Unitarian Universalists honor and celebrate a wide range of holidays and occasions over the course of a year. Unlike other faith traditions that use a single lectionary (a collection of scripture readings appointed for a given day or occasion), the topics and themes for Unitarian Universalist worship services are usually chosen independently by worship leaders in congregations. These include unique UU traditions, like the Flower Ceremony, as well as holidays from other faith traditions, such as Christmas or Beltane.
View and download the 2023-24 UUA Worship Calendar (PDF), which includes faith-based and secular holidays that UU congregations often celebrate. The calendar also includes monthly worship themes used in popular theme-based ministry programs. To download or print, follow the link and use the File menu, then select the Landscape layout option.
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Our whole life is a series of signs. Any slight action: a dim semaphore. Our redemption, if it happens, will mean somebody tried.Reflection | By Jake Morrill | September 21, 2016 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Anger, Belief, Brokenness, Caring, Direct Experience, Fear, Humanism, Redemption, Secular -
For the blessing of animal companions we give thanks. For the beautiful ones, those whose fur is silky and whose tails are long; whose feathers are brilliant or whose voices are splendid... we give thanks. For the frantic ones, the runts and the hungry, who run for a food bowl or a pat as though...Blessing | By Maureen Killoran | September 18, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Animal Blessing, Animals, Caring, Direct Experience, Family, Generosity, Gratitude, Interdependence, Love, Nature, Relationships, Responsibility, Secular -
The poet Langston Hughes has written: "Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly." May this chalice flame challenge each of us to cherish to our dreams, for all things worth doing begin in the courage and inspiration of a dream.Chalice Lighting | By Maureen Killoran | September 18, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Activism, Anti-Oppression, Hope, Vision -
Gracious God, from Exodus we hear you say, "I am going to send an angel in front of you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared." You have called us all toward uncertain destinies, to cast our fate into unknown perils, upon paths as yet untrodden....Prayer | By Susan Maginn | September 18, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Calling, Caring, Christianity, God, Service, Trust, Vulnerability -
A glass of tea sweats a circle of droplets on an old table Drying, they pull dirt and stain from the wood, leaving a ring Water makes its mark Deep in the earth, in a cave, a drop falls each minute Where it lands, a great pillar of white rock has grown up Water makes its mark On the surface above...Meditation | By Matt Alspaugh | September 18, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Awe, Direct Experience, Earth, Earth-Centered, Nature, Relationships, Science, Transformation, Water Communion -
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." —Rumi ...Reflection | By Robin Tanner | September 14, 2016 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), 6th Principle (World Community), Community, Direct Experience, Diversity, Division, Humanism, Secular, Unity -
In his autobiography, Theodore Parker relates that as a child, four or five years old, living on a farm in Roxbury, he was walking through the fields one day absent-mindedly swinging a stick through the tall grass. This was many years ago, in the days before the Civil War. It was summertime. He...Time for All Ages | By Gary Kowalski | September 8, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Animals, Children, Compassion, Conscience, History, Parents, Unitarianism
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[We suggest that the Worship Leader act out the relevant parts of this message: e.g clutch a bag tightly; let the contents spill; hold it like a "club" for bopping congregants over the head.] Babies don’t believe anything. Babies aren’t born Buddhists or Baptists or believers of any sort. But...Time for All Ages | By Gary Kowalski | September 8, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Acceptance, Belief, Credo, Faith, Freedom, Identity, Integrity, Living Our Faith, Reason, Unitarian Universalism -
Holy God, we admit to you that all is not right — in our hearts and in our world, We look to the darkness and not to the light. We look for what is broken, and not at what is being mended. We look to criticize and not to praise. We look at ourselves and not to you. Turn us around so that we look...Prayer of Confession | By Beth Merrill Neel | September 2, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Brokenness, Christianity, Forgiveness, Health, Hope, Humility, Spirituality, Transcendence, Vision -
Holy God, hear our prayer. There is pain and there is sorrow, there are broken relationships and broken hearts. Sometimes we are the cause of those things. We have caused pain. We have broken the relationship....Prayer of Confession | By Beth Merrill Neel | September 1, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Brokenness, Christianity, Forgiveness, Healing, Pain, Relationships, Wholeness -
Calling to Unburden Our play is marked by merriment, but beneath that looms the Other: our worry; our sorrow; our shame, our guilt, our grief. Let us surrender all that to the One who loves us beyond measure, the One who heals us, the One who makes us whole. Silent Prayer Prayer I have failed. I...Prayer of Confession | By Beth Merrill Neel | August 24, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Brokenness, Christianity, Forgiveness, God, Healing, Humility, Salvation
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O God who gave us life and death, you hold us in your hands. You cradle us in our need, and you push us into growth. We confess to you that all is not well, that we grieve the loss of many things and people....Prayer | By Beth Merrill Neel | August 24, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Brokenness, Christianity, Despair, Disaster or Crisis, Fear, God, Healing, Unitarian Universalism -
"I remove my shoes because this is hallowed ground," the guide says. "A holy place, not an everyday life place." The guide tells us how we know—or think we know—it was the one and not the other for those people millennia ago. But aren’t the places where we live holy ground? Don’t our very...Meditation | By Lisa Doege | August 24, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Direct Experience, Discernment, Earth-Centered, Humility, Imagination, Indigenous American, Sacred, Searching, Spirituality, Wisdom -
Braver/Wiser is a weekly message of courage and compassion for life as it is. Every Wednesday, you'll receive an original written reflection and brief prayer, grounded in Unitarian Universalism, straight to your inbox.Reflection | August 23, 2016 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Worship -
This child dedication includes some multi-sensory elements. We recommend talking to parents in advance about how the child might respond. Worship Leader: Friends and family, we have been brought together by [child] for a joyous occasion: to recognize and welcome [Child’s Name] into this world and...Ritual | By Alex Haider-Winnett | August 19, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Child Dedication, Children, Commitment, Community, Family, Fathers, Generations, Mothers, Parents -
Spirit of life and love, light within and without, mystery from which we have all emerged, within which we live and die: be with us now as we allow ourselves to drop into the silence and stillness at the center of our being. As people of faith, we seek to live in a spirit of love, a spirit of...Prayer | By Laura Horton-Ludwig | August 15, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Brokenness, Compassion, Courage, Evil, Fear, Healing, Love, Mystery, Searching, Unitarian Universalism -
Gracious God, From Isaiah we hear you say, “Do not fear. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. And when you walk through fire, you will not be burned, and the flames shall not consume...Prayer | By Susan Maginn | August 15, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Christianity, Courage, God, Intimacy, Judaism, Presence, Relationships, Spirituality, Transformation -
Throughout time, our Unitarian Universalist faith tradition has held a thread of clarity: how we relate to each other creates the conditions of hell or heaven here on earth. We may not know or agree about what lies beyond this life, but it's our conviction that that our actions– and our inactions...Meditation | By Deanna Vandiver | August 14, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Salvation -
This sermon refers to, and includes, the emerging ritual of a "chocolate communion." If you're seeking to incorporate our Unitarian Universalist values into such a ritual, we recommend providing an organic fair-trade product like the one...Sermon | By Sarah Movius Schurr | August 14, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Body, Commitment, Direct Experience, Diversity, Food Justice, Humanism, Love, Relationships, Valentine's Day -
We light this flame to ignite our hearts and minds— the spark of knowledge that enlightens, the shimmering hope that burns, the blazing love that engulfs our actions, the bonfire of our commitment. We light this flame for those who celebrate themselves who fear who hope who persevere who stand on...Chalice Lighting | By Linda lee Franson | August 14, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 6th Principle (World Community), Activism, Anti-Oppression, Coming Out, Commitment, Inclusion, Justice, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer, Love, Pride Sunday, Unitarian Universalism