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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What “toast, boast, and oath” might you offer this January?Reflection | By Sarah Klinger Osborne | January 3, 2024 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Beginnings, Choice, Contemplation, Integrity, New Year, Searching, Self-Care, Self-Respect, Worship -
May you be tender and gentle with yourselfPrayer | By Katie Sivani Gelfand | September 13, 2023 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Brokenness, Disaster or Crisis, Grief, Love, Self-Care, Self-Respect, Stress, Transformation, WorshipWeb, Worship -
Today we celebrate the new name that reflects a truth long-hidden, now revealed.Ritual | By Karen G. Johnston | March 9, 2023 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Acceptance, Caring, Identity, Inclusion, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer, Life Transition, Naming Ceremony, Self-Respect, Transformation, WorshipWeb, Worship -
I rise on the shoulders of ancestors whose names I can not know.Reflection | By Glen Thomas Rideout | September 14, 2022 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: #8thPrinciple, #BlackHistoryMonth, #BlackLivesMatter, 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), America, Anti-Oppression, Black History / Whitney Young / James Reeb, Direct Experience, Family, Generations, History, Oppression, Race/Ethnicity, Secular, Self-Respect, Unitarian Universalism, Worship -
"There are two moments that matter. One is when you know that your one and only life is absolutely valuable and alive. The other is when you know your life, as presently lived, is entirely pointless and empty. You need both of them to keep you going in the right direction. Lent is about both. The...Quote | By Richard Rohr | February 25, 2021 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Balance, Christianity, Connections, Humility, Lent, Limitations, Self-Respect, Spirituality, WorshipWeb, Worship -
This is a "love saves" story.Reflection | By Paul S Sawyer | December 9, 2020 | From Braver/WiserTagged 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 -
The road not taken is not a fork. That’s too simple a thought, flipping some coin. Either/or. Nope. It’s not this or that. No or yes. It’s nor/ neither and all of the above and more. The road taken goes every way at once. There. There. They. Them. Go. Now. Live.Affirmation | By David Breeden | October 6, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Agnosticism, Coming Out, Dignity, Direct Experience, Gender, Humanism, Identity, Inclusion, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer, Pride Sunday, Secular, Self-Respect, Sexuality, Transgender Day of Remembrance, Unitarian Universalism -
The strength of water takes on many, many forms—just as each of you has a unique and necessary strength that you bring to our community and to the work of love. Take a moment now to drop down into the deep wellspring of your own spirit and bathe yourself in the strength that is the groundwater of...Meditation | By Jamila Batchelder , Molly Housh Gordon | September 4, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Earth, Earth-Centered, Imagination, Nature, Self-Respect, Strength, Water Communion -
We speak so often of brokenness in religious life, Let us speak today of wholeness....Opening | By Sharon Wylie | May 28, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Acceptance, Anti-Oppression, Beauty, Coming Out, Gender, Humanism, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer, National Coming Out Day, Pride Sunday, Secular, Self-Respect, Wholeness -
In real life, sometimes grief looms largest in December. Sometimes there's one too many dress-ups and the gold tulle makes your legs itch. “I just needed it to stop for a minute. Next time I will take calm breaths.”Reflection | By Misha Sanders | December 19, 2018 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Advent, Children, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Direct Experience, Limitations, Self-Care, Self-Respect -
However imperfectly I may be living this life of mine, there’s no one better at it, and there’s no one else who can do it for me.Reflection | By Lindasusan Ulrich | April 25, 2018 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Beauty, Direct Experience, Earth, Earth-Centered, Humanism, Nature, Searching, Secular, Self-Care, Self-Respect, Spring, Vernal Equinox -
The new year calls us forward, filled with mystery. As we turn toward that new year, we take a final glimpse of the past year, and reckon with all that it held for us. There are baskets moving through the aisles with pens and something called flash paper. It’s specially treated paper that...Ritual | By Erika Hewitt | December 15, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Beginnings, Direct Experience, Ending, Fire Communion, Letting Go, New Year, Self-Care, Self-Respect, Spiritual Practice, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism, Vision -
I got out of bed this morning because of all those who had to get out of bed before me: Martin and Coretta, the day after his home was bombed. (What did they tell the children?) My father, every day of his young life in Lowndes County, Alabama....Meditation | By Theresa Hardy | November 10, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Activism, America, Anti-Oppression, Black History / Whitney Young / James Reeb, Despair, Disaster or Crisis, Generations, History, Hope, Humanism, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Race/Ethnicity, Responsibility, Secular, Self-Respect -
How is it with your soul? This is the question that John Wesley, Anglican priest and the founder of Methodism, was known to ask of participants in small reflection groups. I ask you because, for me, this has been a hard week. So, beloveds, how is it with your souls?...Affirmation | By Ashley Horan | November 9, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Activism, Anti-Oppression, Community, Despair, Direct Experience, Disaster or Crisis, Hope, Interdependence, Self-Care, Self-Respect, Spirituality, Unitarian Universalism, Unity -
For those we have hurt in any way, whether through words or deed or thoughts. Here is a place to forgive and to be forgiven. For the excuses we have made, just to be right. Here is a place to forgive and to be forgiven. For the blame we have placed on someone else, again and again....Litany | By Cathy Cartwright-Chow | September 29, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Acceptance, Community, Forgiveness, Grace, Healing, Judaism, Relationships, Responsibility, Rosh Hashanah, Self-Respect, Unitarian Universalism, Yom Kippur
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What makes us human beings so uniquely wonderful in this puzzling universe is that we never give up on love. Against all odds, with no guarantee of being loved in return, out of the hate and hurt so often handed us, in the face of the sad suffering history has let us see, we go on loving....Quote | By David Richo | May 19, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Beginnings, Connections, Courage, Direct Experience, Hope, Love, Meaning, New Child, New Year, Relationships, Respect, Self-Respect, Valentine's Day, Wonder -
For all who left a relationship in order to save your heart, may your own heartbeat be your blessing. Its rhythm, its particular kinships, its unique rhythm. May you know your own heart as God's blessing....Blessing | By Meg Riley | May 10, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Acceptance, Body, Brokenness, Conflict, Direct Experience, Division, Divorce / Separation, Forgiveness, Life Transition, Love, Marriage, Relationships, Self-Respect -
I want to talk about choice. I want to talk about the fact that just because someone who is out to destroy you says you chose to be the way you are does not mean the path of best protection is to counter with “no I didn’t, it’s not a choice, I was born this way and I’ve always been this...Affirmation | By Alex Kapitan | January 25, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Anti-Oppression, Coming Out, Identity, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer, Multiculturalism, National Coming Out Day, Pride Sunday, Self-Respect, Unitarian Universalism