Join us for an informal first gathering of our new LGBTQ+ group at UUCPA. We’ll get to know one another and discuss plans and ideas for regular meetings starting in the fall. LGBTQ+ folks of all ages are welcome, and snacks will be provided. Our first meeting will be on Sunday, June 7th following the church ...
Thriving Together, UUCPA’s health and wellness support group, is meeting this coming Sunday, June 7th. Our group is open for regulars and new people to attend anytime. We create a safe space where conversation about our health challenges and joys is welcome. We start with time for sharing and supporting discussion. This month I’m also ...
On Sunday, June 14th, Rev. Peter invites anyone who’s relatively new to UUCPA to attend a “Getting to Know UU” Newcomer Gathering after the service. This informal get-together offers a chance to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and UUCPA, hear from others about their spiritual journeys and why they’re exploring this spiritual community, and discuss any ...
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!
On Saturday, June 20 we will celebrate the longest day of the year with a Summer Solstice Celebration.
Please join us at 6 p.m. for a ceremony to mark the moment, then we will share food and conversation in a potluck dinner afterwards. Children and adults are welcome!
Following dinner, we’ll break out the s’mores and board ...
June is Pride Month, and UUCPA is taking part in two local Pride festivals!
Palo Alto Pride, Sunday, June 7, 2:00–5:00 pm, King Plaza. UUCPA will be present alongside other local religious institutions at the Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice booth.
Mountain View Together In Pride, Saturday, June 20, 11:00am–3:00pm, City Hall Plaza & Pioneer Park. ...
FOR YOUR SAFETY AT ALL TIMES, PLEASE RESPECT ANY BARRIERS AND SIGNAGE ON CAMPUS.
Construction continues next week. All current closures are still in effect. Please use caution near construction areas.
CURRENT CLOSURE STATUS:
KITCHEN + CHOIR ROOM
The kitchen and choir room are closed for construction until further notice. The hallway next to the kitchen is blocked around ...
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, & ...
Our auction party took place on November 15, 2025, and it was a tremendous success thanks to the incredible generosity of our community. Whether you donated items, contributed your time, or gave financial support—thank you. We are deeply grateful.
This year we even surpassed our fundraising goal, something we haven’t achieved in many years. Your contributions ...
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 ...
Peek behind the cars parked along the entrance drive to see the male and female Coyote Bush (Baccharis pilularis) which have bloomed and are going to seed. The male plants had yellow flowers now turning brown. The female plants are covered with little white “tails” that turn fluffy to disperse their seeds in the wind. The nurseries don’t carry ...
On Saturday, October 18, 2025, the UUCPA Board of Trustees spent the day together on campus for our annual board retreat. It’s a special time when we step away from the usual meeting agenda to reconnect, dream a little bigger, and talk about the year ahead. We wrapped up the day with a delicious potluck ...
The Forum meets from 8:45 to 10:15 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for November 2025:
11/2 American policy in the Middle East – Jim Basiji (Great Decisions)
11/9 What we know and don’t know about autism spectrum disorder – Paula Hillard
11/16 What can we do to combat fragmentation in our culture? Cybele LoVuolo-Bhushan
11/23 ...
Don’t forget! THIS Sunday, October 12, 2025, our Sunday worship start time is 10:30AM. This change is in response to several requests to move our Sunday worship start time later as well as to pick a time that is intuitively easy to communicate and remember. Enjoy the extra 15 minutes to arrive, greet friends, and settle in!
The UUCPA Action Council has voted to adopt the work of the recently formed Immigrant Action Task Force as a Justice Project for the coming months. The Task Force is accompanying an immigrant from Honduras, in conjunction with All Saints Episcopal Church of Palo Alto, for the next six to twelve months. As a formally ...
Are you planning to hand out chocolate this Halloween? Did you know that some well-known chocolate brands purchase their chocolate from farms and plantations that use child or slave labor? And some other brands choose to look the other way or don’t track their ingredient sourcing carefully.
Buying Fair Trade chocolate is a good way to support growers who are not using child or slave labor. Please ...
The Forum meets from 8:30 to 10 am on Sunday mornings. Here are the Forum topics for October 2025:
10/5 AI and American National Security (Great Decisions) – Susan Owicki
10/12 Experiencing the Resonant Reading Group – Ann Zeise
10/19 Inspiring Quotes and Sayings – Dick Duda
10/26 Discussion of Matters of Current Local, National, & International Interest, & ...
Folks at the Action Council table will show you how to support groups working to improve conditions for people in Gaza. Look for the table on the patio after the service.
We will be highlighting (and encouraging UUs to contribute to) these non-profits: Redwood City based Rebuilding Alliance (https://www.rebuildingalliance.org/), currently working to supply food specifically for ...
Last Sunday we celebrated Water Communion together and now your hopes, prayers and blessings are shared on campus. Come see the River you all created this Sunday. It is located on the walkway towards the office. If you can’t get to campus, you can read the cards here:
If you registered your child(ren) last year, you are registered for this year. New families and folks who need to update their information please register here.
This Sunday all children and youth will go to class together after the Story for All Ages with their teachers.
Preschool – 2nd Grade will meet in Room 6.
3rd – 5th Grade ...
