Celebrating the Water Communion

The Water Communion, also sometimes called Water Ceremony, was first used at a Unitarian Universalist (UU) worship service in the 1980s. Many UU congregations now hold a Water Communion once a year, often at the beginning of the new church year (September).

Members bring to the service a small amount of water from a place that is special to them. During the appointed time in the service, people one by one pour their water together into a large bowl. As the water is added, the person who brought it tells why this water is special to them. The combined water is symbolic of our shared faith coming from many different sources. It is often then blessed by the congregation, and sometimes is later boiled and used as the congregation's "holy water" in child dedication ceremonies and similar events.

Faith Without Borders

The Water Ceremony/ Communion Service is an excellent opportunity for Unitarian Universalist congregations to express their commitment to our Sixth Principle: We covenant to affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all. See Sixth Principle Resources for Water Communion Services.

From Tapestry of Faith Curricula

Unitarian Universalist Perspectives

Search Words for Worship Services

Displaying 1 - 10 of 37.

Affirmation

  • All Water Is One Water (WorshipWeb)
    By Mel Hoover, Rose Edington
    Tagged as: 6th Principle (World Community), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Body, Climate Justice, Direct Experience, Earth, Earth-Centered, Gratitude, Interdependence, Nature, Responsibility, Stewardship, Unitarian Universalism
  • So are we bound together (WorshipWeb)
    By Elizabeth Lerner Maclay
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Community, Connections, Earth, Earth-Centered, Nature, Relationships, Unitarian Universalism, Unity, WorshipWeb

Blessing

  • May The Waters Gathered Here (WorshipWeb)
    By Susan Karlson
    Tagged as: Abundance, Earth, Gratitude, Growth, Interdependence, Journey, Nature, Sacred, Searching, Strength, Unitarian Universalism
  • Teacher Hand Blessing (WorshipWeb)
    By Charlie Dieterich
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Beginnings, Body, Caring, Children, Earth-Centered, Education, Generations, Gratitude, Growth, Humanism, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Purpose, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb

Chalice Lighting

  • The Spirit of Water (WorshipWeb)
    By Katie Gelfand
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Community, Connections, Direct Experience, Earth, Nature, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism
  • Thirsty (WorshipWeb)
    By Gregory Pelley
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 6th Principle (World Community), Agnosticism, Body, Community, Compassion, Connections, Direct Experience, Earth, Hope, Humanism, Joy, Love, Nature, Searching, Secular, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb
  • We Gather As Many Drops (WorshipWeb)
    By Leslie Takahashi
    Tagged as: Community, Connections, Earth, Earth-Centered, Meaning, Nature, Playfulness, Unitarian Universalism

Closing

  • All Rivers Run to the Sea (WorshipWeb)
    By Kayle Rice
    Tagged as: Unity
  • Until We Meet Again (WorshipWeb)
    By Amy Zucker Morgenstern
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 6th Principle (World Community), Acceptance, Community, Honesty, Relationships, Service, Unitarian Universalism

Complete Service

  • What Will You Bring to the Feast? (WorshipWeb)
    By Erika Hewitt
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Connections, Generosity, International, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Relationships, Responsibility, Stewardship
Blue cloth rippling across chancel at the UU Congregation of Fairfax, VA.
Man and child pour water into the common bowl.
A tiny drop of water bouncing off of the surface of water in a bowl.