Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

"Arms Wide Open: Parenting as a Spiritual Path" (May 9, 2021) Worship Service

I am a year and a few months from an empty nest, and halfway into a process of pulling together an anthology of writings on the place of children in our wisdom-making living. The book is a project that started as an excuse to go looking for all the gorgeous stories we don't think to tell in the midst of the work and the chores. I want us to hold up some of them together to reflect on our relationship with children as a part of our spiritual paths.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Dennis Adams, Worship Associate

Lori Lai, 8th principle testimonial

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Kate Offer, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Mark Sumner, director/pianist

Alex Darr, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Dan Barnard, Facilities Manager

Athena Papadakos, flowers

Marek Piwnicki, cover image

Jonathan Silk, AV, OOS

Order of Service:

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210509OSWeb.pdf

Watch:

https://youtu.be/kIo5IuiSFGs

"Religious Imagination: What it Means to be a Teaching Congregation" (May 2, 2021) Worship Service

This Sunday marks the final class for our Sunday School program.  Our classes have been virtual – like our worship services – for the whole year. We will take time to celebrate our achievements and honor our Lead Teachers. It’s also a good time to reflect upon the importance of religious education and spiritual growth for the entire congregation. We’ve certainly learned a lot this last year! Rev. Jacks will be joined by Ministerial Intern Meg McGuire sharing reflections on the role of a teaching congregation in shaping beloved community.

Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Sam Hamner, 8th Principle Testimonial

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Maria Roodnitsky, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Mark Sumner, director/pianist

Alex Darr, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

Eric Shackelford, camera

Leeland Jones, Sexton

Athena Papadakos, flowers

Jacek Dylag, cover image

Jonathan Silk, AV, OOS, drums

Order of Service:

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210502OSWeb.pdf

Music:

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210502Music.mp3

Watch:

https://youtu.be/DJbF_tes7ZM

"Close Enough for Awe: An Earth Day Sermon" (April 25, 2021) Worship Service

It's spring, it's Earth Day. It's a time when it is easy to fall in love with the world. So, let's do that. With a lover's eyes, let's see what beauty, what amazement is right in front of us. And tumble into its spell. And for good reason.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Sam King, Worship Associate

Allen Biggs, Marimba

Tommy Kesecker, vibraphone

Brielle Marina Neilson, song leader

Mark Sumner, pianist

Eric Shackelford, camera

Jonah Berquist, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

Dan Barnard, Facilities Manager

Judy Payne, flowers

Navi Photography, cover image

Pete Wong, cover image

Daniel Olah, cover image

Jonathan Silk, AV, OOS Design

Order of Service:

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210425OSWeb.pdf

Music:

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210425Music.mp3

"Becoming Together" (April 18, 2021) Worship Service

Becoming ourselves is a lifelong process. And this practice of continual growth, of waking up to who we are, is one that cannot be done alone. Join Ministerial Intern Meg McGuire, Young Adult Coordinator Joe Chapot, members of the UU Theologies for Young Adults class, and friends, for a service exploring how we grow into ourselves, and how we grow together.

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Joe Chapot, Young Adult Coordinator

Vanessa Vanderlaan, Worship Associate

Alfie Jang, Worship Associate

Aitana Sierra-Valdes, Worship Associate

Sara Fread, Worship Associate

Audrey McDougal, 8th Principle Testimonial

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Mark Sumner, conductor/pianist

Maddy Gerlach, soprano

Jaime Docherty, guitar and vocals

Asher Davison, song leader

Eric Shackelford, camera

Jonah Berquist, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

Dan Barnard, Facilities Manager

Amy Kelly, flowers

Aitana Sierra-Valdes, cover image

Jonathan Silk, AV, drums, OOS Design

"Living Purposefooly" (April 11, 2021) Worship Service

Drawing the Fool in the Tarot cards represents new beginnings. We step out into the world with faith in the future, though we don’t know what to expect. The journey requires improvisation and trust, and a willingness to be shaped along the way. It is an invitation to walk purposefooly toward an as-yet unknown destination, also known as coddiwompling.

Carmen Barsody, Faithful Fools

Alex Darr, Faithful Fools

Silena Layne, Faithful Fools

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Brielle Marina Nielson, alto

Ben Rudiak Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Mark Sumner conductor/pianist

Ben Rudiak-Gould, song leader

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support, OOS

Alex Darr, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour

Lee Jones, Sexton

Amy Kelly, flowers

Alicia Lee Farnsworth, cover image

Jonathan Silk, Sound, video edits, drums

"Easter Sunday: Hope is a......." (April 4, 2021) Worship Service

Easter, of course, is about resurrection -- life from places of loss, hope from despair, second chances for the makers of even the gravest of mistakes. And it is about Hope. Hope as a four-letter word, textured, gritty, gorgeous and feather-light. Time to unpack hope.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Tom Dambly, trumpet

Michele Kennedy, soprano

Brielle Marina Nielson, alto

Ben Rudiak Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Mark Sumner conductor/pianist

Ben Rudiak-Gould, song leader

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Lee and Robert, Sexton

Amy Kelly and , flowers

Zdenek Machácek, cover image

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, video edits

"The First Steps" (March 28, 2021) Worship Service

Both Passover and Palm Sunday coincide this week. Different and also with one thread that pulls through them both, about the power of the monumental first steps. And the human drive for commitment and consistency on which so much good (and evil) often rests.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Richard Davis-Lowell, Worship Associate

Gayle Reynolds and Keith Hollon, Annual Operating Fund Drive

Andrés Vera, cellist

My-Hoa Steger, accompanist

Wm. García Ganz, pianist

Ben Rudiak-Gould, song leader

Eric Shackelford, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Carrie Steere-Salazar, flowers

Casey Horner, cover image(https://unsplash.com/@mischievous_penguins)

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, video edits

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210328OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210328Music.mp3  

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210328RDLReflection.mp3

One of the first sermons I preached here at UUSF was a sermon on the ancient idea of Sabbath. I think, strangely, it is time to preach it again as work and life merge even more than before and we need a way to reground and refresh spirit and body.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Don Wiepert, Worship Associate

Dolores Perez Heilbron and David Heilbron, Annual Operating Fund Campaign

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Leandra Ramm, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass and conductor

Wm. García Ganz, accompanist

Eric Shackelford, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Carrie Steere-Salazar, flowers

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, video edits

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210321OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210321Music.mp3

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210321DDReflection.mp3

"Giving it Up for Lent" (March 14, 2021) Worship Service

I am not one for giving up chocolate or ice cream.  Those kinds of punishing practices never work for me -- I once "gave up soda" for a week and drank more soda in that week than the previous month. But there are some things I'd like to give up. How about you?

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Sam King, Worship Associate

Wonder Dave, Annual Operating Fund Campaign

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Mark Sumner, conductor/pianist

Brielle Marina Neilson, soprano

Leandra Ramm, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Eric Shackelford, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Carrie Steere-Salazar, flowers

Joseph Gonzalez, cover image

https://unsplash.com/@miracletwentyone

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, video edits

Order of Service:

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210314OSWeb.pdf

Music:

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210314Music.mp3

  Reflection:

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210314WDReflection.mp3

"Times Like These" (March 7, 2021) Worship Service

To stand in important moments, in the midst of historic chapters is to do our part. And to wonder about all those historic chapters, and generous, courageous shoulders that came before ours.

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Gayle Reynolds & Keith Hollon, Annual Operating Fund Drive

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Mark Sumner, conductor/pianist

Michele Kennedy, soprano

Leandra Ramm, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Les James, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Judy Payne, flowers

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, video edits

Order of Service:

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210307OSWeb.pdf

Music:

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210307Music.mp3