Sermons given at UUCB, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley January 4, 2026 FLOWERS AND GARBAGE Liesl Dees, Intern Minister, Service Leader

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley December 28, 2025 From the Bedside Rev. Mr. Barb Greve Join Rev. Greve as he brings us to the bedside of his work as a hospice chaplain, inviting us to witness the ordinary and extraordinary that can occur as we near the end of our lives.

THE LONGEST NIGHT AND THE IRRESISTIBLE DAWN Rev. Marcus Liefert We know the longest night will end. We know there will be a new day to come. So why are we so anxious all along the way?

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley December 14, 2025 MIRACLES AMIDST THE RUBBLE Rev. Marcus Liefert What if the true miracle is not that the oil lasted eight nights but that there is oil to burn at all? Perhaps you know more than you might think about living in the plundered, descrated remains of the temple. Perhaps even a miracle happened, even here.

How are we supposed to hold all the desperation of our times and all the wonder of the season all at once? The journey to Bethlehem beckons, promising a mess of politics, poverty, unplanned pregenancy, braying animals, and a hope powerful enough to change the world.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley November 30, 2025 Emotional Accounting Rev. Amy Zucker Morgenstern Giving: transferring something from one person's possession to another's. But which of the many possible ways, with their markedly different feelings and meanings, do we give? Giving can be joyful, or done out of duty, or inspired by fear, or motivated in any number of other ways--and while...

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley November 23, 2025 Rev. Bryan Plude Hope is Complicated How do we maintain hope with a world on fire and democracy in meltdown? Is hope even an appropriate or a useful feeling in these times? What important roles do courage and love play?

Your Daily Book The poet Ross Gay undertook to write daily for a year about a delight he had observed that day, and published a collection of these writings as The Book of Delights. If you wrote down the things you observe about your day each evening as it ends, what would the resulting volume be about? Worry? Gratitude? Complaints? Nature? Happiness? Plans? . . . And what shape does this focus gi...

STANDING IN THE RIVER Our memories of the past create a mighty river of love, loss, and longing that refreshes our lives, yet sometimes overwhelms us. Today we honor those who came before us: the ancestors who inspire and encourage us, the people and places we mourn and miss. For more information about the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, visit https://uucb.org/

Spiritual practice is often seen as a solitary journey, but building vibrant community is itself a profound spiritual discipline. It’s communal and contagious... but rarely easy. Exercising our communal muscles takes work, but those critical connections can save us.

PLANTING SEEDS OF JUSTICE While human rights and international aid are under attack, it’s easy to feel like change is impossible. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s (UUSC) partners, however, know first-hand that justice doesn’t just appear overnight. The movement for collective liberation requires ongoing, diligent tending and long-haul commitment. Please join Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme...

Self-Compassion or Selfishness? The term "self-compassion" has gotten some traction in recent years, prompting the question, is "self-compassion" an oxymoron? Even worse, is it selfish? Buddhist teachers counsel us that in fact, for us to cultivate compassion in ourselves, we need to cultivate compassion for ourselves. We'll practice that this morning.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley Wrestling with Jacob Oct. 5 2025 What does it mean to “win” when life itself is full of struggle? Drawing on the biblical story of Jacob wrestling through the night, we explore how struggle can lead not to triumph, but to transformation. Jacob, blessed yet deeply flawed, mirrors both our nation’s history and our personal lives—where success often comes at...

We’ve been exploring the spiritual themes of faith and trust through the lens of games of play. However stacked the odds may be against you, however disastrous the situation on the game board, your turn is bound to come around once again. The stakes are high, the situation is dire, the choices seem limited—yet still, what move will you make?

HOW TO LOSE Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley September 21, 2025

ODDS ARE There is essential mystery in the fabric of reality. Whatever choices we make, whatever odds we calculate, we are always rolling the dice. When the stakes are high, how do you decide when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em?

Most of the time, transformation happens incrementally—a subtle process of things changing bit by bit. But moments arrive when a leap to the next level is required. As we live through a moment that demands a global level up in our species' ability to prioritize the common good, what do we know about the joys and challenges of leveling up from our own personal lives?

Worship Leader, Rev. Kevin Alan Mann Minister of Congregational Life, Rev. Dr Kathryn Jay Director of Music, Dr. Bryan Baker Settled Minister, Rev. Marcus Liefert Guest Musician: Evelie Delfino Såles Posch with Mahal EthnoFusion Music Myth & Magic Ensemble: Claudine, Doug, Jedi, Kathy, Kealoha, Marikit, Misha, Nancy, Rynn, Sam, Theda, Tisay, Virginia, Rev Kev Title: “Wings, Roots and Seeds: Em...

Members bring to the service a small amount of water from a place that is special to them. During the appointed time in the service, people one by one pour their water together into a large bowl. As the water is added, the person who brought it tells why this water is special to them. The combined water is symbolic of our shared faith coming from many different sources. It is often then blessed by...

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley August 17, 2025 THE RULES OF THE GAME If the rules of the game you're playing don't leave you with moral choices, cheat. Play by your own rules. Mingle your roots with others who want to play the game you want to play and let us grow together.

IT’S YOUR MOVE In our first worship series of the church year we'll explore the spiritual themes of faith and trust through the lens of games of play. However stacked the odds may be against you, however disastrous the situation on the game board, your turn is bound to come around once again. The stakes are high, the situation is dire, the choices seem limited—yet still, what move will you make?

Rabbi Zvika Krieger at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley August 3, 2025

The Place Where We Are We all have our own special places that bring us joy. How do we hold that joy as we also face the grief of climate change?

Rev. Wakoh Hickey

Doing It Wrong Spiritual exploration is often built on the solid and well-worn foundations of tradition and ritual. What might we discover when we allow wisdom to take a backseat, and follow along with the journeys of those doing it "the wrong way?"