Sermons given at UUCB, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

August 30, 2026

The Faith Is In The Crossing

Rev. Marcus Liefert

Some traditions look out on the world and see people in need of conversion, lost souls who could be saved if only they are reached by the right message. Liberal religion holds instead a vision of pluralistic partnership. What kind of faith do we need to take the risk of crossing that chasm?

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

August 23, 2026

Holding Under Pressure

Rev. Kathryn Jay

We cross bridges every day, trusting trusses, rivets, and beams to bear the heavy weight. We need communities that inspire that same kind of trust. How can we shore up the institutions of our common life to withstand the forces working to bring them down?

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

August 2, 2026

The Power of Heartbreak

Rev. Dr. Kathryn Jay

Broken-heartedness is a fact of life. How can we grow and be transformed by the moments that break our hearts, making space for individual and communal healing in a world beset by loss and disappointment?

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

July 5, 2026

Becoming What We Believe

Intern Minister: Liesl Dees

A religious life is not only about what we believe, but what we practice. We’ll reflect on the sacred work of living our faith beyond Sunday morning—shaping lives rooted in love, justice, and compassion.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

June 28, 2026

Reading The World

Intern Minister: Liesl Dees

What counts as a sacred text? As we continue our series on Reclaiming and Reimagining Religion, we’ll explore wisdom found not only in scripture, but also in literature, life, and landscape. Together, we’ll reflect on how we learn to read the sacred woven throughout our lives.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley

June 21, 2026

Glitter and Grit

Rev. Kathryn Jay

A Prophetic Imagination Rev. Liesl Dees

Prophets are often imagined as lone figures predicting doom. But what if prophecy is really the courage to tell the truth, name what others refuse to see and call people back to relationship, justice, and compassion. Together, we’ll reclaim prophecy not as supernatural prediction but as the sacred work of imagining a more loving world.

Ministerial Intern Liesl Dees

Prayer is often imagined as speaking into silence. But what if prayer is an exchange of longing, listening, wonder, and response? We continue our series on Reclaiming and Reimagining Religion by exploring prayer as a practice of attention, connection, and presence.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley May 31, 2026

Community in Bloom

We celebrate our annual flower communion with the recognition that we bloom always in relationship. Like the interdependent community of flowers and pollinators, we depend on each other more than we know to express our unique and sacred beauty. Bring a flower to celebrate!

Rev Marcus Liefert

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley May 24, 2026

Sound of Spirit

Rev Liesel Dees

As we begin our series on Reclaiming and Reimagining Religion, we start with the wisdom of our bodies. On this Pentecost Sunday, we’ll riff on the New Testament story of embodied spirituality through a jazz lens, featuring special guest trumpeter Delbert Anderson.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley May 17, 2026

The Understory

We know some of the biggest stories that shape the world and human society are rapidly changing. Those changes show up in the small and specific realities of our own lives and our own community. How do we practice creating beloved community by living in the moral framework of interdependence here and now?

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley April 26, 2026

The Bark and the Heartwood

Rev Marcus Liefert

Learning to live in a complex reciprocity asks us to grow inward and outward at the same time. The fact that the ground we stand on is not as solid as we were led to believe is both terrifying and liberating, an invitation to tend to the semipermeable membranes between ourselves and the world with tender care.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley April 19, 2026

Earthlings

Rev. Kathryn Jay

We often think of rebels as folks fighting alone against the status quo. But we are all part of the crew, transforming our grief and anger into action. In this Earth Day service, we’ll ground ourselves in the simultaneous realities of lament and hope.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley April 5, 2026

Alleluia Anyway

Rev. Marcus Liefert

Like each of our lives and the times we live in, the stories of Easter and Passover are rife with joy and struggle intertwined. With all that would bury us in the tomb, how do we rise up and sing alleluia anyway?

Sustaining Fire

Rev. Marcus Liefert

To keep a flame burning, we watch and feed it so it does not go out. But fire can also be sustaining: offering warmth, light, and a place for people to gather. Our spiritual lives are rarely simple, and the work of love is complicated. We live within complexity—tending the fire of love and searching for clarity in its warmth.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley March 22, 2026

Claimed by Ash

Rev. Marcus Liefert

Before it can be transformed, loss must be witnessed. What can we learn from communities that have been shrouded in ash but refused to grieve alone?