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
Displaying 121 – 140 of 164
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There was a Mystery. She was a great Mystery. And nobody understood or appreciated her mainly because there was no one else around to appreciate or understand much of anything.Story | By Thomas Rhodes | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Earth Day, God, Mystery, Playfulness
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There once was a person named John Murray. He lived in England, and worked as a minister there. The congregation to which he belonged took religion very seriously. They believed in life after death, but they thought that almost everyone was going to have a terrible, horrible time after they died.Story | By Kelly Weisman Asprooth-Jackson | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: History, Universalism
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I want to tell you about a T-ball game, a story credited to storyteller Bill Harley. If, like me, you grew up before T-ball, you'll need to know that it’s a game like softball, but with gentle rules for 5 to 8-year olds, kids just starting out in life. Now, the particular T-ball team Bill...Story | By John Parker Manwell | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Animals, Choice, Love, Presence
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John Haynes Holmes was born into a Unitarian family soon after the Civil War. He grew up just outside of Boston, and his father would take him to Unitarian churches in Boston every Sunday so that he would hear the best preaching the city had to offer. Holmes idolized his grandfather, John Haynes,...Story | By Paul Sprecher | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: History, Nonviolence, Unitarianism, War
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One day, a rabbit set out from the woods, carrying a question to all the other creatures that it met. The rabbit came first to a butterfly fluttering in an open field, and asked, "Friend butterfly, what can you tell me about the thing called 'god’?" The butterfly thought for a moment, and said,...Story | By Kelly Weisman Asprooth-Jackson | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Direct Experience, God
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There was once a crow who was very hungry. Flying over the tops of the trees, it spotted a large, tasty-looking walnut growing from one of the tallest branches below. Seeing the makings of a fine supper, the crow swooped down and plucked the dangling walnut and held it triumphantly in its beak....Story | By Kelly Weisman Asprooth-Jackson | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Conflict, Greed, Letting Go, Playfulness
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Rev. James Madison Rasnake was the best Baptist minister in Georgia. His first career had been as a lawyer, and he was known for his splendid reasoning abilities. After creating a well-known law practice, he found his true calling—ministry—in particular, the Baptist ministry. In 1896 he was...Story | By Denise Tracy | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: History, Salvation, Universalism
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George: This is Angel Gabriel of KGOD airwaves, coming to you live from the downtown mall in Bethlehem. The air is positively solar as frenzied shoppers scurry from store to store, their camels and donkeys weighted down with purchases. The beasts bawl. There are only, count ‘em and weep shoppers,...Story | By Lois Van Leer | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Christianity, Hanukkah, Judaism, Kwanzaa, Multiculturalism, Multiculturalism, Paganism, Winter Solstice / Yule
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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