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.
Search Words for Worship Services
Toggle to filter resultsAvailable filters:
Changing a filter will refresh results (and remaining options) immediately. Searching by keyword or changing the number of items per page requires use of the "Search" button.
Displaying 821 - 840 of 1064
-
Please join me in a spirit of prayer or meditation as you are moved. Blessed and holy night, silent night, full of truths too awesome to bend into words, we sit in the glow of ages, wound round stories that teach us some of what it means to be human, and some of what it means to see God. The...Meditation | By Anya Sammler-Michael | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Christmas Eve / Christmas -
While most of us have heard the term, Winter Solstice, we don't necessarily know what it means. Many years ago, when I first started celebrating the solstice, a scientist explained it to me in a way that made sense. Learning from him, I wrote a reflection on the solstice that gives his scientific...Meditation | By Barbara Wells ten Hove | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Winter Solstice / Yule -
We pause now on the edge of the New Year— An artificial beginning to be sure—but still a time to reflect. Like Janus, the god for whom January was named, we glance back at past joys and sorrows That what has past can guide us Toward what is yet to be. Let us reflect for a moment on some of the...Ritual | By Joan Kahn-Schneider | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Letting Go, Life Transition
-
Introduction to a New Orleans Jazz Funeral Welcome to a new tradition for our church—a New Orleans-style jazz funeral for the old year. This service offers opportunities for reflection on the past year, a chance to “bury” whatever that was negative or hurtful to us in 20xx, and looks forward...Ritual | By Melanie Morel-Ensminger | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Hope, Letting Go, Memorial Services, Mourning, Multiculturalism, Remembrance Day, Wholeness, Multiculturalism
-
Introduction As we continue to seek out the stories of hope in our world in the new year, there are also some things we would very much like to put behind us from the old year. The ushers have given you scraps of paper on which to inscribe those things from which we would seek to unburden ourselves.Ritual | By Victoria Weinstein | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Change, Direct Experience, Ending, Fire Communion, Healing, Letting Go, New Year, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Transformation
-
Recorded music (e.g., Mozart's Requiem; Arvo Pårt's Lamentate) will be playing as the background. Spoken introduction as people prepare to walk in silence: Let us open our minds and hearts to the power of healing that is in us and in the world around us....Ritual | By Melanie Morel-Ensminger | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Christianity, Disaster or Crisis, Earth, Environment, Grief, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism, Wholeness, Climate Justice
-
Spirit of Life, hold us in our pain and comfort us in our grief. Our grief feels boundless; our rage eats at us. We feel pain for all the wild creatures of the Gulf and the wetlands....Meditation | By Melanie Morel-Ensminger | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Direct Experience, Disaster or Crisis, Earth, Environment, Grief, Secular, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism, Wholeness
-
T... starts out with Turkey and with Tofu, and Together, H...reminds us of Happiness, may it grow beyond all measure. A...means All who are returning, a reunion in Fall, N...for Newcomers to our Fellowship, and hearty welcome to all! K...for Kind friends with whom we will share dinner, S... means...Chalice Lighting | By Maureen Killoran | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Abundance, Community, Fall, Food, Gratitude, Happiness, Integrity, Playfulness, Relationships, Thanksgiving, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism -
‘Tis the Season . . . of advertisers run amok and ambitions amplified beyond belief . . . of Martha Stewart moments mixed with desert island dreams . . . when even the most dedicated holiday-hopper admits perfection isn’t possible and “good enough” is how the season ought to be. ‘Tis the...Meditation | By Maureen Killoran | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Advent, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Prayer Practices
-
It was December. I was in a new school in a new place and there were new teachers and new classmates. And we were living in a new house too. Also there was no snow in Florida. That was a lot of new things at once. I didn’t like it. At least I had my bicycle—it was my old bicycle so it wasn’t...Story | By Orlanda R Brugnola | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Children, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Direct Experience, Generosity, Home, Joy, Parents
-
Holy waters.... holy waters... holy waters... holy waters Holy waters, make us new. Holy waters, make us whole. Holy waters, make us free.Music | By Jason Shelton | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Awe, Earth, Earth-Centered, Nature, Sacred, Unitarian Universalism, Water Communion, Wholeness -
We join together now in a time of meditation or prayer, spoken at first and then for a time in the peace that silence brings.Meditation | By Wayne B. Arnason | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Connections, Gratitude, Interdependence, Memorial Day, Unitarian Universalism
-
I pledge allegiance to the earth and all life: the fields and streams, the mountains and seas, the forests and deserts, the air and soil, all species and reserves, habitats and environments; one world, one creation, one home, indivisible for all, affected by pollution anywhere, depleted by any...Reading | By Vern Barnet | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Earth Day, Environment, Interdependence
-
Blessed be the flower that triumphs at last Over the snows, over the centuries, over the heavy feet of cattle and of soldiers treading down the fragile places of the earth....Meditation | By Michael DeVernon Boblett | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Flower Communion, Unitarian Universalism
-
Out of the earth Rises light, Rises life, Rises spring. May we join with the miracle that is springtime, and enter into life with lightness and joy. Out of the spirit Rises faith, Rises hope, Rises love. May we join with the miracle that is Easter time, and enter into life with hope and love....Opening | By Elizabeth M Strong | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Christianity, Easter, Transformation
-
Leonard Cohen sings to us there’s “a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” I believe this is one of the most important insights we can have. And so, today I want to talk about that crack, that wound we each have. Today let’s reflect a little about something perhaps a bit...Sermon | By James Ishmael Ford | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Justice, Spiritual Practice, Wholeness, Yom Kippur
-
Once more the year's turned round. We've come full circle on this small planet, Spinning down the grooves of change, Another revolution completed around the sun. Another year older ... Another set of rings on the tree ... As seasons parade in endless procession The people's troubles and prayers...Meditation | By Gary Kowalski | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Hope, Immanence, Revelation, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism, Wonder
-
We are five days away from what is has come to be traditionally celebrated as the birth of Jesus of Nazareth....Sermon | By David A Miller | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 6th Principle (World Community), Advent, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Generosity, Grace, New Child, Revelation, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism
-
Would you please join me in the spirit of prayer and meditation? Dear Gods and Goddesses, Spirit of Life & Love, Bless us on this beautiful southern California winter day as we celebrate and honor the darkness of the season as a time for us to reflect, look inward, and nourish and replenish our...Meditation | By Sara Eileen LaWall | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Earth-Centered, Generosity, Joy, Winter Solstice / Yule
-
Please join me in the spirit of prayer followed by a full minute of meditative silence Gods and Goddesses of darkness and light, Spirit of life and love: We come together on this sacred night to awaken ourselves to the joy of Christmas To the miracles of life The birth of a baby The rise of the s...Meditation | By Sara Eileen LaWall | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Immanence, Mystery, New Child, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Sacred, Wonder