Kristin Maier, author of A Good Telling: Bringing Worship to Life with Story (Skinner House Books, 2013) shares the first in a series of tips for good storytelling. Purchase A Good Telling at the UUA Bookstore.
Good stories are central to good worship. As a Time for All Ages, as part of a sermon, or as part of a multigenerational service, stories engage our hearts and minds and help us grow.
Stories from Other Unitarian Universalist (UU) Sources
- Tapestry of Faith stories: search or browse the list (over 450 stories for children, youth, and adults)
- Story anthologies for children from the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Bookstore.
Storytelling in Worship
✳ Pssst! Have you visited our Storytelling page? It’s filled with tips, how-to’s, and lots of resources!
Featured Books
- Doorways to the Soul: 52 Wisdom Tales from Around the World
- Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents
- A Lamp in Every Corner: A UU Storybook
- Mira and the Big Story
Search Words for Worship Services
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During a Blessing of the Animals, it is customary for members of the congregation to bring their animal companions with them to the service. If they cannot bring their animal friend with them, encourage them to bring a photo or some other meaningful item related to their animal friend. Prelude:...Complete Service | By Katherine A Jesch | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Animal Blessing, Animals, Direct Experience, Earth, Gratitude, Nature, Presence, Unitarian Universalism
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"You want to do what?" her friend said. "But you can’t, you can’t, what difference could you make. It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard!" "But if someone doesn’t do something, how many more people will be killed, maimed or starve to death because of the war?" Emily answered. "But two...Story | By Denise Tracy | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 6th Principle (World Community), History, Peace, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Unitarianism, War
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"What do you want for your birthday?" the father asked his daughter. "Do you want a doll?" She wrinkled her nose and scrunched her eyes and thought. "No." "A tea set?" "A pony?" "No, Father, I have a year to think. I want this year to be a special year, to remember." "All right....Story | By Denise Tracy | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Generations, Love
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Overview: A Soulful Sundown worship on abundance, exploring the interwoven nature of emptiness and fullness Theme or Background: spiritual abundance and the cyclical paradox of emptiness and fullness Materials Involved/Altar: set in our usual way with fabric and strips....Complete Service | By UU Church of Berkeley, Kensington, CA | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Caring, Direct Experience, Limitations, Transformation, Wisdom
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Overview: New Year Ritual or Transition Ritual Theme or Background: Burn an effigy to welcome the new year, or any major transition....Complete Service | By Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, Young Adult Group | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Earth-Centered, Letting Go, Life Transition, Regret, Transformation, Youth/Teens
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Overview: Lead people in a reflection of where they are, or where they have just been. Then turn personal dreams into community dreams. Theme or Background: To look at our dreams for the future, and make those dreams collective dreams, Based on the most famous line Dr. Martin Luther King's most...Complete Service | By Jonathan Craig | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 6th Principle (World Community), Community, Connections, Direct Experience, Hope, Secular, Transformation, Unitarian Universalism, Youth/Teens
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Overview Appropriate for up to 20 people. Everyone comes into the space, and there is a box waiting with instructions for taking worship "out of the box" Theme or Background A boom box, readings, altar materials, etc. are contained in a box in the middle of the room....Complete Service | By Sonya Sukalski | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Letting Go, Limitations, Playfulness, Unitarian Universalism, Youth/Teens
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Overview: spontaneous themed worship, to explore the forces of Chaos. Theme or Background: Chaos Materials involved: chalice, readings. E.E....Complete Service | By Carolyn Croissant Clay Dewey | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Courage, Fear, Letting Go, Mystery, Wholeness
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Overview: Organize a discussion and develop a relationship with the local or regional School of the Americas Watch (SOA) organization dedicated to addressing the military school in Geogia run by the US Army and held responsible for violent, repressive and corrupt leadership training of Latin...Complete Service | By Joseph Lyons | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: International, Justice, Nonviolence, Peace, Violence, War
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Overview: An awesome involving activity that helps people to answer those tough questions about Unitarian Universalism (UU). Gets people to open up and lets everyone learn about each other. Not to mention it's a lot of fun! Theme or Background: The theme is explaining your UU faith and heritage.Activity | By Barbara Wells ten Hove | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Faith, Playfulness, Religion
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Overview: Infuse beads with spirit in a slow deliberate ritual...then bead them on to a ribbon. We think for a moment, then pass them to a friend for the weekend to hold and care for! Theme or Background: General, friends, Friday night at a con bonding and trust. Materials involved: Four special,...Complete Service | By Alex Rollin | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Friendship, Service, Trust, Youth/Teens
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Overview: Like the maypole tradition this worship involves a circle dance that weaves a fabric of many colors. We just leave out the pole! Theme or Background: Fun, dancing, interdependent web, different colors make the weave. Materials Involved: An 8 foot non-elastic ribbon for each participant.Complete Service | By Alex Rollin | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: May Day / Beltane
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Overview A great worship to remind you of what the deeper emotion of love means to you. Doesn't take too much preparation. Theme or Background Revisiting past Love in our lives Materials Involved Paper, markers, tape....Complete Service | By Duncan Metcalfe Eric Loftman | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Love
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It was December. I was in a new school in a new place and there were new teachers and new classmates. And we were living in a new house too. Also there was no snow in Florida. That was a lot of new things at once. I didn’t like it. At least I had my bicycle—it was my old bicycle so it wasn’t...Story | By Orlanda R Brugnola | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Children, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Direct Experience, Generosity, Home, Joy, Parents
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Whitman Jones had just turned nine. That was good. But he was going to a new school in a new town, and that was bad. In his old school he knew everyon—they had been in classes with him for years. In this new school he didn’t know one single person. Not only that, the first day didn’t go well...Story | By Orlanda R Brugnola | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Animals, Compassion, Forgiveness, Friendship, Reconciliation
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Once there was and once there was not a family of dogs. Like many dog families, there were dogs that had wandered off the street and dogs with fine pedigrees and dogs from the shelter and dogs who had been born into the family. They ran together. They played together....Story | By Naomi King | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Animal Blessing, Animals, Direct Experience, Gratitude, Thanksgiving
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Once there was and once there was not a town on the edge of the swamp in the sultry summer weather of far south Florida, between the alligators and the ocean. In this town there were two amazing friends, Sam and Joseph. They were a lot alike. They liked the same foods. They liked the same books.Story | By Naomi King | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Family, Imagination, Life Transition, Playfulness, Revelation, Secular
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I want to tell you a story about being new—and how sometimes it’s fun and sometimes it isn’t. Once there was a second grader named Paul. In September, he moved to a new town, had a new teacher and a new class and a brand-new desk. There was a boy sitting across from him with bright red hair,...Time for All Ages | By Mandy Neff | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), Children, Compassion, Conscience, Courage, Direct Experience, Friendship, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Solidarity, Unitarian Universalism
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Once upon a time there was a girl named Wendy. She loved grass. What can I say? She loved grass—she loved the feel of it between her toes; she loved the smell of it when it was freshly mown; she loved its bright green color. Wendy loved grass more than just about anything. One day her family...Story | By Erik Walker Wikstrom | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Acceptance, Respect, Revelation, Unitarian Universalism
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This content is currently unavailable.Complete Service | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb