UN Sunday
What is UN Sunday?
United Nations Sunday celebrates the work of the United Nations and your Unitarian Universalist Office at the United Nations (UU@UN). Each year we encourage congregations to have a service and/or event to celebrate! We create a collection of UN Sunday Resources (check out the 2021 resources below) which highlight our suggested theme and provide readings, an RE curriculum, planning timeline and checklist, order of service (including hymns), and more. Our UN Sunday theme is based on the April Intergenerational Spring Seminar topic. The 2022 theme is Displacement & Human Rights: All In for Climate Justice.
As UN Day is October 24, we invite you to hold the 2021 service and/or event on Sunday, October 23. If this date in unavailable, try another weekend in October or another date that works for your congregation.
Additionally, we ask congregations to dedicate the UN Sunday offering to support the work of the UU Office at the United Nations. We depend on individual and congregational support to keep this work going. You are welcome to use this video invitation (YouTube) to introduce the offering.
UN Sunday Resources
United Nations Sunday resources for 2022 will be available later in the summer. Scroll below to see resources from 2021 and prior year themes.
2021 Resources
We encourage Ministers, lay leaders, as well as Youth and Adult Envoys to use our prepared materials and/or develop your own ideas for a UN Sunday service. Click through to access the resources for UN Sunday 2021.
Part 1. Celebrating the Unitarian Universalist-United Nations Connection
This section provides an overview of how to use the United Nations Sunday resources, what the United Nations is all about, and what to know before starting to plan your service.
- UN Sunday: Celebrating the UU-UN Connection
- About United Nations Sunday 2021: Learn about UUism at the United Nations and why we celebrate on UN Sunday.
-
Map of UN Sunday services: Seek inspiration from congregations that have held UN Sunday services in prior years.
Part 2. "All In for Climate Justice: Food Equity and Sustainability"
This section provides information about this year's theme and can be used as inspiration when writing a sermon or reflection.
- 2021 Theme "All In for Climate Justice: Food Equity and Sustainability"
-
Climate & Food Justice at the United Nations: Learn what the UU Office and others in the UN system are working on to further the cause of Climate & Food Justice.
-
Climate & Food Justice and Unitarian Universalism: A discussion of the theological grounding for UU climate justice work and organizations doing the work.
-
UU@UN Intergenerational Spring Seminar: Use resources from our 2021 Seminar on the same theme before, during, and after your UN Sunday service.
-
Local Action for UN Sunday: Concrete suggestions for congregational action to think globally and act locally to engage with the UN Sunday theme.
-
Part 3. Planning a UN Sunday Service
This section includes a checklist and other resources to guide clergy and laypeople in putting together a UN Sunday service.
- Planning a UN Sunday Service
-
Timeline for UN Sunday Service Planning: The suggested timeline is created for an October service; if your UN Sunday service falls at a different time of year, simply adjust accordingly.
-
Use our 2-minute Offering Invitation video (YouTube) during your virtual service and share our UN Sunday Giving site. UN Sunday donations can be made online or by texting UNSUNDAY to 51555.
-
Sample Order of Service: Suggested readings, hymns, and more for a UN Sunday service on this theme.
-
UN Sunday Religious Education: Suggested stories and activities. Please work with the religious educator in your congregation to craft a lesson that will work well.
-
Part 4. Beyond UN Sunday
Stay involved with the UU@UN beyond United Nations Sunday.
- Beyond UN Sunday
-
Sixth Principle Congregation Award: If you take a special collection during your UN Sunday service to support the UU@UN, you're close to becoming a Sixth Principle Congregation!
-
Dana McLean Greeley Sermon Competition: Submit your UN Sunday Sermon or address that speaks to the work of the UN and/or UU@UN on climate justice.
-
About the UU@UN: Learn more about ongoing programs of the Unitarian Universalist Office at the United Nations.
-