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  • We thank you sky for your blue, Also, breeze, for what you do: Everything simple, Undivided, And too ordinary to be tried as true. The sound of rain when we’re warm inside, Purple shadows on the mountainside, Help us to notice, Open our eyes, Give us grateful hearts, And unclinging minds. That we...
    Meditation | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Contemplation, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered
  • When I think of power, strength, sheer physical force, I think of an avalanche. Tons of thundering snow come falling down the side of a steep mountain with the speed and irresistable force of a locomotive or freight train. In an instant an avalanche can sweep away everything in its path. But...
    Homily | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 6th Principle (World Community), Christianity, Earth, Earth-Centered, Easter, Flower Communion, Nature, Sacrifice, Transcendence, Transformation
  • Maybe prayer doesn’t mean talking to God at all. May it means just listening. Unplugging the TV, turning off the computer, Quieting the mental chatter and distractions. Maybe it means listening to the birds And the insects, the wind in the leaves, the creaking and groaning of the trees, noticing...
    Meditation | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Contemplation, Direct Experience, Listening, Prayer Practices
  • On Easter Sunday, we remember the teachings of Jesus as we celebrate the miracle of life, which is also closely related to the mystery of death. Jesus, for example, spoke of a seed. Unless it falls to the earth and is buried, it remains just a seed. But by going down, down beneath the ground, it...
    Homily | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Change, Christianity, Death, Easter, Faith, Growth, Transformation
  • Asked if he was lonesome in his hut on Walden Pond, our neighbor Henry Thoreau famously replied, “How could I be lonely? Don’t I live in the Milky Way?” Thoreau doubtless would have been encouraged by the recent discovery of Kepler-22, a planet just 600 light years from earth right in the...
    Reading | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Advent, Awe, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Direct Experience, Science, Wonder
  • Is the world getting more connected or more fragmented? Facebook, in conjunction with the University of Milan, recently announced that there were only 4.74 "degrees of separation" among its 700 million users (representing 10% of the world's population). That contrasts with the famous six degrees...
    Homily | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Community, Friendship, Homecoming / Ingathering, Interdependence, Solidarity
  • We gather on this beautiful morning, the anniversary of a day painful to remember but impossible to forget ... We remember all the heroes and heroines of that day, the firefighters and emergency responders who demonstrated such courage in the midst of crisis....
    Meditation | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 6th Principle (World Community), America, Democracy, Nonviolence, Peace
  • Gracious Spirit, Who makes the first to be last and the last to be first, Who makes the rain to fall and the sun to shine upon all, Help us to understand that life is not an contest Where having the most toys is the point of the game, To realize that the victor’s circle can be the loneliest spot...
    Prayer | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Acceptance, Dignity, Grace, Humility, Self-Respect
  • Children widen the circle of our being in ways that are limitless. Every baby that’s born connects us to our history, our own parents, grandparents and unknown forbears who brought new life to the world in each successive generation. Every baby that’s born links us to the future, to a world yet...
    Meditation | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Birth, Child Dedication, Children, Children's / Religious Education Sunday, Children's Sabbath, Family, Fathers, Generations, Love, Mothers, Parents
  • We draw from many wells, From oceans and rivers, From lakes and streams, From the muddy Mississippi to the roaring Rio Grande, From faraway places and from the ponds and puddles in our own backyards....
    Ritual | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Buddhism, Christianity, Community, Diversity, Hinduism, Humanism, Inclusion, Taoism, Unity, Water Communion
  • We give thanks for love, Agape and Eros, Chocolates and pillow talk, And all of cupid’s arrows. For unrequited yearning And the grand passion burning, For quiet appreciation And platonic contemplation. For lovers, too, we offer thanks: Those gay and straight, near and dear, Gender metamorphic or...
    Meditation | By Gary Kowalski | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Intimacy, Love, Sexuality, Valentine's Day
  • When used as a responsive reading, "We are waiting" is the congregational response. This is the season of anticipation, Of expecting, of hoping, of wanting. This is the time of expecting the arrival of something--or someone. We are waiting. This is the time of living in darkness, in the hues of...
    Responsive Reading | By Leslie Takahashi | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Advent, Balance, Calling, Christianity, Contemplation, Hope, Unitarian Universalism, Vision
  • A tale of salvation, ecology, and sharing. Characters Narrator Noelle Voice in a dream Noelle’s sisters Jane, Rain, and Elaine Friendly farmer(s) Ship builder(s) Numerous animals: dogs, cats, mice, cows, horses, frogs, etc. Act 1 (Noelle at center stage, sitting, covered in blanket and appearing...
    Story | By Christian Schmidt | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Activism, Children's Sabbath, Christianity, Direct Experience, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Environment, God, Interdependence, Justice Sunday, Service, Water Communion
  • We ask blessings on this, our church home. May this building be a tool to continue the good work of our helping hands, our loving hearts, and open minds. May this home be safe harbor for all who sail upon the sea of Life, and a beacon of hope to those on rough waters....
    Blessing | By Jennifer Stokes | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Building/Space Dedication, Commitment, Community, Empathy, Generosity, Gratitude, Home, Responsibility, Reverence, Stewardship, Vision, WorshipWeb
  • "Why a flaming chalice?” the question comes. It’s the cup of life, we answer. A cup of blessings overflowing. A cup of water to quench our spirits’ thirst. A cup of wine for celebration and dedication. The flame of truth. The fire of purification. Oil for anointing, healing. Out of chaos,...
    Chalice Lighting | By Lisa Doege | January 22, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Anger, Anti-Oppression, Beliefs & Principles, Brokenness, Courage, Disaster or Crisis, Healing, Oppression, Solidarity, Sorrow, Tradition, Truth
  • Holy waters.... holy waters... holy waters... holy waters Holy waters, make us new. Holy waters, make us whole. Holy waters, make us free.
    Music | By Jason Shelton | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Earth, Earth-Centered, Nature, Sacred, Unitarian Universalism, Water Communion, Wholeness
  • Enter with me that still place within, the center, where we find not only our inmost selves, but also our connection to the farthest reaches of the universe. Here we confront our aspirations and our failings. Though we seek always for our lives to be full of goodness, we sometimes lack courage to...
    Reading | By Linda J Hoddy | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Calling, Redemption
  • The Wedding blessing is to be used with a wedding ritual of pouring water from two vessels into a common vessel, as an alternative to a unity candle....
    Ritual | By Tess Baumberger | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Abundance, Commitment, Earth, Earth-Centered, Nature, Unitarian Universalism, Weddings and Commitment Ceremonies, Wisdom
  • We wish for you a storm or two that you may enjoy the calm. We wish for you tranquility in time of trial. We wish you a cool breeze on a warm day, and pale white clouds that you may better appreciate the blueness of the sky. We wish you darkness that you may see the stars....
    Prayer | By Robert F Kaufmann | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Body, Bridging Ceremony, Child Dedication, Children, Children's Sabbath, Coming of Age, Family, Friendship, Nature, New Child, Parents, Seven Principles, Unitarianism
  • We gather to be together,We gather to celebrate and to support our beloved communityWe gather to commune in body as well as in spirit.Let us share both the food and the fellowship we find here tonight.
    Meditation | By Katie Stein Sather | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Food Justice
  • Minister: Surrounded by the animals we love, we remember with gratitude the pets, protectors, and animal companions who have blessed our lives. People: We give thanks for our childhood pets, who taught us to love and to cry. We give thanks for our children's pets, who help us to teach them...
    Responsive Reading | By Christine Robinson | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Animal Blessing, Animals, Caring, Children, Direct Experience, Nature, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Responsibility, Unitarian Universalism
  • Out of wood and stone, out of dream and sacrifice, the people build a home. Out of the work of their hands and hearts and minds, the people fashion a symbol and a reality. May this house be truly a place of meeting: meeting in warmth and joy and openness; meeting in courage and love and trust....
    Blessing | By Eileen B Karpeles | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Building/Space Dedication, Business Meetings, Courage, Generations, Hope, Inclusion, Love, Peace, Sacrifice, Silence, Sorrow, Trust
  • "For a time, I rest in the grace of the world and am free." —Wendell Berry In this time of meditation, may you rest in the grace of the world and be free. In weakness, may you sense the strength of the eternal hills, and rest in the grace of the world. In failure, may you be upheld like the...
    Meditation | By Martha L Munson | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Earth, Earth-Centered, Grace, Letting Go, Nature, Peace, Unitarian Universalism
  • May we open ourselves ever more fully to that Eternal Mystery which lures us onward toward life and creativity. May we find the courage to live our faith, to speak our truth, and to strive together for a world where freedom abounds and justice truly does roll down like water. May we know the...
    Meditation | By Carol Meyer | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Compassion, Connections, Mystery, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Vulnerability
  • May the walls of this house be strong in the face of storms: Whether of winds or of words, whether of thunder or of tyranny. May the windows of this house be clear to the world's light: Whether of dawns or of daring, whether of sunsets or of stillness....
    Meditation | By Michael DeVernon Boblett | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Acceptance, Building/Space Dedication, Community, Friendship, Home, Hospitality, New Home
  • May our lives be blest according to the depth of our love, the persistence of our faith, our willingness to forgive and be compassionate, and in proportion to our yearning to be free. Amen.
    Meditation | By Paul H Beattie | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Compassion, Faith, Forgiveness, Freedom, Searching
  • May your journey know joy and contentment and satisfaction.
    Meditation | By Dana E Worsnop | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Coming of Age
  • I am Unitarian, I live and work in this faith. Jesus is my guide And God is my help. We, humans, are all brothers/sisters, Our law is one: love. The goal of our work is shared, Happy are those of God's Kingdom...
    Meditation | By Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Christianity, Faith, God, Love, Partner Church Observation, Purpose, Service, Unitarianism, Unity
  • (Hungarian first—English follows) Hol hit—ott szeretet Where there is faith there is love Hol szeretet—ott béke Where there is love there is peace Hol béke—ott áldás Where there is peace there is blessing Hol áldás—ott Isten Where there is blessing there is God Hol Isten—ott...
    Meditation | By Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Christianity, Faith, God, History, Love, Partner Church Observation, Peace, Unitarianism
  • Let us give thanks, for we are blessed with heads that we may think clearly. We give thanks. Let us be grateful, for we are blessed with hearts of loyalty. We are grateful. Let us give thanks, for we are blessed with hands with the potential for great service. We give thanks....
    Meditation | By Katie Stein Sather | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community
  • With faith to face our challenges, With love that casts out fear, With hope to trust tomorrow, We accept this day as the gift it is— A reason for rejoicing.
    Reading | By Gary Kowalski | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Acceptance, Challenge, Faith, Fear, Hope, Trust, Unitarian Universalism
  • We gather here to seek unity of spirit in the midst of diversity,to heal the wounded and confront the oppressor,to instill joy and confidence in our children,to grow in mind, body, and spirit ourselves,and to bear witness to the transforming power of lovebeyond which not a single atom nor soul is...
    Reading | By John C Morgan | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Commitment, Unitarian Universalism
  • Unto that which is noblest in each of us we make appeal. Unto those common ideals of justice and mercy that bind us in common humanity we turn for inspiration. Unto the fearless dreams of our forebears in the worship of their gods and their vision of truth, we bow in gratitude. Unto the larger...
    Meditation | By Edward A. Frost | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Generations, Humility, Reverence, Sacred, Unitarian Universalism, Vision
  • A person is a puzzle. Sometimes from the inside, it feels like some pieces are missing. Perhaps one we love is no longer with us. Perhaps one talent we desire eludes us. Perhaps a moment that required grace found us clumsy. Sometimes, from the inside, it feels like some pieces are missing....
    Reading | By Mark Mosher DeWolfe | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Acceptance, Diversity
  • Here in this church, human beings have gathered for centuries seeking a higher purpose and deeper life than they could find alone. We are grateful today for each one of you, that you have found your way here, and that you have decided to make a commitment to this faith community. We hope that as...
    Reading | By Victoria Weinstein | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: New Member Ceremony
  • I pledge allegiance to the earth on which I stand, and to the environment of which I am a part, one planet in a Process, with soil, water and air like one body, indivisible, with resources to be cherished and protected by all.
    Reading | By Vern Barnet | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Environment
  • Spirit of Life, known by many names yet by no name fully known—we gather today with hopes and dreams and also with fears and wounds... [briefly name some of the things lifted up during the candles of joy and sorrow]. May we be reminded that all things come and go; that today’s joys and today’s...
    Prayer | By Erik Walker Wikstrom | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Change, Community, Compassion, Growth, Joy, Sorrow, Unitarian Universalism
  • Let this purest of flames kindle in each of our hearts A pledge to justice, a commitment to freedom, And a reverent awe for the crystalline glories That sparkle along our footpaths...
    Chalice Lighting | By Martha Kirby Capo | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Freedom, Justice
  • Each of the stars in the heavens is unique, an individual, yet together they form the night sky; Each of us here is unique, an individual, yet together we are a congregation; Each of our congregations is unique, an individual, yet together we are an Association....
    Chalice Lighting | By Erik Walker Wikstrom | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Caring, Connections, Diversity, Gratitude, Identity, Individualism, Nature, Purpose, Relationships
  • Through the week this chalice abides, cupped and silent, Softly it gleams in a dimly lit room, complete unto itself. Today, we come together as a community of faith, joyful and free, Our individual energies combine to spark the flame of Truth....
    Chalice Lighting | By Martha Kirby Capo | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Commitment, Community, Faith, Justice, Living Our Faith, Meaning, Presence, Reverence, Tradition, Truth
  • We light this chalice for all who are here, and all who are not; For all who have ever walked through our doors, for those who may yet find this spiritual home, and for those we can't even yet imagine. For each of us and for us all, may this flame burn warm and bright.
    Chalice Lighting | By Erik Walker Wikstrom | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Acceptance, Caring, Community, Generosity, Hospitality, Inclusion, Journey, Unity
  • For some, the chalice cup is a communion cup, freely offered to all who would seek the greater Truth. Others see the circle of fellowship in its embracing sides....
    Chalice Lighting | By Martha Kirby Capo | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Abundance, Acceptance, Challenge, Community, Compassion, Inclusion, Love, Multiculturalism, Sacred, Unitarian Universalism, Wisdom
  • Let us join our hearts and minds in the quiet of meditation and prayer. How shall we pray? First, let us be open to the silence. Let us hear the sounds in this room, the noises outside, and the comfortable murmur from the children downstairs. Let us begin to hear the soft beating of our hearts....
    Prayer | By Judith L Quarles | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community, Connections, Gratitude, Silence, Solidarity, Unitarian Universalism
  • Emmanuel means "God is with us." Who is your Emmanuel? Who is your "God is with us," the one you were promised, the one you have been waiting for? For the ancient prophet Isaiah, he was a boy soon to be born who would guide the people of Judah back to peace and harmony with God....
    Meditation | By Sarah Movius Schurr | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, Beauty, Belief, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Direct Experience, God, Listening, Searching, Tradition, Transcendence, Winter Solstice / Yule, Wonder
  • "Holy One, You knit me together in my mother's womb." This is the voice of Psalm 139: "[I] was not hidden from you when I was made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth." Let us remember and celebrate, this morning, that each of our bodies was woven together in the depths of...
    Opening | By Erika Hewitt | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Body, Good, Healing, Health, Illness, Mystery, Reverence, Secular, Unitarian Universalism, Wholeness
  • The world now has the means to end extreme poverty, we pray we will have the will. What is this prayer about? The Millennium Development Goals were established by the United Nations in 2000 to address issues like extreme poverty, education, gender equality, child mortality, women’s health,...
    Meditation | By Anonymous | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 6th Principle (World Community), Poverty, United Nations Day
  • Spirit of Life, You call us to embody equity and freedom in our lives.
    Meditation | By Eric Cherry | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 6th Principle (World Community), Compassion, Courage, Disaster or Crisis, Human Rights, International, Leadership, Oppression, Peace, Power, Solidarity, Suffering, Wisdom
  • Once upon a time, a thief snuck into the room of a sleeping Buddhist monk. As the burglar rummaged about, the monk awoke. The startled thief ran into the snowy streets with the monk racing after him, "Please stop!" the monk called, and the man finally did, realizing that his pursuer was no threat.
    Meditation | By Jeffrey A. Lockwood | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Abundance, Buddhism, Caring, Compassion, Connections, Empathy, Generosity, Happiness, Hospitality, Interdependence, Living Our Faith
  • The most important thing that I’ve learned in traveling to more than twenty countries is the art of being a guest. And I’m a particularly fine visitor at the supper table. I’ve consumed live fish in Inner Mongolia, not-quite-coagulated blood sausage on the Tibetan plateau, shredded pig’s ear...
    Reading | By Jeffrey A. Lockwood | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Body, Direct Experience, Food, Home, Hospitality, Interdependence, Kindness, Prophetic Words & Deeds
  • Now may the love of truth guide you, the warmth of love hold you, and the spirit of peace bless you, this day and in the days to come. Amen.
    Closing | By Jane E Mauldin | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Love, Peace, Searching, Truth, Unitarian Universalism, Vision

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