Put on your dancing shoes and join us at the UUCPA Square Dance!
Date: September, 19 2026
Time: 7-10 PM
Location: UUCPA Main Hall
Light Snacks/Drinks will be served.
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for September, 2026:
9/6 The 2026 midterm elections / The USA’s Hunger Games – Dave Joki
9/13 Mindfulness – Susan Owicki
9/20 What you have learned about keeping stuff – Mango Martin
9/27 Discussion of matters of current local, national, & international interest, ...
The first day of Religious Education starts this Sunday. See below for Registration information.
After the Story for All Ages in the Main Hall, all children and youth (preschool – Coming of Age) are invited to come to our interclass ingathering where we will make a giant chalice together and get to know our classmates and ...
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 5:30 to 9 p.m., is our annual Auction, the biggest party of the year, with tasty food, live music, and fun for all ages. And it’s free to attend! Yes!—the Balloon Lady will be there to create the amazing (even wearable) balloon art you request.
During the silent and live Auction, you ...
Are you new or newish to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto? Want to deepen your connection with the congregation but aren’t sure how? Or want to gain clarity about what it means to be a UU? If so, Starting Point is for you.
We will meet on four Sundays (Sep 27, Oct 11, Oct 25, ...
FOR YOUR SAFETY AT ALL TIMES, PLEASE RESPECT ANY BARRIERS AND SIGNAGE ON CAMPUS.
Closure of the exit driveway is soon. When signs appear, the entrance driveway will have NO PARKING and TWO-WAY TRAFFIC. Please use care.
CURRENT CLOSURE STATUS:
KITCHEN + CHOIR ROOM
The kitchen and choir room are closed for construction until further notice. The hallway next ...
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for August, 2026:
8/2 Turning points in history – Susan Owicki
8/9 Personal health advice and healthy practices – Mango Martin
8/16 Human behaviors exhibited by some wild animals – Warren Schmidt
8/23 Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How ...
The Action Council has approved a request from Nancy Neff to co-sponsor the Proposition 4 (Allow Public Financing of Election Campaigns) Kickoff on Saturday, October 3 from 2:30-5:30 in the Main Hall. The Board will be considering a full church endorsement of this event later this month.
As a reminder, the Action Council and Board previously approved a full church endorsement of Proposition 4, which ...
Hello Lovely people,
Thriving Together, UUCPA’s health and wellness support group, is meeting next month Sunday, Sept 6th.
(Our usual first Sunday meeting in August, this Sunday, is cancelled due to a positive COVID test in my household ).
Our group is open for regulars and new people to attend anytime. We create a safe space where conversation ...
The annual Silicon Valley Pride Parade and Festival will take place this year on Saturday, August 29 and Sunday, August 30 in San Jose. There are several ways to participate:
March in the parade on Sunday, August 30, starting at 10:30 at Market St and E. Julian St in San Jose. The UU Fellowship of Sunnyvale and ...
Do you like to have interesting conversations with people? Membership & Growth Committee is looking for 2 -3 people to call newcomers, welcome them to our community and see how we can assist them in getting to know UUCPA and meeting people with similar interests. This flexible task helps our community thrive, and you can ...
We are quickly learning the details of how to search for a new Unitarian Universalist minister. We are not looking at candidates yet – that comes in January. Then our job as a search committee is to review the candidates who are interested in UUCPA, and to present a single candidate to meet the congregation ...
Dear UUCPA members and friends,
This is Rev. Peter, with a little wrap-up note on our first year of interim ministry together.
First, many thanks for helping to make it a very pleasant and fruitful one. Just a small sampling of those fruits includes:
Launching several new small groups, like Seasoned Souls for 60+ people, an LGBTQ+ ...
Calling all firebugs and flame enthusiasts big and small, if you, yes you, would like to join our brand new guild of fine folks who want to light the Chalice as part of our community, email Rev. Cat to ignite the flame.
Last year UUCPA endorsed Senate Bill 42, which placed the California Fair Elections Act on the November 2026 ballot. It has been designated Proposition 4. This measure allows any jurisdiction in California, including the state, to set up its own public funding system. It removes an old ban on public funding of election campaigns in ...
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for July, 2026:
7/5 Tipping points in your life – Michael Abramson
7/12 My heroes – Michael Abramson
7/19 Newfoundland and Icebergs – Dan Stofle
7/26 Discussion of Matters of Current Local, National, & International Interest, & Selection of Forum Discussion Topics for ...
Following the May 31 screening of UUCPA member Dorothy Fadiman’s short film Radiance at church, people asked about seeing her other films. So she’d like you to know they are all online to view at no charge at her Concentric Media website, www.concentric.org.
Thank you, Dorothy, for so generously sharing your soulful creative works with our community!
The UUCPA Men’s Group (MEN 60+) is looking for men 60 or older who would like to meet via Zoom for twice-monthly friendly conversations with other seniors. It’s a good way to share your interests and concerns and add new people to your social circle.
This group meets via Zoom on the first and third Mondays from 10am to ...
The Forum meets from 8:30 to 10 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for June 2026:
6/7 Bright moments in 250 years of U.S. history – Sarah Doxiadis
6/14 What will the world be like next year? – Dick Duda / general discussion
6/21 Stories about our Dads – Susan Owicki / general discussion
6/28 Discussion ...
This is to notify the congregation that the Action Council has approved the use of our UUCPA banner at two of the June Pride events where we will have a physical presence:
· Palo Alto Pride: Sunday, June 7, 2:00-5:00 pm, at King Plaza (at the table with Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice
· Mountain View Pride: Saturday, ...
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for May, 2026:
5/3 What makes demonstrations work? – Susan Owicki
5/10 Cut the cord (living without cable TV) – Scott Wakefield
5/17 Cogent remarks that you use or enjoy – Dick Duda (general discussion)
5/24 Favorite trips/vacations, Version 2– Sarah Doxiadis (general ...
UUCPA Annual Meeting - Sunday, April 26
The UUCPA Money Matters (aka Budget Town Hall) Meeting was held on April 12. The presentation from the meeting can be found here.
P.S. Also be sure to attend the Annual Meeting on April 26, 2026. Be part of the decision-making process at our Annual Meeting, held in the Main Hall and via Zoom. During this meeting, we ...
The Action Council is grateful for all the nominations we received this year for potential new Justice Partners – more than we have seen in years! It is great to feel the energy in the congregation! The Action Council presented the following slate of Justice Partners for the coming year at the Annual Congregational Meeting ...
Beloved UUCPA community, A few of our newcomers at UUCPA are interested in forming a Chalice Circle to meet on 2nd and 4th Sundays after the service (12-1:30pm), starting in late April/early May. We need a few more folks to join them to form a group. Please write to brooke_b@uucpa.org if you are interested in doing so.
Chalice Circles ...
The Nominating Committee is pleased to present this year’s candidates for election to the Board of Trustees, the Ministerial Search Committee, the Nominating Committee itself, and for delegates to the General Assembly. The congregation will vote on these nominations at the Annual Meeting on Sunday April 26.
We’re making it easy for you to get to ...
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for May, 2026:
5/3 What makes demonstrations work?– Susan Owicki
5/10 Cut the cord (living without cable TV) – Scott Wakefield
5/17 Cogent remarks that you use or enjoy – Dick Duda (general discussion)
5/24 Favorite trips/vacations, Version 2– Sarah Doxiadis (general discussion)
5/31 ...
On Sunday, March 15, we gathered with our neighbors in community as people of faith and conscience to hold a vigil in solidarity with our trans youth. It was a sacred and tender time together, shaped by honesty, courage, and deep expressions of love. We were reminded of the holy worth and belovedness of all ...
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for March, 2026:
3/1 Social Security problems & proposed solutions – Warren Schmidt
3/8 Ideas for reforming healthcare – Michael Abramson
3/15 The joy of making things – Paula Hillard
3/22 Three favorite trips in our lives — Trisha Suppes
3/29 2/22 Discussion of ...
On March 1 the Action Council approved the use of the UUCPA Side with Love rally banners at the March 28 No Kings demonstrations. As a reminder, use of these banners requires only the approval of the Action Council, not the Board. If you have any concerns about these banners being used on March 28, ...
We appreciate the responses that continue to come in and want to give you this last reminder to participate in shaping the future of UUCPA before the Monday, March 2, deadline! We understand that some of us need multiple reminders, and we know you don’t want to be the one feeling any FOMO. This one’s for you!
We invite your ...
You may have noticed that there hasn’t been much construction work lately on the Campus Vision Project. The work has been temporarily paused while the structural and HVAC engineers work with the contractors to adjust the plans. After the demolition was completed, the Kitchen’s walls, floors, and supporting beams were exposed, and complications discovered. The ...
Maribea Berry passed away peacefully at home on January 29, 2026 after years of managing metastatic cancer. She was surrounded by family. Please save the date for her Celebration of Life on Saturday, February 21st at 11AM in the main hall. It would mean a lot to Maribea if you would attend in body, in ...
Would you like to directly help someone who is unhoused? The UUCPA Action Council is holding a backpack drive with our January justice partner, Onyxx Village Connection.
Here’s how it works: After the service on January 25, stop by the Action Council table and sign out a backpack, which we will provide. Take the backpack home ...
This past Sunday on 2/1, we celebrated the power of us during the installation service, we celebrated our connection to each other and this community.
We discovered that a living fire is actually made of the “heavy lifting” of love. It takes the sturdy wood brought by our adults, the deep, steady embers of our elders, and ...
The Action Council has approved a request by Kevin Ma to collect signatures on the patio for adding a Bay Area regional transit tax measure to the November 2026 ballot. Please look for the petition on the patio in the coming weeks and add your voice to get this initiative on the ballot. You can ...
Starting February 1st, the Thriving Together group is transitioning from a single hybrid meeting to two separate options: an in-person gathering and a Zoom gathering. The in-person group meets at 11:45 am at UUCPA, and the Zoom group meets at 7:00 pm. Both meetings will cover the same content, and participants are encouraged to choose the option ...
Starting January 25, 2026 during our usual Sunday School time (10:45 AM-11:45 AM), UUCPA is offering K-1 and 4-6 OWL classes (4-6 OWL start date TBA). “Our Whole Lives” (OWL) for elementary students is a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum. It is a comprehensive, values-based program designed to provide age-appropriate information on topics like human development, relationships, and sexual health to help children ...
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for February, 2026:
2/1 Things that we keep because they helped to define who we were – Ann Zeise
2/8 What would you like for the future of the Forum, and how can we foster it? – Susan Owicki
2/15 Discovering the ...
Happy 2026 Greetings and SalUUtations!
I hope you and yours enjoyed a lovely and restorative holiday season, and wish you all the best in the new year.
I’m writing to say that I’ve been putting together some thoughts that link outlooks on the human soul to personal and societal well-being; and how in my view the modern ...
I share with the congregation our deep sense of loss at the passing of Kay and Byron Brown. I also want to honor Kay’s indomitable spirit and no-nonsense approach to life by saying that UUCPA needs your help to find our next Treasurer, a position Kay held until very recently. If you or someone you ...
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for January, 2026:
1/4 What are you hoping to make happen in your life in 2026?
1/11 How long has it been since you made a new friend? Is it time to make some new ones? How will you do that? (in ...
This year’s Undie Sunday campaign was once again a great success! Thank you to everyone who participated! We donated numerous undies, hats, socks, coats, notebooks, sleeping bags, and more to the Opportunity Center’s annual Holiday Faire. All items have been delivered, and the Faire will take place on December 22. LifeMoves and the Opportunity Center ...
Thank you to all of you who have made the 2025 UUCPA Auction a huge success!
If you donated items to the auction, you should have received an email with the subject “UUCPA 2025 AUCTION donation receipt” from “Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto – UUCPA <noreply@auctria.com“. The email should include contact information for winners should ...
Remember those posts to Announce in early November about upcoming service projects? The projects served two of UUCPA’s Justice Partners, Onyxx Village Connection and LifeMoves, and were sponsored by the Social Justice Action Council and Children and Youth Religious Education committees (and you, indirectly 🙂). If you wondered whatever happened with those projects, or if ...
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for December 2025:
12/7 How Holiday Celebrations Change as We Move Through Life – Sarah Doxiadis
12/14 AI beyond ChatGPT – Michael Abramson
12/21 Our Remembrances of Christmas – Sarah Doxiadis
12/28 Discussion of Matters of Current Local, National, & International Interest, & ...
Help our youth grow with courage and care! Train as an Our Whole Lives (OWL) facilitator for Grades 7–9 and 10–12 And you’ll also be certified to teach the younger levels (K–1 and 4–6). Become a trusted guide for conversations about values, identity, and healthy relationships. Email Cat for more information: revcat@uucpa.org
In 1991, Halloween was approaching in my home town of St. Paul, Minnesota. Just as when I was young kids were eager to don their costumes, fill their bags with treats, then head to the local park for a neighborhood get-together. There they could warm up with free hot chocolate from massive stainless-steel urns, which ...
The Board has approved the addition of two new voting members to the Action Council (UUCPA’s social justice council). The new members are Chris Jacobi and Robert Neff. Robert is the Board Social Justice Portfolio holder. Peter Farriday will also be added as an ex-officio member, replacing Amy Morgenstern. If you have any questions about these changes, please email ActionCouncil@uucpa.org. The updated list of Action Council members is on this webpage.
Welcome Chris ...
