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 pause on this night of mystery, to tell the stories, to sing the songs, and to bring more light into the world.Chalice Lighting | By Linda Hart | December 13, 2023 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Christmas Eve / Christmas, Mystery, Peace, Personal Stories, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule, WorshipWeb, Worship -
You can crush Love down, bury it, cover it over, but it will rise.Reflection | By Molly Housh Gordon | April 6, 2022 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Christianity, Community, Easter, Love, Mystery, Purpose, Worship -
Out of mystery we are born, and mystery receives us when we die.Blessing | By Michelle Buhite | March 24, 2022 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Character, Death, Ending, Memorial Services, Mystery, WorshipWeb, Worship -
Sleep will come upon our eyelids and they will not ever be lifted again.Poetry | By Jacob Trapp | November 12, 2021 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Death, Ending, Memorial Services, Mystery, 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 -
[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 WorshipWebTagged 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 -
Perhaps for a moment the typewriters will stop clicking, the wheels stop rolling the computers desist from computing, and a hush will fall over the city....Poetry | By Rebecca Ann Parker | November 21, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Beauty, Direct Experience, Earth-Centered, Interdependence, Love, Mystery, Sacred, Transcendence, Winter Solstice / Yule -
As we kindle this the flame, we honor and remember Those who have passed into the mystery. Their brightness lives on in our vision; their courage lives on in our commitments; and their love continues to bless the world through us.Chalice Lighting | By Florence Caplow | October 31, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Connections, Death, Generations, History, Humanism, Mystery, Samhain -
When some people think of Easter, they think of a bunny rabbit. Others would point to other fertility symbols and signs of Spring, springing forth out of the ordinary, the plain, the seemingly dead: butterflies, flowers, and the like. Christians might think of the empty cross, or of a cross with...Reading | By Lisa Fischbeck | April 11, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Awe, Beauty, Christianity, Easter, Mystery -
"After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it....Homily | By Heide Cottam | February 13, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Awe, Christianity, Easter, Faith, Hope, Living Our Faith, Love, Mystery, Reverence, Strength, Transformation -
We light this chalice to remember the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days.Chalice Lighting | By DC Fortune | December 5, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Earth-Centered, Hanukkah, Hope, Judaism, Mystery, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule, Wonder -
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 -
We call forth the life of our faith by igniting our chalice. This spark of new beginnings invites us into a sacred space to reflect where we have been and where we are going. Even knowing that this particular flame will intentionally end with our ritual extinguishing, we fear not its end… For we...Chalice Lighting | By Katie Sivani Gelfand | May 31, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Beginnings, Challenge, Courage, Direct Experience, Divorce / Separation, Earth-Centered, Ending, Fear, Humanism, Job Loss, Journey, Leaving Home, Letting Go, Life Transition, Mystery, Secular, Unitarian Universalism -
It’s been said that it’s easier to untangle a string of lights if you plug them in; it’s no different for people. Humans, just like strings of lights, are wired for connection.Reflection | By Erin Powers | December 13, 2017 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Advent, Awe, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Connections, Direct Experience, Humanism, Mystery, Relationships, Secular, Trust, Vulnerability, Wholeness -
We live inside paradox. Humans generally don’t like to admit it—we much prefer tidy, stable, comprehensible, logical ways of getting through the day—but paradox is woven into the fabric of this particular universe we inhabit. Light is both a particle and a wave Imaginary numbers describe the...Opening | By Lindasusan Ulrich | October 2, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Agnosticism, Balance, Brokenness, Christianity, Easter, Faith, Hope, Mystery, Unitarian Universalism -
Blessed Lady, Hallowed Lord, Let me hear your Holy Word. When the Veil is thinned tonight, Let me see with Sacred Sight.Invocation | By Martha Kirby Capo | August 11, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Earth-Centered, Immanence, Mystery, Paganism, Presence, Reverence, Samhain, Transcendence -
Spirit of Hope, settle into our bones on this Easter morning. Remind us once again that the dawn light is never a gamble; If there ever was a sure bet, it is the sunrise. Even stones crumble even grief changes and shifts and death is a mystery that is certain but not solid; But hope is like the...Prayer | By Julia Hamilton | April 14, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Agnosticism, Awe, Earth, Earth-Centered, Easter, Faith, Hope, Mystery, Nature, Trust, Unitarian Universalism, Wonder -
Leader: We're not sure what happened. But, we know what it's like when someone appears whose message we feel offers hope, who inspires us with new ways of living....Responsive Reading | By Daniel Budd | March 14, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Christianity, Death, Doubt, Easter, Faith, Mystery, Sorrow, Unitarian Universalism, Wonder -
As December opens up before us, we welcome in the gift of reflection.Affirmation | By Gwen Matthews | December 20, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Advent, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Earth-Centered, Hanukkah, Hope, IllUUmination, Judaism, Love, Mystery, Paganism, Reverence, Tradition, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule -
This hymn text was written to accompany the tune St. Louis, commonly known as "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (#246 in Singing the Living Tradition). O Holy Darkness, loving Womb, who nurtures and creates, sustain us through the longest night with dreams of open gates....Music | By Jann Aldredge-Clanton | December 12, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Advent, Anti-Oppression, Awe, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, God, Mystery, Winter Solstice / Yule, Wisdom, Women