Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

Accountability can sound unpleasant, even scary, but what if it didn’t have to be? Disability justice educator and writer Mia Mingus offers a dream of what accountability can be- one that might support us in living into our work as a congregation.

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Carmen Barsody, Worship Associate

Daniel Jackoway, Worship Associate

Mari Magaloni, 8th Principle Task Force

Liz Strand, 8th Principle Task Force

Mark Sumner, song leader/pianist

Eric Hamilton, guitarist

Brielle Marina Neilson, song leader

Jon Silk, drums

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Les James, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Judy Payne, flowers

Alex Perez, cover image, https://unsplash.com/@a2eorigins

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, video edits

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210228OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/202102028Music.mp3

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210228DJReflection.mp3

This month the Minister's Book Club is reading John Lewis's Memoir (written with Michael D'Orso) "Walking with the Wind" and it has me thinking about the idea of being ready.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Richard Davis-Lowell, Worship Associate

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Mark Sumner, conductor

Leandra Ramm, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, 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

Amy Kelly, flowers

Waranont (Joe), cover image, https://unsplash.com/@tricell1991

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, video edits

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210221OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/202102021Music.mp3

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210221RDLReflection.mp3

Years ago I read an article in some low-brow magazine in which a woman was reflecting on what she had taken away from all the past relationships that were long gone. Broken hearts (or breaking hearts) was only part of the story. Learning French, because she fell in love with a Frenchman, was one. There was a laundry list of how love had changed her from the superficial to the enduring. Lessons in Love.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Don Wiepert, Worship Associate

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Leandra Ramm, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Mark Sumner, pianist

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Les James, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Amy Kelly, flowers

engin akyurt,cover https://unsplash.com/@enginakyurt

Jude Beck back cover https://unsplash.com/@judebeck

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210214OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/202102014Music.mp3  

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210214DWReflection.mp3

Lunar New Year, begins next week Friday, February 12th. Although I am not in a family that has celebrated Lunar New Year,  many in our community do which is such a gift.  Especially this year, this Year of the Ox. Reading about this figure -- hardworking, reliable, honest and loyal -- am I the only one who finds herself thirsting for a world and a Year re-animated by the virtues of the Ox? Let's celebrate that!

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Dennis Adams, Worship Associate

Lori Lai, Worship Associate

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Leandra Ramm, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

My-Hoa Steger, pianist

Mark Sumner, conductor

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Carrie Steere-Salazar, flowers

Macau Photo Agency, oos photo - https://unsplash.com/@macauphotoagency

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, drums, Video Edits

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210207OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210207Music.mp3

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210207LLReflection.mp3

"The Wonder of Being Alive" (January 31, 2021) Worship Service

Being alive is more than just existing, more than not being dead. Adjectives abound when we talk about being alive. We can be animated. Lively. Alert. Awake. Being alive, to me, is about being in relationship. For some of us, we feel most alive when we are with other people. Others find their aliveness in nature. Many find it in art, particularly the making of art.  As we begin the slow return to spring, let’s spend some time imagining what it means to be alive in this world.

Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister

Sam King, Worship Associate

Larry Chinn, pianist

Asher Davison, song leader

Mark Sumner, accompanist

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Carrie Steere-Salazar, flowers

Em bé khóc nhè, cover image

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Video Edits

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210131OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210131Music.mp3

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210131SKReflection.mp3

"The Nature of Religious Experience and the Power of Knowing" (January 24, 2021) Worship Service

William James in his classic text, "The Varieties of Religious Experience" outlines the qualities common to so-called religious experiences. One of them is knowing. It may be the hardest for UU's to reckon with and it may be the quality that we most need to get in touch with now in our life as a nation.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Richard Davis-Lowell, Worship Associate

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

My-Hoa Stegger, pianist & soprano

Leandra Ramm, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Mark Sumner, conductor/pianist

Members of the UC Men’s and Women’s Chorales, Berkeley,

Morgan Nilsen, clarinet

Jim Rebhan, accordion

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Judy Payne, flowers

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Video Edits

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210124OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210124Music.mp3

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210124RDLReflection.mp3

Saying "I'm Sorry" (January 17, 2021) Worship Service

What is a "good apology" one with grace and authenticity of the kind that makes it land and gives it the power, or just potential power, to heal. It's always relevant, and more so perhaps today to have this skill at hand.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Dennis Adams, Worship Associate

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Eric Shackelford, soloist

Leandra Ramm, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Mark Sumner, conductor/pianist

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Judy Payne, flowers

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Video Edits

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210117OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210117Music.mp3  

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210117DAReflection.mp3

“Homosexuality and the Bible" (January 10, 2021) Worship Service

So much harm has been done in the name of religion and for many of us, in our lifetimes, that means messages about what it means to be LGBTQ and Christianity, grounded, we are told, in the Bible.  Hmmm.  I invite us to dig a little deeper to know the truth and understand our liberation from the lies, and maybe take some time for some healing too.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Carmen Barsody, Worship Associate

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Christine Tulis, harpist

Asher Davison, song leader

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Amy Kelly, flowers

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Video Edits

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210110OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210110Music.mp3

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/Reflections/20210110CBReflection.mp3

“Whole Enough" (January 3, 2021) Worship Service

It’s a new year. How does this season of intentions and fresh starts shape how we see ourselves- and one another? And how might we want it to?

Meg McGuire, Ministerial Intern

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Michael Bossier, TWZ Player

Lori Lai, TWZ Player

Meg McGuire, TWZ Player

Don Shearer, TWZ Player

Leslie Trook, TWZ Player

The Harmony People: Anjalisa and Gary Garrett

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Mark Sumner, conductor

Leandra Ramm, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Jon Silk, drums

My-Hoa Steger, pianist

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Amy Kelly, flowers

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Video

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2021/20210103OSWeb.pdf

https://content.uusf.org/Sound/20210103Music.mp3

“Let the End be the Beginning: A Meditative Service for the New Year" (December 27, 2020) Worship Service

This service will be a time structured for meditative reflection on the year past and the year to come. Be prepared to sit with your own thoughts, take notes. It's a time to take stock, stand like Janus, the ancient god of transitions, a face pointed in each of two directions, forward and backward, before stepping into the new year.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Sam King, Worship Associate

Radim Zenkl, multi-instrumentalist

Reiko Oda Lane, organist

Mark Sumner, director

Leandra Ramm, soprano

Brielle Marina Neilson, alto

Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor

Asher Davison, bass

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support

Alex Darr, Coffee Hour Zoom

Thomas Brown, Sexton

Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Video

https://content.uusf.org/Order_Of_Service/2020/20201227OSWeb.pdf