Starr King UU Celebrations Podcasts
Explanation | To the podcasts
Podcasts of sermons are here, on itunes, and at podbean.com. For those who know how to set one up, an RSS feed of the sermons is available here:
http://starrkinguu.podbean.com/feed and if you want to make comments on specific celebrations, you can do so here: http://starrkinguu.podbean.com/
What this means for you
- You can click on any of the links below and the MP3 file for that sermon will play in your browser.
- You can right click on the link, and in the drop menu select "Save Link As" to save a copy of the MP3 file to play with any other Audio program that you have on your computer (for example, iTunes).
Your browser, depending on your security settings may display a message like this, To help protect your security, Internet Explorer has restricted this file from showing active content that could access your computer. Click here for options. In those cases, click the error message and select "Allow Blocked content" from the drop down menu. Don't worry, it's not a virus, it's just free thinking theology.
Podcasts
August 29
A Teaching and Learning Congregation ~
Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris & Intern Sharon Wylie This congregation prides itself on being a teaching congregation and yet when we teach, we find we learn at the same time. What can we teach this year? What will we learn? Come, meet our new ministerial intern for the year 2010-2011, Sharon Wylie.
June 13
Happiness is A Butterfly
~Revs. Leah Hart-Landsberg & Katie Kandarian-Morris Today we’ll celebrate the gifts of learning, growing and transforming. We’ll thank our teachers, listen to our choir and say good-bye to our Director of Religious Exploration. This is an intergenerational service.
Listen to this service
May 23
The Church is People
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris TODAY’S SERVICE BEGINS THE SUMMER 10AM SCHEDULE!
Not only is the church people, it’s primarily run by volunteers. This is the day we celebrate those volunteers and all that they do around the church, around the year. We invite everyone to stay for our annual meeting following worship.
May 16
I Was A Stranger And You Welcomed Me
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
Today we’ll take part in the East Bay Housing Organization’s Housing Sabbath. How can we create healthy families with the current realities of low wage jobs, immigration, and housing insecurity of our area. We’ll welcome a speaker from EBHO, and hear stories.
May 2
Let This Be A House of Peace
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris Next fall we’ll officially dedicate our new entire building, but in the meantime let us consider the history of this congregation’s building. How are our church structures a reflection of our value and what we believe?
April 25 The Fate of Prophets
~Rev. Robert Balint Prophethood is not something that you choose. It is something that arouses with elemental power and compels you to walk a path. The sermon invites you to get closer to the memory of Balázs Ferenc (1901-1937), minister of Mészkő (Alabaster Village) in Transylvania. Also, today we’ll honor Earth Day, and after the service, we’ll enjoy our Earth Fair.
Full Service - note service cuts off before the end of the sermon.
April 18 The Great Big Thing
~Rev. Katie Kandarian- Morris
It might not be the same as The Really Big Thing, which is the new ad campaign for selling a certain brand of cars, but it’s one way to name God. How is The Great Big Thing relevant for UUs ? What might be gain from having a relationship with something larger than ourselves? What do we call it?
April 11 Purpose Driven Life?
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris Famous pastor of Saddleback Church in San Diego, California wrote the best-selling book Purpose Driven Life. Does it make sense to discover your purpose in life, or is there another way to create order and meaning to the privilege of being alive?
March 21 Celebration Sunday:
Literally Building the Beloved Community
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris Especially at a time when the world is struggling, we need a community of hope to inspire us, to hold us and remind us that we are the ones we have been waiting for. Today is the day we honor those efforts together. Please make every effort to join your friends in church, and be prepared to bring the commitment for your pledge for the next fiscal year. We'll celebrate with food following worship.
March 14 Hymns of Humanity
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris Many of the wonderful hymns in our hymnal are inspired by the humanist tradition. Today we'll enjoy the influence and inspiration of Religious Humanism by being reminded of its influence and through singing its songs.
March 7 Are You Smarter than a Bullfrog?
~Bob Meyerson It's said that if you put a frog into cold water, and gradually heat it, the frog will be unaware that it's being boiled to death. Are our people being gradually deprived of our constitutional freedoms? What is the responsibility of Unitarian Universalists to speak out to preserve our liberties?
February 28: "Would You Harbor Me ?"
~Rev. Erika Hewitt Would you harbor me? Would I harbor you?
These questions (from a Sweet Honey in the Rock song) are the springboard for Erika’s reflection that our Unitarian Universalist inclusivity -- our eagerness to welcome all who find us -- is a gift that ought to be extended thoughtfully, not reflexively. Rev. Erika Hewitt is a former member of Starr King UU Church, and was ordained by the congregation in December 2004.
February 21: Traces of the Trade
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
As February is African-American History month, we’ll take time to look a little deeper into Unitarian and Universalist history. What is our history with regard to slavery? Might we learn from our history?
February 7 : Good Theology
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
What do we mean by good theology? Maybe some of those trite or cliché comments heard from other people have been a turn-off and a barrier to your own religious or spiritual openness. Might there be good theological answers to life’s common problems?
January 31
Reproductive Justice
~Darcy Baxter
On this 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, where are we with regard to reproductive health? In thirty-seven years, are we taking steps forward or backward? What might we do to be advocates for our faith?
January 10
Be Kind to One Another
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
As we let go of the negative influences of the past year, let us pay attention to the positive ways to greet the world. In our ritual ceremony, we’ll burn off what we want to leave behind.
December 20 Our Hearts Grow Tender
INTERGENERATIONAL ~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris & Leah Hart-Landsberg Come and create-a-pageant together, and enjoy the gifts of holiday readings and songs as we celebrate Christmas in our community.
Full Service
December 13 Every Hour of the Light and Dark
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris & Leah Hart-Landsberg The eight days of Hanukah begin on the night of December 11 th this year. The Hanukah story of the Macabees tells of a tiny jug of oil that miraculously lasted for eight days. Is this the only miracle of Hanukah? Our choir will sing today.
November 29:
The Practice of Gratitude
~Members of the Worship Committee ~Worship Associate: Ruth DeSmidt Come and join us in a Lay Led Celebration of Gratitude and Thanksgiving led by various members of Starr King's Worship Committee.
Listen to this sermon
November 22:
To Catch an Attitude
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris INTERGENERATIONAL In tough times, is it wise to keep thinking positively, or maybe be a little more honest with our feelings? Today we’ll welcome the Guest at Your Table program, and take a special collection for the South Hayward Parish food program.
November 8:
Building the World We Dream About
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris Today we’ll celebrate Association Sunday (for the UUA) and the focus for this year, which is “Growing our Diversity.” What are we doing already? What might we do next?
November 15:
In Words and Music
~Hans York Welcome back guest musician Hans York for a special service filled with his lovely voice and the gifts of his guitar talents.
Listen to this sermon
October 25:
Exploration of the Spirit
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris & Leah Hart-Landsberg
Religious education strengthens and enriches our entire congregation. Come be reminded of exactly how.
Listen to this sermon
October 18:
The Practice of Compassion
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
The Dalai Lama suggests that the key to happiness, both others and our own, is compassion. Where is ours? Does it exist from time to time, or on a daily basis?
October 11:
Coming Out on the Side of Love
~Rev. Katie Kandarian-Morris
Today is National Coming Out Day. How can we come out to affect real change toward equality for all people, regardless of sexual orientation? Let this be the day we dedicate ourselves to Stand on the Side of Love.
October 4
Is Suffering Optional?
~Jamie McReynolds
How do we distinguish pain from suffering? How does our Unitarian Universalist faith help us cope with suffering? Our guest today serves as a hospice chaplain.
September 27:
Begin Again
Rev. Katie Kandarian It’s Yom Kippur, the holiest of days on the Jewish calendar. How is it for us? Might we be inspired by the inward reflection, by the prompting and the reminder to begin again in love?
September 20:
Exploration
Rev. Katie Kandarian & Leah Hart-Landsberg Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit according to the astronaut Frank Borman. It might be by visiting the moon, or discovery a little closer to home through making meaning of the world—what we call religious exploration.
Katie's Decentenial
Full Service
August 30:
Bring a Friend Sunday: The Masterpiece of Nature
~Rev. Katie Kandarian
Emerson said, “A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.” Let’s celebrate friendship by bringing our friends to church today—the ones you’ve been meaning to tell about your wonderful community.
August 23:
What Happened to Religious Humanism
~Rev. Roger Jones
The Humanist Manifesto appeared 75 years ago with Unitarian clergy among the signers. It was a religious challenge to outworn religious doctrines, a cause of controversy in and beyond our UU movement. Come hear what all the fuss was about! Roger Jones is the Family Minister at the UU Society of Sacramento and a board member of the UU Pacific Central District Board and its Growth Committee. He and dear friend Rev. Katie are exchanging pulpits today.
August 16:
Let Books Be Your Dining Table ~Rev. Katie Kandarian Today we’ll try something new with a book communion. Bring a book with you that you’d be willing to share with another—to lend to a member or to give away. Somewhat like the water ceremony, we’ll leave them on the altar and take another home to read. There is a saying, “Let books be your dining table and you shall be full of delights. Let them be your mattress_ and you shall sleep restful nights.”
August 2:
Poetry in Motion
~Ruth DeSmidt and SKUUC member poets
Come hear and participate in the joy of words. Today we will partake in the ritual of words: poetry, stream of consciousness
style essays/fiction, etc. This is a lay led service led by Crystal Carroll and Doug Sprague.
19 July:
To Live Deliberately:On Transcendence and Transcendentalism
~Rev. Joy Atkinson
The sermon will explore the American religious, literary and philosophical movement of the 1830s and 40s known as Transcendentalism, and what it contributed to the American character and to Unitarian Universalism.
5 July:
Spirituality and Gender in America
~Sunshine Wolfe
In the United States, we have worked to create equality for women, gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. This effort towards liberation has supported transgender and genderqueer people in liberation, but there is a long way to go. What is the history and current experiences of gender variety in religious communities? What can we learn about spiritual growth for all people in a world where gender variety is respected and fostered? Come, let us explore together.
Listen to this sermon
June 28th
To Hear A Hand (lay-led)
Stuart Fink and members What's it like to "hear" a hand? asks the first line of a poem by William Madsen, retired professor of Galludet University. Laura Fink will sign and members will share reflections on the deaf community.
June 7th
You Do Not Have To Be Good
~Rev. Katie Kandarian
A few weeks ago the country was inspired by a beautiful singing voice from an unlikely place. Susan Boyle, middleaged
British "spinster" became a household name after the video of her singing on a popular British TV show, similar to
American Idol. Why was the sound of her voice so surprising? Should all great singers have beautifully shaped brows
and look like Carrie Underwood (an American Idol winner)? What does this mean for us, the ones who were surprised. In
the words of poet Mary Oliver, "you do not have to be good" might we add, "or beautiful".
May 17:
Ministry is All That We Do-Together
~Rev. Katie Kandarian Join us for our annual service honoring all of the volunteers, all of the ministries in this congregation. Here we only have one professional minister, all the rest are volunteers. Here we believe in shared ministry—come and participate!
Listen to this sermon
May 10: Listen to this service
Mothers and Daughters Our Whole Lives
~Rev. Katie Kandarian and OWL graduates If you aren’t a middle-schooler or the parent of one you may hear folks talking about OWL and think it’s the bird-watching group. Come find out why this values based sexuality curriculum is so important in our current culture. Our most recent OWL students will share in the service today. SERVICES BEGIN TODAY AT EARLIER SUMMER TIME: 10AM!
April 26.
Earth Festival: Green Sanctuary
~Rev. Katie Kandarian, Darryl & Renee Ray
Let’s celebrate the progress made so far along our quest to become a green sanctuary, to live more sustainably. What have we learned, and where can we improve?
April 12:
Flower Communion:
Earth Laughs in
~Rev. Katie Kandarian
INTERGENERATIONAL Join us for our annual flower communion and a celebration othe joys that Easter brings. Wear your most festive Sunday
best and come looking for the ection of earth and spirit.
April 5:
Point of View, Pt 2
~Rev. Katie Kandarian
After ten years of ministry, a deepening relationship takes place with the people in the ministry—in the church, the community, the colleagues, and the wider world. This community has provided much of the inspiration for that
depth—come share.
March 22.
A Transubstantiated POV
(Rev. Katie Kandarian)
It may not be as grand as the word sounds, but over a period of time being dedicated to the task of ministry moves one along a deepening path. As each of us has come to be here over a period of time, how might that enrichment change our point of view?
March 15
Growing in Giving:
(Andy Hansen & Rev. Katie Kandarian)
This is Celebration Sunday, the day in the church year where we put into economic terms the meaning of this place in our lives. Board member Andy Hansen will share the pulpit today, addressing the transformative nature of giving and we will gather after the service to celebrate with food and fellowship the gifts and the gladness of our spiritual home.
March 8
Legacies & Promise:
(Dara Kaufman-Ledonne)
For the occasion of Women’s History Month and International Women's Day, we unearth and lift up voices from UU women’s history—or “her-story”! How do UU women’s her-storical voices challenge and inspire our movement today? Where do voices from the past resonate with those in the present? How are present dreams informed by past visionaries? Join in celebrating, questioning and contemplating together the legacies and promises of our movement.
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