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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  • Sometimes I feel like a motherless child... Here may you find a warm greeting a kind word a gentle touch Sometimes I feel like I have no friend... Here may you find a community of support a pulse of liberation a vision of hope Sometimes I feel I am almost gone......
    Opening | By Amy Bowden Freedman | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community, Despair, Friendship, Juneteenth, Kindness, Suffering
  • Once more, the earth has turned toward the light of the sun. As we are bathed in the light of a new day, So may we greet the dawning of fresh possibility. Once more, we awaken from our slumber....
    Opening | By Amy Bowden Freedman | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Earth Day, Vernal Equinox
  • As frozen earth holds the determined seed, this sacred space holds our weariness, our worry, our laughter and our celebration. Let us bring seed and soul into the light of thought, the warmth of community, and the hope of love. Let us see together, hear together, love together. Let us worship.
    Opening | By Laura Wallace | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Advent, Caring, Community, Earth-Centered, Hope, Love, Nature, Sacred, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • 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
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Challenge, Compassion, Despair, Empathy, Hope, Humanism, Interdependence, Journey, Love, Secular, Solidarity, Strength
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Earth, Joy, Nature, Spring
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Challenge, Connections, Playfulness, Science
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Abundance, Community, Earth, Earth-Centered, Food, Freedom, Gratitude, Growth, Joy, Nature, Summer
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Purpose, Service, Stewardship, Vision
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Anger, Doubt, Fear, Letting Go, Peace, Presence, Regret, Reverence, Transcendence, Worry
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Acceptance, Inclusion, Unity
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Direct Experience, Purpose, Reverence
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Character, Community, Covenant, Growth, Hope, Identity, Integrity, Interdependence, Purpose, Vision
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Community, Faith, Hospitality, Journey, Kindness, Sacred, Strength, Tradition, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism, Vision
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Acceptance, Inclusion, Purpose, Vulnerability
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Compassion, Despair, Faith, Fear, Growth, Healing, Hope, Inclusion, Love, Reason
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Balance, Beauty, Earth, Presence, Searching, Summer Solstice
  • 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 WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Connections, Direct Experience, Friendship, Home, Secular, Strength, Unitarian Universalism, Unity
  • I invite you to join me in a special ingathering ritual in which we will gather in energy and love from all directions. Your responsive call is the “Gathered Here” chant. Some of you will participate perhaps in a more metaphysical sense and for others your participation may be more metaphorical;...
    Opening | By Jane Altman Page | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Earth-Centered, Homecoming / Ingathering, Paganism, Water Communion