Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco 1st Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

“Understanding Autism, Each Other, and Ourselves”
Sunday, April 21, 10:50 am, 2024

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

LIVESTREAM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG1jl1Dyo4c

OOS:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19btN4r8yuhIRVyJhMrXPdHxggrMQtbsE/view?usp=sharing

PLAYLIST:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGWIRF9PinfwEqQIcwIvjKChCBxhufldV

“Perspectives on Earth”
Sunday, April 14, 10:50 am, 2024

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

LIVESTREAM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK_1RwUkaOE

OOS:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GOw5ue0uvIicTys3pVqDpPbZmMp1FNaq/view?usp=sharing

PLAYLIST:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGWIRF9Pinfx25QWgGJgcTJvLK1J0k9AB

“Person by Person by Person”
Sunday, April 7, 10:50 am, 2024

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

LIVESTREAM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JCB9Hxy324

OOS:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jW8no55qP2zh6ReFTm9CMq_dH3aEnNCJ/view?usp=sharing

Video Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGWIRF9Pinfw2x-CytdSeGYaGt3hGVfO4

“Roll that Rock Away”
Easter Sunday, March 31, 10:50 am, 2024

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

LIVESTREAM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIwYsje878I

OOS:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15_BqmV-NY6Qb-nk6G6G7lJK73r55Cd_T/view?usp=sharing

Video Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGWIRF9Pinfz8zTVhA0NUoN-SgdMVJuK7

“Lessons from the Road”
Sunday, March 24, 10:50 am, 2024

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

LIVESTREAM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhNDd-ZZHwk

OOS:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bYGHbyS2hL_XF4zatZleT8Ghtqfa4v_e/view?usp=sharing

Video Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGWIRF9PinfwCY-zDWjS3QT7T6mtz-HdP

“Written in Pencil”
Sunday, March 17, 10:50 am, 2024

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

LIVESTREAM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gUEzGLJpVg

OOS:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z-CECPLHXPapBDDRXOMaCjvNb3hhOstj/view?usp=sharing

Video Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGWIRF9PinfxwEPqx3E95h-Vz01SltBzU