Ralph Waldo Emerson, the Transcendentalist and Unitarian minister, said, “We become what we worship.” In our congregation, worship is a snapshot of life. We celebrate the good, release our pain, continually rethink our meaning, and privately make commitments that influence who we become. Worship is one of the primary experiences and processes whereby we maintain or restore our sense of cohesiveness or oneness with life.
Our typical worship is much like a Protestant service: an organ prelude, words of welcome, hymns, a children’s story, prayers, readings, an anthem by the choir, a sermon by the parish minister, the receiving of offerings, a benediction, and organ postlude.
However, there are some significant differences. First, as you enter the sanctuary you will notice not one religious symbol, but seven. These seven symbols are in small circular stained-glass windows that adorn the sanctuary. Another difference is that early in every service we light a single candle, located in the center of a large chalice. The flaming chalice is the symbol of our faith. We also have a practice of remembering the earth, the larger world, and our personal joys and concerns, followed by a guided meditation, prayer, and a period of silence. A unique and special segment of our worship is the reading from seven religions. A part of our worship that is quite similar to the Catholic and Buddhist traditions is the opportunity for individuals to light a candle for whatever is meaningful to them.
But the biggest difference in our worship is not the individual components or overall structure, but the content, purpose, and context. The content is inclusive, positive, and informative; but the primary purpose of our worship is not information, but transformation – the natural process of nurturing and becoming who we already are. And the context is always welcoming and free. We do not have a creed, and every Unitarian Universalist is encouraged to question and to follow their own reason and conscience. In our worship, faith and reason meet.
Most services are led by the parish minister, but leadership is shared. A guest minister or member of the congregation leads the service about once a month and every Sunday in July and August. To check the schedule of services, please visit our News & Events page.
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