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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 - 7 of 7

  • Close-up image of several blades of grass coated in small ice crystals. The sun is visible between the blades, and the crystals create a small rainbow.
    Let us open all our senses and let our synapses spark one connection after another.
    Welcome | By Shari Woodbury | December 12, 2023 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Birth, Child Dedication, Children, Connections, Joy, Playfulness, Wonder, WorshipWeb, Worship
  • A spool of metallic gold ribbon, as would be used to tie around a holiday gift.
    Minister: At this time, we would like to introduce a special ritual. The holidays can be an especially poignant time of year. Alongside the joy in these present moments, we may recall fond memories of past celebrations with our loved ones....
    Ritual | By Shari Woodbury | May 5, 2020 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Connections, Direct Experience, Family, Grief, Spiritual Practice
  • A close-up of a nativity creche, with the Holy Family figures and baby Jesus
    [Written for two voices, here set for Worship Association (WA) and Minister (M)] WA: Perhaps some here have outgrown mystery. Maybe you have doubts about Santa, Or have forgotten the magic of a newborn child. M: One might easily lose touch with awe, In the struggle to do it all, Or simply to...
    Opening | By Shari Woodbury | January 8, 2020 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Advent, Awe, Children, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Mystery, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism, Winter Solstice / Yule, Wonder
  • On a church chancel, children dressed as sheep and cows kneel during a Christmas pageant
    [for 2-3 voices, alternating] On this eve of mystery and magic, let us enter into the Christmas story as if we were there on the holy night. What part will we play this year? Are you the mother, trusting your body to know what to do when the time of birth comes?...
    Opening | By Shari Woodbury | January 21, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Awe, Birth, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Compassion, Dignity, Faith, Family, Hope, Hospitality, Journey, Love
  • A side view of a person, eyes closed, with their hands pressed together and brought to their face, as if in prayer.
    Spirit of Life that goes by so many names… Spirit of Love that has taken so many shapes on our earth over the millennia of human habitation here… we open our hearts to make room for you. With the innocence and imagination of a child, help us to hear the beauty and the magic in the Christmas...
    Prayer | By Shari Woodbury | January 21, 2019 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Beginnings, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Community, Contemplation, Courage, Empathy, Faith, Healing, Hope, Humility, Love
  • In a dark sky, the thin bright corona of an eclipse around the moon.
    I invite you to enter a period of quiet for a guided meditation. You may wish to adjust your position so that your spine is straight, your body relaxed, your hands resting gently in your lap. You will probably want to close your eyes and shut out all the distractions of the light....
    Meditation | By Shari Woodbury | March 15, 2018 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Awe, Creativity, Direct Experience, Earth-Centered, Healing, Humanism, Presence, Silence, Unitarian Universalism, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • A large number of people are in silhouette against the blaze of a bonfire
    Here we are in our circle again. A circle of vision and reflection, A forum for deciding and empowering. Here we are at the base of another bridge, another space spanning the shores of today and tomorrow. Beckoning us to cross the chasm, one day at a time....
    Opening | By Shari Woodbury | August 11, 2017 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 5th Principle (Conscience & Democracy), Business Meetings, Calling, Community, Humanism, Installations, Leadership, Secular, Trust, Unitarian Universalism, Vision