This fable explores how people who find themselves in places of Sameness learn how to discover Choice. It is the story of Bob who represents everyone that yearns to leave the safety of sameness and to trust they won’t get lost or forgotten by being authentically themselves in a vastly diverse world. By accepting his own – and others – differences, Bob discovers the power of love to attend, accept and appreciate being different as beautiful.

Join us with guest preacher, Rev. Ruth Rinehart, Interim Minister at Starr King UU Church in Hayward. What does astonishing 12th century German nun, Hildegard of Bingen, have to say to Unitarian Universalists today?

The right to bear arms has a history even longer – and clearer – than our country’s history. It has been cited by proponents as a non-negotiable right belonging to early colonists who had to protect themselves in the wilderness. It was a central issue in the war of independence to remain sovereign from foreign interests; and it was central to the intense negotiations behind passing the rights guaranteed in our Constitution. But Carol Anderson’s book, The 2nd, points out that there is a common factor connecting our safety, our sovereign interests and our rights. Her book clearly explains that she is neither for or against the 2nd. But she is adamant about the first thing everyone needs to know about the 2nd.

Our relationship with our mothers is one of both tenderness and tension. Rare indeed is the individual who had every need of mothering met by the mother they were given. It is part of our rite of passage to be born into absolute dependence, struggle with differentiation to achieve independence and then, if we’re lucky, to build a meaningful interdependence. This is a sermon written by Rev. Greg and his mother in the last few years of her life as they tried to make sense of the love they shared.

As a theological thread in the fabric of religion, Unitarian Universalism comes from two separate strands that didn’t give much credence to the notion of Hell. Early Unitarians are said to have believed themselves created too good by God to be sent to such a place. Universalists, on the other hand, believed that God was too good to send anyone there, much less create such a place to begin with. Yet the widespread references to such a place – even today – is evidence that many people not only believe in it but are quite willing to tell people to go there. What is a modern Unitarian Universalist supposed to think?

10AM Sunday, 4/30/2023, Rev. Connie Simon Change is inevitable. It is always happening within, among and inside us. Sometimes change is welcome and other times not so much. How do we cope and even embrace it? Rev. Connie Simon, Interim Minister at the UU Church of Davis, is our special guest Worship Leader. Order of Service

Rev. Greg went out and recruited some exciting surprise guests from MPUUC’s past to play Jeopardy!. Because the service is celebrating Earth Day, all of the Jeopardy! categories will have something to do with Earth Day, climate change or environmental justice. If you love MPUUC’s past and care about the environment, you won’t want to miss this compelling call for us all to know what’s happening and what’s needed.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a conflict of feeling torn. We’re called toward something new, but with an uncomfortable and unshakeable loyalty to what is being replaced. This is a service where we explore the conversation that divided the nation – and still does. We will look at some of the history and lessons about the price we pay for memorializing our woundedness instead of entertaining the better angels of our nature.

Have you ever had someone tell you a story and it was so hard to understand it felt like they were speaking in a foreign language? Unitarians Universalists have, for much of their recent history, had that kind of experience when listening to the story of Easter. This Sunday, we will look at the words and explore their usage – much like is commonly done in English as a Second Language courses. Perhaps, at the end of the class, we might finally understand what some people mean when they talk about Easter.

We as UUs are often called to open doors to new understanding and yet struggle with change. Perhaps the answer resides in how we perceive the world and the biases we bring to the conversation. Can we, are we capable of residing and living into the opportunities the open door of change reveals?