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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Go in peace. Live simply, at home in yourself. Be just in your word, just in deed. Remember the depth of your own compassion. Do not forget your power in the days of your powerlessness. Do not desire with desire to be wealthier than your peers, and never stint your hand of charity. Practice...Closing | By Mark Belletini | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Body, Compassion, Peace, Power, Purpose, Unitarian Universalism -
Go in peace. Hold in your heart the certainty That the spirit of life is with you always. When your heart is torn asunder Or when you soar with sweet joy, You are never alone, never apart, From the spirit that resides within us, That guides our lives and cherishes us always. Take comfort. Blessed...Closing | By Enid A. Virago | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Awe, Immanence, Pain, Reverence, Sacred, Unitarian Universalism
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Go in peace, embraced by the light and warmth of our gathering. Go in love, ready again to struggle on. Go in beauty, shining forth like a lamp for freedom. Amen!Closing | By Sarah Lammert | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Meaning, Peace, Purpose, Unitarian Universalism
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Go now in peace. Deeply regard each other. Truly listen to each other. Speak what each of you must speak. Be ready in any moment to disarm your own heart, and always live as if a realm of love had begun. So be it. Blessed be. Amen.Closing | By Barbara Hamilton-Holway | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Listening, Meaning, Presence, Searching, Unitarian Universalism
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Cherish your doubts, for doubt is the servant of truth. Question your convictions, for beliefs too tightly held strangle the mind and its natural wisdom. Suspect all certitudes, for the world whirls on—nothing abides. Yet in our inner rooms full of doubt, inquiry and suspicion, let a corner be...Closing | By Michael A Schuler | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Acceptance, Connections, Doubt, Trust, Truth, Unitarian Universalism
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Between the dawn and dusk of our being, let us be brave and loving. In our little passage through the light let us sustain and forward the human venture— in gentleness, in service, and in thought. Amen.Closing | By Carl Seaburg | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 6th Principle (World Community), Commitment, Connections, Healing, Interdependence, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Service, Unitarian Universalism
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As you prepare to leave this sacred space Pack away a piece of this church in your heart. Wrap it carefully like a precious gem....Closing | By Andrew Pakula | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Abundance, Awe, Caring, Peace, Strength, Unitarian Universalism
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As we leave this community of the spirit, May we remember the difficult lesson That each day offers more things than we can do. May we do what needs to be done, Postpone what does not, And be at peace with what we can be and do. Therefore, may we learn to separate That which matters most And that...Closing | By Richard S. Gilbert | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Character, Choice, Integrity, Meaning, Mindfulness, Unitarian Universalism
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The worship of the gathered community is now ended. Go in peace. Go in joy. Go in love to share in the ongoing worship of the community in dispersion. Carry with you what is precious to us all: reverence for all life, beauty that displays itself in love, deep, abiding peace.Closing | By Gordon B McKeeman | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Peace, Purpose, Service, Unitarian Universalism
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Let us bless and keep one another. Let kindness rule in our hearts and compassion in our lives, until we meet again. Amen.Closing | By John C Morgan | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Community, Meaning, Purpose, Service, Solidarity, Unitarian Universalism
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Keeping faith, our faithfulness keeps us. Go in faith.Closing | By Raymond R Nasemann | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Faith, Hope, Tradition
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With what benediction shall I leave you? This: In your life, may you know the holy meaning, the mystery that breaks into it every moment. May you live at peace with your world and at peace with yourself. And may the love of truth guide you in your every day. Amen.Benediction | By Mark Mosher DeWolfe | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Love, Meaning, Mystery, Peace, Sacred, Unitarian Universalism
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Invite the congregation to join hands. The hand in yours belongs to a person whose heart is sometimes tender, whose skin is sometimes thin, whose eyes sometimes fill with tears, and whose laughter is a beautiful sound....Closing | By Erika Hewitt | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Body, Connections, Direct Experience, Relationships, Trust, Unitarian Universalism, Vulnerability -
Go in peace, speak the truth, give thanks each day. Respect the earth and her creatures, for they are alive like you. Care for your body; it is a wondrous gift. Live simply. Be of service. Be guided by your faith and not your fear. Go lightly on your path. Walk in a sacred manner. Amen.Closing | By Gary Kowalski | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Awe, Body, Earth, Faith, Service, Unitarian Universalism
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O God, we beseech you, by your great goodness defend us from all perils and dangers of this night, for the love of the world over which you watch....Prayer | By Anne E Treadwell | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Faith, God, Peace, Presence, Sacred
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Cheered by our community, blessed by our covenant, uplifted in mind, and renewed in spirit, go forth with courage and in peace to meet the days to come. Amen.Closing | By Burton D. Carley | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Commitment, Community, Meaning, Purpose, Service, Unitarian Universalism
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Once upon a time God said, "I'm bored because I don't have anything to do. I want to play with my friends." And because God is God, as soon as the words were spoken, God's friends were there. When God saw them all gathered, God said, "I've been bored because I haven't had anything to do....Reading | By Mary Ann Moore | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Direct Experience, God, Mystery
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Once upon a time there was a drop of water named Higgins. Higgins was no ordinary drop of water. He was a drop with a dream. Higgins lived in a valley where it had not rained in a very long time, so all the lovely green grass was turning brown, all the beautiful flowers were wilting, and all the...Story | By Christopher Buice | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 6th Principle (World Community), Anti-Oppression, Anti-Oppression, Solidarity, Teamwork
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Once upon a time, a girl named Ramona and a boy named Roberto had a wonderful dog. They named the dog Feliz because he was so happy when they came home from school each day. He bounded toward them, barking and tail wagging madly. His sandy brown coat was sort of wavy around the shoulders but...Reading | By Heather Lynn Hanson | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Easter, Good Friday, Grief, Love
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It is easy to pray when the sun shines And we are grateful for another glorious day of being. It is hard to pray when wind and rain and thunder Plague our every step and spoil our every plan. It is easy to be virtuous when life goes well And our existence is a journey from bliss to beauty and back.Reading | By Richard S. Gilbert | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Spiritual Practice