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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May we reconnect to our life-giving, breath-freeing connectionPrayer | By Leslie Takahashi | May 1, 2022 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Beauty, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Nature, Responsibility, Climate Justice, WorshipWeb, Worship -
Breathe in for caregivers of all kinds who give of themselves to make other people’s lives better, more whole.Prayer | By Sara Goodman | June 2, 2021 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Caring, Family, Generations, Grief, Imagination, Mother's Day, Responsibility, Unitarian Universalism -
Spirit of Life, spirit of earth, spirit of all that breathes and all that is: we love you.Prayer | By Laura Horton-Ludwig | May 3, 2021 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Nature, Responsibility, Stewardship, WorshipWeb, Worship -
Holding people accountable for the impact of their behavior is not revenge; it’s what makes change and growth possible, and no real healing in community can come without it.Reflection | By Kristin Grassel Schmidt | January 13, 2021 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: America, Conflict, Democracy, Disaster or Crisis, Forgiveness, Humanism, Redemption, Responsibility, Seven Principles, Universalism, 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 -
May we all remember how inextricably we are linked in this fight for justice and freedom.Reflection | By Otto O’Connor | June 10, 2020 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: #BlackLivesMatter, 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Direct Experience, Generations, History, Justice, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer, Pride Sunday, Race/Ethnicity, Responsibility, Secular, Solidarity, Unitarian Universalism -
Jesus had no political power. He lived his whole life in the shadow of the Roman empire, and that empire killed him. Yet Jesus healed the sick, he listened, he moved among the ordinary people, in the lowly places.Reflection | By Myke Johnson | April 8, 2020 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: #COVID19, 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Calling, Caring, Christianity, Democracy, Easter, Evil, Good Friday, Healing, Hope, Power, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Responsibility -
In this community, we hold hope close. We don’t always know what comes next, but that cannot dissuade us. We don’t always know just what to do, but that will not mean that we are lost in the wilderness. We rely on the certainty beneath, the foundation of our values and ethics. —Rev. Theresa I.Reflection | By Erika Hewitt | March 11, 2020 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: #COVID19, 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Caring, Community, Direct Experience, Disaster or Crisis, Fear, Humanism, Interdependence, Leadership, Relationships, Responsibility, Secular -
Spirit of Life, Source of Love, you who know our struggles and failures as well as we know them ourselves, be with us as we enter into this time of reflection. Give us the courage to travel through a moral inventory of our lives, to notice the places where we have missed opportunities to live our...Prayer | By Lyn Cox | October 16, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Community, Conscience, Ethics, Failure, Judaism, Reconciliation, Responsibility, Rosh Hashanah, Transformation, Yom Kippur -
Leader: For our earth, our ancient mother, blue-green planet of the galaxy, harbinger of lives beyond measure, we honor you with our humble presence, we bow with humility and gratitude. All: We pledge to transform our lives....Litany | By Kate R. Walker | August 27, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Nature, Responsibility, Transformation, Climate Justice -
Love our Earth. Take action to consume less, use less energy, respect water; And be cooperative, collaborative and creative community – like the moss and the mushrooms. Our children’s lives depend on us.Closing | By Denise Cawley | June 20, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Commitment, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Environment, Food Justice, Interdependence, Privilege, Respect, Responsibility, Simplicity, Six Sources, Climate Justice -
This group blessing is designed to be shared by many voices or read by just one. Alex suggests creating an altar with a chalice and testing supplies (which are then distributed to students as they need them). Speaker 1: We have come to the end of the quarter/semester/year. An end to these classes.Blessing | By Alex Haider-Winnett | June 19, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), Bridging Ceremony, Challenge, Choice, Commitment, Direct Experience, Education, Forgiveness, Friendship, Growth, Responsibility, Secular, Wisdom, Worth -
We gather here to remember this is our home, but not just ours....Meditation | By Laura Bogle | April 16, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Generations, Indigenous Peoples Day, Nature, Responsibility, Stewardship -
The innkeeper isn’t part of most Nativity sets. No one sings carols about innkeepers. There don’t seem to be any paintings that include them. But we can imagine the scene: Bethlehem is crowded with people coming home for the census. It’s late at night when the innkeeper responds to a knock on...Reading | By Anne Dilenschneider | January 2, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Abundance, Anti-Oppression, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Compassion, Discernment, Empathy, Hospitality, Inclusion, Judaism, Kindness, Living Our Faith, Responsibility, WorshipWeb -
In recognition of Labor Day, we light this flame to honor all work, Including the work of our hands hands and our backs, in gratitude for all the labors that support our world, and for all those who boldly continue the work of justice, equity, and peace.Chalice Lighting | By Florence Caplow | December 5, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Gratitude, Interdependence, Labor Day, Responsibility, Secular, Service -
Something new could come out of this moment of discomfort; something like healing. This is our opportunity to reimagine what Thanksgiving could be — and who we could be.Reflection | By Daniel Gregoire | November 21, 2018 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: America, Anti-Oppression, Direct Experience, History, Indigenous American, Responsibility, Thanksgiving -
Water unites us. All water is one water, shape-shifting as it goes on and on in its unending cycle. The stream we gather by unites us with all the waters of the world, for all of life depends on water. That's why this common, everyday element on which our very lives depend is sacred. In our...Affirmation | By Mel Hoover, Rose Edington | August 21, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 6th Principle (World Community), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Body, Direct Experience, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Gratitude, Interdependence, Nature, Responsibility, Stewardship, Unitarian Universalism, Water Communion, Climate Justice -
Leader: Ours is a world alive and aloud with the presence of creatures and critters. Animals abound, interwoven in our human lives and wholly independent. This is the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part....Responsive Reading | By Karen G. Johnston | July 17, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Animal Blessing, Animals, Awe, Direct Experience, Earth-Centered, Nature, Relationships, Responsibility -
We all take part in this ancient play. At some time. There is no other way. At some time… Thieves, guilty of poor choices caught red-handed in our human reality. One points at the other and says, “You: save me.” The other bows his head. “I accept responsibility. The mistakes I’ve made are...Meditation | By Rebecca Bryan | June 18, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Brokenness, Christianity, Death, Good Friday, Grief, Humanism, Responsibility -
A: Because the tides are rising B: So must we C: Rise! A: to this moment C: Rise! B: to this day C: Rise! A: to this life B: This place in the web A: That is yours, and ours. C: Rise! B: Because the earth remains A: Our only home C: And we B: Fellow travelers A: Its only hope C: For healing B:...Opening | By Gretchen Haley | February 15, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Awe, Beauty, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Gratitude, Nature, Responsibility, Climate Justice