News: September 25, 2026
Beloved Community,
Due to travel plans, I am writing this in advance of our board meeting this Thursday evening, September 17 so I can’t report on our meeting’s outcomes. I can share that one of the things we plan to discuss is a development proposal currently under review by the city for the 2 blocks north of our church. See here for my notes that I wrote after attending a museum district neighborhood meeting on this issue. While there is a potential downside to this development for us, we have a silver lining: FUUCH is now engaged with the very active Museum District Super Neighborhood Association. My October newsletter article will share key outcomes from board meetings in both September and October.
Aside from my work on the board, many of you know that I am also a Religious Exploration (RE) teacher for the 2nd-5th graders. What you may not know is that several years ago a former Director of Religious Exploration (DRE) – who was very musically inclined – wink wink – asked me if I would be a substitute teacher for RE. I had not been back in Houston or at FUU for long and was still finding my niche here. One thing led to another and now I am on the RE schedule a few times a month. That single act of asking me to help resulted in a longer-term commitment, through which I have come to know a population in our congregation that is not in my age or stage – families with young children. It’s been great!
I’m sharing this because I sat in on the Radical Hospitality workshop that Rev. David Messner provided after the September 13 services. And the messages about welcoming others into our community and providing them with meaningful points to” attach” resonated with my own experience. His message to the ~20 of us in the conversation centered around a few key concepts:
I recognize that this newsletter goes to a wide audience – long time congregation members, those who are newly curious and all permeations in between. For those of you in the former category, consider all of the ways you can offer newcomers and sometime-comers an invitation to engage more deeply. Maybe it is as simple as asking them to help move chairs around a table or set up for a specific event. Maybe it is sharing over coffee that our (garden / vegan potlucks / RE program/ Social Justice / fill-in-the-blank …) is flourishing, but more hands are welcome and the next meeting / call is on X date – so join in! Maybe it is asking someone to come door-knocking with you prior to the elections. Maybe you found common ground in a conversation about our wonderful music, and you suggest they consider joining the choir.
For those of you who are newcomers and sometime comers, we see you and we welcome you and we know you have many gifts to bring to our community. We understand that you may come initially to sample our worship program. And when that feels right for you, you’ll stay and have some coffee and maybe lunch. If you are in a very busy stage of life, coming back for the next service and lunch may be all you can handle and we honor that. For others, consider volunteering for the many(!) call outs in the newsletter & order of service. Or sign up for Parents Night Out or a potluck. And I ask that when someone asks if you are willing to be a substitute for RE (or serve on a committee or team, or engage in a book group,….) you consider saying yes.
We live in a world in which justice, equity, and compassion in human relations are often missing. Together, we all have the power to widen love’s circle – one conversation, one yes, one head nod at a time.
Carolyn Cleary
Due to travel plans, I am writing this in advance of our board meeting this Thursday evening, September 17 so I can’t report on our meeting’s outcomes. I can share that one of the things we plan to discuss is a development proposal currently under review by the city for the 2 blocks north of our church. See here for my notes that I wrote after attending a museum district neighborhood meeting on this issue. While there is a potential downside to this development for us, we have a silver lining: FUUCH is now engaged with the very active Museum District Super Neighborhood Association. My October newsletter article will share key outcomes from board meetings in both September and October.
Aside from my work on the board, many of you know that I am also a Religious Exploration (RE) teacher for the 2nd-5th graders. What you may not know is that several years ago a former Director of Religious Exploration (DRE) – who was very musically inclined – wink wink – asked me if I would be a substitute teacher for RE. I had not been back in Houston or at FUU for long and was still finding my niche here. One thing led to another and now I am on the RE schedule a few times a month. That single act of asking me to help resulted in a longer-term commitment, through which I have come to know a population in our congregation that is not in my age or stage – families with young children. It’s been great!
I’m sharing this because I sat in on the Radical Hospitality workshop that Rev. David Messner provided after the September 13 services. And the messages about welcoming others into our community and providing them with meaningful points to” attach” resonated with my own experience. His message to the ~20 of us in the conversation centered around a few key concepts:
- Just getting people inside our doors does not widen love’s circle
- Most people coming inside are looking for shared and transformative experiences, and we have a lot of those to offer
- All members of the congregation have a role to play in helping newcomers find anchor points (i.e., engagements, activities, invitations) to more deeply connect
I recognize that this newsletter goes to a wide audience – long time congregation members, those who are newly curious and all permeations in between. For those of you in the former category, consider all of the ways you can offer newcomers and sometime-comers an invitation to engage more deeply. Maybe it is as simple as asking them to help move chairs around a table or set up for a specific event. Maybe it is sharing over coffee that our (garden / vegan potlucks / RE program/ Social Justice / fill-in-the-blank …) is flourishing, but more hands are welcome and the next meeting / call is on X date – so join in! Maybe it is asking someone to come door-knocking with you prior to the elections. Maybe you found common ground in a conversation about our wonderful music, and you suggest they consider joining the choir.
For those of you who are newcomers and sometime comers, we see you and we welcome you and we know you have many gifts to bring to our community. We understand that you may come initially to sample our worship program. And when that feels right for you, you’ll stay and have some coffee and maybe lunch. If you are in a very busy stage of life, coming back for the next service and lunch may be all you can handle and we honor that. For others, consider volunteering for the many(!) call outs in the newsletter & order of service. Or sign up for Parents Night Out or a potluck. And I ask that when someone asks if you are willing to be a substitute for RE (or serve on a committee or team, or engage in a book group,….) you consider saying yes.
We live in a world in which justice, equity, and compassion in human relations are often missing. Together, we all have the power to widen love’s circle – one conversation, one yes, one head nod at a time.
Carolyn Cleary
