News: April 10, 2026
Dear Members and Friends,
Two weeks ago Conrad and I headed west to U-Bar-U for the church retreat. We had a great time, and I believe the families with kids (and one dog) did too! The weather was great, which allowed us to see lots of stars through the telescopes at the observatory, and we enjoyed walking the labyrinths and climbing up to the treehouse. Special thanks to Jon, Elsa, and Conrad for providing lots of fun activities and helping make sure it went smoothly.
It’s hard to believe I’ll be leading worship only a few more times before I retire. On May 31, on the eve of Pride Month, I will be preaching. June 7 is Flower Communion. Then my last sermon will be on June 14.
But before those, we will hold our second annual Pet Blessing on May 9. We’ll honor the animals we still love and care for, and remember those we’ve loved and lost. We had a good number of folks bring their companion pets last year to be blessed, and we are excited to be offering the service again this year. If you are able to bring your furry friends, or a photo of them, mark the date on your calendar.
I enjoy when a man called The Dogist appears on my social media. Elias Weiss Friedman walks around New York and beyond taking photos of dogs and asking their people about their stories and about their personalities. You can see more about him here. He wrote a book called This Dog Will Change Your Life.
I close with a work by a favorite poet of many UUs, Mary Oliver:
“Little Dog’s Rhapsody In The Night”
By Mary Oliver, from the book Dog Songs
He puts his cheek against mine
and makes small, expressive sounds.
And when I’m awake, or awake enough
he turns upside down, his four paws
in the air
and his eyes dark and fervent.
“Tell me you love me,” he says.
“Tell me again.”
Could there be a sweeter arrangement? Over and over
he gets to ask.
I get to tell.
Holding you in hope and love,
Rev. D. Scott Cooper
Associate Minister
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston
scott@firstuu.org
Two weeks ago Conrad and I headed west to U-Bar-U for the church retreat. We had a great time, and I believe the families with kids (and one dog) did too! The weather was great, which allowed us to see lots of stars through the telescopes at the observatory, and we enjoyed walking the labyrinths and climbing up to the treehouse. Special thanks to Jon, Elsa, and Conrad for providing lots of fun activities and helping make sure it went smoothly.
It’s hard to believe I’ll be leading worship only a few more times before I retire. On May 31, on the eve of Pride Month, I will be preaching. June 7 is Flower Communion. Then my last sermon will be on June 14.
But before those, we will hold our second annual Pet Blessing on May 9. We’ll honor the animals we still love and care for, and remember those we’ve loved and lost. We had a good number of folks bring their companion pets last year to be blessed, and we are excited to be offering the service again this year. If you are able to bring your furry friends, or a photo of them, mark the date on your calendar.
I enjoy when a man called The Dogist appears on my social media. Elias Weiss Friedman walks around New York and beyond taking photos of dogs and asking their people about their stories and about their personalities. You can see more about him here. He wrote a book called This Dog Will Change Your Life.
I close with a work by a favorite poet of many UUs, Mary Oliver:
“Little Dog’s Rhapsody In The Night”
By Mary Oliver, from the book Dog Songs
He puts his cheek against mine
and makes small, expressive sounds.
And when I’m awake, or awake enough
he turns upside down, his four paws
in the air
and his eyes dark and fervent.
“Tell me you love me,” he says.
“Tell me again.”
Could there be a sweeter arrangement? Over and over
he gets to ask.
I get to tell.
Holding you in hope and love,
Rev. D. Scott Cooper
Associate Minister
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston
scott@firstuu.org
