In a world where hate too often defines our politics and society, love must be the guiding force that leads us back to humanity and integrity. What can the labor movement teach the faith community about love?
Sermons
This is a full list of sermons presented at UUCCSM since mid-1999. Links to sermon texts are included when made available by their authors. Audio recordings are also available for most sermons presented after September, 2007 by our staff ministers and others directly affiliated with our church (just click the speaker icon next to each sermon where it's available*). Audio from guest speakers is posted only when we have their permission to share it.
Rev. Greg’s sermons are now available for purchase. Monthly publications can be purchased at $10 per hard copy. Electronic copies are currently not available. Please send your payment to the office, or purchase online using the "MAKE A DONATION" link in the upper right-hand corner of this page. E-mail Diego Andres at oos@uusm.org and note which month you would like to purchase. Publications are generated as ordered. Any revenue raised beyond cost will go to the Ministerial discretionary fund which is used to assist members and friends in their time of need (such as shelter, food, utilities, medical, etc.)
"Leaving Room for Hope: Sermons for Uncertain Times," a book of Minister Emerita Judith Meyer's sermons, is available here.
[*Please Note: if you do not see the audio speaker icon below any of the sermons on this page, click the small lock-shaped icon next to the page's URL in your address bar, and in the drop-down menu that pops up, make sure "Flash" is set to "Allow." Then re-load the page, and you should be able to see the audio players. Sorry for any inconvenience - we are working to fix this issue.]
September 1, 2019
The Labor of Love
Monthly Theme: Expectation
Rev. Rae Chen Huang
August 25, 2019
Boomer One
Monthly Theme: Risk
Alison Kendall, Natalie Kahn, Aubrey Sassoon
Retirees, Boomers, Millennials, Kids--How Can We Communicate? Each stage of life has its unique challenges and tasks, and we find it easier to relate to others at the same stage. What can we learn by listening to those at another stage, and how do we connect when we are seemingly on different channels? Natalie Kahn, Alison Kendall and Aubrey Sassoon will discuss their efforts to relate to those at different life stages and our children will weigh in with ideas of their own. Let's explore the generation gap and how we might learn from each other.
August 18, 2019
Pose
Monthly Theme: Risk
Kikanza Nuri-Robins
Where can you tell your whole Truth? Is there any place that is safe enough to share all of who you are? If telling the truth is a virtue, why do we spend so much time wearing masks? What are the masks that you wear? Who knows what is behind your mask?
August 11, 2019 - 10:00am
The Poetry of Mary Oliver
Monthly Theme: Risk
Rima Snyder
Poet Mary Oliver lived a long and rich life, much of it in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where she wrote about the beauty of the natural world and her beloved Cape Cod. This morning we will learn about her early life, her philosophy and spiritual outlook. Some of her lesser known work will give us insight into Oliver's private and magical world.
August 4, 2019 - 10:00am
When We Gather as a Faith
Monthly Theme: Risk
Abby Arnold
The theme of this year's UUA General Assembly is "The Power of We". Members who attended GA in June will share the most inspiring experiences in this annual gathering of 3,000 Unitarian Universalists from across the nation.
July 28, 2019 - 10:00am
Liberation Through Surrender
Monthly Theme: Liberation
Rev. Stefanie Etzbach-Dale
While perseverance (not giving up on ourselves and each other) is clearly the call of these times, knowing when and what to surrender in the process can make all the difference in our individual and collective liberation.
The Rev. Stefanie Etzbach-Dale returns to this pulpit, where she was ordained in 2005, as affiliated UU Church of Palo Alto Community Minister. After serving various congregations in the Pacific Southwest District and Pacific Central District, she is currently building a private and small group practice (TendingSpirit.com) as a Spiritual Director: fostering Spiritual Courage in a Disruptive World. She believes this involves deep reverence for the complexity of the human experience and the imperative of personal and societal transformation. As an artist and student of esoteric studies, Rev. Stefanie strives to weave holy curiosity, expressive arts, humor, reverence, magic, and inspiration into all that she does.
July 21, 2019 - 10:00am
Woke Up with My Mind Staying on Freedom
Monthly Theme: Liberation
Abby Arnold
Black churches in the segregated South were the safe, community-owned cradles of the civil rights movement. I’ll talk about my recent pilgrimage with 50 other people, mostly Unitarian Universalists, to some of these churches, and the veterans of the movement we met along the way.
Our former Newsletter Editor and now a member of our Board of Directors, Abby Arnold works as a grant writer and policy consultant for nonprofit organizations.
July 14, 2019 - 10:00am
The Center of the Universe
Monthly Theme: Liberation
James Witker
Many of us have come to Unitarian Universalism seeking elusive truth and meaning in a tumultuous, troubled world. We may find that there is a New Story of the world emerging from incredible scientific discoveries, one that challenges traditional understandings and shakes some religious foundations. But rather than appearing bleak and meaningless, the human place in the universe that we can now see actually has profound spiritual meaning and implications for humanity’s greatest challenges.
A leader of our Faith In Action and AAHS groups and a board member of the UU Humanist Association, James Witker works as a producer and editor in film, TV, and documentaries.
July 7, 2019 - 10:00am
The Journey to Community Starts From Within
Monthly Theme: Liberation
Leonard Cachola
Each and every one of us has a story to tell about how we became Unitarian Universalists. While our spiritual journeys may be different, the end result is we are here at UUSM.
Choir member and former Board member Leonard Cachola, author of the memoir Cancer, Death, God, and Love, will talk about how telling the stories of our individual pasts can help move us to a future together in beloved community.
June 30, 2019 - 10:00am
Final Hurrah
Monthly Theme: Beauty
Robin Stillwater
So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight. My final sermon as your ministerial intern.