Unitarian Universalists use different terms for the words that begin a worship service, including call to worship, invocation, 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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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 WorshipWebTagged 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
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Welcome to this place. This is a home where no revealed truths are promoted and no scripture or human being accepted as infallible. This is a place for searching for truth. But we are believers....Opening | By John M Higgins | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), 6th Principle (World Community), Caring, Freedom, Identity, Purpose, Truth, Unitarian Universalism, Unity, Vision
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Today we celebrate a dream awakening. Today we worship with renewed hope in our hearts. Today we act on an audacity of hopes and dreams for the future. Today we begin the hard work for justice, equity and compassion in all human relations, for today is a day like no other and it is ours to shape...Opening | By Elizabeth M Strong | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Commitment, Courage, Justice, Purpose, Unitarian Universalism, Vision
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We gather here as individual people:young and old; male and female; temporarily able and disabled; gay, lesbian, bisexual and straight people, all the colors of the human race; theist, atheist, agnostic; Christian, Buddhist, feminist, humanist. We gather here as a community of people...Opening | By Barbara Hamilton-Holway | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Homecoming / Ingathering
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We reach out, both backward into history and forward into the future, to link together the generations in this imperfect, but blessed, community of memory and hope.Opening | By Andrew C Kennedy | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Hope
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We light this chalice, spark of the original fire of creation, to remind us that we all on this planet—the furred, the feathered, the finned, and the scaled, along with us featherless bipeds—we are all made of the same star-stuff and all share a common destiny. We all share the same hopes of a...Chalice Lighting | By Mark Causey | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Animals, Climate Justice, Compassion, Diversity, Earth, Earth-Centered, Equity, Ethics, Interdependence, Nature, Relationships, Unitarian Universalism
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During our darkest moments, still, there is hope. When facing our biggest challenges, still, there is hope. When all we can do is put one foot in front of the other, still, there is hope. When we can’t find the way out, still, there is hope. When all we can do to help is hold someone’s hand as...Chalice Lighting | By Nadine McSpadden | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Challenge, Compassion, Despair, Empathy, Hope, Humanism, Interdependence, Journey, Love, Secular, Solidarity, Strength
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The earth is warming, the birdsong increases, the sweeter breezes brush our cheeks, and the earth holds hope in its seeds and buds....Opening | By Susan Davison Archer | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Earth, Joy, Nature, Spring
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In praise of computers and routers and servers and all the hardware and software that can help us build our connectedness; in praise of all the gremlins that live in the machines and bug our programs and help us to practice patience; in praise of the trolls who dwell in the internet and push us t...Opening | By Wren Bellavance-Grace | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Challenge, Connections, Playfulness, Science
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In faith, together, we light this small scrap of light, symbol of Grandfather Sun's enormous power, whose energy burns so brightly In these days of deep Summer, catapulting the leaves and vines, vegetables, flowers and fruits to astonishing size, lengths and heights, spilling over the tops of cag...Chalice Lighting | By Ellen Hamilton | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Abundance, Community, Earth, Earth-Centered, Food, Freedom, Gratitude, Growth, Joy, Nature, Summer
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To worship means to consider that which has worth—today we consider, with gratitude, the many gifts of this community— The opportunity to be affirmed in who we are and to offer that affirmation to others The chance to stand up together to help remake the world in the ideal of justice The freedom...Opening | By Leslie Takahashi | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Purpose, Service, Stewardship, Vision
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For this one hour, Spirit of Life we let go. For this one hour, may we let go of our anxieties, our fears, our anger, our self-doubts, our regrets, our petty grievances, and our distractions....Chalice Lighting | By Paul Stephan Dodenhoff | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Anger, Doubt, Fear, Letting Go, Peace, Presence, Regret, Reverence, Transcendence, Worry
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Come, come, whoever you are - you are welcome here! No matter your age, your size, the color of your eyes, your hair, your skin—you are welcome here! No matter how you came here, if you came alone, or with others— you are welcome here! No matter whom you love, or how you speak, or whatever your...Opening | By Melanie Morel-Ensminger | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Acceptance, Inclusion, Unity
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We set aside an hour each week to worship the Holy, to come together as a community, and to refresh our souls....Opening | By Chris Rothbauer | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Direct Experience, Purpose, Reverence
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We come together every week Bound not by a creed, Or a mutual desire to please one God Or many Gods Yet we are drawn together By a belief, that how we are in the world, Who we are together Matters. We light this chalice, together in the knowledge That love, not fear, can change this world...Chalice Lighting | By Jennifer Gracen | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Character, Community, Covenant, Growth, Hope, Identity, Integrity, Interdependence, Purpose, Vision
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The flaming chalice is the symbol of Unitarian Universalism. It is an everlasting flame for this community. It offers its warmth to those who are cold. It provides light to those who would see. It purifies and transforms this sanctuary into sacred space, this congregation into sacred community....Chalice Lighting | By Beatrice Hitchcock | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Faith, Hospitality, Journey, Kindness, Sacred, Strength, Tradition, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism, Vision
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We cast not our eyes below, we say to ourselves we are how we came, wounded from struggles, triumphant in our survival, entitled by birthright to belong to this the only humankind there is, saying I am included, I belong, I am here, and I will be and do....Chalice Lighting | By Ma Theresa "Tet" Gustilo Gallardo | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Acceptance, Inclusion, Purpose, Vulnerability
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In a world filled with the darkness of ignorance, let us bring the light of reason In a world filled with the darkness of despair, may we share the light of hope In a world filled with the darkness of hate, let us shine the light of love...Chalice Lighting | By Douglas John Traversa | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Compassion, Despair, Faith, Fear, Growth, Healing, Hope, Inclusion, Love, Reason
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We come together this morning as celebrants, as seekers and companions. We enter into this, the longest day, joyfully, allowing ourselves the beauty of this time together in which we may rest our cares and sorrows, and allow our hearts and spirits to be uplifted....Opening | By B Leslie Koons | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Balance, Beauty, Earth, Presence, Searching, Summer Solstice
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To those of you who are visitors here for the first time, thank you again for being with us. If you are lonely, here you will find a warm companionship....Welcome | By David R Chapman | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Connections, Direct Experience, Friendship, Home, Secular, Strength, Unitarian Universalism, Unity