Rev. Jim Magaw

Radical Theology of Fred Rogers

Pittsburgh children’s television icon Fred Rogers preached and practiced a radical theology which advocated for cultivating empathy for all, making sure that every child was cared for, and loving your neighbor as yourself. What can we learn from Mr. Rogers today?

Founders’ Day: Heritage & Future

This service will celebrate our founding members, who, more than 50 years ago, made the bold decision to form a UU congregation in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. What can we learn from their example, and what’s in store for Sunnyhill in the years to come?

UU Revival

Unitarianism and Universalism arose in America as a backlash against the first major American religious revival movement, known as the Great Awakening, in the 18th century. But here in the 21st century American religion is in need of a new kind of revival movement, and UUism may have an important role to play.

Tikkun Olam: Repair of the World

Entropy is real and inescapable–everything in the universe falls apart. But despite this fundamental drift toward brokenness, we can work to make things better, and—because of our interconnectedness—the repair work that we do, even on the smallest of scales, has an effect on the whole. (This service will feature music performed by the Silvia Bolognesi … Continued

Beyond Hopelessness

Cynicism may be understood as an attempt to protect oneself from the heartache of unfulfilled hopes. While it may be effective in the short term, cynicism ultimately leads nowhere. But how and where are we to find hope in what may seem like a hopeless situation.

Three Rules for Life

Although we are not often called to articulate them, our most deeply held beliefs about life and the nature of the world can have a profound effect on how we live our lives. We will explore three of these beliefs or rules and how they might guide the way we live our lives.

What Is Unitarian Universalism?

Unitarian Universalism is sometimes wrongly described as not having its own theology. Although it’s true that there is a great deal of theological diversity within our congregations, we do have our own unique theology—both historically and contemporarily. This service will provide an overview of Unitarian Universalist theology and why it is important to us and … Continued

Helped, Heard, or Hugged?

We all sometimes struggle with what to say or do when a friend, family member or church member is going through a hard time. This service will focus on a few specific guidelines for how to be truly helpful in such situations.

Losing Our Religion

As fewer and fewer Americans identify as religious or as members of particular faith communities, what are the implications for religion in America, for Unitarian Universalism, and for our own congregation?

The Summer Day

If contemporary Unitarian Universalism were to have its own Book of Common Prayer, it would almost certainly include some of the poems of Mary Oliver. This service will explore why one of Oliver’s poems, “The Summer Day,” is especially powerful and relevant.