Unitarian Universalists honor and celebrate a wide range of holidays and occasions over the course of a year. Unlike other faith traditions that use a single lectionary (a collection of scripture readings appointed for a given day or occasion), the topics and themes for Unitarian Universalist worship services are usually chosen independently by worship leaders in congregations. These include unique UU traditions, like the Flower Ceremony, as well as holidays from other faith traditions, such as Christmas or Beltane.
View and download the 2023-24 UUA Worship Calendar (PDF), which includes faith-based and secular holidays that UU congregations often celebrate. The calendar also includes monthly worship themes used in popular theme-based ministry programs. To download or print, follow the link and use the File menu, then select the Landscape layout option.
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- Advent (3)
- All Souls Day (2)
- Animal Memorial (2)
- Autumnal Equinox (1)
- Backpack Blessing (1)
- Black History / Whitney Young / James Reeb (1)
- Bridging Ceremony (1)
- Building/Space Dedication (5)
- Business Meetings (12)
- Child Dedication (1)
- Chinese New Year (1)
- Christmas Eve / Christmas (3)
- Coming of Age (2)
- Community Ministry Sunday (2)
- Día de los Muertos (2)
- Disaster or Crisis (3)
- Easter (3)
- Father's Day (1)
- Fire Communion (1)
- Graduation Recognition (2)
- Hiroshima Day (1)
- Homecoming / Ingathering (3)
- Installations (3)
- July 4th (1)
- Justice Sunday (1)
- Labor Day (1)
- Memorial Day (2)
- Memorial Services (4)
- Military Service (2)
- Ministerial Transition (3)
- Mourning (1)
- New Member Ceremony (2)
- New Year (4)
- Ordinations (1)
- Partner Church Observation (1)
- Passover (Pesach) (1)
- Pentecost (1)
- Remembrance Day (1)
- Rosh Hashanah (1)
- Samhain (1)
- Scout Sunday (1)
- Teacher Recognition (1)
- Thanksgiving (1)
- Twelfth Night / Epiphany (1)
- Veterans Day (2)
- Water Communion (3)
- Winter Solstice / Yule (2)
- Acceptance (1)
- Activism (2)
- America (3)
- Anger (1)
- Animals (1)
- Anti-Oppression (1)
- Balance (1)
- Beginnings (5)
- Belief (1)
- Birth (1)
- Body (1)
- Bridging (1)
- Brokenness (1)
- Caring (1)
- Challenge (1)
- Change (1)
- Character (2)
- Children (3)
- Commitment (13)
- Community (18)
- Compassion (1)
- Connections (5)
- Courage (2)
- Covenant (2)
- Creativity (1)
- Death (4)
- Democracy (1)
- Despair (1)
- Discernment (2)
- Earth (1)
- Education (1)
- Empathy (1)
- Ending (2)
- Faith (4)
- Fathers (1)
- Forgiveness (1)
- Freedom (3)
- Friendship (1)
- Generations (7)
- Globalism (1)
- God (1)
- Governance (1)
- Gratitude (5)
- Grief (1)
- Growth (2)
- Healing (4)
- Health (2)
- History (4)
- Hope (10)
- Hospitality (1)
- Identity (4)
- Inclusion (1)
- Integrity (4)
- Interdependence (5)
- Journey (1)
- Justice (6)
- Leadership (10)
- Letting Go (6)
- Living Our Faith (8)
- Love (10)
- Meaning (4)
- Military (2)
- Mindfulness (1)
- Ministry (1)
- Mothers (1)
- Multiculturalism (1)
- Mystery (2)
- Nature (1)
- Pain (1)
- Parents (2)
- Peace (2)
- Power (2)
- Presence (2)
- Privilege (1)
- Race/Ethnicity (1)
- Redemption (2)
- Relationships (6)
- Religion (1)
- Responsibility (3)
- Sacred (3)
- Sacrifice (1)
- Salvation (1)
- Searching (2)
- Service (12)
- Solidarity (3)
- Sorrow (1)
- Spirituality (1)
- Spiritual Practice (2)
- Stewardship (1)
- Strength (5)
- Stress (1)
- Teamwork (4)
- Tradition (4)
- Transcendence (1)
- Transformation (1)
- Trauma (1)
- Truth (1)
- Unity (7)
- Vision (6)
- War (1)
- Wholeness (2)
- Winter (1)
- Wisdom (1)
- Wonder (1)
- Work (8)
- (-) Purpose (53)
- Alix Klingenberg (1)
- Amanda Poppei (1)
- Amanda Udis-Kessler (1)
- Ariel Hunt-Brondwin (1)
- Audette Fulbright Fulson (1)
- Charlie Dieterich (1)
- Chris Crass (1)
- Christina Shu (1)
- Christin Green (1)
- Christopher Buice (1)
- Chrystal Hogan (1)
- Dana E Worsnop (1)
- Darcy Roake (1)
- David Breeden (1)
- Elena Westbrook (1)
- Emily Richards (2)
- Erika Hewitt (1)
- Erik Walker Wikstrom (1)
- George A Tyger (2)
- Gina Whitaker (1)
- Howard Thurman (1)
- Jacqueline A Collins (1)
- Jeff Liebmann (1)
- Joshua Mason Pawelek (1)
- Kathleen Rolenz (1)
- Katie Romano Griffin (1)
- Kenneth W. Collier (1)
- Lee Huebert (1)
- Li Kynvi (1)
- Lindasusan Ulrich (1)
- Lois Van Leer (2)
- Marta Flanagan (1)
- Michelle Buhite (1)
- Molly Housh Gordon (1)
- Nancy Shaffer (1)
- Naomi King (1)
- Nathan Ryan (2)
- Priscilla Murdock (1)
- Rachael Hayes (1)
- Robin Tanner (1)
- S. William Feiss (1)
- Sarah C Stewart (1)
- Sean Neil-Barron (1)
- Tamara Lebak (1)
- Tera Little (1)
- Tim Atkins (1)
- Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council (1)
- Victoria Safford (1)
- Viola Abbitt (1)
- William G. Sinkford (1)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 53
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May we view each other as partners, comrades, friends on the journeyPrayer | By Christin Green | August 1, 2023 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Business Meetings, Community, Living Our Faith, Purpose, WorshipWeb, Worship
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The work of radical inclusion; of collective liberation.Closing | By Emily Richards | October 18, 2022 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Business Meetings, Living Our Faith, Purpose
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We gather to honor our covenant and engage in congregational life.Chalice Lighting | By Emily Richards | October 18, 2022 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Business Meetings, Character, Democracy, Leadership, Purpose, Work
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Can we find space for lifting our heads in wonder—that we’re still striving, still trying togetherChalice Lighting | By Li Kynvi | August 10, 2022 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Business Meetings, Commitment, Community, Faith, Hope, Identity, Living Our Faith, Purpose, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb, Worship
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We have a holy obligation to bring about paradise on this earth; each generation helps us do that.Reflection | By Nathan Ryan | June 15, 2022 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Children, Father's Day, Fathers, Generations, Hope, Mothers, Parents, Purpose, Secular, Unitarian Universalism, Worship
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You can crush Love down, bury it, cover it over, but it will rise.Reflection | By Molly Housh Gordon | April 6, 2022 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: Christianity, Community, Easter, Love, Mystery, Purpose, Worship
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We tend the spark of imagination and hope for the world to come.Chalice Lighting | By Rachael Hayes | February 25, 2022 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Business Meetings, Discernment, Generations, Humanism, Leadership, Purpose, Stewardship, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb, Worship
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This year, the Advent season seems particularly seized by a spirit of the expected, the longing.Reflection | By Robin Tanner | December 2, 2020 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: #COVID19, Advent, Children, Christianity, Hope, Living Our Faith, Parents, Purpose, Worship
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When we feel overwhelmed, we gather to find a path, to find new ways forward.Responsive Reading | By David Breeden | September 19, 2020 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Community, Disaster or Crisis, Grief, Humanism, Memorial Services, Purpose, Searching, Secular, Strength, Stress, Unitarian Universalism, WorshipWeb, Worship
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As we light this chalice [this evening], may it serve to give us clarity of purpose and illumine our way as we set about doing the work of this congregation, in commitment, in cooperation, and in love.Chalice Lighting | By Viola Abbitt | January 7, 2020 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 5th Principle (Conscience & Democracy), Business Meetings, Commitment, Community, Governance, Humanism, Leadership, Love, Purpose, Secular, Teamwork, Unitarian Universalism, Work
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One of my most treasured New Year’s traditions is coming up with a word for the year: a single word that I want to be the theme for my entire year. When I’m questioning what’s the right thing to do, I will look to my word of the year for guidance.Reflection | By Tim Atkins | January 1, 2020 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 4th Principle (Truth & Meaning), Beginnings, Direct Experience, Integrity, Letting Go, New Year, Purpose, Spiritual Practice, Vision
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Reader 1: Flaming chalice, symbol of our living tradition, we kindle you for light Reader 2: Light in this darkest season of the year Light to reveal the sources of greed and hate among us Light to guide our way forward together Reader 1: Chalice Flame, we kindle you for love Reader 2: Love to ke...Chalice Lighting | By Ariel Hunt-Brondwin | November 13, 2019 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Hope, Love, Purpose, Unitarian Universalism, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
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If justice is to be realized, our voices must speak loudly—even boisterously—of love.Reflection | By Lindasusan Ulrich | June 5, 2019 | From Braver/WiserTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), America, Animals, Community, Direct Experience, Earth-Centered, Globalism, Humanism, Interdependence, July 4th, Justice, Love, Nature, Purpose, Relationships, Secular
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One: On Labor Day we honor our work, physical and mental, paid and unpaid, joyous and heartbreaking. Many: We give thanks for work’s gifts, suffer its difficulties, and strive to make labor just and joyous for all. One: Our work can build our society, provide for our material needs, and give our...Responsive Reading | By Amanda Udis-Kessler | December 7, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Character, Direct Experience, Gratitude, Integrity, Labor Day, Living Our Faith, Meaning, Purpose, Service, Unitarian Universalism, Work
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We light this chalice to honor our work, to celebrate our community, and to bring hope and determination to our mission in the wider world....Chalice Lighting | By Chrystal Hogan | September 14, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Leadership, Ministerial Transition, Ministry, Purpose, Service, Teamwork, Vision, Work
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Be it real or metaphor, whatever is in your backpack, or your briefcase, or your purse that you’ve brought into this sanctuary that is weighing you down: leave it behind. Whatever you are carrying that is keeping you distracted, or caught up in shame, or guilt, or hopelessness: leave it behind....Opening | By Nathan Ryan | August 28, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), Backpack Blessing, Community, Hope, Humanism, Integrity, Letting Go, Presence, Purpose, Secular, Unitarian Universalism
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Come, let us enter this space of hope and community. Come, let us enter this space with our sorrows, our joys, our passion and compassion. Come. let us enter this space with the stories of our ancestors, for their strength and wisdom beats in our hearts....Opening | By Katie Romano Griffin | March 15, 2018 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 1st Principle (Worth & Dignity), 3rd Principle (Acceptance & Spiritual Growth), 7th Principle (Interconnected Web), Community, Community Ministry Sunday, Connections, Generations, History, Homecoming / Ingathering, Humanism, Interdependence, New Member Ceremony, Purpose, Scout Sunday, Tradition, Unitarian Universalism, Unity, Vision, Water Communion
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I do not know where we go when we die; And I do not know what the soul is Or what death is or when or why. What I know is that The song once sung cannot be unsung, And the life once lived cannot be unlived, And the love once loved cannot be unloved.Closing | By Kenneth W. Collier | April 27, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Agnosticism, Animal Memorial, Death, Direct Experience, Faith, Humanism, Memorial Services, Purpose
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We don't live into our redemption very much, or get to win the fight over death. Jesus’ resurrection is a symbol and a promise that we are redeemed and that death’s dominion is not the final word. On Easter the Deep Magic breaks through. We proclaim and sing that love’s redeeming work is done...Quote | By Sarah C Stewart | April 14, 2017 | From WorshipWebTagged as: 2nd Principle (Justice, Equity, & Compassion), 6th Principle (World Community), Christianity, Death, Easter, Living Our Faith, Love, Purpose, Redemption, Salvation
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When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins: to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to...Affirmation | By Howard Thurman | December 6, 2016 | From WorshipWebTagged as: Advent, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Community, Hope, Justice, New Year, Peace, Purpose, Redemption, Service, Twelfth Night / Epiphany, Work