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The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention.  —RICHARD  MOSS
  Fellowship and Interest Groups
Emerson Church’s wide variety of groups  are a great way for new church members to get to know other members. To learn more about one of the groups below, confirm the date of their next meeting, or to join, be sure to email the group’s leader by clicking their contact link below.
 Books The Book Group selects books to be read and discussed. One of the group leads discussion. Meets third Thursdays each month at 9:30am Contact: Jo Irwin. Recent titles have included
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, by Jared Diamond

The Men’s Book Group reads a book (or some portion thereof) per month and meets for discussion and fellowship over dinner at Lambo Chinese Buffet, 6159 Westheimer. The group seeks to expand the participants’ intellectual horizons by reading both fiction and nonfiction. Recent titles have included Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World,by Jack Weatherford.Group meets 2nd Wednesdays. Contact: Gene Lambirth.
 Culture The Emerson Arts Council could use the help of several more church members—Please join us! Responsibilities are fairly light, namely to review plans for our next few shows and to assist with acceptance and placement of artworks presented by artists. Our first show was a terrific success with church members discovering the talent of other church members! Come join us! Check the current events page for details of our next exhibit. Contact: Jack Howard.

Culture Caravan explores Houston’s cultural events. Previous activities have included visits to artists’ studios, a winery, a play, and the Orange Show. Contacts: Anna Louise Brunner and Mary Ann Rusk.

 Current Events

The endowed Kilgore Lecture Series periodically brings an outstanding speaker to Emerson Church, where he or she speaks on a major religious or social issue facing our denomination and our world. Contact: Carol Groppe.

 Fellowship Circle Dinners are planned potluck dinners and conversation for eight to twelve people. Everyone brings a dish for the dinner. Meets third Saturday of January, March, May, September, and November in members’ homes. Contact: Gwen Essinger.

The highly informal Emerson Escape Artists plan and execute wonderful camping weekends twice a year (usually) with the precision of a general staff conducting field maneuvers! Great, great times are had by all attendees, young and old. Contact: Mike Bercu.

First Friday Movie Night with discussion following. $2 contribution for snacks welcome. Recent films have included: Water, The Fountainhead, Prairie Home Companion, Shadowlands, The Last Temptation Of Christ, Happy Feet, The Queen and more! Meets First Fridays each month at 7:30 pm. Contact: Leticia Anderson or Joann Hendrick.

Liberal Religious Youth (LRY) is the name for our high-school age youth religious education classes. The LRY also conducts outreach programs and holds social events and fund raisers during the year. To find more detailed information, please visit our religious education for children and youth pages.

The Men's Breakfast Stimulating programs, fellowship and mighty fine food bring us together in Westwood Hall the second Saturday of each month. The group starts gathering around 8:00am with breakfast served at 8:30 and program presentation at 9:00. Donations are vigorously encouraged and all proceeds will go directly to support the operating costs of The Hospitality Apartment project(click for more more info). If you plan to come in time for breakfast please call Tom Matney at (713) 461-6238, so he can tell Max Nelson how many eggs to break into the omelet! Upcoming programs:

  • February 9–Tom Matney will discuss “Class I (large) freight rail roads and their ability to run passenger trains”. His interest in the subject started some 35 years ago when he was the president of the Houston Chapter of the Texas Association of Railroad Passengers and served on the mayor's committee to study the possibility of running commuter trains in the Houston area.
  • March 8–Don Weaver will lead a discussion on pinpointing sources of air pollution in petrochemical and refining plants.
  • April 12–“ The State Board of Education and the Teaching of Evolution.” Roger Mills will lead a discussion on Evolution, a topic of considerable interest to all UU’s. There are some strange things going on politically!
  • May 3 (note: 1st Saturday)–Henry Groppe will tell us of his long experiences with drug treatment programs and also a new program with 3rd graders in HISD to relieve stress tension and increase attention spans.

The Schweitzer Club is the name of our religious education class for middle-school age youth. The group’s namesake is Albert Schweitzer, the famous humanitarian, theologian, physician, and Unitarian. For information, visit our religious education for children and youth pages.

The Women’s Alliance is an unbeatable opportunity for stimulating programs and people. Childcare is provided. Participants can choose to go out to lunch at a nearby restaurant after the meeting. Meets 9:30 to 11:30am 2nd Thursdays each month, September through May. Contact: Mary Ann Rusk.
 Hobbies

The Wednesday Stitchers bring their needle work, beginning or advanced, to the Gathering Space and stitch with friends, new and old. Meets Wednesdays, 10 am to 2 pm Childcare provided from 10 to 12. Contact: Gay Lambirth.

Wednesday Gardening and Grounds Group Come out and join this engaging group for some hands-on fun. We need you! Meets Wednesdays 8:30am to 2:00pm (come late or leave early as you wish). Come help us with planting, weeding, pruning and playing in the dirt. Coffee and childcare are available! Bring a brown bag lunch if you wish. Contact: Carole Huelbig

Music Emerson offers musical groups for everyone from children to seniors, from beginners to seasoned pros. We find spirituality in all forms of music: chorals, madrigals, rock music, showtunes and more! Click here to read about our extensive offering of musical groups.

 Spirituality

Covenant Groups Are you moving forward in the growth of your religious faith? Do you have a regular spiritual practice? Do you have an opportunity to discuss spiritual issues, contemporary social justice dilemmas, or explore religious questions in deep conversations with others? Would you like to meet and feel connected with more people on a deeper level of friendship and community at Emerson?

Covenant Groups are comprised of eight to ten people who meet regularly to discuss a range of topics that the members choose according to a special format that promotes a safe space for differing opinions to be shared and fully heard. Contact Nancy Lipp for more info. Openings are available in the following groups:

  • Monday evenings: Meets in the Emerson Library
  • Tuesday evenings: Meets in the Memorial Villages
  • Wednesday evenings: Inside the Loop/Heights Area
  • Thursday evenings: Montrose Area
  • Friday evening and Sunday afternoon groups: Currently Full

labyrinth © 2008 The Labyrinth SocietyLabyrinth Walks We have a large, dynamic group of people working together to make the labyrinth program at Emerson a meaningful spiritual offering for our members and friends. Most recently, more than 60 Emerson members and friends walked the labyrinth in Westwood Hall during the Labyrinth Walks New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. For more information  Contact Judy Richardson.

Labyrinth programs include:

  • Labyrinth Walks in Westwood Hall: Two series of walks in Westwood Hall each year, one over the New Year’s holiday and one in the spring.
  • Occasional walks at outdoor labyrinths in Houston:  Usually a group activity on a Sunday afternoon.
  • Portable temporary labyrinth activities outdoors involving Emerson youth groups and the rainbow rope labyrinth.
  • Adult Education: Through the Adult Ed presentation and other multimedia resources we provide orientation for new walkers and help educate the congregation about this spiritual practice.
  • Other labyrinth activities in Houston: We will announce through our membership in the Houston Labyrinth Network.
Original labyrinth drawing by Jeff Saward, final graphic by Vicki Keiser, © 2008 The Labyrinth Society.
The Spirituality Group focuses on a book describing some aspect of spirituality or spiritual practice. The participants also experience meditation and other related spiritual practices. Meets monthly on 3rd Wednesdays at 7:30pm. Email us for more info.
Contact
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1900 Bering Drive  | Houston, Texas 77057  |  Phone (713) 782-8250
Unitarian Universalists—The Uncommon Denomination		 Back to Top