, is an Envoy representing SMUUF at the UU-United Nations Office in New York City. Becky Allen is also a UU-UNO Envoy. Jeannie participated in the monthly UU-UNO Conference Call at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17.

There was much discussion about Climate Change Conferences — internationally, nationally, state, and locally. The Paris Agreement was a frequent topic.

A second topic was Human Rights Day on December 10. Blog post from UU-UNO - www.uua.org/international/blog/universal-indivisible-and-interdependent-human-rights.

Discussion guide for congregational discussion & reflection – www.uua.org/humanrightsday

Anniversaries and Events:

• Earth Day turns 50 (April 22) – there will be a lot of demonstrations happening that entire week (and it’s the week after the Intergenerational Spring Seminar!) https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-50th-anniversary/

• 75th commemoration of the first use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima & Nagasaki (August 6 & August 9).

• National Defense Authorization Act passed the House – brought Dems & Reps together to enlarge our military budget. Wouldn’t think Dems would agree to that. Please call senators in the state and ask to vote no on the bill. (They’re trying to push a lot of bills through quickly so call soon!) It includes a lot of horrendous stuff (like continuing to fund Saudi war in Yemen). Learn more and call now: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/12/9/1904525/-Tell-Congress- No-Pentagon-Funding-Bill-Without-Ending-Yemen-War

• Also: Following the successful adult education program on climate issues, now focusing on disarmament, esp. nuclear weapons. Will be a 4-week program alongside coalition including Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility. Joanne is researching to prepare for this and has been learning a lot about the suffering of people in Marshall Islands and impact of nuclear testing by U.S. there. This is a great opportunity to talk about something that brings together climate & nuclear issues – Joanne will be posting an article in the Disarming Our Planet blog soon on this topic. Would encourage other congregations to host such an event as well. Possibly invite any Marshallese folks in your community. Tie into the 75th anniversary of Hiroshima & Nagasaki. Joanne & planning partner are working on a script that’s very detailed and can probably be replicated in your town/congregation. Will take place at the end of Feb and into March so stay tuned for more.

• 100th Anniversary of Ratification of 19th Amendment giving American women the right to vote (August 26)

• United Nations turns 75! (October 24) – Host UN75 conversations locally to inform the direction of the UN towards its 100th anniversary. More at https://www.un.org/en/un75/join-conversation

• 400th anniversary of Mayflower Pilgrims arriving at Plymouth Rock - This will be a big focus of UUA General Assembly in Providence, RI June 24-28 – reckoning with UU legacies of colonialism www.uua.org/ga

• UNO Intergenerational Spring Seminar “All In For Climate Justice” April 16-18, 2020 www.UUA.org/UNSpringSeminar. Registration is open now. Apply for reduced registration by January 13. Early Bird Registration ends January 20. Regular Registration ends March 2.

• U.S. Elections: UU the Vote www.uua.org/vote. Organize congregation to get out the vote, prevent voter intimidation & disenfranchisement efforts, and spread awareness about issues UUs care about. Especially: supporting the United Nations! SDGs! Peace, disarmament, climate justice!

SMUUF Social Justice Executive Team Selects D-T-P Recipients for 2020

The Social Justice Executive Team met Sunday, November 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. in the UCM Fellowship Hall to examine and discuss the many applications received from prospective Donate-the-Plate recipients for the year 2020. We usually only select 10 recipients and save two open months for unexpected contingencies that seem to always occur. But for 2020, we decided to accept 11 and only leave one month open. We usually conduct D-T-P on the 3rd Sunday of the month unless the recipient organization requests another date that is best for them.

This is the tentative D-T-P schedule for 2020, subject to change:

SMUUF Social Justice Activities - 2019

At their recent meeting, the SMUUF Social Justice Executive Team reviewed the social justice activities that SMUUF members were involved in during the calendar year 2019 — in addition to Donate-the-Plate collections. We believe that helping fund worthy non-profit organizations is very important, but we want to do more that just give money. We want to get involved! See the list below. If you know of other social justice activities in which SMUUF has been involved this year, please let Jeannie Lewis know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (512) 353-2872

SMUUF Social Justice Activities – 2019

in Addition to Donate-the-Plate Collections:

• Testify with CIAF Before Hays County Commissioners Court (Capital Idea)
• Affordable Housing Workshop & Testify Before City Council
• SMUUF Delegation to Central Texas Interfaith
• Food Bank Healthy Spring Harvest Challenge
• Financial Support for Food Bank Plots at Alamo Gardens
• Sewing Guild – 800 Quilts to the Border
• Social Justice Adult RE – 1st Sundays
• Environmental Justice Adult RE --- 4th Sundays
• Homeless Backpacks
• Parades – MLK Day, Juneteenth, Pride, Mermaid, Veterans Day
• Peace Pie Social --- Maybe 2020
• Immigrant & Criminal Justice Protests & Testimony
• Median Cleanups
• River Cleanups
• WUUHOOS
• Action Alerts
• Petitions, Letters/Cards/Phone Calls – Currently Gun Safety
• Concert at Jim Berry’s for Crockett Elementary
• Volunteering at the Border

Congrats to Rev. Krista Weber Huang!

We are so glad to have helped to ordain our minister Reverend Krista Weber Huang into the Unitarian Universalist ministry! We are thankful for all of the guests that attended, especially Rev. Krista's family and our local UU ministers and regional staff.

As a congregationally based tradition, all power in Unitarian Universalist churches comes up through the congregation and is bestowed upon the leaders—including the ordained leaders—to carry out specific service for the good of the whole.

In our Unitarian Universalist faith, the stole is a symbol of ministry only worn once a minister has been ordained. It is a symbol of all of the hard work, reflection, and dedication that go into becoming a minister as well as the responsibilities that come with accepting the title of Reverend.

This stole, was lovingly created by the San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Sewing Guild with particular effort from Ann Allen. The fabric was chosen as a representation of the sacred waters that flow through San Marcos as well as a reminder of the Unitarian Universalist tradition of Water Communion where we recognize the way our lives come together like the streams to rivers to the ocean.

This tradition of ordination ends with a "laying of the hands" in which all of Rev. Krista's family, UU ministers, SMUUF family and friends join together signifying the deeper connections to all.

Central Texas Interfaith Launches with 320 Institutionally Embedded Delegates

Building on a successful 32-year history of broad-based organizing, Austin Interfaith officially renamed and re-founded itself as Central Texas Interfaith (CTI) with over 320 leaders from Bastrop, Comal, Hays, Travis, McLennan (Waco) and Williamson counties.

Emerging leaders told impactful stories that informed a revised agenda of issues, and delegates from an expanded 10-county region committed to a broadened identity, fundraising goals, and Get Out the Vote strategy to promote the affirmed agenda.

SMUUF Delegates were Mike Russett, Gil Fulmer, Judy Telford, Lisa Cradit, Marissa Fehler, Ben Fehler, and Becky Allen.

2020 Agenda of Issues (Abbreviated - full document linked here)

• Support Workforce Development and Living Wages
• Support Affordable Housing and Develop a Comprehensive Strategy to End Homeloessness in Central Texas
• Improve Safety in our Community
• Promote Sustainability and Fight Climate Change
• Support Immigration Reform
• Improve Access to and Affordability of Healthcare
• Improve Education Quality
• Expanded membership will give a better voice at the State and Federal levels (currently most effective with city/county).
• Membership will also expand to Brazos County (Bryan/College Station - Whoop!)

2020 Fundraising Goals

• 25% increase in institutional contributions (presumably through expanded membership)
• $50,000 in private donations. See http://www.austininterfaith.org. (Recommended donation is one hour's pay per month.)

Call for Volunteers at Respite Center at the Texas border

For more information or questions regarding Membership please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For pastoral care concerns please contact our Caring Team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you have joys or sorrows, church or community news you would like printed in the Flash, or Sunday announcements, email the SMUUF Admin email account at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Need a SMUUF Name Badge?

Sermon Podcasts

Our most recent sermons are available on the website under the Past Sermons tab, and as podcasts from iTunes and Stitcher. Click the links to go to the SMUUF channels and subscribe. If you would like to listen to a past service not in the list of podcasts, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Automate Your Pledge

Tired of writing checks for your pledges? There are three ways you can avoid check writing, and never miss a monthly gift.

1. If your bank has bill pay, you can set up an automatic monthly check to SMUUF directly from your bank. It's simple, and it costs you and SMUUF nothing, it should be a free service if offered by your bank.
2. You can authorize a regular withdrawal (known as ACH) directly from your bank to ours.
3. You can authorize a regular charge on a credit card that SMUUF can process.

For the latter two options, use our donation app to set up recurring payments either by credit card or direct deposit. It's painless!

Give

To make a pledge or general donation at any time:

Donate to SMUUF

Legacy Society

Board Meeting Minutes available