Let us give thanks, for we are blessed with heads that we may think clearly. We give thanks. Let us be grateful, for we are blessed with hearts of loyalty. We are grateful. Let us give thanks, for we are blessed with hands with the potential for great service. We give thanks....

With faith to face our challenges, With love that casts out fear, With hope to trust tomorrow, We accept this day as the gift it is— A reason for rejoicing.

We gather here to seek unity of spirit in the midst of diversity,to heal the wounded and confront the oppressor,to instill joy and confidence in our children,to grow in mind, body, and spirit ourselves,and to bear witness to the transforming power of lovebeyond which not a single atom nor soul is...

Unto that which is noblest in each of us we make appeal. Unto those common ideals of justice and mercy that bind us in common humanity we turn for inspiration. Unto the fearless dreams of our forebears in the worship of their gods and their vision of truth, we bow in gratitude. Unto the larger...

A person is a puzzle. Sometimes from the inside, it feels like some pieces are missing. Perhaps one we love is no longer with us. Perhaps one talent we desire eludes us. Perhaps a moment that required grace found us clumsy. Sometimes, from the inside, it feels like some pieces are missing....

Here in this church, human beings have gathered for centuries seeking a higher purpose and deeper life than they could find alone. We are grateful today for each one of you, that you have found your way here, and that you have decided to make a commitment to this faith community. We hope that as...

I pledge allegiance to the earth on which I stand, and to the environment of which I am a part, one planet in a Process, with soil, water and air like one body, indivisible, with resources to be cherished and protected by all.

Spirit of Life, known by many names yet by no name fully known—we gather today with hopes and dreams and also with fears and wounds... [briefly name some of the things lifted up during the candles of joy and sorrow]. May we be reminded that all things come and go; that today’s joys and today’s...

Let this purest of flames kindle in each of our hearts A pledge to justice, a commitment to freedom, And a reverent awe for the crystalline glories That sparkle along our footpaths...

Each of the stars in the heavens is unique, an individual, yet together they form the night sky; Each of us here is unique, an individual, yet together we are a congregation; Each of our congregations is unique, an individual, yet together we are an Association....

Through the week this chalice abides, cupped and silent, Softly it gleams in a dimly lit room, complete unto itself. Today, we come together as a community of faith, joyful and free, Our individual energies combine to spark the flame of Truth....

We light this chalice for all who are here, and all who are not; For all who have ever walked through our doors, for those who may yet find this spiritual home, and for those we can't even yet imagine. For each of us and for us all, may this flame burn warm and bright.

For some, the chalice cup is a communion cup, freely offered to all who would seek the greater Truth. Others see the circle of fellowship in its embracing sides....

Let us join our hearts and minds in the quiet of meditation and prayer. How shall we pray? First, let us be open to the silence. Let us hear the sounds in this room, the noises outside, and the comfortable murmur from the children downstairs. Let us begin to hear the soft beating of our hearts....

Emmanuel means "God is with us." Who is your Emmanuel? Who is your "God is with us," the one you were promised, the one you have been waiting for? For the ancient prophet Isaiah, he was a boy soon to be born who would guide the people of Judah back to peace and harmony with God....

"Holy One, You knit me together in my mother's womb." This is the voice of Psalm 139: "[I] was not hidden from you when I was made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth." Let us remember and celebrate, this morning, that each of our bodies was woven together in the depths of...

The world now has the means to end extreme poverty, we pray we will have the will. What is this prayer about? The Millennium Development Goals were established by the United Nations in 2000 to address issues like extreme poverty, education, gender equality, child mortality, women’s health,...

Spirit of Life, You call us to embody equity and freedom in our lives.

Once upon a time, a thief snuck into the room of a sleeping Buddhist monk. As the burglar rummaged about, the monk awoke. The startled thief ran into the snowy streets with the monk racing after him, "Please stop!" the monk called, and the man finally did, realizing that his pursuer was no threat.

The most important thing that I’ve learned in traveling to more than twenty countries is the art of being a guest. And I’m a particularly fine visitor at the supper table. I’ve consumed live fish in Inner Mongolia, not-quite-coagulated blood sausage on the Tibetan plateau, shredded pig’s ear...