Unitarian Universalists use different terms for the words that begin a worship service, including call to worshipinvocation, and opening words. These words invite the congregation from their separate lives and to the common place and time of the worship hour.

(In Unitarian Universalist worship if there are Opening Words there is generally not an Invocation, and vice versa.)

Search Words for Worship Services

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  • As surely as we belong to the universe we belong together. We join here to transcend the isolated self, to reconnect, to know ourselves to be at home, here on earth, under the stars, linked with each other...
    Opening | By Margaret A Keip | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Connections, Earth, Earth Day, Earth-Centered, Inclusion, Interdependence, Unity, Weddings and Commitment Ceremonies
  • In gathering In the fall In the church In the quiet In the noise In thought In the spirit In anticipation In calm In the beginning In the end In transition In gratitude In hope In love In faith In unison Ingathering.
    Opening | By Tamara Lebak | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community, Direct Experience, Homecoming / Ingathering
  • To “invoke” is to “call forth” and is traditionally associated with calling upon God. You can also think of it as invoking the spirit of your community—its vision of justice, its playful energy, or its familial feeling. Invocations can also serve to introduce the theme that you’ll be...
    Opening | By Erik Walker Wikstrom | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
  • The Persian poet Rumi challenges us: "Come, come, whoever you are: wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving: Ours is no caravan of despair, come, yet again come." And we come, from rich heritages of liturgy and pomp; We come, from burning legacies of angry gods and threats of hell-fire....
    Opening | By Anne Slater | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Acceptance, Diversity, Islam, Unitarian Universalism
  • Let us reach the place of self, the place that is not alien to truth. Let us wash over with peace and serenity, with fierce longing for light and heart; with living strength flowing in our veins, bringing ourselves into fearlessness and into trust.
    Opening | By Ma Theresa "Tet" Gustilo Gallardo | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Courage, Peace, Trust
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Abundance, Community, Fall, Food, Gratitude, Happiness, Integrity, Playfulness, Relationships, Thanksgiving, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism
  • Leader: We are here to derive meaning in our actions All: When I change, the world changes Leader: We are here to win our power back over our areas of powerlessness All: When I change, the world changes Leader: We are here to deepen our understanding of ourselves in order to strengthen...
    Opening | By Ma Theresa "Tet" Gustilo Gallardo | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Purpose, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism
  • In this free church, we come together without creed, focusing instead on the core values of justice, equity and compassion... Of mutual acceptance of our diverse ways of being, as we seek to connect ourselves more fully with the unfolding truths of life and of our world....
    Chalice Lighting | By Maureen Killoran | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Hope, Inclusion, Unitarian Universalism
  • The chalice lit among us is a beacon A beacon of hope, in a world in crisis A beacon of possibility, made manifest in community A beacon of warmth through our interconnections A beacon of light illuminating our shared wisdom A beacon of connection by our being together...
    Chalice Lighting | By Debra Faulk | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community, Connections, Despair, Faith, Growth, Hope, Interdependence, Journey, Kindness, Wisdom
  • We light this chalice Symbolic of the warmth of community and The brightness that love brings to the world Illuminating our search for justice and peace Light, that force that nurtures all living things Here in our midst in this flame, So tiny and so significant...
    Chalice Lighting | By Debra Faulk | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community, Love, Peace
  • A chalice lit in our midst is a symbol of our liberal faith, A faith built on the foundation of freedom, reason and tolerance A faith sustained by acts of kindness and justice A faith that visions a world flourishing with equality for all her people A faith that demands the living out of goodness...
    Chalice Lighting | By Debra Faulk | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Commitment, Compassion, Equity, Faith, Freedom, Good, Health, Justice, Kindness, Unitarian Universalism, Wholeness
  • Birth is a miracle of love and courage, bringing light into the world; Death is a loss of light, but no less an act of courage, For we are born from— and return to— mystery. Source: © Lori Gorgas Hlaban, 2009...
    Chalice Lighting | By Lori Gorgas Hlaban | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Beginnings, Birth, Courage, Death, Ending, Faith, Hope, Journey, Love, Mystery
  • We come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Some of us grow in bunches. Some of us grow alone. Some of us are cupped inward, And some of us spread ourselves out wide. Some of us are old and dried and tougher than we appear. Some of us are still in bud....
    Opening | By Thomas Rhodes | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Beauty, Diversity, Earth, Earth-Centered, Flower Communion, Humanism, Imagination, Nature, Secular, Unitarian Universalism
  • With humility and courage born of our history, we are called as Unitarian Universalists to build the Beloved Community where all souls are welcome as blessings, and the human family lives whole and reconciled. With this vision in our hearts and minds, we light our chalice. —“A vision for...
    Chalice Lighting | By UUA Leadership Council | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Acceptance, Brokenness, Calling, Courage, Diversity, Humility, Strength, Unitarian Universalism, Vision, Wholeness, Worth
  • We who are here assembled Have made a conscious choice: We live intentionally. May we keenly attend to the silent, pulsing needs Here present at this altar, Made sacred by the power of our communion.
    Opening | By Martha Kirby Capo | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
  • Come into this circle of love and justice, Come into this community where we can dream and Believe in those dreams— Come into this holy space where we remember who we are And how we want to live. Come now, and let us worship together!
    Opening | By Marilyn Sewell | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Vision
  • In this hour may we be open To a rededication of treasured friendships, a renewal of spirit; May we relinquish the worries and anxieties of the past week, if just for this hour, and regain our strength Through this community of faith.
    Opening | By Martha Kirby Capo | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Strength
  • We come together this morning because within us there is something that knows we need more than we can find in our aloneness. We know—instinctively, in the depths of ourselves—that we need others for this journey of life even though we also guard our independence and individuality quite...
    Opening | By Erik Walker Wikstrom | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community, Connections, Relationships
  • We unite in our differences in background and belief; We unite—with gratitude and hope: Hope for a world of differences; Hope for a world that honors difference; We unite in community With gratitude for difference. Source: Association Sunday 2009...
    Opening | By David Breeden | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Diversity, Multiculturalism, Multiculturalism, Unity
  • We light this chalice to find inner peace, love for each other, and faith in ourselves. Also, to be welcoming to whomever we meet and kind to all living creatures. So gather around this light of hope as we share this time together.
    Chalice Lighting | By Oberlin UU Fellowship, Oberlin, OH | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Community, Connections, Diversity, Faith, Hope, Hospitality, Love, Peace, Purpose, Self-Respect