Video of Recent Sermons



Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church -May 28, 2023
Rev. J Sylvan - ""What Does "Unitarianism" Mean? Arian and the Council of Nicea" - Unitarian Universalism became a religion in the 1960s, when Unitarianism and Universalism merged. But did you know that Unitarian ideas went back over 1500 years? Let's take a look at the Council of Nicea, and how much things have (and haven't) changed for people with unorthodox ideas since then.

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church -May 21, 2023
Gloria Miller - "Weaving Together as One" - In its simplest definition, weaving is an art form that involves interlacing two sets of threads or yarn at right angles to one another. The method is ancient, dating back to the Paleolithic Era, and is found across every culture on the globe. The woven product, however, represents so much more than overlapping threads. As individuals---children, youth and adults we will come together to explore how this weaving creates one of the most valuable resources we have: our community. Our community is dynamic, expressive and diverse. And each is made stronger by the others surrounding it.

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church -May 14, 2023
Rev. J Sylvan - "The Power of Our Peers" - Two Peer Support groups meet at Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church, NAMI and PFLAG. What is Peer Support, and why is it so important in our lives and ministry? Let's look together at this important practice, and learn how we can all provide lateral support to our peers in difficult times.

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church -May 7, 2023
Ministerial Candadite Katie McQuage-Loukas - "Hope Without Certainty" - What can sustain us in uncertain times? There is power in our faith, in our commitment to our interdependence and care for one another. There is strength in building a place of collective vision and shared ministry, to bridge reality and the dream of something better.
Katie McQuage-Loukas was born and raised right down the road, in Galveston. She currently lives on the north shore of Massachusetts with her partner, Kris. She attended Boston University, receiving her Master of Divinity in 2021 and her Master of Sacred Theology in 2022, with a specialization in religious leadership. She will be ordained as a Unitarian Universalist minister this spring.

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church - April 30, 2023
Ministerial Candadite Katie McQuage-Loukas - "A Stranger Welcomed" - My journey to Unitarian Universalism, and eventually ministry, began as so many of our stories do—I was a seeker, looking for a spiritual home. The power of Unitarian Universalism to offer hospitality is what drew me in and held me. We are called to widen our circles, to offer not only hospitality but radical hospitality, one with the capacity to expand ourselves and engage more deeply with one another and the world.
Katie McQuage-Loukas was born and raised right down the road, in Galveston. She currently lives on the north shore of Massachusetts with her partner, Kris. She attended Boston University, receiving her Master of Divinity in 2021 and her Master of Sacred Theology in 2022, with a specialization in religious leadership. She will be ordained as a Unitarian Universalist minister this spring.

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church - April 23, 2023
Guest Speaker: Rabbi Deborah Schloss - "Water and Theology" - Joining us today is Rabbi Deborah Schloss. Rabbi Schloss is the Rabbi of the newly formed synagogue Shaarey Tzedek of Montgomery County and a certified celebrant. She previously served Temple Beth Tikvah for 14 years and is also a clinical chaplain at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and the Memorial Herman Healthcare System. She is the author of two poems in the book Prayers and Blessings for Healthcare Workers published last year and available through Amazon.

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church - April 16, 2023
Rev. J Sylvan -Question Box - Ever wanted to ask a minister a question, but didn't for one reason or another? Well, now's your chance. There will be a Question Box out in the hall starting on April 1st. Write your questions down (anonymous or not) and on April 16th, Rev. J will answer them LIVE in the pulpit. No question is too big or too small. Rev. J will not see them beforehand, but they will not be able to answer all questions. Will your question be chosen? Join us on April 16th to find out!

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church - April 9, 2023
Rev. J Sylvan - Flower Communion Service - Join us for an intergenerational Easter service where we will celebrate Rebirth in many different forms. This will also be our special Flower Communion Service.

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church - April 2, 2023
Rev. J Sylvan - "Thank God for Drag" - The art of American Drag is rooted in love, survival, resistance, and joy. In 21st century, it has grown to a multifaceted performance art that takes many forms, from campy, sometimes raunchy cabarets in the queer nightclubs that incubated it through the 20th century, to high-concept cultural critiques in avant-garde theater spaces, to pop-culture juggernauts like RuPaul's Drag Race, to family-friendly drag storytimes. Let's explore how important, powerful, and yes, holy Drag can be for LGBTQ+ and straight audiences alike.

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church - March 26, 2023
Rev. J Sylvan - "The Beauty of Goodbye" - Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm terrible at goodbyes"? All transitions can be challenging, and transitions that involve the ending or changing of a relationship can be especially weighted. Saying goodbye can feel so difficult we may want to avoid it entirely. How can we approach saying goodbye in a way that honors and celebrates our love while also acknowledging the transition that is taking place? Let's explore together.

Sunday Service - Bay Area UU Church - March 19, 2023
Rev. J Sylvan - "Climate Change in Mythical Time" - We like to say we live in "unprecedented" times due to climate change, but the idea of humans affecting the earth on a large scale is nothing new. We see stories of the earth responding harshly to human overreach in many mythologies, legends, and parables. What can they teach us in our current climate crisis?
