Reverend Gregory Stewart's dynamic and energetic ministry is powered by his conviction that the greatest spiritual growth can occur in theologically pluralistic settings: settings that are truly inclusive and life-giving.

This is the Unitarian Universalist (UU) movement's unique gift to a world that often covets conformity. We offer a redemptive story of radical inclusion through which we filter all other aspects of congregational life.

Rev. Stewart is commited to ministry with children and families. He believes that youth are among the most effective agents of social change.

Read Rev. Stewart's view of the past church year in his Minister's Report for 2008/2009

Rev. Stewart and his partner of over 27 years, Stillman Stewart, make their home with their five children: Arthur, Javonte, Dionte, Allen, and David. The family engages the world by committing intentional acts of social justice in both common and unusual ways.

• In response to the Boy Scouts of America’s negative policy toward atheist leaders and members, Reverend Stewart helped organize “Tents for Tolerance,” an overnight camp out on his church’s grounds in Pasadena for sympathetic scouts, their families, and many church members.
• In collaboration with Stop AIDS Chicago, he designed the program “Condom Arts and Crafts,” a church-based approach to AIDS awareness and education for teenagers.
• While in Los Angeles, he helped found the Rainbow Youth Alliance, the first church-based, non-sectarian LGBT youth group in the San Gabriel Valley.
• In upper-middle class Shaker Heights, Ohio, Reverend Stewart brought in an inner city artist-in-residence and supported laity in developing a poetry exchange between authors and illustrators in Cleveland, Shaker Heights, and Washington D.C. Their work was subsequently published by an African-American press.

Central to all that Reverend Stewart is and does is worship. He believes that worship leaders are obligated to create the ambiance and present the challenges that give birth to the possibility of personal transformation. How one responds to or embodies transformation is entirely up to the individual and there is no “wrong way” or “right way” to do it.

He has high standards for weekly worship services and celebrations, with an eye toward always ‘raising the bar.’ Reverend Stewart’s personal worship life is enhanced by his practice of what he calls the “classical disciplines:” study, prayer, meditation, fasting, action, reflection, and play. His family also embraces simple rituals that ensure Unitarian Universalism is an all-inclusive, seven-day-a-week religion.

Rev. Stewart’s education includes degrees in Urban Ministry, Music, and Religious Education. He began his UU ministry as a Minister of Religious Education in a mid-sized, city-center church at Chicago, Illinois. He has served congregations in Reno, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Pasadena, and Shaker Heights, Ohio. It was in these settings that he developed a

A published writer, his essay, “Activist Youth Groups: We’re On A Mission,” appeared in a previous issue of the quarterly journal, Liberal Religious Education. He authored the chapter, “Sunday School is Dead—Long Live Sunday School,” in the book, Essex Conversations: Visions for Lifespan Religious Education, published by the Unitarian Universalist Association. He wrote the adult Religious Education curriculum Womanspirit: Women’s Spirituality in Developing Countries, published by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

Reverend Stewart is the creator of the critically acclaimed intergenerational program, Way Cool Sunday School, an “outside of the box,” experientially based approach to liberal religious education.

“The longer I minister, the more ambiguous my 'dominant theology' becomes. This is not due to a lack of clarity; rather, it stems from valuing the process to belief more than the product of belief. This is the place where questions really do take on more meaning and significance than do answers.”

Greg Stewart

“We are poised to lead a religious movement which reinvigorates stale rituals and reinvents sacred trusts with an integrity that has stood the test of time.”

Greg Stewart and Family
Mother's Day 2007

Greg Stewart and Family 2006

We welcome Joel Gilbertson-White, student intern minister, who recently finished his third year of academics at Starr King School for the Ministry.

Joel and his wife Stephanie moved four years ago from Madison, Wisconsin to Oakland to study at Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley. They were recently joined by their new baby, Henry.

Prior to entering seminary, Joel worked as a project manager at a music software company.   In addition to theology, ministry, and spiritual study, his personal passions include music, sound, computers, math, science, art, writing, volleyball, disc golf, and yoga.

Joel says his first hope at First Unitarian Universalist is to get to know the congregation.  He would love to hear your stories -- about yourselves, your families, your thoughts on this community and on life.   Joel is also passionate about social justice in many arenas, including LGBT rights, anti-racism work, just economic distribution of wealth, prison reform, drug policy reform, and especially media reform, which is a critical forerunner for all of our justice work.

Alyson Jacks has served the congregation as an Endorsed Community Minister since 2002. She is Associate Director of Home Away From Homelessness , located at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Home Away provides services and programs for homeless and low-income children and youth living in San Francisco and Marin.

Alyson has been a member of the congregation since 1991. She has served as a Youth Advisor to YRUU, Co-Chair to Interweave, Sunday School Instructor, and member of the Adult Religious Education Committee. She currently serves as the ministerial liaison to the Membership and Caring Committees.

Alyson is a graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry and holds an undergraduate degree in Speech Communications from Emerson College in Boston. Alyson has worked with a variety of non-profits in San Francisco with a focus in educational and social service program management.

Alyson is a native of Massachusetts. She has lived in San Francisco since 1985. She and her partner share a home in Bernal Heights. She is a member of the Threshold Choir . Watch for her as she pedals to and fro on her trusty Bike Friday, Toots!

As an Affiliated Community Minister, Kay Jorgensen's primary responsibility is the day-to-day administration of the Faithful Fools, an outreach and “inreach” effort supported by this congregation which provides a peaceful presence and a helping hand to those struggling and confused over the close living quarters shared by the poor and wealthy with our city. Kay serves the Faithful Fools as Co-Founder and President.

Kay has been a performer, teacher, and director of theater groups for many years. Her credits include performing as a mime and clown in The Street Circus, a company that brought theater to the streets of Minnesota. She has blended drama and spirituality since her undergraduate days when she earned a B.A. in drama and religion at Minnesota's St. Olaf College.

Kay has been a parish minister, a leader in the Unitarian Universalist Community ministry movement, and an adjunct professor at the Starr King School for the Ministry. Her current ministerial work includes an after-school program for children of parents going from welfare to workfare; UU Just Economic Community that advocates for workers rights, living wage and others; Religious Witness with Homeless People; Tom Wadell Public Health Clinic; Interfaith Winter Shelter; and many others.

Rev. Denis Letourneau Paul has been a member of this congregation since 2001, and after completing his M.Div. training at Starr King School, was ordained a Unitarian Universalist Minister by this congregation in March of 2009.  He was simultaneously affiliated as a community minister, in support of his work with the Faithful Fools Street Ministry in the Tenderloin.

As an outreach minister, he seeks to build bridges between the streets and the congregation, between community ministry and Unitarian Universalism.  As a Program Coordinator for the Fools' somatic care work, he brings together volunteers practicing body work like Somatic Experiencing, mindfulness meditation, the Rosen Method and Feldenkrais, all infused with the principles of harm reduction.

In our congregation, Denis takes part in helping to create worship experiences, facilitating religious education classes for youth and adults, and working on social justice issues like marriage equality, water rights, health care, homelessness and mental heath advocacy.

Born in 1937, Margot Campbell Gross is Scottish by heritage, but grew up in Great Britian. The oldest in a lively family of seven children, Margot had a talent for art and design. She graduated from the Royal College of Art with a BA in 1958 and went to work as a designer for the London County Council. 

In 1960 Margot married Peter Watson Gross, an American law student. They lived in Boston but later moved to Knoxville, TN, where Margot quickly became involved in the Religious Education Program at the Unitarian Universalist Church. Youth services continued to be a strong calling, along with raising their growing family: two birth and four adopted children.   

In 1985 the family moved to Berkeley, CA, where Margot attended Starr King School for the Ministry. She graduated in 1988 after completing an internship at All Souls Church in New York City with Revs. Forrest Church and John Buehrens.  

Following her ministry at the First Unitarian Society of Plainfield, NJ, in 1995 Margot was called to be Co-Minister with Rev. John Marsh of the first Unitarian Universalist Church of San Francisco. Here, her passions for social justice and spiritual growth in the congregation created a living legacy, exemplified in the founding of our community after-school program – Up On Top – and the cofounding of the Faithful Fools Street Ministry.  

Margot retired in 2004. She enjoys traveling with her husband Peter, time for painting, walks on Ocean Beach, and visits with extended family. 

“The words on the walls of our Sanctuary speak to me: ‘Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God’ is a call to the work of social justice in the world.”