Sermons by Rev. Sian Wiltshire

At the heart of Buddhism is the desire to alleviate suffering. This service reflects on gifts of Buddhism and its practices has deepened our capacity for and understanding of compassion, resilience and liberation.

The turning of the year offers more than a fresh calendar—it offers a chance to become more fully ourselves. Join us as we explore how growth, connection, and shared purpose can shape the next chapter for you, for OCUUC, and for our wider community. Listen to our weekly sermons anytime, anywhere on your favorite podcast platform – Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music. Just search for OCUUC and hit “Follow” to stay up to date.

Unwrapping the Spirit of Christmas: This Christmas Eve, gather with us for an evening of story and song as we unwrap what truly makes the season shine. Together we’ll peel back the layers of tinsel and tradition to rediscover the Spirit of Christmas—hope that glows in the dark, joy that bubbles up in unexpected places, and the deep magic of family, friendship, and community. Come sing familiar carols, hear meaningful stories, and share in a moment of candlelit connection. Whether…

Continuing our monthly look at world religions and in honor of Hannukah, let’s look at the gifts of Judaism this holiday season.

In this service, we’ll explore how Christianity has been co-opted by modern Christian Nationalism – and how voices like Unitarian Julia Ward Howe remind us that faith was never meant to be a weapon of domination, but a force for justice, compassion, and courageous transformation. Due to an unexpected technical issue, this service was not recorded. Rev. Sian graciously re-recorded her sermon so everyone could still hear her message.

Advent, the Christian holiday of preparation, begins this week, but it is not for shopping, but of awakening. Advent calls us to a gentle kind of revolution — to imagine systems built on care instead of control, and belonging instead of fear. Before the light of celebration comes the courage to dream of justice. Listen to our weekly sermons anytime, anywhere on your favorite podcast platform – Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music. Just search for OCUUC and hit “Follow” to…

What if gratitude isn’t about counting our blessings—but imagining life without them? This Sunday, we’ll explore how reflecting on the absence of what we cherish can awaken a deeper, more enduring sense of appreciation for the lives we already have.

Confucianism offers the world timeless wisdom about living in harmony — with ourselves, our families, and our communities. It teaches that a just and peaceful society begins with moral integrity, respect, and education, and that true leadership flows from character rather than power. At its heart, Confucianism invites us to cultivate virtue in everyday life so that harmony may ripple outward into the world.

Animal Blessing. On this Sunday, bring your furry, feathered and/or scaled friends (or a picture of them) and we will bless them in Unitarian Universalist fashion! This is a multigenerational service with Rev. Sian Wiltshire. You can now listen to our weekly sermons anytime, anywhere on your favorite podcast platform – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Just search for our church name and hit “Follow” to stay up to date. If you enjoy the sermons, please take a moment…

Noting that Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights begins on Oct. 20th, and continuing our monthly sermon series on the gifts of various religions, today we look at the gifts of Hinduism to the world.

When life feels like a tempest, how do we keep ourselves centered and grounded? What do we hold on to? In this day and age, we all need to find our center. Listen to our weekly sermons anytime, anywhere on your favorite podcast platform – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Just search for our church name and hit “Follow” to stay up to date. If you enjoy the sermons, please take a moment to give us a rating or…

We often think of freedom of speech as the right to say whatever is on our minds. But true freedom of speech is incomplete without the courage to listen — to hear words that challenge us, to receive voices long silenced, and to respond with compassion. This Sunday, we reflect on how free speech and listening together create the possibility of a more compassionate world.