Podcast: Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto Sermons and Reflections

Roots and Wings: How Unitarian Universalism Gave Me Both

We come from diverse backgrounds with our own stories about how we arrived at Unitarian Universalism. Join Rev. Cat for a service that celebrates our faith and shares her personal path to Unitarian Universalism and UUCPA.

Worship leader: Rev. Catherine Boyle (she/her/hers)

Worship Associate: Jane Correia

If you … read more.

Being Trans* Then and Now

Barb came out as transgender 30 years ago. Join him as he reflects on what was and is like to be transgender in these times, as well as how Unitarian Universalism has saved, supported, and challenged his life for these past 3 decades.

Worship leader: Rev. … read more.

Blending Spirit and Power: Reflections on Burmese Buddhism

Burmese Buddhism is an intricate blend of Theravada teachings and Myanmar’s older animist traditions. Pagodas often hold space for both Buddhas—sometimes illuminated with LED halos—and nats, the ancestral spirits still honored across the country. As a half-Burmese Unitarian Universalist, Thida Cornes (she/her) reflects on the … read more.

Collective Liberation = Love as Justice and Equity

What does Collective Liberation mean for us as Unitarian Universalists? Scripture tells us “You were born for such a time as this.” Join Rev Kev as we explore the foundational values of Unitarian Universalism as expressed through Justice and Equity with Love at the center. … read more.

Fiction-Proofing Your Own Mind

On July 6, Rev. Schriner presented “A Gospel of Ignorance,” in which he suggested that admitting ignorance can be enlightening, enlivening, and empowering. Today Chris will explore this theme further, focusing on why people often think they know more than they do. Although investigators generate … read more.

Dangerous Reading & Democracy

“A good book would take me out of myself and then stuff me back in, outsized, now, and uneasy with the fit.” – David Sedaris Censorship of written materials can be traced to the earliest documents in civilizations across the globe. Repeated waves of book … read more.

A Gospel of Ignorance (or: Have You Stopped Beating Your Philodendron?)

Thomas Edison once said, “We don’t know a millionth of one percent about anything.” Many UUs would agree, bringing a skeptical attitude to the supposed certainties of religion, psychology, and politics. We love to learn, and sometimes it seems as if the more we know, … read more.

Community Can Change Outcomes

Black residents are disappearing from Silicon Valley at an alarming rate, a trend driven by persistent disparities in housing, employment, and opportunity. As we examine the data and the lived experiences behind these numbers, it becomes clear—it’s no wonder these outcomes exist. Yet, amid these … read more.

The Horse that Almost Got Away, or Following Your Dreams

Psychiatrist D. W. Winnicott writes that we often go about our lives with an attitude of compliance, as though the world is something to be fitted in with, demanding adaptation. The attitude of compliance tells us to put our dreams away in the back of … read more.

A special send-off service

How do we say goodbye to a minister after 22 years? Come find out!

Worship led by: Revs. Cat Boyle, Lucy Bunch, Melissa Thomson, and Jen Dillinger along with Jane Chronis, Matt Rosin, and Mayo Tsuzuki

Special music: Veronika Agranov-Dafoe

If you prefer to join the community of … read more.