Sunday Services

Meeting Times:
We had one service, at 10:00 am, for the summer. We shifted to two services, at 9:30 and 11:00 am, on September 13, 2009. (One service on the Sundays after Thanksgiving and Christmas.)

We leave some previous sermon topics here, to give you an idea of the things we talk about. We have the complete text of some sermons on-line, by our Minister, our Intern, and our Guests.

Well Intentioned, But...
February 21, 2010
Rev. Grace Simons
"Well Intentioned, but sometimes clueless." I have to admit that even though I think I'm fairly well informed about Black History, every now & then something really surprises and shocks me. The latest? An explanation of why the phrase "brown bag" can be offensive. (Some places choose to say 'bring your own lunch.') So let's talk about why Black History Month is needed and valuable -- even for those of us who think we're 'enlightened' in regard to racial issues.

Standing on the Side of Love
February 14, 2010
UUFSC Members
Love, we all know, can be incredibly powerful. It can influence us to behave selfishly or selflessly. It can transport us to the heights of ecstasy or push us to the depths of despair. On February 14th, Valentine’s Day, we plan to share stories, poems and music celebrating some of the poignant, amusing or inspirational aspects of love.

The Homestretch
February 7, 2010
Rev. Leroy Egenberger
My theme is inspired by a booklet by my colleague, the Rev. Tom Owen-Towle. The goal of ones "homestretch" is to "finish life well...with grace, juice and dignity" This is of particular interest to us older folks. But even the young have been known to have this on their mind.

Culture Mentality
January 31, 2010
Paula Braxton, Ministerial Intern
How does a group of people justify abhorrent actions because those actions are accepted as a part of their culture. Groupthink, mob mentality, culture mentality. A discussion of how these aspects of culture can distort a groups world view.

A Time for War, A Time for Peace
January 24, 2010
Rev. Grace Simons
President Obama invoked the "Just War" tradition when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize last month. There's no small irony in receiving the prize while in the midst of fighting two wars. What is Just War theory? How does it relate to peacemaking? Are they opposites? Why is it so hard for people to live in peace? Can we do anything to encourage an outbreak of peace? I'm no expert on these issues. Let's consider them together.
Read the sermon.

Serving Families in our Community
January 17, 2010
Leah Silvestre
As Executive Director of the Parent Resource Center, an organization whose mission is the prevention of child abuse, Leah works with parents who are reforming their lives in a holistic manner. She will give us an agency overview as well as tell us client stories, including information about the family our Fellowship "adopted" for Christmas.

Spreading the Word
January 10, 2010
Rev. Grace Simons
How can we spread the word of Unitarian Universalism without being pushy? Without coming off as a zealot? Surely there's ground between secrecy and proselytizing! Let's find that! Do you remember when we talked about 'elevator speeches'? Maybe it's time to polish them up. When you say you're a Unitarian Universalist and get a blank stare in return, what can you say about us? What should you say?
Read the sermon.

Removing Roadblocks
January 3, 2010
Rev. Grace Simons
As we begin the New Year, it's traditional to look both forward and back. What do we want for this New Year? What should we bring along from the year just past and what should be left behind ... or even deliberately cast off? It seems there are always some obstacles and barriers to the path we'd like to take. How can we keep them from standing in our way? This service will continue our "Burning Bowl" tradition, a symbolic way of destroying the weights and barriers blocking our new beginnings.