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 Our Sunday morning worship service is the heart of our program. Liturgy means, literally, the work of the people. As we plan and conduct worship, we are committed to that hour being a time when all are invited to participate in the work of the people. There are many ways that people participate in worship - by singing hymns, sharing silence, voicing their personal joys and sorrows, sharing the pulpit, responding to the sermon in polylog.
The readings, hymns, themes, and ideas in our worship services reflect the many sources of wisdom that we honor as Unitarian Universalists: traditional biblical sources, wisdom from the world's religions, the writings of poets and philosophers and social scientists, and most importantly, our own personal experiences in life. Our hymnal, published by the Unitarian Universalist Association, is called Singing the Living Tradition. To learn more about our principles and purpose see What We Believe.
Our minister, Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael, leads most Sunday services. These services usually follow what many think of as the traditional Protestant worship format: readings, hymns, prayer/meditation, sermon, response. Sermon topics vary widely but all address the spiritual needs of the gathered community. Rev. Anya may talk about our UU history and tradition, a contemporary social issue, or personal spiritual growth and transformation. Past sermons are available on this web site in text and audio form in the Sermon Archive.
Some Sundays we have guest speakers or lay leaders from our own community in the pulpit. Our Worship Associates are responsible for organizing services when the minister is not in the pulpit. They also help establish the philosophy, priorities, and plans for our worship services. Often we have services that are music-filled, with contributions from our many talented UUS musicians and singers.
Our worship experience includes people of all ages. We staff a nursery during the service for children ages four and under. Unless the service is specifically designated as intergenerational, we also run a Religious Exploration program for children and teens.
No matter who preaches the sermon, some elements of the service remain the same every week; our own precious rituals. We always begin our services by lighting the chalice, a symbol of religious freedom. We make time in every service to share spoken personal joys and sorrows, and during our Offertory people have an opportunity to light silent candles of hope, memory, and gratitude. We close every service by joining hands and saying together these words:
"This church is dedicated to the proposition that behind all our differences and beneath all our diversities, there is a unity that binds us together and makes us one, in spite of time and death and the space between the stars. We pause now in silent witness to that unity." - Rev. David Bumbaugh
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