Unitarian Universalists use different terms for the words that begin a worship service, including call to worshipinvocation, and opening words. These words invite the congregation from their separate lives and to the common place and time of the worship hour.

(In Unitarian Universalist worship if there are Opening Words there is generally not an Invocation, and vice versa.)

Search Words for Worship Services

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Displaying 1 - 20 of 28

  • We rekindle our connection to the sacred web of life.
    Chalice Lighting | By Shari Woodbury | October 18, 2022 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Earth, Earth-Centered, Nature, Wonder
  • Breathe in us, with us, and through us as we gather—one in community.
    Invocation | By Kristin Grassel Schmidt | September 22, 2022 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Earth-Centered, Judaism, Nature, Rosh Hashanah, Unity, WorshipWeb, Worship
  • [Written for two voices, here set for Worship Association (WA) and Minister (M)] WA: Perhaps some here have outgrown mystery. Maybe you have doubts about Santa, Or have forgotten the magic of a newborn child. M: One might easily lose touch with awe, In the struggle to do it all, Or simply to...
    Opening | By Shari Woodbury | January 8, 2020 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Advent, Awe, Children, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Mystery, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism, Winter Solstice / Yule, Wonder
  • Our chalice reminds us that the fire within ourselves is the same fire that illuminates the Universe. It is our reminder that all is connected even though the space of the void is vast, and our experience here is but a blip in the cosmic timeline....
    Chalice Lighting | By Shawn Trapp | November 11, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Agnosticism, Atheism, Awe, Humanism, Meaning, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Purpose, Reason, Science, Secular, Wonder
  • [for 2-3 voices, alternating] On this eve of mystery and magic, let us enter into the Christmas story as if we were there on the holy night. What part will we play this year? Are you the mother, trusting your body to know what to do when the time of birth comes?...
    Opening | By Shari Woodbury | January 21, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Birth, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Compassion, Dignity, Faith, Family, Hope, Hospitality, Journey, Love
  • We feel the season turning. The early sunset glancing through the red-tinged leaves. The newspaper arriving in the cool morning air. The flock of migrating swallows. A feeling of being on the edge of something new. These are the Days of Awe. A time to welcome a new year and a time to make the old...
    Opening | By Ben Soule | January 7, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Awe, Conscience, Contemplation, Judaism, Mindfulness, Peace, Reconciliation, Rosh Hashanah, Sacred, Wonder, Yom Kippur, Worship
  • Within the heart of the flower, the fountain of beauty Within the heart of the community, a fire that warms and dances Within the heart of each of us, a spark of the spirit of life. Holy, holy, holy.
    Chalice Lighting | By Amy Zucker Morgenstern | May 29, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Beauty, Direct Experience, Earth-Centered, Flower Communion, God, Nature, Paganism, Sacred, Wonder
  • Let us hold a quiet moment now as we light our Chalice. Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal on February 2nd, 1841: "A child asked his father what became of the old moon, and he said it was cut up into stars." Consider the light. Light out of darkness. Light begets light....
    Chalice Lighting | By Ben Soule | March 15, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Humanism, Science, Secular, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarianism, Wonder
  • A: Because the tides are rising B: So must we C: Rise! A: to this moment C: Rise! B: to this day C: Rise! A: to this life B: This place in the web A: That is yours, and ours. C: Rise! B: Because the earth remains A: Our only home C: And we B: Fellow travelers A: Its only hope C: For healing B:...
    Opening | By Gretchen Haley | February 15, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Beauty, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Gratitude, Nature, Responsibility, Climate Justice
  • As we create and share sacred space together, let us reflect upon what brings us here. We have all come here for different reasons, from different decisions, faced different challenges and shared different love. And yet all of our differences have led us to this space, right here, right now. Some...
    Opening | By Ella Boyer | July 13, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Awe, Diversity, Generations, Love, Purpose, Transcendence, Unitarian Universalism, Unity
  • Our light is the light of the sun, keeper of all we love; our light is the light of the earth, provider of sustenance; our light is the light of all living things, life precious like our own....
    Chalice Lighting | By David Breeden | January 25, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Abundance, Awe, Beauty, Direct Experience, Earth-Centered, Humanism, Imagination, Nature, Science, Secular, Transcendence, Truth, Unitarian Universalism
  • The wheel of the year has turned again. Once more the Thanksgiving season has arrived. How shall we sing our song of gratitude now? For what shall we give thanks? For this moment; for friends near and far; for our breath; for love; for courage and clarity; for strength; for delight; for laughter;...
    Opening | By Laura Horton-Ludwig | November 30, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Arts & Music, Awe, Direct Experience, Generations, Gratitude, Thanksgiving, Wonder
  • Come, come, whoever you are. Do you hear that voice calling you, calling us? That voice which calls us together here today in this room made holy by our presence and by the sacred breath we share in our singing and speaking and silence....
    Invocation | By Ian W. Riddell | July 30, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Acceptance, Awe, Community, Connections, Direct Experience, Hospitality, Interdependence, Sacred, Unity, Wonder
  • Out of the flames of fear We rise with courage of our deepest convictions to stand for justice, inclusion and peace Out of the flames of scrutiny We rise to proclaim our faith With hope to heal a fractured and hurting world Out of the flames of doubt We rise to embrace the mystery, wonder and awe...
    Chalice Lighting | By Sara Eileen LaWall | January 11, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Awe, Courage, Doubt, Faith, Fear, Fire Communion, Healing, Inclusion, Justice, New Year, Peace, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Unitarian Universalism, Vision, WorshipWeb
  • Here we have come into this sacred space— quieter now with our readiness Hushed voices, hoping, trusting for so many things: For connection, for communion For inspiration, for information For healing, for wholeness, For words, for music, For celebration and consolation, Here we have come into thi...
    Opening | By Katie Kandarian-Morris | November 18, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Awe, Faith, Healing, Hope, Letting Go, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism, Wonder
  • For the wonder and inspiration We seek from sun and stars And all the lights of the heavens We light this chalice.
    Chalice Lighting | By Cynthia Landrum | November 11, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Beauty, Connections, Contemplation, Earth, Journey, Mystery, Nature, Presence, Wonder
  • As the first hint of green begins to peek through the barren ground As that little sprig grows into a healthy stem As that stem grows into a stalk and forms a bud As that bud slowly opens with each new day To form a yellow daffodil Let us be, like that first hint of green, renewed by the warm of ...
    Chalice Lighting | By Jennifer McGlothin | October 20, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Abundance, Awe, Beauty, Beginnings, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Easter, Flower Communion, Growth, Health, Interdependence, Nature, Secular, Spring, Unitarian Universalism, Vernal Equinox
  • To love life is to notice the wonders that abound And To notice the wonders that abound Is to be grounded here and now And To be grounded here and now Is the beginning of finding love for this life today. Let us ground ourselves in this instant in the worship of all things good and right.
    Opening | By Daniel Chesney Kanter | February 17, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Abundance, Awe, Love, Presence, Unitarian Universalism, Wonder
  • Fire and water, ancient opposites Sun and ocean, the cradle of life Dancing flame and dancing river— We invoke them together today As we kindle our chalice flame.
    Chalice Lighting | By Laura Horton-Ludwig | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Awe, Earth, Earth-Centered, Immanence, Interdependence, Nature, Paganism, Peace, Playfulness, Reverence, Sacred, Transcendence
  • As we light this chalice We take those little sparks Glowing within all of us And combine them to create this flame. —First Parish, Bedford, MA, Coming of Age participant...
    Chalice Lighting | By Jamie Dorer | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Coming of Age, Coming-of-Age, Community, Growth, Living Our Faith, Responsibility, Strength, Truth, Unity, Wholeness