Podcast: Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto Sermons and Reflections

Lessons for Future Ancestors

“Let us measure success by how many of us can say: I am living a life I don’t regret. A life that will resonate with my ancestors” -adrienne maree brown

Join us for a reflection of heavy suitcases, surprise turning points, and attending to the complexity … read more.

Why Do We Listen

Why is *listening* the first step in movements for social change? Who does the listening, who gets listened to, and what do we do with what we hear? What’s the point? Why not plunge directly into problem-solving, advocating, rallying, and arguing/shouting/writing/showing up for the changes we know we need if we are to create a world of justice, equity, and compassion? Join us … read more.

What Service Dogs Have to Teach Us

You may have seen service dogs around, especially Thida’s service dog. All you may know is you’re not allowed to touch him and the dog looks serious. Yet dogs are emotional and don’t do anything unless it’s rewarding. How can a service dog find their … read more.

Say What?: The Power of Language

Language has incredible power to harm or heal, to oppress or liberate. Using words with care is a vital practice for people of faith and conscience—it’s even a key spiritual practice in many traditions. But it’s not always easy. What do we do when some … read more.

I Didn’t Mean To . . . Navigating the Minefield of Impact and Intent

Increasingly, we argue that, in the face of harm, impact is all that matters; bringing up intent is, at best, irrelevant and, at worse, usually just an excuse for bad behavior. But why then do we still care so much about intent, motive, or causation … read more.

Because Every Body Is Sacred

From “Don’t Say Gay” bills to the swath of laws criminalizing gender-affirming and abortion-related care, attacks on bodily autonomy in the US are escalating at an alarming pace. And, this nation has always targeted certain kinds of bodies as less worthy of protection and freedom … read more.

Moral Beauty and the Shape of Justice

The Beloved Community is one of deep justice and moral beauty. But the ugly and misleading ways in which we talk about justice in today’s society blind us to its deeper meaning — justice that will truly “roll down like waters.” Let’s refresh and re-establish … read more.

Grace Notes

Our guest preacher writes: In a world that seems to have taken some disastrously wrong turns, I find myself struggling to maintain balance and a positive outlook. By word of mouth, TV, and print, I’m aware that others are having some of the same difficulties. … read more.

History, Retold

As Artificial Intelligence grows, there is much wondering about whether the line between truth and fiction will be ever harder to know. Today, we look back, both in the short term and the arc of history, to discover deeper truths, together.

Rev DL Helfer (they/them) is … read more.

Who Owns the World?

Achieving real social and economic justice will require more than just charity and generosity. We will also need to re-envision and re-interpret some of our system’s basic economic concepts. One approach is to rethink the meaning of property, following a path that Thomas Paine (inspired … read more.