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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

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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4

  • Unitarian Universalist Association Chalice
    Leader: Spring, the triumph of light over darkness, Response: Victory of newness and growth, and warmth vanquishing cold, Leader: We, too, know coldness and darkness within us, as it is in our world....
    Reading | By Charles F Flagg | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Vernal Equinox
  • Lit candles held in a row of cupped hands
    Leader: Every endeavor begins with a first step, and encounters darkness and difficulty along the way. Response: We know the darkness of ignorance, of fear, and of tyranny. Leader: Yet we know the dawning of the light, the beginnings of hope, and the renewal of life....
    Chalice Lighting | By Charles F Flagg | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Beginnings, Challenge, Courage, Discernment, Doubt, Faith, Fear, Hope, Journey, Palm Sunday, Power
  • Against a blurred background of fall foliage, several old gravestones on a cemetery lawn.
    In honor of those we have known and loved in the past, In recognition of the gifts and sacrifices they have made on our behalf, And in our sincere hopes that we may be worthy of their memory, We light our candles, We give our thanks, And we offer our prayers. AMEN.
    Chalice Lighting | By Charles F Flagg | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Death, Freedom, Gratitude, Hope, Love, Memorial Day, Military, Sacrifice, Service, War, Worth
  • Unitarian Universalist Association Chalice
    We seek life’s meaning in the wonder of morning In the freshness of springtime, And in each others hearts and minds. Yet still we hope for something more, A break in the ordinary, An infusion of the unexpected, An explosion of glory, A miracle, Revealing more than we hope to understand.
    Opening | By Charles F Flagg | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Easter, Mystery