The Beauty in the Ashes: The Life of a Phoenix

 

“We have many challenges in life that break us down; seemingly, like ashes. Yet, we have tools within us that give us the ability to rise from those ashes and be the amazing, gifted people we are called to this time to be. Rise from your ashes – be the Phoenix.”  Rev. Deneen is the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff. Prior to joining the UU community, she served for 15 years at Living Faith Covenant Church while also serving as the Health and Wholeness Minister for the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries (TFAM), which took her to East Africa where she taught reproductive justice and worked with women impacted by HIV. She now serves as the Spiritual Policy Director for the National Birth Equity Collaborative.

Rev. Kiya Heartwood is an award-winning singer/songwriter and composer. She is the minister at the UU Church of the Brazos Valley in Bryan, Tx.

Rev. Beth Dana is Minister of Faith Development at First Unitarian Church of Dallas, TX. She grew up Unitarian Universalist and has served our movement in many ways including as a Youth Ministry Associate for the UUA and on the Board of the UU Women’s Federation. This will be her third SWUUW Conference, and she’s excited to welcome everyone to Dallas!

 

The Satin Dolls Band performs classic jazz favorites, blues, Broadway, R&B, smooth jazz, original compositions and retro-pop with a jazz twist. The band’s name is a nod to the 1953 jazz song Satin Doll, composed by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn with lyrics by Johnny Mercer.  The core band is; Carolyn Lee Jones (vocalist), Rebecca Cordes (piano) Peggy Honea (bass) Ann MacMillan (drum set) and Joyce Spencer (sax/flute/vocals).