Sermons given at UUCB, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley November 30, 2025 Emotional Accounting

Rev. Amy Zucker Morgenstern

Giving: transferring something from one person's possession to another's. But which of the many possible ways, with their markedly different feelings and meanings, do we give? Giving can be joyful, or done out of duty, or inspired by fear, or motivated in any number of other ways--and while the effects look the same in our bank accounts, they are very different in our emotional and spiritual accounts.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley November 23, 2025 Rev. Bryan Plude

Hope is Complicated

How do we maintain hope with a world on fire and democracy in meltdown? Is hope even an appropriate or a useful feeling in these times? What important roles do courage and love play?

Your Daily Book

The poet Ross Gay undertook to write daily for a year about a delight he had observed that day, and published a collection of these writings as The Book of Delights. If you wrote down the things you observe about your day each evening as it ends, what would the resulting volume be about? Worry? Gratitude? Complaints? Nature? Happiness? Plans? . . . And what shape does this focus give the rest of your life?

STANDING IN THE RIVER

Our memories of the past create a mighty river of love, loss, and longing that refreshes our lives, yet sometimes overwhelms us. Today we honor those who came before us: the ancestors who inspire and encourage us, the people and places we mourn and miss.

For more information about the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, visit https://uucb.org/

Spiritual practice is often seen as a solitary journey, but building vibrant community is itself a profound spiritual discipline. It’s communal and contagious... but rarely easy. Exercising our communal muscles takes work, but those critical connections can save us.

PLANTING SEEDS OF JUSTICE

While human rights and international aid are under attack, it’s easy to feel like change is impossible. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s (UUSC) partners, however, know first-hand that justice doesn’t just appear overnight. The movement for collective liberation requires ongoing, diligent tending and long-haul commitment. Please join Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme to hear some of the inspiring stories from UUSC’s partners – grassroots movement leaders and activists around the world – and to hear her conversion story from lukewarm supporter to enthusiastic champion of UUSC’s work.

Self-Compassion or Selfishness?

The term "self-compassion" has gotten some traction in recent years, prompting the question, is "self-compassion" an oxymoron? Even worse, is it selfish? Buddhist teachers counsel us that in fact, for us to cultivate compassion in ourselves, we need to cultivate compassion for ourselves. We'll practice that this morning.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley Wrestling with Jacob Oct. 5 2025

What does it mean to “win” when life itself is full of struggle? Drawing on the biblical story of Jacob wrestling through the night, we explore how struggle can lead not to triumph, but to transformation. Jacob, blessed yet deeply flawed, mirrors both our nation’s history and our personal lives—where success often comes at the expense of others. From the Puritans’ exclusionary covenant to modern injustices, we are challenged to see how the drive to win has wounded us all. Yet Jacob’s story shifts: his struggle leaves him limping but changed, ready to reconcile. Likewise, our own wrestling—with history, with privilege, with conscience—can be holy work. Transformation hurts, but the wound can become a blessing. The struggle itself is where grace lives.

We’ve been exploring the spiritual themes of faith and trust through the lens of games of play. However stacked the odds may be against you, however disastrous the situation on the game board, your turn is bound to come around once again. The stakes are high, the situation is dire, the choices seem limited—yet still, what move will you make?

HOW TO LOSE Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley September 21, 2025