May our lives be reflections of the beauty, peace, and joy that is possible in the world, and may the love we find in this place sustain us as we go our separate ways.

Ours is a communion borne of words and welcome. Our communion finds expression in caring and commitment to our highest ideals. Our communion lives on in our hearts though this sacred hour is ended.

The flame is extinguished, but not our hope for the future, our courage in the face of crisis, or the love we share in all the world.

We call for this blessing on all sheltered here whether in body or in spirit... May the flame of our community ignite a love bold enough to share. And, in return May we all be embraced by a love that remains constant in times of sorrow and in days of great gladness.

As we prepare to depart, we give voice to these hopes: May we know ourselves bound in community, even while we are apart. May a passion for justice burn in our lives. May we carry the light of compassion in our hearts and in our every interaction....

Each week as we gather we light a common chalice. We sing and celebrate, we pray and think. Then we each gather strength from the flame and go out from here, taking the light with us.

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out for another is to risk exposing our true self. To place our ideas—our dreams—before the crowd is to risk loss. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk despair. To try is to...

Take courage friends. The way is often hard, the path is never clear, and the stakes are very high. Take courage. For deep down, there is another truth: you are not alone.

Let us be humble, for the worst thing in the world is of the same stuff as we are. Let us be confident, for we too are composed of the same stuff as the stars. Amen.

Because of those who came before, we are;in spite of their failings, we believe;because of, and in spite of, the horizons of their vision,we, too, dream.Let us go remembering to praise,to live in the moment,to love mightily,to bow to the mystery.(No.680, Singing the Living Tradition)...

If the “opening words” called people to worship and opened the time and space for this purpose, the closing words bring the service to an end and prepare people to return home. If the service has been thematically tied together, the words can be a summation, a parting thought, a final nugget for...

May the truth that makes us free, and the hope that never dies, and the love that casts out all fear lead us forward together, 'till the day breaks, and the shadows flee away.

May love permeate your every heartbeat May faith guide your every step May truth and compassion be your Eternal travelling companions And may a deep, abiding Spirit rest joyously In your every waking wish And your every resting dream...

In this religious community we reach back into the past to honor those who came before us and those who have given much so that we may be here today. And we reach forward with hands of welcome to embrace those who have newly joined our Fellowship....

I send you out now, to share yourself with the world May its promise and complexity set your mind ablaze May you hold fast to what your life has taught you May you question everything And when you have changed the world, And the world has changed you, May you return again, to this place, And shar...

Our time together is finished, but our work is not yet done: May our spirits be renewed and our purpose resolved As we meet the challenges of the week to come. The chalice flame is extinguished Until once again ignited by the strength of our communion. Go now in peace.

If you are who you were, and if the person next to you is who he or she was, if none of us has changed since the day we came in here— we have failed. The purpose of this community— of any church, temple, zendo, mosque— is to help its people grow. We do this through encounters with the...