Complete Service-first Unitarian Universalist Society Of San Francisco

"The Promise in the Desert" (August 2, 2020) Some have begun calling 2020 "The Great Reckoning," a time when the injustices of reality are fully being called in by the promises of our possibility. It is a powerful, scary, tense, creative, and uncertain time in our lives. Drawing inspiration from the story of Hajar in the Islamic Traditions, we will explore what it can mean to believe in the promise of our faith in these times, and how to deepen our resilience as Unitarian Universalists manifesting justice and love. Rev. Ranwa Hammamy, Executive Director, UU Legislative Ministry of California Sam King, Worship Associate Larry Chinn, jazz pianist Asher Davison, sonleader Mark Sumner, songleader Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound

"From Fragility to Accountability" (July 26, 2020) This Sunday, there is a journey we'd like you to take with us.  Let us go as seekers. We will pack a little bag and wander along a less traveled path. It's a path that we hope, one day, will become well worn as others follow us into a new place. We won’t be following an easy trail, but the promise of this journey is that we will become less anxious and more steadfast in the work of anti-racism.  We have a responsibility that has been nagging at us for generation upon generation, and now is a very good time to take up the mantle handed to us by our ancestors. It is time to survey the landscape and ask ourselves, “How has this nation’s history of racism shaped my life and my community?” And what if along this road we discover new possibilities that fuel us towards a more just society? What if the contentment that comes with facing the past illustrates for us—in bright, living color—what a stronger, healthier, more just community might be?&

"Poetry for Summer Musing" (July 19, 2020) Periodically diving deep in the world of poetry is like asking someone to hold a frame around the ordinary or a magnifying glass against the small that holds universes. What better time for such presence to ordinary that is anything but ordinary than summer days -- bring a blade of grass to put between your teeth! Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Sam King, Worship Associate Jill Rachuy Brindel, cello Marilyn Thompson, pianist Asher Davison, song leader Wm. García Ganz, pianist Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound

"The Power of Witnessing" (July 12, 2020) In W.H. Auden's poem "Musee des Beaux Arts" the poet describes two Brueghel paintings and in both something about the witnessing or missing of huge moments in the human drama was/is the theme. It got me thinking about this act of witnessing, why and how it is important to us, a salve, a buoy. And how it might actually be one of the most important and not-so-difficult gifts we can give one another. Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Alex Darr, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, organist Joyce Lee, flutist My-Hoa Steger, pianist Asher Davison, song leader Ben Rudiak-Gould, song leader Jon Silk, drums Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound

"Exquisite Risk" (July 5, 2020) Following on our sermon on "Negotiating Risk" (May 17) we will look this Sunday at the flip side of risk -- that part of engaging life that is scary but gorgeous and transformative, that keeps us growing and alive. Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Dennis Adams, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, organist Gilead Wurman, baritone Asher Davison, bass-baritone Wm. Garcia Ganz, pianist Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

"The Perfect Day" (June 28, 2020) In the story of creation told in Hebrew Scriptures, after six days of work creating heaven and earth, God took a day off. And so there’s a long tradition in Judaism and Christianity and Islam this day of Sabbath so the actual day that’s marked as such as different in each tradition. It is a day of mandatory rest. A day in which we are supposed to pretend that everything is perfect as it is and well in the gorgeousness of life at our feet. To me this is a genius creation by man or God who or whatever you want to credit it to. And I want to talk again about why. Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Sharon Weld, Ministerial Intern Reiko Oda Lane, organist Allen Biggs, marimbist Asher Davison, song leader Mary Jane Mikuriya, Internship Committee Marie Kazan-Komarek, Internship Committee Luanne Schulte, Internship Committee Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

"Lost Stories" (June 21, 2020) June 19th, every year, also known as Juneteenth, Freedom Day, Black Fourth of July, is the day in The United States that we commemorate June 19, 1865, when two and a half years after the Emanciation Proclamation was implemented, enslaved African Americans in parts of the South finally got word of their liberation.  As we commemorate that date we will look at the history of lost stories, as part of the legacy of slavery and the founding fabric of the United States.  We will tell the story of Bilali. Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Judith Stoddard, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, organist Michele Kennedy, soprano My-Hoa Steger, pianist Jon Silk, drums Carlton Ball, actor Michael Bossier, actor Jayanti Chapot, actor Alyson Jacks, actor Don Shearer, actor Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

A Welcoming Community (June 14, 2020) We look at the importance of community and the power of radical welcoming - a celebration of the congregation and a thanks for priceless gifts. This will be Sharon's last sermon with us as our 2019-2020 Ministerial Intern. Sharon Weld, Ministerial Intern Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister Reiko Oda Lane, organist Jennifer Peringer, pianist Ben Rudiak-Gould, song leader Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

For Such a Time as This (June 7, 2020) Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Rochelle Fortier Nwadibia, Worship Associate Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor Asher Davison, bass-baritone Wm. Garcia Ganz, pianist Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits, drums

“Apart/Together” (May 31, 2020) One of the side-effects of physical distancing and shelter-in-place is loneliness. According to Dr. Vivek Murthy, the former Surgeon General, research shows that more than 20% of the US adult population struggles with loneliness, and that was before COVID19. Social connection is baked into our nervous system. We need human interaction to survive. What causes loneliness and how can we help to alleviate it?  Faith communities, I think, are a great place to begin the conversation. Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister Richard Davis-Lowell, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, organist Michele Kennedy, soprano Brielle Neilson, mezzo-soprano My-Hoa Steger, pianist Jon Silk, drums Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

"The Human Spirit, Hardy and Delicate" (May 24, 2020) Poppies come to us in magnificent clumps of color. They grow wild. They bring us hope.  If not for their brightly colored blooms, they would be considered a weed, given how their seeds drift on the wind and take root by any road or on any hillside. Their flowers are delicate, their life force is hardy. It was for these characteristics that they became Memorial Day's symbol of remembrance. In wartime, we want to protest the violence and honor the lives of those serving. It is never easy to reconcile loss, especially untimely or violent loss, and regret. It is our task to hold both things, letting neither outweigh the other. It is our task to honor the human spirit which is both hardy and delicate. Carmen Barsody, Faithful Fool Sam Dennison, Faithful Fool Sharon Weld, Ministerial Intern Andrés Vera, cellist My-Hoa Steger, pianist Asher Davison, song leader Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Hos

"Negotiating Risk" (May 17, 2020) Life is risky business, always, and always has been, but life right now has put the idea of risk at the center of our lives, and in more ways than one. Let's talk risk and what it brings into sharp(er) focus in our own lives and the world, and how this close dance-with-risk might change us! Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Sam King, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, organ Mark Sumner, bass Wm. Garcia Ganz, piano Asher Davison, bass-baritone Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

"It Takes a Village: The People Who Shaped Us" (May 10, 2020) Mothers are important, but also mothering and befriending, grand parenting and neighboring all shape us too as we grow, come to know ourselves, choose how and who we'd like to be in the world.  This Mother's Day we will celebrate the stories of, as Garrison Keillor says, "The Mothers and Others." Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Anish Johnson, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, organ Mark Sumner, bass Wm. Garcia Ganz, piano Brielle Nielson, mezzo-soprano Asher Davison, bass-baritone Jon Silk, drums Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

"How Are You Feeling?" (May 3, 2020) Fred Rogers taught us that it's important to express our feelings, and to be listened to and respected. It's not always easy to say what's in our hearts. We need to feel safe and know that others can be trusted. It's what we strive for in our Sunday School, and in all of our church interactions. This Sunday, we'll draw lessons from Mr. Rogers neighborhood that can help us on our way. This Sunday concludes our formal Sunday School programming. Our children and youth will join us virtually for the start of worship for a special Message for all Ages, then depart for their virtual classes, and wrap up for the church year. Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister Reiko Oda Lane, organ Mark Sumner, piano and baritone My-Hoa Steger, piano and soprano Brielle Nielson, mezzo-soprano Asher Davison, bass-baritone Jon Silk, drums Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound,

"Life in the Monastery" (April 26, 2020) Part of me has always wanted to live in a monastery. The only problem is that my spouse wouldn't agree, and there are all those vows too. Lately, though, there is a lot monastic about my life, and maybe yours. What if we think of framing our time of stay-at-home as "Life in the Monastery"? What would that mean or might it. Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Dennis Adams, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, organ Giacomo Fiore, electric guitar and electronics My-Hoa Steger, pianist Brielle Nielson, mezzo-soprano Asher Davison, bass-baritone Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

"Earth’s Lessons" (April 19, 2020) On April 22,1970 “teach-ins” launched the first Earth Day. Fifty years later, voices from across the globe are demanding that we wake up, double down, and respond more quickly to the climate crisis. “Climate change is a timed test” (McKibben) and the 2020s will be our exam. This is neither a test of individual purity, nor an exam we can pass alone.  In this time of trauma and possibility, what are we learning? How can our faith help us to answer this existential call? Rev. Lindi Ramsden, Guest Minister Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Sharon Weld, Ministerial Intern Reiko Oda Lane, organ Dr. Mark Sumner, piano Asher Davison, bass-baritone Michele Kennedy, soprano Jon Silk, drums Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, Social Media Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

"Easter in Holy Week Times" (April 12, 2020) This, you might say, is not exactly an Easter time.  The events of Holy Week, as it is traditionally celebrated, feel so much more accurate a description of where most of us find ourselves around the globe. We live now, more than we often do, together in the shadow of loss, keeping company with human limitations, facing our mortality, and present to all the ways in which bad things happen to good and not-so-good people alike. You might say we are a Covid-19 global tribe weather Holy Week times. So where is the hope and joy of Easter Sunrise for us?  Let's name it and sing of it together! Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister Sharon Weld, Ministerial Intern *Reiko Oda Lane, organ *Tom Dambly, trumpet *Handbell Choir Dr. Mark Sumner, piano Asher Davison, bass-baritone Laurel Sprigg, soprano Jon Silk, drums Eric Shackelford, camera **Joe Chapot, Social Media Support **Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonath

"At Ease" (April 5, 2020) During times of crisis and uncertainty, we experience suffering, and seek out ways to bring comfort to those in need, including ourselves. It being Palm Sunday, and Buddha’s birthday on April 8, we’ll journey with Jesus and Buddha to contemplate ways we can ease suffering and bring comfort to our souls. Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister Sharon Weld, Ministerial Intern Reiko Oda Lane, organ Wm García Ganz, piano Asher Davison, vocals Brielle Nelson, vocals Jon Silk, drums Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, YouTube Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits

"Perspective: The Power of Climbing up onto the Balcony and What Can We See?" (March 29, 2020) We all know that anxiety and fear sharpen our minds and brains down to a narrow tunnel of needs and priorities and put our thoughts on infinite repeats of certain “What If’s” — or a long, tired, bleak list of them. The antidote to that is, in part, perspective, what one author called, “Getting up on the balcony.” So, let’s try and get up there, this morning. What can we see from the balcony of these days? What’s the long view? What do we ourselves, even, look like from up here? Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Sharon Weld, Ministerial Intern David Heilbron, Worship Associate Reiko Oda Lane, organ My-Hoa Steger, piano Brielle Neilson, mezzo soprano Ben Rudiak-Gould, tenor Eric Shackelford, camera Joe Chapot, YouTube Social Media Chat Support Alex Darr, Zoom Remote Host Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Drums, Video Edits

"Are We Saved?" (March 22, 2020) A sermon about the age-old religious question and the honest-to-God answer (at least by this preacher)! Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister Joe Chapot, Office Assistant & Young Adult Coordinator Reiko Oda Lane, organ My Hoa Steger, piano Michele Kennedy, soprano Asher Davison, bass Eric Shackelford, camera Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound, Podcasting, Video Edits