Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

You Know That I Love You (June 2, 2019)

Here at First Unitarian Universalist SF, we try as best as possible to draw the circle ever wider and be an inclusive and loving community. We all have limited time and energy, of course, and so both individually and collectively, we often fail to achieve this goal perfectly. No surprise there since perfection is impossible, but perhaps we can inch just a little closer to loving well. Shari Halliday-Quan, our ministerial intern this year, will preach about who and what is at the center of our circle of love.?

Shari Halliday-Quan, Ministerial Intern

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Daniel Jackoway, Worship Associate

Dr. Mark Sumner, Music Director

Reiko Oda Lane, organ and Bell Choir Director

Bill Ganz, piano

Alan Alpert, tenor

Marie Kazan-Komarek, Mary Jane Mikuriya, Richard Davis, Intern Committee

Rev. Eloise Mayo and her children Beth and David

Diane Alen, Vision/Mission

Christopher Rodriguez, welcome

Shulee Ong, Video Camera

Jonathan Silk, Sound, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos

Two Bodies, One Heart (May 19, 2019)

Ralph Waldo Emerson told us, "Friendship demands a religious treatment.” In this sermon guest minister the Rev. Dr. Colin Bossen will offer of a spirituality of friendship that draws upon Unitarian Universalism Transcendentalist roots. Dr. Bossen currently serves as the interim senior minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston. He is in San Francisco to give the second of his Minns lectures: “The Social Question: Unitarian Social Ethics in the Progressive Era.” His blog can be found at www.colinbossen.com.

Rev. Dr. Colin Bossen, Guest Minister

Shari Halliday-Quan, Ministerial Intern

Sam King, Worship Associate

Christine Tulis, harp and vocals

Wm. García Ganz, piano

Ariel Andrew, song leader

Carrie Steere Salazar, Moderator

Don Shearer, video camera

Jonathan Silk, Sound, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos

Good Enough Mother (May 12, 2019)

On this Mother’s Day, when we celebrate our mother’s let’s talk about cutting ourselves some slack. Perfection is overrated for one. But also, giving it up — illusion that it is — might just be the best gift we give our kids. Goodbye Paragons of Virtue. Hello Goddesses of Good Enough!

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister

Shari Halliday-Quan, Ministerial Intern

Richard Davis-Lowell, Worship Associate

Reiko Oda Lane, organ

Bill Ganz, piano

Ariel Andrew, soloist

Amy Kelly, welcome

Natlie Shuttleworth, video camera

Jonathan Silk, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos, drums

Growing a Soul (May 5, 2019)

UU Minister A. Powell Davies, whose All Souls Church in Washington D.C. was a leader in challenging segregation in the nation’s capital during his ministry, once said that the purpose of life was, “to grow a soul.” There are so many ways we grow a soul. This Sunday we’ll honor a couple of those and just hold up the venture itself, remind ourselves of what it takes, mostly a village.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister

Rev. Margot Campbell Gross, Minister Emerita

Small Group Ministry

Young Adult Group

All Church Retreat

Dennis Adams, Worship Associate

Ben Bear, reflection

Reiko Oda Lane, organ

Bill Ganz, piano

Asher Davison, soloist and guest conductor

Ariel Andrew, soloist

Scott Benbow, welcome

Don Shearer, video camera

Jonathan Silk, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos, drums

Miracles (April 21, 2019)

Part of the Easter story is the most horrific cruelty and loss that precedes it, and then the most magnificent miracle that wakes us Easter morning. How do we rational, scientific folks make sense of miracle stories, and of this one in particular? Let's re-frame Easter for our ears and lose none of the beauty of it in so doing!

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Rev. Mary McKinnon Ganz, Assistant Minister

Shari Halliday-Quan, Ministerial Intern

Lisanicole Sarkisian, Worship Associate

Reiko Oda Lane, organ and bell choir director

Dr. Mark Sumner, Music Director

Asher Davison, soloist

Kate Offer, solist

Eric Shackleford, welcome

Joe Chapot, video camera

Jonathan Silk, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos

Stepping Stones: Rites of Passage Class (April 14, 2019)

We have four bright, young thinkers in this year’s class, each has posed their Big Life Question, now it's time for the ministers to answer!

Rites of Passage Class 2019 (Zoe, Erik, Calder, Oriana)

Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Rev. Mary McKinnon Ganz, Assistant Minister

Shari Halliday-Quan, Ministerial Intern

Marigold Birch and Stepping Stones Teaching Team

Alex Darr, Worship Associate

Dr. Mark Sumner, Music Director

Asher Davison, soloist

Kate Offer, intro offertory

Bill Ganz, piano

Linda Robertshaw, drums

Donald Shearer, video camera

Jonathan Silk, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos

Threshold Living (March 31, 2019)

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Shari Halliday-Quan, Ministerial Intern

Trudy Lionel, Reflection: Why I Give

Daniel Jackoway, Worship Associate

Jordan Kersten, soprano

Reiko Oda Lane, organ

Dr. Mark Sumner, piano

Ariel Andrew, song leader

Gayle Reynolds, Trustee

Kelli Murray, AOF Co-Chair

Donald Shearer, video camera

Jonathan Silk, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos

Time of the Month (March 24, 2019)

Women's History Month invites us to explore the ways extraordinary women and everyday communities have cast off the oppressive limitations placed on them by wider society based on their gender. This liberation work takes many forms today as we collectively pursue gender justice, and this week we explore how grounding ourselves in historical celebrations of transcendence can help us get our bodies and spirits more free.  

Shari Halliday-Quan, Ministerial Intern

Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Gino Fortunato, Reflection: Why I Give

Sam King, Worship Associate

Reiko Oda Lane, organ

Ariel Andrew, soprano

Dr. Mark Sumner, Music Director

Carrie Steere-Salazar, welcome

Laurence Pulgram, AOF Co-Chair

Natalie Shuttleworth, video camera

Jonathan Silk, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos

An Understanding Mind (March 17, 2019)

In the famous wisdom tales of King Solomon, it’s said that God appeared to him in a dream saying, “Tell me what I should give you?  Solomon asks for an understanding mind in order to serve his people. Some scholars interpret an understanding mind to mean a hearing heart. Wisdom – the gathering of knowledge, understanding, insight and perception – is an exercise in listening with both heart and mind. We live in a world crowded with smart alecks and experts; let’s explore the wisdom of the hearing heart together.

Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister

Shari Halliday-Quan, Ministerial Intern

Courtney Young-Law and Chris Law, Why I Give

Radim Zenkl, Multi Instrumentalist

Wm. García Ganz, piano  

Ariel Andrew, song leader

Hanna Hart, welcome

Kelli Murray, AOF Co-Chair

Eric Shackelford, camera

Scott Miller, Livestream Technical Support

Jonathan Silk, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos

Boldness! (March 10, 2019)

This Sunday our Annual Operating Fund Campaign begins!

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister

Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister

Shari Halliday-Quan, Ministerial Intern

Kelli Murray and Laurence Pulgram, AOF 2019

Dr. Mark Sumner, Choir Director

Reiko Oda Lane, organ and bell choir director

Millie Phillips, soprano

Diane Allen, Vision/Mission, Chair

Eric Shackelford, camera

Shulee Ong, camera

Scott Miller, Livestream Technical Support and camera

Jonathan Silk, Podcasting, OOS, Livestream, Videos