Gandhi states, “Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” Come and explore with us the ancient spiritual practice of prayer. What exactly is prayer? Do you have to believe in God to pray? What are the different ways in which our soul can express itself in prayer?
Please join Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae, Worship Associate Amy Carlson, and Church Musicians Renee Witon and Stefan Schneider for this final service of our Sabbatical Ministry. Rev. Jeremiah will share some of his thoughts on the spiritual path and what he’s learned from his time co-ministering with our beloved community. This is a Time For All Ages Service.
All are invited to our annual Easter celebration for all ages. We will tell the Easter story and offer one another a bread and juice communion in Unitarian Universalist fashion. The service will open with a parade of Easter bonnets and festive ties, so wear your Easter finery! Children are invited to hunt for eggs after the service. Joyful Noise and Crescendo Choir will sing.
This is a Multigenerational Service.
This Sunday we begin the two month exploration of the theme, Promised Land. What exactly is the Promised Land? What happens when we feel that we will never reach it? Or…when the Promised Land we’ve worked so hard for seems to be crumbling? Please join worship associates Alessandro Gagliardi and Amy Carlson as we explore the theme of Promised Land. Rev. Sheri will share a Time for All Ages. Renee Witon, Stefan Schneider, and Crescendo Choir will bless us with their music. This is a Time For All Ages Service.
In studying religion, one discovers a multitude of theologies, doctrines, and dogmas that have profoundly impacted humanity. At times, they’ve been the sources of schisms and bloodshed. At other times, they’ve spread love and justice in the world. This Sunday, we will consider a liberal religious doctrine that stands out as one of the most important and controversial theological doctrines ever articulated. Please join me, Rev. Jeremiah Kalendae, Worship Associate Amy Carlson, Pianist Renee Winton, and Joyful Noise, as we consider the potential of liberal religious doctrine to transform ourselves and our world. There will be Children’s Chapel today.
“Thinking — and Living — Beyond Our Bubbles” We humans create settings where we feel safe and valued. Paradoxically, while some have the experience of being protected and appreciated, others have the experience of being victimized and demeaned — even within our Unitarian Universalist environments. What does it mean to belong to a faith that affirms … Continue reading “Thinking – and Living Beyond Our Bubbles” Two Services: 9:20 & 11:20
Early in the 19th century Universalism swept across our young nation finding a popularity it never again achieved. It proclaimed a truly radical message. Is it time for us to return to the message that God’s love brooks no resistance? Universalism re-articulated for the 21st century. Join well-known Unitarian Universalist minister Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed, the Crescendo Choir, and Joyful Noise for the one service first Sunday of October.
This is a service with a Time for All Ages for children and youth.
September 10, 2017, “The Deep Well of Welcome, Water Communion”. Members, friends, allies and guest of First Unitarian Church of Oakland welcome to the opening/ welcoming ritual of our 2017-2018 program church year. Each program church year begins with our annual Water Communion. The ritual reminds us of our covenant to constantly be about the … Continue reading “The Deep Well of Welcome, Water Communion”, One Service ONLY at 10:20
Responding effectively to injustice and suffering means finding ways to say that the status quo isn’t good enough and affirming that our actions matter, even though they are always imperfect and partial. This service will be focused on moral imagination as the courageous practice of asserting that another world is possible, and that we can help bring it into being, even during very challenging and discouraging times. This moral imagination is one of the powerful and unique contributions of our Unitarian Universalist movement, historically and in the present day. We’ll draw on the work of philosopher Hannah Arendt, as well as the current sanctuary movements and the campaign to end white supremacy, as concrete examples of moral imagination at work.
“Rise Up? No! Dive Down Deep”. Lent is not central to the worship life of many Unitarian Universalist people of faith. However, Lent is very present in the spiritual/religious waters that we swim in. Lent is an opportunity for each of us to take stock and to pause from our list of to dos and deep dive into our lives. In these trying times, what might our inner lives have to say to us? What is our spiritual covenant with ourselves? Dawn your diving gear for a deep dive into your life with Worship Associate Amy Carlson and Rev. Jacqueline. Music will be offered by Susan Keiter, Barbara North, Kyrie Eleison and Shabbat, Crescendo Choir and Joyful Noise. All are welcome. All are worthy.
There will be Children’s Chapel in the Starr King Room and then Spirit Art & Games.
