Archives: Services

Japanese American Incarceration – Enduring Democracy: The Monterey Petition

February 22, 2026 @ 9:30 a.m. Carolyn McCombs

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

Islands of Sanity

February 15, 2026 @ 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Bloom-Ramirez

One of the greatest forms of resilience is creating “Islands of Sanity” for you to retreat to in your existence. That’s what this community provides – an “Island of Sanity” that we can retreat to and rely on in these troubling times. Join us in person in the Sanctuary or on Zoom. Meeting ID: 958 336 … Continue reading Islands of Sanity

Post-Traumatic Growth

February 8, 2026 @ 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Bloom-Ramirez

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

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s SUUperman!!

February 1, 2026 @ 9:30 a.m. Member Diana Luykx

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)

Confessions of an Insomniac

January 25, 2026 @ 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Bloom-Ramirez

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

The Mosquito: A Symbol of Resistance?

January 18, 2026 @ 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Bloom-Ramirez

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?

A Winter Solstice Ceremony

January 11, 2026 @ 9:30 a.m. Member Lisa Karpinski

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

Good Trouble

January 4, 2026 @ 9:30 a.m. Member Alan Herrmann

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

Hope Is Not Gentle

December 28. 2025 @ 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Bloom-Ramirez

Hope is not a passive feeling. German theologian Jurgen Moltmann describes hope as a form of suffering, because it is such an active feeling that one suffers from not truly having it. We suffer because we long for hope. Let us look together how this suffering keeps hope alive and strong in us, and keeps … Continue reading Hope Is Not Gentle

“The Journey to Bethlehem,” A Christmas Story

December 21, 2025 @ 9:30 a.m. Rev. John Bloom-Ramirez

What we are hoping is now an annual tradition: The Christmas Story, done as a pageant, from a decidely Unitarian Universalist perspective. Let’s join Rev. Johnnie and the RE Team and reeanct the “Journey to Bethlehem” in this fun, interactive and musical service that celebrates the spirits of Love, Joy, Hope, and Generosity as cornerstones … Continue reading “The Journey to Bethlehem,” A Christmas Story

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sunnyvale