This Sunday, you are invited to watch a film and have a conversation. Movies can help capture our imaginations, pique our curiosity, and start conversations about injustice. In The Best of Enemies, Civil rights activist Ann Atwater faces off against C.P. Ellis, Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, in 1971 Durham, North Carolina, over the issue of school integration. Join us for this special event, which is jointly sponsored by First UMC, St. Luke UMC, Westlake UMC, and in partnership with Education Beyond the Walls of Austin Seminary. We will gather this Sunday, January 15 from 4:30-7:00pm at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Stotts Hall at 100 E. 27th Street, Austin, TX 78705. Parking is located on the upper campus nearest E 27th Street. Sign up at westlake-umc.org/events.

Our Grief Support Seminar begins this evening, January 3, and will conclude after six sessions on February 7. Each week, on Tuesday nights, the group will gather from 7:00-8:15pm on Zoom. The sessions are open to all who are dealing with loss. You do not have to be a member of our church or even live in Austin. Find the Zoom link at westlake-umc.org/events.

We are working with Austin Public Health to host a flu vaccine and Covid bivalent vaccine clinic (Moderna & Pfizer) for children and adults on Wednesday, December 7 from 11:00am – 2:00pm. Sign up here to reserve a spot: https://tinyurl.com/4seb6jd9

The Holidays are fast approaching and many of us will be gathering around the dining table with family that we may see only once or twice a year. Often, that’s where some uncomfortable conversations occur. Do you remember our Lenten study – “Return” when we discussed techniques to help facilitate healthy discussion about sometimes confrontational topics? Let’s remember to practice our HEART principles: H – hear and understand me E – even if you disagree, please don’t make me wrong A – acknowledge the greatness within me R – remember to look for the my loving intentions T – tell me the truth with compassion And from Braver Angels, “Because family patterns are usually consistent and predictable, you can prepare and practice how to respond differently:” C – Clarify: “I think your main point is ...” “Are you saying ...” “I get you are really bothered by ...” Ask real questions of understanding ... ask how they came to their view on an issue. Listen for underlying values and aspirations. A – Agree: Try to find something ... anything you can agree with. P – Pivot: Signal that you are about to offer a different perspective ... “This issue is important to me too, and I’d like to say where I’m coming from” or “Can I give you my thoughts on this issue?” P – Perspective: Then give your own view with “I” statements ... “I’m concerned/ worried/troubled ...” “This is how I see it ...” Be careful not to label the other person’s position or attack motives. Just calmly describe your own viewpoint and how you came to it. If you have a personal story behind your view, consider sharing it. E – Exit: Look for a good time to disengage. Settle for brief, more or less constructive exchanges the first few times you try your skills.

There's still time. RSVP for today's Fall Fest from 4-6pm. Come one, come all, because this is an all-ages event. Warm up with some delicious chili and cornbread, cool down with a popsicle, pet the cutest barnyard animals you’ve ever seen, test your skills in some really fun games, check out the Fire Truck, pick up some balloon art, and have a blast hanging out with some really great people. Sign up here: www.westlake-umc.org/fallfest

Tomorrow is the big day. RSVP for the Fall Fest. Sunday, October 30 from 4-6pm. Perfect weather. Delicious food. Sweet treats. Festival games. Prizes. Fire truck. Balloon artist. Petting zoo. Great people. See you there! www.westlake-umc.org/fallfest

You are invited to this special potluck lunch called The Table on Sunday, October 23 at 12:15pm. During the global pandemic, it was more difficult to be together in person, and we recognize how important it is to have face-to-face encounters, especially while breaking bread. This meal is for everyone - church members, neighbors, family members, co-workers, etc. If you’ve been meaning to get together with someone and have a meal together, this is a great opportunity to put it on the calendar. Plus, if you decide that you want to keep getting together with other folks around a meal, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up and figure that out. We are looking forward to connecting with you all. In order for this potluck to be a more complete meal, we have some signups for different categories. Figure out what works best for you and sign up in the link below. If you’re bringing something that should be warm when it’s served, we suggest bringing it in a crockpot or something like that so it can be plugged in and stay warm. If you’re bringing something that needs to stay refrigerated or frozen right up until it’s served, you can put temporarily store the items in the Gym Kitchen’s refrigerator or freezer until the start of the event. We are excited to spend time with you at The Table! Learn more about the event and sign up at westlake-umc.org/events