The veil between the worlds grows thin, and the Witches’ New Year is upon us. Please join us for an all-ages service celebrating Halloween and Samhain, the Witches’ New Year. Circle of Oak, First Unitarian’s Pagan Interest Group, will lead us in an exploration of these interconnected holidays, witches, magic, and especially embracing our beloved … Continue reading When the Veil Between the Worlds Grows Thin
Each year in the spring we join with Unitarian Universalist congregations all across our country to honor our graduating high school seniors in a Bridging Ceremony. We take time to celebrate our young people, to hear from them about their growing up years at First Unitarian, and to symbolically create a bridge which they will … Continue reading May You Have Safe Passage – 2019 Bridging Ceremony
Worship offers every soul who participates a place where we can be, breathe in and be “in-spired”; opportunities to breathe out and cast off or “ex-pire” that which no longer serves our common good; and experiences to breathe with or “con-spire” with spirit. Joyful Noise sings and Crescendo Choir offers their rendition of “My Old … Continue reading The Liturgical Power of Church
2019 will be a year of fortune and luck, full of joy, friendship and love for all the signs, an auspicious year because the Pig attracts success in all spheres of life. Our guest speaker will be Frank H. Wu, William L. Prosser Distinguished Professor, University of California Hastings College of Law, (first) President of the … Continue reading Embodying Our Hopes for the Year of the Pig
As we approach the first night of Chanukah, we will reflect on the miracles of faith, hope, and perseverance against seemingly bleak odds. Just as the Maccabees experienced the joy and relief of a menorah that only held oil for one night yet endured for eight, we will celebrate the miraculous journey of discovery that … Continue reading Finding The Light in Each/Other’s Eyes: The Miracle of Connection and New Member Ingathering
Each year on the first Sunday in January our congregation remembers those who have died during the prior year. We light candles to honor their memory and to re-kindle our commitment to carry forward their dreams. This is a Time For All Ages Service.
Our children and youth will worship with us for the first portion of the service. Crescendo Choir will sing and we’ll start off with an acoustic Joyful Noise!
“Border Crossing, Personal Reflections.” June of 2016 six young spiritual leaders from First Unitarian Church of Oakland participated in a Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministries Border trip to Tijuana. Please come and hear how Estelle Jefferies, Julianne Kelleher, Aria Killebrew Bruehl, Sophia Killebrew Bruehl, Lydia Macy and Wynnie Savageford were moved and changed by their experiences. … Continue reading “Border Crossing, Personal Reflections”, Worship Services at 9:20 and 11:20.
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
One of our most cherished and festive Sundays of the year. Bring a flower to church to help make a symbolic representation of the beautiful diversity of our congregation and the many faith-filled acts we make possible together. On this day, we also say goodbye to our choir director, Trente Morant, and bless as he goes on to what is next. Crescendo Choir will sing Psalms 131 and 133 from Chichester Psalms by Leonard Bernstein and Dialogue by Trente Morant. One service only at 10:20. This is an intergenerational service and our children will be worshipping with us for the whole hour. Nursery care is available for children 5 and under.
Come celebrate the 8th-10th graders who completed the rite of passage program this year. They have planned this culminating worship service for the congregation. After spending this year studying the history and principles of Unitarian Universalism, providing community service and learning about leadership and social justice, learning more about themselves, and exploring theology and religion, these five young people will share their credo statements, encapsulating their dearest held beliefs, values, and views on what is most important at this time in their lives.
