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 43

  • Holy flame of times past, brighten this present moment…
    Chalice Lighting | By Tracy Johnson | December 13, 2023 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Courage, Freedom, Generations, Reason, WorshipWeb, Worship
  • Welcome, all who seek renewal in a weary world.
    Welcome | By Shari Woodbury | December 11, 2023 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community, Connections, Friendship, Generations, Hope, Interdependence, WorshipWeb, Worship
  • We gather here, around this flame; seeking, believing, and being, together.
    Chalice Lighting | June 17, 2022 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Generations, WorshipWeb, Worship
  • This burning flame represented hope during the bleakness of World War II.
    Chalice Lighting | By anastasi birosh | May 23, 2022 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Generations, History, Hope, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarianism, WorshipWeb, Worship
  • Our ancestors in faith acted with courage to bring hope and safety.
    Chalice Lighting | By Pat Uribe-Lichty | March 24, 2022 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Generations, History, Unitarianism, WorshipWeb, Worship
  • We tend the spark of imagination and hope for the world to come.
    Chalice Lighting | By Rachael Hayes | February 25, 2022 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Business Meetings, Discernment, Generations, Humanism, Leadership, Purpose, Stewardship, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb, Worship
  • The chalice, as a symbol of Unitarian Universalism, arose as a beacon of hope in an atmosphere of tyranny. The chalice arose as a sign of promise that the marginalized would neither be forgotten nor ignored, because they are beloved and precious from the perspective of the Holy. This morning, we...
    Chalice Lighting | By Erika Hewitt | August 5, 2020 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Anti-Oppression, Freedom, Generations, History, Hope, Oppression, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarianism, Wholeness
  • In ancient times, they said Dayenu It would have been enough to have been spared after the plagues. It would have been enough to have been freed of slavery, It would have been enough to have had food in the desert, Now we question, when will it be enough again? Dayenu Will it be enough to stay home?
    Opening | By Elizabeth Mount | April 6, 2020 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: #COVID19, Generations, History, Judaism, Passover (Pesach), Tradition
  • As we kindle this the flame, we honor and remember Those who have passed into the mystery. Their brightness lives on in our vision; their courage lives on in our commitments; and their love continues to bless the world through us.
    Chalice Lighting | By Florence Caplow | October 31, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Connections, Death, Generations, History, Humanism, Mystery, Samhain
  • Voice 1 Welcome, you who approach this time as a journey toward the horizon, the beginning of the next chapter, seeking all of the insights and opportunities the new day offers....
    Invocation | By Lyn Cox | October 25, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Generations, History, Paganism, Prophetic Words & Deeds
  • Let us be thankful and full of praise to be in the company of those who came before.
    Opening | By Karen G. Johnston | October 22, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community, Connections, Direct Experience, Generations, Gratitude, History, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Vision
  • We light our chalice flame For those who lived their lives in closets of shame; For those who furtively visited the bars, where nobody knew your name; For the Stonewall riot—and the fierce transwomen who fought; For the plague, which still takes far too many, too young, too soon. So many gone. So...
    Chalice Lighting | By Lori Gorgas Hlaban | June 6, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Anti-Oppression, Coming Out, Direct Experience, Generations, History, Humanism, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer, National Coming Out Day, Pride Sunday, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Secular
  • Voice One, Elder (with chalice): Across the generations we have carried the flame. We fought the injustice, sang the songs, spoke for truth, and built something lasting. We join in the line and we carry the flame forward. (pass chalice and mic to next speaker) Voice Two, Active Leader (with metal...
    Chalice Lighting | By Douglas Taylor | December 7, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Bridging, Bridging Ceremony, Building/Space Dedication, Coming of Age, Coming-of-Age, Commitment, Faith, Family, Generations, Justice, Leadership, Stewardship, Unitarian Universalism, Unity
  • Welcome to [name of your congregation]. I want to take a moment to extend a very warm welcome to everyone who's visiting us. Rather than gathering because we all have the same beliefs, we are an intentional community gathered around our shared promise to support each other’s individual spiritual...
    Welcome | By Joanna Fontaine Crawford | September 4, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Children, Connections, Generations, Hospitality
  • This morning, we gather together to worship as a community of all ages. Let us take a moment to look around at those of us sharing this sacred space. Let us recognize the hearts of our whole community – from our elders to our youngest and all the ages in between. Let us embody the beauty of this...
    Opening | By Jules Jaramillo | June 18, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Children, Children's / Religious Education Sunday, Generations
  • Welcome to this sacred celebration of emerging adulthood. We are gathered today to rejoice and bear witness as (name) and her parents and friends mark her transition from childhood to the estate of a young woman. The quinceañera tradition has its roots in the ancient cultures of Central and South...
    Opening | By Kendyl L. R. Gibbons | March 20, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Bridging, Children, Coming-of-Age, Generations, Growth, International, Quinceañera, Women
  • May the flame of this chalice, the symbol of our faith, connect us to all who have come before us, all who are with us in body and and spirit, and all who are yet to come into being. May it serve as a reminder of our unity and connection across all time and space.
    Chalice Lighting | By Katie Romano Griffin | March 15, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Connections, Generations, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism, Unity
  • Come, let us enter this space of hope and community. Come, let us enter this space with our sorrows, our joys, our passion and compassion. Come. let us enter this space with the stories of our ancestors, for their strength and wisdom beats in our hearts....
    Opening | By Katie Romano Griffin | March 15, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Community, Community Ministry Sunday, Connections, Generations, History, Homecoming / Ingathering, Humanism, Interdependence, New Member Ceremony, Purpose, Scout Sunday, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism, Unity, Vision, Water Communion
  • This is the hour. The time has come. Mindful of our responsibilities as leaders of this faith and guardians of the living tradition, we call upon that great cloud of witnesses—those who came before, those who are here now and those who have yet to come. We seek their presence, love and support in...
    Chalice Lighting | By Connie Simon | December 13, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 6th Principle (World Community), Business Meetings, Calling, Generations, Governance, Leadership, Ordinations, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Responsibility, Secular, Teamwork, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism, Wisdom
  • We were all children once, and we carry fragments of our childhood times with us. Today, let us honor those children who walked before us, who transformed into who we have become, who led us to this place, who have lessons for us still.
    Opening | By Meredith Olson | November 15, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Children, Direct Experience, Generations, Growth, History, Humanism, Personal Stories, Tradition