An unlit chalice on a church altar

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.

LEADER RESOURCE 2 Rituals to Welcome a New Child
a medieval window from the Burrell Collection in Glasgow, Scotland, depicting the Nativity
Islamic prayer beads or Subha inside the Süleymaniye Moque (Istanbul).
An altar filled with candles, photos, and flowers

Search Words for Worship Services

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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5

  • This is a "love saves" story.
    Reflection | By Paul S Sawyer | December 9, 2020 | From Braver/Wiser
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Advent, Anger, Children, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Compassion, Direct Experience, Humanism, Living Our Faith, Love, Psychology, Relationships, Respect, Responsibility, Self-Respect, Worship
  • Think of where you feel safe and at peace. What’s the signal that tells you it’s okay to be at peace? (Ask for answers.) For people in the United States military, there’s a special signal that says “you’re okay, and you’re at peace.” It's a melody called "Taps," and it's only 24 notes...
    Time for All Ages | By Erika Hewitt, Paul S Sawyer | May 21, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: America, Death, History, Memorial Day, Military, Secular
  • The first time I ever played “Taps” was at summer camp when I was ten years old. That was the year I started playing trumpet, so I can only imagine how it sounded. I know there was no way that I could have hit the high note near the end. The first time I played Taps in honor of those who died...
    Reading | By Paul S Sawyer | May 11, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), America, Death, Direct Experience, Grief, History, Memorial Day, Military, Military Service, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Secular, Veterans Day, War
  • [In this difficult time of war and destruction,] We call to our minds today the life of a man of peace, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We pray that like Dr. King, we may have the courage to live our convictions even in the face of overwhelming opposition....
    Prayer | By Paul S Sawyer | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Anti-Oppression, Children, Commitment, Equity, Justice, Living Our Faith, Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday, Peace, Prophetic Words & Deeds, War
  • Loving God, We gather today in humility, Awed by the stone rolled back; And the surprise of the empty tomb. We gather in defiance Of the pain and the injustice that came before; And of the pain and injustice that will likely come again. We gather in hope That life can begin anew; That our...
    Meditation | By Paul S Sawyer | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Birth, Christianity, Commitment, Easter