Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

“The Art of Waiting” Sunday, December 7, 2025 In Christian liturgy this is the season of waiting and preparation—of Advent. It is perfectly scheduled in the depths of winter, when so much feels like it is waiting, preparing, quietly under snow until the light draws it out again. Times of preparation are important and hard sometimes and are the places where transitions and change are made possible. What does Advent mean for you and us right now? How do you make space to meet it?   Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Carmen Barsody, Worship Associate; Galen Workman, Moderator, Board of Trustees; Reiko Oda Lane, organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Director; Wm. García Ganz, pianist Eric ShackelfordJonathan Silk, Communications Director; Kelvin Jones, Jose Matias Pineda, and Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Bread Communion, or Ate, and left no crumbs" Sunday, November 30, 2025 In this moment of vanishing resources, let us practice collective restoration through the ancient ritual of gathering as a community and breaking bread. Who is welcome at our table and in our pews? Mark Caswell, Ministerial Intern; Mari Magaloni Ramos, Worship Associate; Haruka Ota, cellist; Yuki Ota, cellist; Akane Ota, songleader; Wm. Garcia Ganz, pianist Eric Shackelford, Camera Operator; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Kelvin Jones, Jose Matias Pineda, and Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"The Spiritual Practice of Birding" Sunday, November 23, 2025 Like so many things we love, we are drawn to them because of the worlds they open up to us—outside us and within. In a month when we discuss gratitude, let's journey to how one person's relationship to the hobby, the avocation of birding, is a source of joy and so much more too.   Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Dennis Adams, Worship Associate; Linda Enger, Vice-Moderator, Board of Trustees; Reiko Oda Lane, organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Director; Wm. García Ganz, pianist Eli Boshears, Camera Operator; Jonathan Silk, OOS; Kelvin Jones, Jose Matias Pineda, and Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Roots and Wings of Hope: Emergent Wisdom from the Interdependent Web" Sunday, November 16, 2025 adrienne maree brown teaches, “We are part of a natural world that is constantly changing, and we need to learn to adapt together and stay in relationship if we hope to survive as a species.” Emergent strategy is “the way complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of relatively simple interactions.” How can UUs find hope from nature—birds in synchronized flight, entangled oak tree roots, and the structure of dandelions and fungi—and apply these lessons in biomimicry to our collective organizing against fascism, racism, and all forms of oppression? Rev. Kevin Alan Mann, Guest Preacher; Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Lori Lai, Worship Associate; Julia Wald, Trustee; Bell Choir led by Reiko Oda Lane, organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Director; Wm. García Ganz, pianist Eli Boshears, Camera Operators; Jonathan Silk, OOS; Jose Matias Pineda, and Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

"Lists of Gratitude" Sunday, November 9, 2025 To nurture gratitude, one has to find ways to be present to the world around them, take stock of what is in their life, and look at the journey they are on. We will actively contemplate these themes and consider what might be on our lists to be thankful for. Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Sam King, Worship Associate; Carl Cade, Board of Trustees; Rami Bar-Niv, pianist; Mark Sumner, songleader; Bill Ganz, pianist Eric Shackelford, Cameras; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Kelvin Jones, Jose Matias Pineda, and Francisco Castellanos, Sextons; Judy Payne, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher