Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

“What am I going to do?”

This is the question we ask ourselves at major pivotal points in our lives: graduation, career choice, retirement. “What am I going to do?” is also the question we ask ourselves when there are decisions to be made about: relationships, medical options, questions of moving and choosing where we will live. I find it useful to distinguish between what I can do, and how I can be in the world. I will try to explain what that distinction means to me, and how I have found it helpful in making my choices in life.

Rev. Margot Campbell Gross, Minister Emerita; Sam King, Worship Associate; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; Giacomo Fiore, Guitarist; Richard Fey, Songleader

Shulee Ong, Camera; Eric Shackelford, Camera; Donald Shearer, Camera; Jackson Munn, Camera; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Kelvin Jones, Sexton; Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

“Coffee in the Desert”

Sunday, July 17, 10:50 am, Worship Service

A sermon on welcome -- on the sacred value of welcome. This is a sermon I preached as one of my first five years ago at UUSF and the foundation holds. But there are insights too about what this virtue asks of us, brought to light in the conversations out of the racial reckoning of the last two years or more.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Carmen Barsody, Worship Associate; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; Richard Fey, Baritone; Wm. García Ganz, Accompanist; Ben Rudiak-Gould, Songleader

Shulee Ong, Camera; Eric Shackelford, Camera; Tyler Heston, Sound; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Kelvin Jones, Sexton; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

“The Living Tradition”

Rev. Mr. Barb reflects on 51 years of practicing Unitarian Universalism. Oh how we have (and have not) changed. Imagine with Barb as he shares his dreams for our next 51 years.

Rev. Mr. Barb Greve, Guest Minister; Lucy Smith, Worship Associate; Larry Chinn, Pianist; Richard Fey, Songleader

Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Jackson Munn, Camera; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Kelvin Jones, Sexton; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

"The Perfect Body and the Ladder"

"The Perfect Body and the Ladder" is about the personal and the political uses of the body, timed perfectly to rebroadcast as we prepare to unveil our sweet bodies in the lighter clothes and freedom of summer. It's a lovely service and we invite you to sit with the questions it raises and the invitation to include our bodies (and others') in the deepest work of honoring and cherishing.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; Leandra Ramm, Songleader; Brielle Marina Neilson, Songleader; Ben Rudiak-Gould, Songleader; Asher Davison, Songleader; Luis Maurer, Pianist

Eric Shackelford, camera; Shulee Ong, camera; Jonathan Silk, AV remix ; Sam King, chat moderator; Tom Brookshire, Les James, Ralph Fenn, Zoom Coffee Hour; Athena Papadakos, Flowers

What is Fatherhood?

How can you form an opinion on it if you don’t know what it is? Fatherhood is essentially an elegant idea. You can’t buy it, hold it in your hands or taste it. It is a no-thing. Please come and explore this elegant idea in community on Father’s Day.

Rev. Fred Rabidoux, Guest Minister; Richard Davis-Lowell, Worship Associate; Alice Sobze, Guest Speaker; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; Nancy Munn, Soprano; Wm. García Ganz, Pianist

Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Dan Barnard, Facilities Manager; Judy Payne, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

"I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together"

Join us for a joyous good-bye celebration for Rev. Alyson Jacks who is retiring this June. We'll share stories, salutations and some surprises too. There will be wonderful music by our church and bell choir, percussionist Allen Biggs, pianist Lucas Keeley, and our organist Reiko Lane. Let's celebrate and be glad for this incredible time we've had together.

This is a family friendly service for ages 6 and up. Childcare for children 0-5 will be available that morning, Following the service, there will be a luncheon celebration in the courtyard.

Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister; Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Mari Magaloni Ramos, Worship Associate; Cal Ball, Offertory Sentence; Bell Choir led by Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; Allen Biggs, Percussionist; Lucas Keely, Pianist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director

Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Jackson Munn, Camera; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Kelvin Jones, Sexton; Athena & Max Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

"Finding Out Who We Are"

This is a service of stories and songs for these times -- drawn from graduation speeches, spiritual reflections on place and community, hymns -- a reminder of who we are.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister; Daniel Jackoway, Worship Associate; Nancy Hardies & Judith Stoddard, Membership; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Elliott Etzkorn, Pianist

Shulee Ong, Camera; Jackson Miunn, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Dan Barnard, Facilities Manager; Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

"Remembering the Future"

Sunday, May 29, 10:50 am, Worship Service Livestream

War continues to rage in the Ukraine and elsewhere, and, on top of everything else we are facing, nuclear Armageddon increasingly feels like a realistic fear. Memorial Day was started as Decoration Day to honor Union soldiers who died in the Civil War, through drawing upon memorial traditions in both the North and South. On this Memorial Day weekend, let us meditate on past, present, and future war. What does it mean to remember the dead while continuing a global practice that guarantees more dead to remember in the future?

Rev. Millie Phillips, Guest Minister; Mari Magaloni, Worship Associate; Richard Fey, Song Leader; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist

Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Kelvin Jones, Sexton; Carrie Steere-Salazar, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

“The Nike Solution”

Lately I feel like what we need most is what we have the hardest time doing. It's a rough place to be. And on a Sunday when we celebrate the incredible work of our Small Group Ministry program over so many years, and this last year, it fits perfectly into the story of now. And how to step into the choices and life activities that will heal us and help us to feel whole and wholly alive again!

We will also honor the important leadership of Minister Emerita Rev. Margot Campbell Gross who has served as the spiritual advisor to small group ministries through the years.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Rev. Margot Campbell Gross, Minister Emerita; Gregg Biggs and Millie Phillips, Small Group Ministry Chairs; Dennis Adams, Worship Associate; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Ben Rudiak-Gould, Soloist; Wm. García Ganz, Accompanist

Shulee Ong, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Kelvin Jones; Carrie Steere-Salazar, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

"A Time of Transition, part II: The Place In Between"

William Bridges, when he wrote about transitions, didn't just talk about the Endings, though he did name that first stage and all it required. And he didn't talk about the New Beginnings though that also was tender and vital. He talked about this rarely named space in between those two. And all that happens in that space and how it feels and how to step thoughtfully into and through it. This is what we'll talk a little about this Sunday, and you might find the description familiar and relevant to a lot of life at this moment!

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Sam King, Worship Associate; Percussionists Allen Biggs & Tommy Kesecker; Mark Sumner, Music Director

Eric Shackelford, Camera; Shulee Ong, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Dan Barnard, Facilities Manager; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour