For many Unitarian Universalists, the resurrection narrative is often more metaphorical than literal. Many kinds of resurrection can be emphasized: rebirth of nature; resurrecting dreams and hopes; resurrecting dead relationships. In a general sense, the ultimate triumph of life over death. Hallelujah!

From Tapestry of Faith Curricula

Unitarian Universalist Perspectives

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  • At sundown on Saturday, the Sabbath finally over, Mary Magdalene and the other women who loved Jesus began to prepare spices to pour over his body to honor him and say a final farewell. They were up all night, cooking and talking, and remembering his life....
    Story | By Mandie McGlynn | October 23, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Christianity, Communion (Christian), Easter, Tradition, Transformation
  • We live inside paradox. Humans generally don’t like to admit it—we much prefer tidy, stable, comprehensible, logical ways of getting through the day—but paradox is woven into the fabric of this particular universe we inhabit. Light is both a particle and a wave Imaginary numbers describe the...
    Opening | By Lindasusan Ulrich | October 2, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Agnosticism, Balance, Brokenness, Christianity, Easter, Faith, Hope, Mystery, Unitarian Universalism
  • At last, we are here. After a long winter, we can say enthusiastically and without second thought, alleluia! Alleluia, spring is here in all her glory. New life begins, the earth and its creatures are resurrected from their dens of hibernation and dark slumber....
    Opening | By Jeanne Lloyd | August 11, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Beauty, Christianity, Earth, Earth-Centered, Easter, Gratitude, Hope, Joy, Reverence, Spring, Transformation
  • Spirit of Hope, settle into our bones on this Easter morning. Remind us once again that the dawn light is never a gamble; If there ever was a sure bet, it is the sunrise. Even stones crumble even grief changes and shifts and death is a mystery that is certain but not solid; But hope is like the...
    Prayer | By Julia Hamilton | April 14, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Agnosticism, Awe, Earth, Earth-Centered, Easter, Faith, Hope, Mystery, Nature, Trust, Unitarian Universalism, Wonder
  • We don't live into our redemption very much, or get to win the fight over death. Jesus’ resurrection is a symbol and a promise that we are redeemed and that death’s dominion is not the final word. On Easter the Deep Magic breaks through. We proclaim and sing that love’s redeeming work is done...
    Quote | By Sarah C Stewart | April 14, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Christianity, Death, Easter, Living Our Faith, Love, Purpose, Redemption, Salvation
  • Leader: We're not sure what happened. But, we know what it's like when someone appears whose message we feel offers hope, who inspires us with new ways of living....
    Responsive Reading | By Daniel Budd | March 14, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Christianity, Death, Doubt, Easter, Faith, Mystery, Sorrow, Unitarian Universalism, Wonder
  • We gather today in the presence of the old old story of death defeated by emptiness, of hope and newness triumphant over fear and separation. We come, hearts heavy with pain and anxiety, spirits flattened by exhaustion and apathy, vision darkened by strife and violence. We come seeking connection...
    Opening | By Ian W. Riddell | July 30, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Christianity, Connections, Easter, Hope, Strength, Unitarian Universalism
  • For all those who celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, may this day be another affirmation of divine love and promise; For all those who see the eternal story of new spring and life beginning anew, may you breathe deeply of a season of promise and hope. For all who are experiencing despair or...
    Closing | By Alex Holt | April 4, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Acceptance, Beginnings, Christianity, Courage, Direct Experience, Easter, Hope
  • Spirit of spring and new life, spirit of decay and death, We turn to your wisdom and strength as we seek to live lives of meaning and love. The cycle of life is powerful. Everything that lives, dies. Everything that dies has lived. There is no escaping this cycle. What then, can we learn from its...
    Prayer | By Cathy Rion Starr | March 28, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Beauty, Community, Contemplation, Death, Earth, Earth-Centered, Easter, Growth, Spring, Vernal Equinox
  • After the Hosannahs have all been shouted, After anguished moments in the garden have been spent, After “take this bread and eat, take this wine and drink,” After betrayal with a kiss, After hands washed and 39 lashes, After seven last words and “he breathed his last,” After crucifixion and...
    Litany | By Joshua Mason Pawelek | March 28, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Activism, Christianity, Commitment, Easter, Justice, Living Our Faith, Purpose, Secular, Solidarity
  • If we lived in another climate Our souls might speak other languages We might speak oasis or permafrost, dry season or monsoon But our souls speak spring Our souls speak green shoots pushing through last year’s leaves Our souls speak flower buds stretching to sun Our souls speak mud puddle and...
    Opening | By Evin Carvill Ziemer | March 23, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Direct Experience, Earth, Earth-Centered, Easter, Growth, Hope, Nature, Passover (Pesach), Spring, Vernal Equinox
  • Imagine if Easter preachers—and all the rest of us—had the chutzpah of Mary Magdalene.
    Time for All Ages | By Anne S. Howard | March 22, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Abundance, Christianity, Courage, Easter, God, Good, Power, Revelation
  • The light green shoots of blossoms-to-have-been are out of sight under the drifting snow. Gale force winds are rattling the old house. The temperature is far below freezing. Nature is not cooperating with preparations for Easter. The storm evokes the spiritual quality of Good Friday more than...
    Meditation | By Robert Walsh | January 10, 2016 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Choice, Despair, Easter, Good Friday, Healing, Hope, Justice, Living Our Faith, Love, Peace, Spring, Unitarian Universalism, Winter
  • As the first hint of green begins to peek through the barren ground As that little sprig grows into a healthy stem As that stem grows into a stalk and forms a bud As that bud slowly opens with each new day To form a yellow daffodil Let us be, like that first hint of green, renewed by the warm of ...
    Chalice Lighting | By Jennifer McGlothin | October 20, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Abundance, Awe, Beauty, Beginnings, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Easter, Flower Communion, Growth, Health, Interdependence, Nature, Secular, Spring, Unitarian Universalism, Vernal Equinox
  • Dear God: Good Friday is gone—a dark day on the calendar, A time of suffering—with more losses than gains, And more pain than we thought we could bear. We are tired of crying, We are tired of burying, We are tired of mourning. But Easter is here—and we who survived are prepared For the turning...
    Meditation | By David O. Rankin | May 28, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Beginnings, Death, Easter, Grief, Hope, Joy, Love, Pain, Sorrow, Transformation
  • Who here knows from experience that life is not fair? [Show of hands.] We know this, don’t we? Life is just not fair. And I really don’t think it ever has been. But what can we do? We generally just shrug and accept it: it’s not fair. But there was once a man who refused to just shrug off the...
    Time for All Ages | By Martha Dallas | May 12, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Anti-Oppression, Christianity, Compassion, Easter, Equity, Justice, Justice Sunday, Service, Seven Principles, WorshipWeb
  • Have you ever wondered how it came to be that churches are known as places where you can get a helping hand when you need one? It seems to me that a key source of the charitable nature of churches goes all the way back to the time of Jesus. You see, in the society in which Jesus lived—in his time...
    Time for All Ages | By Martha Dallas | May 12, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Activism, Caring, Christianity, Compassion, Easter, Inclusion, Justice Sunday, Living Our Faith, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Service, WorshipWeb
  • “[God] has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” —Martin Luther Words of Welcome & Opening Words Good morning! [General words of welcome.] The Unitarian Universalist minister Max Coots once wrote: “We need a celebration that speaks the...
    Complete Service | By Erik Walker Wikstrom | April 15, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Christianity, Easter, Hope, Spring, Unitarian Universalism, Wholeness
  • The Resurrection is to me the most difficult story in the Bible. John 20:31: Jesus said unto Thomas, "Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." To elaborate on this, I look at three characters in the story. Mary Magdalene, a woman...
    Reading | By Ricardo Williams | April 13, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Christianity, Commitment, Doubt, Easter, Faith, Presence
  • This can be read by a single voice, or the congregation can be invited to speak, responsively, the phrase "Jesus is resurrected." Jesus is resurrected— because his message of love, justice, healing, and liberation transcends time and space. Jesus is resurrected— because in his story we hear our...
    Litany | By Kimberley Debus | April 9, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Christianity, Easter, Faith, Hope