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.
Search Words for Worship Services
Toggle to filter resultsAvailable filters:
Changing a filter will refresh results (and remaining options) immediately. Searching by keyword or changing the number of items per page requires use of the "Search" button.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 35
-
Grief is welcome, a sacred part of the mourning.Reading | By Kari Kopnick | March 1, 2022 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Advent, Balance, Challenge, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Compassion, Despair, Empathy, Grief, Winter Solstice / Yule, WorshipWeb, Worship -
Hope continues, uncertain and true, like candlelight, ready to spark again.Chalice Extinguishing | By Kevin Jagoe | November 2, 2020 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Autumnal Equinox, Despair, Disaster or Crisis, Fall, Hope, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule, WorshipWeb, Worship -
How many more Sundays will the preacher in black robes and the solemn shuffle of papers Read the names of those whose light was extinguished for our right to bear arms? How many more Sundays will we try to believe that our hopes for justice are worth more than the lobbyists’ tailored suits and...Meditation | By Eliot Brian Chenowith | March 15, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Despair, Direct Experience, Disaster or Crisis, Grief, Pain, Presence, Sorrow, Spirituality -
"When it comes to our children, we do not have the luxury of despair. If we rise, they will rise with us every time, no matter how many times we've fallen before. I hope you will remember that the next time you fail. I hope I will too. Remembering that is the most important work as parents we can...Quote | By Cheryl Strayed | January 30, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Child Dedication, Children, Coming of Age, Despair, Direct Experience, Failure, Family, Father's Day, Fathers, Humanism, Integrity, Mother's Day, Mothers, Parents, Secular, Teacher Dedication -
During Advent, we listen and keep vigil for the promise of things to come.Ritual | By Erika Hewitt | December 2, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Advent, Christianity, Despair, Faith, Hope, Joy, Spiritual Practice, Tradition -
I was talking to someone recently about the story of her church-going life, and she told me about a time in her life that she stopped coming to church. Many people who have a story about their church-going life also have a story about taking a break from church—when they stopped going, sometimes...Reflection | By Robin Bartlett | November 26, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Advent, Christianity, Despair, God, Hope, Inclusion, Presence -
You whose hearts are broken, come in. You whom pain has touched, and sorrow, and shock. You who have cried this week, and read the news with sadness. You whom loss has shadowed. You who grieve. Come in, come in. You with hearts open to joy and hope, come in. You whom love has touched, and...Opening | By Sharon Wylie | November 21, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Brokenness, Challenge, Community, Despair, Direct Experience, Disaster or Crisis, Hope, Inclusion, Interdependence -
We, the willing, follow the threads to one another; past rightness and quips and tweets. We will find one another and persist past sunrise.Reflection | By Robin Tanner | October 4, 2017 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Children, Despair, Direct Experience, Disaster, Disaster or Crisis, Hope, Humanism, Parents, Salvation, Secular, Unitarian Universalism, Violence, Vision -
One: Despair is sapping our spirits, damaging our souls, hurting our hearts. Many: We need to be resurrected into hope, faith, and trust. Today, may we be resurrected. One: Violence is shortening our lives and robbing us of our joy. Many: We need to be resurrected into peace and its many blessings.Responsive Reading | By Amanda Udis-Kessler | September 12, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Brokenness, Despair, Direct Experience, Failure, Good Friday, Grace, Hope, Redemption, Salvation -
If ever there were a time for a candle in the darkness, this would be it. Using a spark of hope, kindle the flame of love, ignite the light of peace, and feed the flame of justice.Chalice Lighting | By Melanie Davis | December 22, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Activism, Calling, Despair, Hope, Justice, Justice Sunday, Peace, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Secular, Unitarian Universalism, Worry -
May we give thanks always, believing that, even in the world’s bleakest moments, the dance of life is always underway.Reflection | By Maureen Killoran | November 23, 2016 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Balance, Despair, Earth-Centered, Hope, Nature, Thanksgiving -
This is not a prayer that you may find hope For hope is a luxury that some cannot find and others cannot afford This is not a prayer that you find more love in the world Though I hope you continue to feel love and send love to those near and far I pray instead that you may find tools A hammer lyi...Meditation | By Jessica York | November 11, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), 6th Principle (World Community), Activism, Community, Despair, Disaster or Crisis, Hope, Justice, Living Our Faith, Politics, Solidarity, Unitarian Universalism -
Welcome, you who come in need of healing, you who are confused, or have been betrayed. Welcome, with your problems and your pain. Welcome, too, your joys and your wonderings, welcome your need to hope, your longing for assurance. Instead of answers, here may you find safety for your questions.Opening | By Maureen Killoran | November 11, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Acceptance, Caring, Courage, Democracy, Despair, Disaster or Crisis, Humanism, Trauma, Unitarian Universalism -
I got out of bed this morning because of all those who had to get out of bed before me: Martin and Coretta, the day after his home was bombed. (What did they tell the children?) My father, every day of his young life in Lowndes County, Alabama....Meditation | By Theresa Hardy | November 10, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Activism, America, Anti-Oppression, Black History / Whitney Young / James Reeb, Despair, Disaster or Crisis, Generations, History, Hope, Humanism, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Race/Ethnicity, Responsibility, Secular, Self-Respect -
How is it with your soul? This is the question that John Wesley, Anglican priest and the founder of Methodism, was known to ask of participants in small reflection groups. I ask you because, for me, this has been a hard week. So, beloveds, how is it with your souls?...Affirmation | By Ashley Horan | November 9, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Activism, Anti-Oppression, Community, Despair, Direct Experience, Disaster or Crisis, Hope, Interdependence, Self-Care, Self-Respect, Spirituality, Unitarian Universalism, Unity -
Leader: [if applicable: In addition to our own beloved dead], we take the time to acknowledge all those already lost as the world feels the effects of global warming and climate change. Thousands of people, as well as animals and plants, die every year from the effects of global climate change....Litany | By Erica Baron | October 19, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), All Souls Day, Anti-Oppression, Brokenness, Despair, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Humanism, Nature, Pain, Remembrance Day, Responsibility, Trauma, Climate Justice -
O God who gave us life and death, you hold us in your hands. You cradle us in our need, and you push us into growth. We confess to you that all is not well, that we grieve the loss of many things and people....Prayer | By Beth Merrill Neel | August 24, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Brokenness, Christianity, Despair, Disaster or Crisis, Fear, God, Healing, Unitarian Universalism -
This welcome was written for a Sunday after a national crisis. Whether you’re here because worshiping with us is part of your routine or whether you feel like our country has been stopped in its tracks and it’s impossible to return to normalcy, on this morning we gather to proclaim that we...Welcome | By Erika Hewitt | July 10, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Anger, Balance, Connections, Despair, Direct Experience, Disaster or Crisis, Hope, Humanism, Mourning, Pain, Purpose, Relationships, Transcendence, Unitarian Universalism -
The days that come and carry away your spirit, your spark — bow down. Lay your head on the hard earth and let your brokenness join the death that is stirring there. Life rebels against death, takes the very dust of our bones and reweaves it into glory. You were made for Life, and Life does not...Prayer | By Audette Fulbright Fulson | July 8, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Activism, Brokenness, Despair, Disaster or Crisis, Grief, Hiroshima Day, Justice, Justice Sunday, Solidarity, Transgender Day of Remembrance, Trauma -
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