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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We gather because we need community to do all of this holy work.Affirmation | By Nicole McKay | January 23, 2021 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Grief, Interdependence, Memorial Day, Memorial Services, Relationships, Remembrance Day, Seven Principles, WorshipWeb, Worship -
May today bring forth transformation in ourselves—from grief, healing; from memory, wholeness; and from celebration, love.Chalice Lighting | By Mira Mickiewicz | November 10, 2020 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Memorial Services, Remembrance Day, WorshipWeb, Worship -
As my body begins to loose its hold On this life, this earth, this entirety, May I lay my past to rest And face the unknowable With courage and curiosity. May those to whom I am connected gather. May they recall me as I am and have been....Prayer | By Tess Baumberger | January 16, 2020 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Death, Direct Experience, Gratitude, Grief, Humanism, Meaning, Memorial Services, Mystery, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Remembrance Day, Secular -
This was written as a blessing for pouring out the Water Communion waters onto a memorial garden. Like water that swells rivers and fills the ocean, the memories of those we have loved rush through us. Sometimes they are quiet, almost as if we have forgotten—and then suddenly, they flood our...Ritual | By Amy Zucker Morgenstern | September 4, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Direct Experience, Generations, Grief, Humanism, Imagination, Interdependence, Nature, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Remembrance Day, Secular, Water Communion -
Spirit of Life and Love: Under the vast spiral of time and space, surrounded by the simple blessings of a community of care and love, we carry these memories of (our beloved) with us back to the community and life they* loved. We pray: Grant us strength, wisdom, and thanksgiving....Prayer | By Joel Miller | March 3, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Death, Love, Memorial Services, Remembrance Day -
In my small-town congregation, our beloved dead seem to linger with us for a little while.Reflection | By Elea Kemler | October 31, 2018 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), All Souls Day, Awe, Death, Día de los Muertos, Direct Experience, Generations, Grief, Love, Memorial Services, Mystery, Remembrance Day, Sorrow -
Holy One, on this day of remembrance we say aloud their names again: the names of those who died this year. Died — the word is jarring. So jarring that we hardly use the word, substituting euphemisms that are a bit more vague. Sometimes people say “lost” when what they mean is dead: “We lost...Prayer | By Lori Walke | January 4, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), All Souls Day, Death, Día de los Muertos, Direct Experience, Family, Generations, Grief, Honesty, Love, Memorial Day, Memorial Services, Remembrance Day -
Remembering is the art of holding a memory and sharing it; it’s drawing upon that memory so it can help us to grow into people who live lives of meaning and service. As a practice, remembering connects us deeply to each other and to the love that sustains us.Reflection | By Elizabeth Harding | August 23, 2017 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Community, Death, Direct Experience, Family, Friendship, Grief, Humanism, Love, Memorial Services, Remembrance Day, Secular, Unitarian Universalism -
We offer blessings for life and the end of life. Blessings for the dying. Blessings for the caregiver, holding love and carrying burden. Blessed is the Body. Youth claimed by death. Elder claimed by death. Blessed is all creation moving toward one ending in order to begin again. Let us Bless the...Blessing | By Natalie Maxwell Fenimore | January 1, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Acceptance, All Souls Day, Animal Memorial, Caring, Change, Death, Direct Experience, Empathy, Grief, Journey, Judaism, Letting Go, Love, Memorial Services, Remembrance Day, Secular, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism -
Leader: [if applicable: In addition to our own beloved dead], we take the time to acknowledge all those already lost as the world feels the effects of global warming and climate change. Thousands of people, as well as animals and plants, die every year from the effects of global climate change....Litany | By Erica Baron | October 19, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), All Souls Day, Anti-Oppression, Brokenness, Despair, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Humanism, Nature, Pain, Remembrance Day, Responsibility, Trauma, Climate Justice -
For those we miss. For things long gone. For those who or what we last held in our arms, in our hands and in our hearts — we pray. We pray for memories to stay strong Memories of words and warmth, of actions and stillness. We pray for Love shared and lived, Love to remain with us and with them,...Prayer | By Patricia Shelden | April 13, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: All Souls Day, Animal Memorial, Brokenness, Death, Ending, Grief, Healing, Letting Go, Memorial Day, Memorial Services, Remembrance Day -
I saw the parade pass by with the last soldier marching. I saw politicians stand by not in pride, but in shame as they recited the names of the dead and admitted their failure. I saw the marching band step in time to silence, no more hymns of glory could they play. I saw mothers and fathers say,...Meditation | By David M. Horst | January 25, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Arrogance, Death, Direct Experience, Ending, History, Memorial Day, Remembrance Day, Veterans Day, War, WorshipWeb -
Leader: We light our Chalice in honor of all those who have served in our ministry. People: May the Chalice be to us a symbol of the sharing of faith and hope which they have brought. May the flame remind us of the giving of their lives and love upon the altar of service and truth.Chalice Lighting | By Peter Scott Lee | May 14, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Faith, Gratitude, Installations, Love, Ministerial Transition, Ministry, Ordinations, Remembrance Day, Sacrifice, Service, Truth, Unitarian Universalism -
My prayer today is that I learn to stay a war atheist— my prayer today for each of us, for everyone in this nation, in this world, is that we all learn to be war atheists. I don’t believe in war anymore. My prayer today is that I never again succumb to fear, fear which seduces me to believe that...Meditation | By Jessica Purple Rodela | March 2, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Hiroshima Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday, Memorial Day, Nonviolence, Peace, Remembrance Day -
Turn and look at your neighbor. Not only can you probably see them. You can experience being in the same space with them today. If you were called as a court witness, you could speak to the truth that they exist. Today, we will bear witness to the death of Michael Brown....Litany | By Julián Jamaica Soto | February 19, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: #BlackLivesMatter, 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Anti-Oppression, Direct Experience, Justice, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Race/Ethnicity, Remembrance Day, Solidarity, Unitarian Universalism
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Introduction to a New Orleans Jazz Funeral Welcome to a new tradition for our church—a New Orleans-style jazz funeral for the old year. This service offers opportunities for reflection on the past year, a chance to “bury” whatever that was negative or hurtful to us in 20xx, and looks forward...Ritual | By Melanie Morel-Ensminger | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Hope, Letting Go, Memorial Services, Mourning, Multiculturalism, Remembrance Day, Wholeness, Multiculturalism
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Lighting a candle is somewhat like the beginning of life. If that is true, then perhaps extinguishing a candle is like the ending of life. But death may not be the end of us. We live on in the memories of friends and loved ones....Chalice Extinguishing | By Lee Huebert | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: All Souls Day, Death, Día de los Muertos, Letting Go, Memorial Services, Mystery, Purpose, Remembrance Day, Unitarian Universalism, Wonder