Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

"The Fight to be Authentic, and Loved"

It is so central to want to be seen and loved for who we are, understood, if we can be so lucky. It is also the source of so much pain (and power) to make that journey in a world, in a family, at a time that won't easily make a place for you in the family of things, to paraphrase poet Mary Oliver. Drawing from Lamya H's "Hijab Butch Blues," let's talk about some of the journey to being authentically ourselves.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Daniel Jackoway, Worship Associate; Galen Workman, Trustee; Nancy Munn, voice and piano

Eric Shackelford, Camera; Francisco Castellanos, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Thomas Brown, Jose Matias Pineda, Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Athena Papodakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"A Polymath Nun and Why She Matters on this Mothers' Day"

Reflections on Hildegard von Bingen: The Patron Saint of Late Bloomers. She founded her own abbey, created her own language, and wrote one of the first musical plays. She was a wonderful composer who set her own lushly poetic texts. Hildegard was 42 before she started writing anything down, and she was also someone who didn’t accept her place in the world. In a male-dominated church, she went on preaching tours at a time when women were not supposed to preach, especially in public. She refused to behave in a certain way. She wrote at a time when, if the church authorities had not thought she was divinely inspired, she could easily have been put to death as a heretic. Let's witness how else she might inspire.

Dolores Perez Heilbron; Louise Diskerud; Judith Stoddard; Kathleen McClung; Nancy Munn; Maggie McGrann, Worship Participants; Carmen Barsody, Worship Associate; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Yuhi Aizawa Combatti, Guest Soprano soloist, Nancy Munn, Akané Ota, Soloists; Wm. García Ganz, Pianist

Shulee Ong, Camera; Jackson Munn, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Thomas Brown, Jose Matias Pineda, Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Judy Payne, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Treasures from the Journey"

Our high school seniors will be sharing the stories, relationships, and learnings from their time growing up in a UU church and answering what they treasure from their journey.

Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Claire Cover, Bree Shennum, Charlie Zwibelman; Galen Workman, Trustee; UUSF Bell Choir led by Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Wm. García Ganz, Pianist

Shulee Ong, Camera; Francisco Castellanos, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Thomas Brown, Jose Matias Pineda, Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Judy Payne and Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"When Legacy Propels Boldness"

The word "legacy" always draws for me images of things past: heavy, anchoring, a little dusty, and old. But in reality, they are just as often more like a sail for covering fast oceans or a ballast for weathering storms than a heavy anchor somewhere fixed and forgotten. This Sunday, I will talk about some of the legacy of the UU Service Committee (UUSC) and its living legacy as I return from a trip to Poland with its Board to meet with organizations doing the work to protect human rights and serve war-torn lands as boldly as that which launched the organization over 70 years ago. Moreover, this Sunday we will talk about our own legacy in this church with our Allyne Circle and those we honor and name this Sunday who are added to our plaque.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Sarah Ellerman, Allyne Circle; Linda Enger, Trustee; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Wm. García Ganz, Pianist

Shulee Ong, Camera; Francisco Castellanos, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Thomas Brown, Jose Matias Pineda, Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Understanding Autism, Each Other, and Ourselves"

For many people, when they learn they're on the Autism spectrum, they gain a rich and empowering understanding of themselves. Let's learn about these identities so we can support each other's unique spiritual journeys and be a more accessible and compassionate congregation!

Sam King, Guest Preacher; Rev. Millie Phillips, Affiliated Community Minister; Tad Hopp, Worship Participant; Eric Hamilton, Guitarist; Mark Sumner, Pianist; Ben Rudiak-Gould, Songleader

Eric Shackelford, Camera; Francisco Castellanos, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Thomas Brown, Jose Matias Pineda, Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Perspectives on Earth"

From the astrophysicist, Neil deGrass Tyson, to the botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and through the eyes of the poets, how do we see earth? And what does that tell us about ourselves and life—this life—on this planet we call home?

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Richard Davis-Lowell, Worship Associate; Greggory Stevens, Story for All Ages; Galen Workman, Trustee; Members of the San Francisco and Kensington Unitarian Universalist Church Choirs; Mark Sumner and Bryan Baker, directors; Wm. Garcia Ganz, pianist; Reiko Oda Lane, organist; Jon Silk, drummer

Shulee Ong, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Carrie Steere-Salazar, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Person by Person by Person"

Person by Person by Person… that is how change occurs. Not once and for all, but continuously. Change changes what is possible, and each person we engage makes the possible a little more hopeful. In the words of Bryan Stevenson, “You don’t change the world with the ideas in your mind, but with the conviction in your heart.” Change requires intention and a willingness to take risks. We suspect that change will not always turn out how we expected it to, and we know what was gained can sometimes be lost. But this is the Fools' way; it's our theory of change—person by person, the world is changed. 

Carmen Barsody & Sam Dennison, Faithful Fools; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Jack Dello & Sherry Dello, Canvass Chairs; Liz Strand, Trustee; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Claudine Jones, Rusty Harris-Bishop, Morgen Warner, soloists; Jon Silk, Drummer;Wm. García Ganz, pianist

Jonathan Silk, Audio and Video; Eric Shackelford, Camera; Carrie Steere-Salazar, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Roll that Rock Away"

Life has a lot of tombs, losses, and setbacks. And there are rocks, heavy and awkward, that protect and seal them. What are the ways we don't end our stories at the rock or tomb? What does it require of us to make resurrection also the stuff of our lives?

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Dennis Adams, Worship Associate; Bill Klingelhoffer and Courtney Young-Law; Canvass Testimonials; Linda Enger, Trustee; UUSF Bell Choir led by Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Nancy Munn, Vocalist; Wm. García Ganz, Pianist

Shulee Ong, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Lessons from the Road"

I was fortunate enough to have the gift of almost three straight months to renew and refresh in the ancient tradition of sabbath, or fallow times. Thirty-two of those days (but who is counting?) were spent on the road, circling through the American Southwest, with my husband. It is a modern pilgrimage that many of us have done some version of before—a car, a map, some time ago. I'd love to bore you with some of what germinated on the road. And thank you.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Mari Magaloni Ramos, Worship Associate; Kathleen McClung and Dennielle Kronenberg, Canvass Testimonials; Galen Workman, Trustee; Rami Bar-Niv, Pianist; Andy Kessler, Songleader; Wm. García Ganz, Accompanist

Eric Shackelford, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Carrie Steere-Salazar, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Written in Pencil"

We sing from a hymnal called Singing the Living Tradition. What does it mean that ours is a living tradition? In light of the changing landscapes of religion and Unitarian Universalism how do we keep the tradition alive rather than stagnant history?

Rev. Cheryl M. Walker, Guest Minister; Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Greggory Stevens and Nancy Munn, Canvass Testimonials; Galen Workman, Trustee; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Jon Silk, Drummer; Wm. García Ganz, Pianist

Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Eric Shackelford, Camera; Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher