Starr King Unitarian Universalist Church

Hear a lecture on Evil which the Guest Speaker defines as "The willful imposition of extreme and unnecessary suffering".  There will be an introductory reading by Jim Lewis of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's essay "After Ten Years".

We are people of many paths who come together to make a difference for our world and ourselves. Ours is a shared spiritual journey offering ongoing opportunities for learning and growing together. We gather as a community to care for one another and practice our principles by answering the call for social justice.

Guest Speaker: Rev. Greg Ward.  Falling in love can be amazing, wonderful, intoxicating and provides one of the best portals to truth, purpose and meaning the Universe offers.  It can also be disorienting, confusing, mysterious and scary.  It feels like we are asked to set aside every lesson our fear and ego taught us and learn an entirely new language.  And the truth is, that is exactly what Love is asking. 

Glenn Jacobs discusses the role of the worship associate and Bob Meyerson explores the way we use words to describe spirituality.

The family is a living evolving entity.  There are no two families alike. Each have their own "finger print" creating family credos unique to their spiritual needs.  Our guest speak is Lorie Miller.

As we celebrate Martin Luther King Day, we are mindful of how his message continues to inspire us and guide the new generations. Multi-generational service.

Inspired by the Latin American tradition of Las Posadas, we reflect upon the meaning and practice of radical hospitality.

We often think about meditation, religious rituals, or pilgrimages as spiritual practices. Yet the journey of parenting also offers us opportunities to grow spiritually as we embrace change every day. In addition to Rev. Maria Cristina, you will hear testimonials from Xiomara Tapia, Bethany Salway, Mary Lou Schuler, Michelle Lovett-Fink, and Amy Pete & Inés Thiebaut.

Terri Owen shares her stories about volunteering at South Hayward Parish Food Bank for many years.  There will be an introduction by Rev. Maria Cristina talking about her visit there with Terri earlier in the week.

Commemorating the Days of the Dead with our annual Community Altar.  

A service dedicated to Forgiveness, of ourselves and each other.

Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religious tradition that was formed from the consolidation of two religions: Unitarianism and Universalism. Both religions have long histories and have contributed important theological concepts that remain central to Unitarian Universalism. Since the merger of the two denominations in 1961, Unitarian Universalism has nurtured its Unitarian and Universalist heritages to provide a strong voice for social justice and liberal religion.

Listen to scenes 1 & 2 from the original Murder Mystery Musical Comedy written by Glen Jacob. Includes songs "X Marks the Spot" and "1899".  

Unitarian Universalism is predominantly a faith of “come-inners,” those who joined the church as adults, with a minority of “born-inners,” those who were born or grew up as UUs. We may come from the faith tradition of our childhood, or we may come from no faith tradition at all. Most of us have in common, however, the experience of being raised in a tradition other than Unitarian Universalism. Stories abound of UU congregants saying, “I was always a Unitarian Universalist, but didn’t know it,” or “I finally found a church community where I could express my beliefs and have them accepted.” Gatherings of newcomers express joy at finding a community of like-minded people. Hear testimonials about "Building Your Own Theology" by Donnie Rett and Beth Ogilvie as well as a sermon by Rev. Maria Cristina.  

Join us as we gather for our annual water ceremony to welcome another year together and recommit ourselves to our shared spiritual journeys and ministries. The Water Ceremony ritual was created in 1980 by two Unitarian Universalist women—Carolyn McDade and Lucile Schuck Longview. They considered water as more than simply a metaphor; That water is elemental and primary, calling forth feelings of awe and reverence. Today, this ritual speaks to our connectedness to one another, to the totality of life, and our commitment to environmental justice. We believe that Water is Life and choose water as a symbol of our solidarity with communities struggling to have access to clean water. You are invited to bring water from your favorite place (including your kitchen sink) for our water ritual.

Labor Day Service (Bob Britton); "Self Employed" by David Ignatow (Emily Watkins), "The Sign in My Father's Hands" by Martin Espada (Bob Britton), "Poem by Poem" by Juan Felipe Herrera (Mary Lasick), "Bent to the Earth" Blas Manuel de Luna (Ethel-May Shaw), "What Work Is" Philip Levine (Dirk Dino), from "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck (Frank Burton), "The Life of a Digger" by Margarita Engle (Rev. Maria Cristina)

Winds of War by Al Murdach. War and peace are much in the news lately. It was even bigger news in 1941. Join us to return to that time and hear about the debates that rankled the media and the public then. Hard to believe that then the U.S. public was, according to polls, 90% anti-war and pro-peace. But this would quickly change. Come and find out what this was like and what happened. You will hear a discussion sponsored by the America First Committee. Sound familiar? Performers: Stuart Fink, Glen Jacob, Mary Lasack, and Bob Meyerson

When in times of struggle, why should we feel joyful? Join us for musical offerings and thoughts on joy.

Join us as we celebrate the joy of books, writing, and the creative process. Bring a book to put upon the alter for our annual book communion. Hear testimonials by Stuart Fink, Al Murdach, Emily Watkins, and Glen Jacob.