Complete Service-first Unitarian Universalist Society Of San Francisco

The Speckled Bird The Rev. Dr. David Sammons A minister in Maine found himself wondering, as Emerson once did, what he was doing in church when what attracted him most during the week were his walks in the beautiful woods that lay behind his house. He just loved the speckled birds that chirped around his pond. But though he loved his walks, and felt in touch with the divine when he was on them, the minister part of him found something of value in church, too. How does out faith relate to its history, tradition, and Sunday gatherings to the world outside, with both its beauty and challenges? The Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Interim Senior Minister Judith Stoddard, Worship Associate Dr. Mark Sumner, Pianist Jiun-Chyi Yew, Soprano Soloist Laurel Sprigg, Soprano Soloist Kate Offer, Soprano Soloist Jonathan Silk, Sound, Order of Service & Podcast, Podcast

We are delighted to welcome Sister Sheila Flynn back to our pulpit this Sunday. Sister Sheila has been an annual visitor to our congregation since she first came here in 2002 at the invitation of our Minister Emerita, Margot Campbell Gross. Sister Sheila’s ministry to women, children and men, infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in the poorest communities in South Africa.She is the founder, and mentor to the women of Kopanang, a collective that makes beautiful embroidery work—including the World Religions panels in our Chapel.On this Sunday morning Sister Sheila Flynn and the Reverend Margot Campbell Gross will explore what it means to be faithful—to a moral code, to a relationship, to a religion, to a community, to oneself. Sister Sheila Flynn, Guest Preacher The Rev. Margot Campbell Gross, Minister Emerita Dr. Mark Sumner, Choir Director Reiko Oda Lane, Organist & Bell Choir Director Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

Most days our lives are fine, then BAM, something bad happens, often something really bad, then what? What do we do? How do we handle, pain, frustration, humiliation, loss? Particularly when we are in the midst of what's happening it's hard to figure out how we're going to get through it and move on with our lives. But that's our task. Life is a gift and we owe it - and ourselves - a commitment to live it well. This Sunday Dave Sammons will share  some thoughts about it. The Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Interim Senior Minister Millie Phillips, Worship Associate Dr. Mark Sumner, Choir Director Reiko Oda Lane, Organist Kate Offer, Soprano Soloist Ted Arnold, Tenor Soloist Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

The metaphor of the interdependent web combines universalist love with unitarian wholeness into a vision of cosmic unity and goodness.  This is a large idea that lies at the heart of UU faith and asks us to stretch ourselves wide to be worthy of it. The Rev. Dr. Jay Atkinson, Guest Minister John Young, Worship Associate Dr. Mark Sumner, Choir Director Reiko Oda Lane, Organist & Bell Choir Director Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

September is the month of High Holy Days, a time when people are asked to think about the mistakes they've made and how to deal with them. Mistakes can be embarrassing, but people are embarrassed by a lot of things that have nothing to do with mistakes, like when our Interim Senior Minister was asked to join in a flash dance at his son's recent wedding. This Sunday he'll explore what it is that causes embarrassment, why it's such a troubling emotion and how we can deal with it. The Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Interim Senior Minister The Rev. Alyson Jacks, Minister of Family Life Derek Czajka, Worship Associate Dr. Mark Sumner, Choir Director & Pianist Leela Pratt, Young Performer's International Choir Director & Pianist Elliott Pennington, Vocalist Ushers led by Linda Messner Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

In an intriguing book called Why Does the World Exist? Jim Holt, an explorer of the intersection of science and philosophy asks: "Why is there something rather than nothing?" If the answer is: "because some thing created something out of nothing," does that something have to be God? Dave Sammons has been wrestling with questions like this for a long time. Discovering that God might not have to be the answer is one of the things that drew him and many of the rest of us into thuis peculiar faith we call Unitarian Universalism. The Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Interim Senior Minister The Rev. Alyson Jacks, Minister of Family Life Christine Patch-Lindsay, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, Organist Toby Branz, Soprano Soloist Mark Johnson, Piano Accompanist Kerry Parker, Songleader Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

"In April at the Pacific Western Regional Assembly, Rev. Sarah Moldenhauer-Salazar preached a sermon that made waves across the Region inspiring a new way of thinking about Unitarian Universalism for the 21st century. She has agreed to come preach it for us. Please join us to hear Rev. Sarah's inspiring message. Rev. Sarah serves our movement as the President of the Pacific Central District UU Ministers Associating and as a Trustee of the Starr King School for the Ministry. She currently serves as a community minister for a non-profit working with homeless youth." The Rev. Sarah Moldenhauer-Salazar, Guest Minister The Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, Organist Dr. Mark Sumner, Choir Director Maria Solis, Soprano Soloist William Klingelhoffer, Shofar Gayle Atkinson, Quartet Kerry Parker, Quartet David Jones, Quartet Mark Johnson, Quartet Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

"The idea of "home" has meaning for most people, but what is the meaning? Is home a place we're from and can come back to? Is it something in which we're rooted or something from which we want or need to escape? We'll explore the meaning of home in our lives on this, our "Homecoming Sunday," the time when we celebrate our new church year."

"Some say religion comes from a God-given revelation. But which of them is true? The one that came to Moses, the Buddha, Paul, Mohammad, Baha'u'llah Joseph Smith or Mary Baker Eddy? What if, instead of being based on revelation religion is just something that evolved from the time people began sitting around campfires and telling stories. If this is the case, how does Unitarian Universalism fit into that evolution?" The Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Interim Senior Minister Emily Wilson, Worship Associate Brenden Guy, Clarinetist Mark Johnson, Pianist Dr. Mark Sumner, Pianist and Song Leader Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

"Small Group Ministries is an ongoing program to help us deepen our connections to each other, to grow spiritually, and to strengthen our San Francisco Unitarian Universalist community as a whole. Small Groups, each with about ten people, meet twice monthly to share important parts of their lives. They practice deep listening, which enables participants to form lasting friendships, a stronger community, and to minister to each other." The Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Interim Senior Minister The Rev. Margot Campbell Gross, Small Group Ministry Julia DeFranco, Small Group Ministry Kristen Gray, Small Group Ministry Stan Hartzel, Small Group Ministry David Jones, Small Group Ministry Megan Lehmer (chair), Small Group Ministry Margaret Levitt, Small Group Ministry Millie Phillips, Small Group Ministry Alison Rittger, Small Group Ministry Judith Stoddard, Small Group Ministry Reiko Oda Lane, Organist Nanette McGuinness, Soprano Soloist David Jones, Pianist Millie Phillips, Song Leader Jonathan Silk, Sound

"Dave Sammons often wears rather unusual garments when he preaches. They're called "chasubles." In the Roman Catholic tradition they are kind of over-garments worn by the priest in recognition of the liturgical season the church is now in. Dave's have  a different history and a different meaning. This Sunday he'll wear a chasuble whose design is taken from a painting by Alexander Calder with a tie to our city. In describing his  painting Calder says it was taken from an image of the red fiery fingers of the sun rising from a yellow sea while he was on board a ship headed for San Francisco. Dave will use this image both to introduce himself and to talk abvout the year he'll be spending with us as our Interim Senior Minister - a role he feels honored to have been asked to fill." The Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Interim Senior Minister Alison Rittger, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, Organist Kate Offer, Song Leader Jonas Magram, Guitarist, Vocalist, Pianist Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Ser

"What does it mean to live a religious life if you are not what most people would consider religious? Unitarian Universalism is a unique religion in that it not only welcomes people who follow other faiths, but also those typically referred to as non-believers: atheists, agnostics, those who have rejected other faith traditions, and those who were raised, like today's guest preacher, to reject religion altogether. In fact, these so-called non- believers make up a fair percentage of the people in our pews. What brings us here? What might we believe? UU ministerial student Millie Phillips, a self- identified "non-theist religious humanist," will address these questions."         Millie Phillips, Guest Preacher and Seminarian Judith Stoddard, Worship Associate Jef Caers, Flutist Greg Meissner, Tenor Soloist David Lee, Pianist Reiko Oda Lane, Organist Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

Do you remember when you first learned to ride? It was, at heart, an act of faith. Rev. Vail Weller is the Special Assistant to the President for Major Gifts at the Unitarian Universalist Association. She has served as a parish minister in West Virginia, Michigan, and most recently, San Mateo, CA.         Reverend Vail Weller, Guest Minister Reverend Dr. John Young, Worship Associate Maria Solis, Soprano Soloist Dr. Carmen Lemoine, Flutist David Jones, Pianist Dr. Mark Sumner, Song Leader, Pianist Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

Considered this country's poet laureate by many Americans of African descent, Langston Hughes' work also captured the feelings, experiences, and dreams common to all human beings.  Poetry, it has been said, the middle zone between words and music.  Langston Hughes wanted his poems to convey the spirit of American jazz. A look at his life, his religion, and his message.         Reverend Ben Bortin, Guest Minister Alison Rittger, Worship Associate Larry Chinn, Pianist Elizabeth Hornby, Pianist Maria Solis, Song Leader Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

Best known for his song-writing and union organizing activities, Woody Guthrie also produced a large quantity of writing (mostly unpublished) on matters of religion and spirituality in a strongly universalist vein. Rev. Steve Edington’s   book and sermon, Bring Your Own God, holds up some of these writings and places them in the context of Woody’s overall life. His book is the result of two years of research at the Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives. Reverend Steve Edington, Guest Minister Christine Patch-Lindsay, Worship Associate Thomas Yee, Violinist Wm. García Ganz, Pianist Kate Offer, Song Leader Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

Without water to drink there is no life. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) has chosen the “human right to water” as one of its primary four areas of focus.  It is an issue of environmental justice. This Sunday we will celebrate the justice work of the UUSC and the remarkable work we have been doing in California and around the world to make safe drinking water available for everyone.

Overcoming Social Anxiety to Recognize Belonging. For some of us, it can be hard to remember that we all belong in the interconnected web of life when we don’t even feel like we belong among our friends. Let’s explore together what it would look like to cut through our anxiety, recognize our belonging, and from that place invite our friends to join us Molly Johnson, Guest Preacher and Seminarian Rev. Dr. John Young, Worship Associate David Jones, Pianist Kate Offer, Soprano Soloist Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

The Reverend Dr. Stephen Furrer leading his last service as UUSF’s Interim Senior Minister, and joined by the incoming Interim Senior Minister, the Reverend Dr. David Sammons in which they will ceremonially hand over the ministerial reigns/mantle/keys and invite the worshipping community to renew its commitment to freedom of the pulpit and freedom of the pew.

For contemporary UUs it's easy to forget our Christian roots. The same is true for Dave Sammons. But coming off a long tenure on the board of a Progressive Christian seminary he has often wondered what it would be like if he actually were a Christian - not a Christian like you might find in a conservative church, but the kind of Christian one is being taught to be at a progressive school, like the one on whose board he sat. The Rev. Dr. David Sammons, Consulting Minister The Reverend Dr. Stephen H. Furrer, Worship Associate Dr. Mark Sumner, Pianist and Song Leader Thomas Yee, Violinist Reiko Oda Lane, Organist Jonathan Silk, Sound and Order of Service

Reverend Stephen Furrer shares some impressions on ministry, the sacred, church dynamics, his tenure at UUSF, and that which signifies. New Member In-gathering Ceremony during worship and a reception afterwards honoring our new members and the nearly concluded interim senior ministry of Reverend Stephen Furrer. The Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Furrer,Interim Senior Minister Christine Patch-Lindsay, Worship Associate George Cavage, Membership Chair Christine Tulis, Harpist and Vocalist Ken Stralka, Percussionist and Keyboardist Kerry Parker, Order of Service Support; Amy Kelly, Flowers Eric Rawlins, Sound; Kate Offer, Song Leader