Sunday Services 9:30 am, In-Person or Zoom
William James—the American philosopher and psychologist—helps explain why this feels so costly. He teaches us that distraction isn’t only a productivity problem. It’s a formation problem… your life isn’t only what happens to you. It’s what you let in. It’s what you linger on… With constant “sound bites” and “doom scrolling,” we do have to … Continue reading Age of Distraction
Director of Religious Education Colleen Hamilton will reflect on the activism of Autumn Peltier, who at age 12 represented the Wikwemkong in the Assembly of First Nations and confronted the Prime Minister of Canada about his his support for pipelines and failure to protect indigenous water rights. We will hear directly from Ms Peltier in a brief video and consider how we can … Continue reading Paying Attention to What Matters
In 1945, Toni Jackson, John Steinbeck’s editor, and a group of women activists protested Japanese American Incarceration and resisted racism in WW II California. Carolyn will speak about a documentary created by her team that examines how Monterey was one of the only communities that publicly welcomed their Japanese neighbors back from the incarceration centers … Continue reading Japanese American Incarceration – Enduring Democracy: The Monterey Petition
On the 70th Anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, UUFS member Amy Mori shared her first-hand account of the Japanese internment that followed the bombing of Pearl Harbor. UUFS Member Margaret Lawson kept that speech, and in honor of the 84th anniversary of the order’s signing, we present it … Continue reading Executive Order 9066: In the Words of Amy Mori
Rev. Sheri Heller, a social worker and trauma-informed psychotherapist, tells us that, “Post-traumatic growth is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of a life finally lived in truth.” Let’s explore the resilience required in rebuilding ourselves after tragedy. Join us in person in the Sanctuary or on Zoom. Meeting ID: 958 336 … Continue reading Post-Traumatic Growth
Diana Luykx speaks on the resilience of Christopher Reeve–Superman of the 1978 film–and how his journey led him to UUism. Join us in person in the Sanctuary or on Zoom. Meeting ID: 958 336 800 One tap mobile+16694449171,,958336800# US+16699009128,,958336800# US (San Jose)
We live in a culture where the lack of sleep is worn as a badge of honor. We live in a culture were taking vacation is often eschewed for the extra money that giving those precious days up can bring. We live in a culture where exhaustion is a way of life, and the idea … Continue reading Confessions of an Insomniac
There is a quote from the Dalai Lama that says, “If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” Thinking about this quote on the eve of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr’s birth, think about how your small acts of resistance – of being disruptive, of … Continue reading The Mosquito: A Symbol of Resistance?
The winter solstice is a time of deep stillness, marked by the longest night and shortest day on December 20. For many peoples, solstice was the most important holiday, and marked the midpoint of winter – the time of going inward and hibernation. Join us in person in the Sanctuary or on Zoom. Meeting ID: 958 336 800 One tap … Continue reading A Winter Solstice Ceremony
Civil Rights activist and Congressman John Lewis wrote: “Freedom is not a state; it is an act. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take.” Alan will reflect on activism and freedom. Join us … Continue reading Good Trouble
