Podcast: Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto Sermons and Reflections

What Helped Make the Pain Go Away

Our guest speaker says: “I have suffered with chronic bodily and mental pain for more than two decades. Knowing about how the pain appears and what makes it continue on opened me up to the world inside me. Just knowing more and opening up to … read more.

Guns: The Real Story

Since the devastation in Newtown, Connecticut, almost ten years ago, the gun lobby has gone all out to convince us that the way to curtail gun violence is to have plenty of “good guys with guns.” Amy’s family knows from bitter experience that this is … read more.

Why Forgive?

Why would you want to forgive someone who wronged you?  Even if you wanted to forgive them, how would you go about doing so?  During this service, we’ll consider what forgiveness is (and isn’t), why we might want to forgive (ourselves and others), and how … read more.

Teaching Our Children How to Fall

As we celebrate both Father’s Day and Freedom, we turn our attention to the gifts that those of us who parent and share in the lives of parents, hardly ever cease to enjoy: the children we help to nurture. While all of us, no doubt, … read more.

Joy and Woe, Woven Fine

Our blessings and our burdens are not only closely intertwined, they often come from exactly the same source. Farewells and greetings occur at the same moment, on the same threshold. The experiences that wounded us most yielded the insights that enable us to live more … read more.

Please Be Patient: Student Driver

When we’re driving, new drivers may be alongside us at any time–people who don’t even have a license yet. They’re just learning, so they’re not the safest cars with which to interact. Maybe it would be better if they weren’t on the road. But how … read more.

The Ultimate Gift

Please note that we are back in person (as well as online) at 11!

Memorial Day was created to honor and give thanks to those who were willing to die in the service of their country. So let us ponder today: what would we die for? … read more.

Can I Believe Anything I Want?

That’s a misleading shorthand that people often use to describe Unitarian Universalism–a religion where we can believe anything we want. It’s understandable that these words come to mind, because in contrast to many religions, it’s true that Unitarian Universalism isn’t defined by a set of … read more.

The Morality of Abortion

The leaked news that the Supreme Court will almost certainly overturn Roe v. Wade after 50 years has landed with a sickening, world-shaking crash in our lives. While many rejoice, the vast majority of US Americans want abortion to remain available. But we have been … read more.

Flower Communion

In this annual intergenerational service, we each bring a flower (or several), fill vases and baskets with them, and after blessing the flowers and each other, we each choose a flower that someone else brought and bring it home. If you’re attending online, have your … read more.