Messages

A message from the monthly “Presence.” Join us for our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 6:00 pm as we travel from our sanctuary to Bethlehem to celebrate good tidings of great joy with stories, songs, prayers, and carols. Refreshments and fellowship will follow. All are welcome!

Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae & Rev. Dr. Kikanza Nuri-Robins, preaching

Chela Metzger, Worship Associate

Order of Service available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YkNhNcHjUh8LwEcjjV72kwgb5jGeb8dp/view?usp=sharing

A message from the monthly “Presence.” The Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae, preaching; Jef Travis, worship associate. Join us for our annual service celebrating the Winter Solstice. This is the darkest time of the year and the sacred darkness of the wintertime invites us to take a spiritual inventory of our lives to ensure we have all that we will need for the journey ahead. Music: Saunder Choi, music director; Thalia Moore, Olivia Salazar, Kion Heidari, & David Erik Peterson, vocalists; Ryan Humphrey, pianist. Time for All Ages: Jessica will share the story of “The Rebirth of the Sun,” a pagan tale about the winter solstice. Order of Service

A message from the monthly “Presence.” The Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae, preaching; Chela Metzger, worship associate. “Tradition” is a loaded word that can be triggering for many liberal religious folks who identify with our counter-cultural liberal religious movement. Join us this morning as we explore sacred tradition and the ways in which it can be grounding, inspiring, and powerful as we seek to make a positive impact in our lives and in the world around us. Music: Saunder Choi, music director; UUSM Choir with Thalia Moore, Olivia Salazar, Kion Heidari, & David Erik Peterson, vocalists; Ryan Humphrey, pianist. Time for All Ages: Jessica will ask the kids to share favorite holiday traditions, and talk about how traditions can connect us to the past and help us look to the future. Order of Service

A message from the monthly “Presence.” We are in the Season of Lights. Celebrants from many traditions use lights and the metaphors of light and darkness to prepare for what is next. The next miracle, the next season, the next year. What is next for you? What are you preparing for? Waiting for? Join us as we celebrate this season of waiting with songs. The Rev. Dr. Kikanza Nuri-Robins, preaching; Chela Metzger, worship associate; Saunder Choi, music director; Kion Heidari, vocalist; Ryan Humphrey, pianist. Time for All Ages: Kids will present a Christmas scene and a song from the perspective of the animals in the manger. Order of Service

A message from the monthly “Presence.” In this autumnal season of elders and ancestors, many Unitarian Universalist congregations offer a special Heritage Sunday that uplifts the spiritual journey of one or more of our elders. This will be our first Heritage Sunday, and Bob Dietz will be sharing some of his long quest with Unitarian Universalism with our beloved community this morning. We will also enter into the Advent Season as we light candles and learn to find our way in the growing darkness of this season. Time for All Ages: Jessica will talk about how the theme of light connects many world religions during the winter holidays. Bob Dietz, guest speaker. The Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae, minister. Order of Service

A message from the monthly “Repair.” Join us for our annual holiday service in which we give thanks for the many blessings of our lives as we deepen our commitments to intersectional anti-racism and anti-oppression and grieve the painful history of this holiday. In addition to continuing our exploration of antidotes to white supremacy culture, we will share in a bread and wine (or juice) communion and reflect upon this practice as part of our Unitarian Universalist heritage. The Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae, preaching. Chela Metzger, worship associate. Order of Service

A message from the monthly “Repair.” We’ve accomplished a lot in our multi-year developmental ministry journey which has been guided by over twenty goals that address most areas of congregational functioning. We’ve had challenges and setbacks, which are to be expected, a global pandemic, and we’ve made substantial progress and grown in new and exciting ways. What have we learned? What work remains? How can we be intentional in our transition out of developmental ministry and into settled ministry at the end of the next congregational year? Time for All Ages: Jessica will talk about how baseball teaches us a lesson about working together as a team, and how the best teams include many different kinds of people. The Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae, preaching. Karen Hsu Patterson, worship associate. Order of Service

A message from the monthly “Repair.” After a long race, whether one wins or loses, there is the desire for rest. Rest, however may not be what is needed. What is necessary in times of great stress and in the midst of jubilation is perseverance. Keep focused and keep going. There is much work to do. Time for All Ages: Jessica will talk about listening to our feelings and what they are telling us about what we need to keep going. The Rev. Dr. Kikanza Nuri-Robins, preaching. Dr. Susan Hendricks, worship associate. Order of Service

A message from the monthly “Repair.” Let us lift our voices and our spirits in support of democracy and our progressive Unitarian Universalist values this Sunday! Join us for a special participatory music-centered service as we celebrate our UU the Vote efforts and help keep the hope and joy alive in our world. Time for All Ages: Jessica will share a story about Woody Guthrie and the song “This Land Is Your Land.” The Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae, preaching. Judith Martin-Straw, worship associate. Order of Service

A message from the monthly “Deep Listening.” Our annual multi-generational service honoring the Day of the Dead and this season of holidays invite us to think of another world and celebrate our beloveds who have moved beyond us from this life. Our Garden of Eternity service will follow the Sunday service as we remember those whose names are inscribed in our hearts and in our memorial garden with sacred song, the sharing of memories, and blessings. Time for All Ages: Vilma will share part two of “Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead.” The Rev. Jeremiah Lal Shahbaz Kalendae and Jessica TenHave-Place, preaching. Dr. Susan Hendricks, worship associate. Order of Service