Unitarian Universalists honor and celebrate a wide range of holidays and occasions over the course of a year. Unlike other faith traditions that use a single lectionary (a collection of scripture readings appointed for a given day or occasion), the topics and themes for Unitarian Universalist worship services are usually chosen independently by worship leaders in congregations. These include unique UU traditions, like the Flower Ceremony, as well as holidays from other faith traditions, such as Christmas or Beltane.
View and download the 2023-24 UUA Worship Calendar (PDF), which includes faith-based and secular holidays that UU congregations often celebrate. The calendar also includes monthly worship themes used in popular theme-based ministry programs. To download or print, follow the link and use the File menu, then select the Landscape layout option.
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The ritual of welcoming and honoring ancestors is an ancient spiritual practice found in many cultures and traditions. Thus we begin this ceremony with paying tribute and expressing gratitude to our ancestors. From our histories our ancestors call to us, asking “whence we come, and how and...Opening | By Christina Shu, Tera Little | March 1, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Commitment, Generations, History, Installations, Justice, Ordinations, Purpose, Responsibility, Unitarian Universalism -
Let us go out into the world singing. Let us go out into the world singing songs that proclaim liberty. Songs that turn ashes into garlands Songs that bind up the afflicted and those who mourn. Songs that, like oaks, have roots that go deep and stand strong. Let us go out into the world singing....Benediction | By Dawn Skjei Cooley | March 1, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Activism, Arts & Music, Christianity, Compassion, Music Sunday, Transformation, Vision, Wholeness -
One day, your church was born. Maybe it was a gathering of saints, called together for the common worship of a wrathful god, ceaselessly praying between bouts of decrying the evil of Christmas or dancing. Or maybe a few brave souls answered a notice in the newspaper, curiosity piqued by the...Reading | By Sean Neil-Barron | February 26, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 5th Principle (Conscience & Democracy), Building/Space Dedication, Business Meetings, Change, Child Dedication, Community, Creativity, Direct Experience, Generations, Installations, Leadership, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Purpose, Religion, Sacred, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb -
This ritual was used as a Time for All Ages on Valentine's Day, but could be used on any number of Sundays—whether there are children and youth present or not. Although the spoken roles here are named as Minister and Religious Educator, any two (or more) worship leaders could facilitate this...Ritual | By Lyn Cox | February 26, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Arrogance, Caring, Humanism, Love, Service, Unitarian Universalism, Valentine's Day, WorshipWeb
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Love is the aspiration, the spirit that moves and inspires this faith we share. Rightly understood, love can nurture our spirits and transform the world....Chalice Lighting | By Maureen Killoran | February 26, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Body, Challenge, Community, Direct Experience, Faith, Generosity, Healing, Love, Mourning, Power, Spirituality, Transformation, Valentine's Day, WorshipWeb -
Bruises are a part of roller derby — a celebrated part. It’s not uncommon for players to take pictures of their biggest, most colorful shaped bruises: bruises that go deep into your tissue, and come out in amazing blues, purples, and blacks that eventually fade to greens, browns and yellows. A...Reading | By Dawn Skjei Cooley | February 23, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: #BlackLivesMatter, 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Anti-Oppression, Black History / Whitney Young / James Reeb, Body, Commitment, Direct Experience, Healing, Justice, Multiculturalism, Privilege, Race/Ethnicity, Secular -
When we talk about a liberal theology and ethic of sexuality, we need to start in our vulnerable, needy bodies, in real life, in the struggle to navigate our embodied neediness with others in an embrace of the still-possible mutual wholeness and transformation. Any theology of sex that doesn’t...Reading | By Gretchen Haley | February 22, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Body, Coming Out, Gender / Sex Change, Healing, Intimacy, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer, Multiculturalism, Sexuality, Wholeness -
There is too much hardship in this world to not find joy, every day There is too much injustice in this world to not right the balance, every day There is too much pain in this world to not heal, every day Each of us ministers to a weary world....Benediction | By Darcy Roake | February 20, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 5th Principle (Conscience & Democracy), 6th Principle (World Community), Activism, Challenge, Coming of Age, Commitment, Community Ministry Sunday, Empathy, Graduation Recognition, Healing, Justice, Justice Sunday, Purpose, Unitarian Universalism, Wholeness -
We are hungry We are eating our daily bread and bowing our heads and yet we are hungry We are thanking the farmer and the farm worker and yet we are hungry We are speaking in spaces for food that is healthy and still we are hungry We are tiring of slogans that say Feed the Children and mean feed ...Meditation | By Debra Smith | February 11, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Christianity, Communion (Christian), Democracy, Direct Experience, Food, Food Justice, Generosity, Human Rights, Humanism, Justice, Justice Sunday, Poverty, Prayer Practices, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Spiritual Practice, Table Grace, Thanksgiving, Transcendence, Transformation, WorshipWeb -
Today, you join in membership. This is a moment of excitement and possibility. And although I don’t wish to pull you out of this moment, I need to talk to you for a bit about a moment in your future....Reading | By Liz James | February 11, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Commitment, Community, Covenant, Inclusion, Living Our Faith, New Member Ceremony, Reconciliation, Relationships, Strength, Teamwork, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb -
We arrive from many different experiences and backgrounds. Some of us have trouble speaking; others are so young that they’re still learning to talk. Some of us speak English as a second language, and others of us can speak several foreign languages....Opening | By Erika Hewitt | February 8, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Business Meetings, Community, Conflict, Connections, Direct Experience, Integrity, Interdependence, Intimacy, Living Our Faith, Love, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Relationships, Unitarian Universalism, Valentine's Day -
I want not dainty bone china-cupped, oh-so-polite, pinky-extended sips, but guzzle-by-the-gallon, drink-from-the-fire-hose- two-hundred-eighty-psi- Niagara-Falls volumes, and inch-thick slices of hearty multi-grain-hard-crusted- with-stick-in-your-teeth-seeds-bread (none of that bland supermarket...Poetry | By Peter Friedrichs | February 4, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Body, Direct Experience, Love, Playfulness, Sexuality, Valentine's Day -
Image | By Jennie Freiberger | February 1, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Arts & Music, Autumnal Equinox, Playfulness, Seven Principles, Thanksgiving, Unitarian Universalism -
Once, many grey autumns ago, I came upon a tree. The tree, a poplar, had dropped all of its leaves but for one, just one. Exactly one leaf remained near the topmost part of the tree, fluttering in the breeze like a little reddish-brown flag....Meditation | By David M. Horst | January 25, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Autumnal Equinox, Connections, Contemplation, Despair, Direct Experience, Earth, Earth-Centered, Letting Go, Nature, Reverence, Samhain, Thanksgiving, Winter Solstice / Yule, WorshipWeb -
I saw the parade pass by with the last soldier marching. I saw politicians stand by not in pride, but in shame as they recited the names of the dead and admitted their failure. I saw the marching band step in time to silence, no more hymns of glory could they play. I saw mothers and fathers say,...Meditation | By David M. Horst | January 25, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Arrogance, Death, Direct Experience, Ending, History, Memorial Day, Remembrance Day, Veterans Day, War, WorshipWeb -
Holy grandparents of the Universe...energies of creation...endless mysteries of life: You are the music that sounded before our world was born, sound and silence woven throughout the ages, far beyond the most profound wisdom humanity has been able to touch....Prayer | By Maureen Killoran | January 25, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Awe, Connections, Direct Experience, Earth-Centered, Hope, Humility, Paganism, Prayer Practices, Presence, Transcendence, Wonder, WorshipWeb -
We light this chalice on the brink of a new year Letting go of what has been Open and hopeful for what may come Renewed, restored, ready To live Life fully anew May we move forward with intention. Note: this chalice lighting can be read in unison or responsively.Chalice Lighting | By Lois Van Leer | January 14, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Beginnings, Chinese New Year, Ending, Healing, Health, Hope, Letting Go, New Year, Purpose, Rosh Hashanah, Strength, Vision, Wholeness -
Let go Of all that binds you Of all that burdens you Of what you carry Of all that shames you Of fear Of trespasses and transgressions Of woundedness Let go of guilt Let go of anger Let go of small mindedness and pettiness Of ways of being that no longer work for you Of compulsions that consume y...Opening | By Lois Van Leer | January 14, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Ending, Healing, Letting Go, New Year, Yom Kippur -
Dear God, Spirit of Life and Love, An Eagle Scout Court of Honor marks the end of one journey, a journey of participating in Scouting. Now a new journey begins with a commitment to better Scouting where all may participate. Bless all of N's future endeavors....Benediction | By Aaron Stockwell Wisman | January 12, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Integrity, Scout Sunday, Service, Teamwork, Work -
Dear God, Spirit of Life and Love, Creator of the mountains and the forests, It is good to be gathered here on the occasion of N receiving his/her/their Eagle Scout Award. We are thankful for the service he/she/they has/have given to his/her/their troop/crew/ship, community and council. We are...Invocation | By Aaron Stockwell Wisman | January 12, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Integrity, Scout Sunday, Service, Teamwork, Work