When you light your chalice this week,
consider this reading.
Making Aspirations Real
by Ben Soule
We light this chalice, the symbol of our faith, knowing that this morning many others across this land and around the world are doing the same. For us and for our far-flung kin it is a light of peace, of justice, and of love. But without work, these aspirations flicker out as soon as the candle is extinguished. Let us all join together to accept the challenge of doing the hard work that makes these aspirations real.
More words and poems to help light your chalice.
For the sacred circle of life in which we have our being,
For the Earth, the Sky, Above and Below, and
For our Mother Earth, and for the Mystery.
We give thanks for joy to overcome loss and pain.
We give thanks for the earth as it blooms its renewal.
We give thanks that all living things are revived.
As a sign of our gratitude, we light the chalice to welcome all new songs of life.
by Bets Wienecke
May this flame,
symbol of transformation since time began,
fire our curiosity,
strengthen our wills,
and sustain our courage
as we seek what is good within and around us.
by David Breeden
We light this chalice remembering and honoring our own tradition
and celebrating the rich diversity of traditions among us.
As we search for justice, meaning, and purpose,
may we remember that justice, meaning, and purpose
live first in deeply listening to one another.
A Community of Faith
Lighting a chalice
by Judith L Quarles
At this hour, in small towns and big cities, in single rooms and ornate sanctuaries,
many of our sibling Unitarian Universalist congregations
are also lighting a flaming chalice.
As we light our chalice today,
let us remember that we are part of a great community of faith.
May this dancing flame inspire us to fill our lives with the
Unitarian Universalist ideals of love, justice and truth.
by Bear W. Qolezcua
As we light the chalice may our souls become its hearth.
We join our hearts to the one great flame of bright compassion,
Beloved Community, and fervent justice.
May we become lanterns to the world,
lighting the way for all.
Igniting This Precious Light
by Vanessa Titang
In igniting this chalice,
we cast upon it our hopes and intentions
for all that is positive
in our minds, and in our hearts.
May this precious light shine on.
This chalice is for the living, the changing, the becoming.
This chalice is for losing the script of your life, the chapters about who you are
in other people’s stories. This chalice is for the lost GPS that was supposed to show you how to get
where they expected you to go. This chalice is for skipping the directions, coloring outside the lines,
painting—not by number—but by silence, by wild abandon,
with a brush you made yourself from light deep inside.
Startling. Vivid.
A new voice that already knows you.
Finally, a true story.
We light this chalice to affirm that new light
is ever waiting to break through to enlighten our ways:
That new truth is ever waiting to break through to illumine our minds:
And that new love is ever waiting to break through to warm our hearts.
May we be open to this light, and to the rich possibilities that it brings us.
(Adapted by Charles Howe from a unison affirmation by Napoleon Lovely.)
The End Is the Beginning
by Katie Gelfand
We call forth the life of our faith by igniting our chalice.
This spark of new beginnings invites us into a sacred space
to reflect where we have been and where we are going.
Even knowing that this particular flame will intentionally end
with our ritual extinguishing, we fear not its end…
For we know, with brave hearts,
that from every ending of our lives,
We are sent forth to make a new beginning.
By Bruce Southworth
of spiritual nurture and compassion,
we give thanks.
We light this chalice as a symbol of our faith.
May our many sparks meet and merge in communion of heart and soul.
the beacon light of lanterns guiding travelers home;
the warmth of hearth fires tended through the generations;
the transforming energy of furnaces and the power and life of our sun.
May these blessings —
warmth and light and life-giving energy —
be kindled in each of us.
by Katie Gelfand
the abundance of our lives together.
In this community we harvest bushels of strength for one another,
and offer our crop with the hands of compassion and generosity.
In the authentic and gentle manner of our connections,
we cultivate a simple sweetness to brighten our spirits.
May we be grateful for the ways we nourish and uplift each other,
for it is this sharing together that sustains us.
by Annie Foerster
Come we now from far places.
Come we now into the twilight of our awakening
Come we now all together.
We bring, unilluminated, our dark caves of doubting;
We seek, unbedazzled, the clear light of understanding.
May the sparks of our joining kindle our resolve, brighten our spirits, reflect our love,
and unshadow our days.
Come we now; enter the dawning.
Across the distance, your light is fuel that warms me
and helps to keep my own light burning
Together, we keep the flame of community burning bright.
by Michael DeVernon Boblett
We are not alone.
We are this flame, ancient as the stars, new as the vulnerable spark.
We are not alone.
We are this chalice, rimmed by the spiral dance of searching.
We are not alone.
We are the light soaring, the shadow deepening, the dance between them.
We are not alone.
We are the heirs of the tribes and their fires, the healers and their circles.
We are not alone.
We are here. We are here for ourselves. We are here for each other. And…
We are not alone.
Open to Unexpected Answers
by Julianne Lepp
We seek our place in the world
and the answers to our hearts’ deep questions.
As we seek, may our hearts be open to unexpected answers.
May the light of our chalice remind us that this is
a community of warmth, of wisdom,
and welcoming of multiple truths.
More UU Prayers and Chalice Lightings
by Jay Wolin
Are we a people of holding on or of letting go?
Holding on to rigid ideas or
Letting go and opening our minds and our hearts, to something new;
Holding on to certainty of how things should be or
Letting go and living with the uncertainty of new ways of being in the world;
Holding on to what makes us comfortable or
Letting go so we may grow which can be uncomfortable;
Holding on to what makes us safe or
Letting go to make room to help others feel safe?
With this flame, this symbol of our religion,
let it be a symbol of burning up the ties that hold us back from being our true self and reaching our true potential;
let it be a symbol of lighting a new way for us into a better tomorrow;
and let it be a symbol of letting go
Because holding on too long and too tightly is never good for the soul.
by Maureen Killoran
Love is the aspiration, the spirit that moves and inspires this faith we share.
Rightly understood, love can nurture our spirits and transform the world.
May the flame of this chalice honor and embody the power and the blessing
of the love we need, the love we give, the love we are challenged always to remember and to share.
In This Small Flame Dwell
by Jane Wahlstrom
In this small flame dwell:
the beacon light of lanterns guiding travelers home;
the warmth of hearth fires tended through the generations;
the transforming energy of furnaces and the power and life of our sun.
May these blessings —
warmth and light and life-giving energy —
be kindled in each of
We Kindle this Flame
by Philip Randall Giles
We kindle this flame as a symbol of the light
we would keep glowing in our lives:
of appreciation for those who differ,
loving kindness for those who suffer,
esteem for all who remind us of our heritage and calling
as agents of the Most High.
A Communion of Heart and Soul
by Bruce Southworth
For this day and for our community of spiritual nurture and compassion,
we give thanks.
We light this chalice as a symbol of our faith.
May our many sparks meet and merge in communion of heart and soul.
Welcoming the Stranger by Julian Soto, Tracy Bleakney
Original version in English by Tracy Bleakney,
traducción en español por Julian Soto
A child journeys far from home
Fearful and brave,
in need of safe harbor.
Guided by this chalice, may we seek to understand the causes of flight.
Like the comfort of a candle flickering in a window of darkness,
Let us welcome this child into our home with
warmth, nourishment, and love.
Would we not want the same for our own child,
lost and alone in a strange land?
(traducción por Theresa Soto)
Un niño viaja lejos de su casa
Temeroso y valiente
Careciendo de un puerto de asilo
Guiados por este cáliz, tratemos de comprender
las causes de huir
Como el consuelo de una vela encendida
en una ventana oscura
Demos bienvenida a este niño, a nuestra casa
con simpatia, alimento, y cariño
¿No quisieramos lo mismo por nuestro propio niño
perdido y solo en tierra extranjera?
Vessels of Life-Saving Welcome
by Michael J. Tino
We light this chalice; our welcome to share,
and our communion to declare.
May this flame shine bright and afar
to serve as our community’s lodestar.
All are welcome from everywhere.
Vessels of Life-Saving Welcome
by Michael J. Tino
We light this chalice; our welcome to share,
and our communion to declare.
May this flame shine bright and afar
to serve as our community’s lodestar.
All are welcome from everywhere.
Vessels of Life-Saving Welcome
by Michael J. Tino
We light this chalice; our welcome to share,
and our communion to declare.
May this flame shine bright and afar
to serve as our community’s lodestar.
All are welcome from everywhere.
Vessels of Life-Saving Welcome
by Michael J. Tino
We light this chalice; our welcome to share,
and our communion to declare.
May this flame shine bright and afar
to serve as our community’s lodestar.
All are welcome from everywhere.
Welcome to Share
by Anastasi Birosh
We light this chalice; our welcome to share,
and our communion to declare.
May this flame shine bright and afar
to serve as our community’s lodestar.
All are welcome from everywhere.
Adapted from an excerpt by Bets Wienecke
May we learn to recognize and affirm
The pieces of possibility —
The bits of good – we each bring…
A Prayer for the Possibility of Both-And (an excerpt)
by Rev. Lyn Cox
…Source of Wonder, move us to express and live in gratitude for the beauty of this world,
the loving people in our lives, and this day of possibility…
To ask what’s possible…
Rev. Sara LaWall
Spirit of Life and love, holy mystery
May we hear the voice within calling us
To ask what’s possible
To walk to the edge
To shed the fear and need for control
And dance with the infinite for a while
May we set down the list of wrongs and hurts
And see obstacles as invitations for innovation
Beckoning our creativity
May we hear each other’s voices
of love and encouragement
May we hear the cries of the world
Asking us who do we choose to be?
May we be vessels of comfort and compassion
May we be vessels of hope and healing
May we be vessels of peace and justice.
May love prevail. In the name of all that is holy we pray. Amen.
Building the Possible by Rev. Scott Tayler
inspired by and with use of the words of John Schaar
May this flame cast its light toward the coming days,
reminding us that “the future is not simply a place we are going,
but a place we are creating.”
The path of new possibilities will not be found, but made.
A new world is waiting to be built.
May our time together light the way.
by Shawn Trapp
Our chalice reminds us that the fire within ourselves is the same fire that illuminates the Universe. It is our reminder that all is connected even though the space of the void is vast, and our experience here is but a blip in the cosmic timeline.
This flame is our promise that in our smallness and our short time on this Earth, that we live intently and deeply, with love for one another, with honesty and integrity, to be guided by rational thought and critical thinking, and with a sense of shared responsibility—for as the late astronomer Carl Sagan reminded us, this pale blue dot is the only home we’ve ever known.
A Symbol of Learning and Love
by Elizabeth Harding
We Unitarian Universalists don’t drink from our chalice. Instead, we use it to hold the flame. The circle of the chalice helps keep the fire small. The flame doesn’t blind us. It doesn’t burn us. It gives us light, so we can see all the different things in the universe: even the invisible ones, because the Unitarian Universalist flame is a light of learning.
The flaming chalice is a symbol of learning and of love. It’s our symbol: the symbol of Unitarian Universalism
Community Chalice Lighting
by Atticus Palmer
We all this light before us in hope that we may always remain a strong community,
working together to make the world a better place.
When we are grieving or sad,
When we are challenged,
When we need help,
This flame guides us out of the darkness.
When we are cheerful,
When we celebrate,
When we accomplish a great task,
by Cynthia Landrum
We light this chalice, the beacon that calls us:
To love
To justice
To a deepening of the spirit.
Whether you are from the South, the East, the North, or the West…
Whether you were born into this faith, found it, or it found you…
Whether you feel at home or are still trying to find your place…
Whether you believe in God, are open to mystery, or still have no idea…
Whether you are unemployed, underemployed, cobbling things together, overworking, or in school…
Whether you are holding anxiety, grief, confusion, anger, hope,
restlessness, or deep peace…
Unitarian Universalism has a place for you.
It is right here.
And this chalice is lit for you.
this purest of flames
by Martha Kirby Capo
A pledge to justice, a commitment to freedom,
And a reverent awe for the crystalline glories
That sparkle along our footpaths.
Coming of Age Chalice Lighting Words
by Jamie Dorer
We take those little sparks
Glowing within all of us
And combine them to create this flame.—First Parish, Bedford, MA, Coming of Age participant
Mother’s Day Chalice Lighting
by Claudene (Deane) Oliva
to celebrate those who have taken on the task of nurturing a young one-
baby, child, or youth-
into adulthood;
to celebrate those who have nourished the light of truth
to celebrate those who have committed time, money, energy
We light this chalice to celebrate and hold dear this flame of love.
by Amy Zucker Morgenstern
Within the heart of the community, a fire that warms and dances
Within the heart of each of us, a spark of the spirit of life.
Holy,
holy,
holy.
by Paul Sprecher
For the sacred circle of life in which we have our being,
For the Earth, the Sky, Above and Below, and
For our Mother Earth, and for the Mystery.
new as the vulnerable spark.
We are not alone.
We are this chalice, rimmed by the spiral dance of searching.
We are not alone.
We are the light soaring, the shadow deepening,
the dance between them.
We are not alone.
We are the heirs of the tribes and their fires,
the healers and their circles.
We are not alone.
We are here. We are here for ourselves. We are here for each other. And…
We are not alone
by Dillman Baker Sorrells
For Passover which reminds us of the courage and strength of those seeking freedom in the past, we light the flame.
For Easter which reminds us that love is our greatest challenge,
we light the flame.
For gathering today in this sacred space, we light the flame.
For the opportunity to be together as a community, to remember the past, to plan for our future, to be alive in our present.
by Florence Caplow
We recognize that these are not just words to be spoken; instead, they call us out of our comfort into an ever-deepening commitment:
a commitment we make to the rights of all whose inherent worth and dignity are denied, diminished, or destroyed by systems of oppression. And they call us into the practice of looking into our own hearts, with courage and honesty.
by Alice Anacheka-Nasemann
each day new developments, rising numbers, changing guidelines;
when the world we live in suddenly seems upside-down and topsy-turvy:
We light our chalice to remind ourselves of our grounding in our faith.
We remember that the flaming chalice came into being
as a beacon of hope during World War II: a secret symbol that offered help.
In the midst of it all, we wrap ourselves in the warm light of a familiar flame,
a reminder of the strength that emerges when we come together in community.
by Lois Van Leer
Letting go of what has been
Open and hopeful for what may come
Renewed, restored, ready
To live Life fully anew
May we move forward with intention.
by Martha Kirby Capo
A pledge to justice, a commitment to freedom,
And a reverent awe for the crystalline glories
That sparkle along our footpaths
by Cynthia Landrum
We seek from sun and stars
And all the lights of the heavens
We light this chalice.
In This Time of Loss
by David Breeden
In this time of loss, In this time of asking why
We light a flame of sharing, We light a flame of commitment.
In this time of why, We light this flame
Sign of our searching, Sign of our sharing
Sign that together we remember
Together we ask why, Together in sadness and joy
We share light.
Together we celebrate
What we are together.
Drawn Together
by Jennifer Gracen
We come together as Unitarian Universalists bound not by a creed,
or a mutual desire to please one God or many Gods
Yet we are drawn together by a belief, that how we are in the world,
Who we are together matters.
We light this chalice in the knowledge
That love, not fear, can change this world.
Our Hope and Our Passion
by Pat Uribe-Lichty
We light our chalice knowing that our hope and our passion are needed to change the world. We bring different gifts to the work, but we come together in one faith: that what we do makes a difference, both to our world and in ourselves.
The Struggle For Freedom
by Paul Sprecher
We light this chalice in memory of the courage
of those who have struggled for freedom,
the persistence of those who’ve struggled for justice,
and the love of those who’ve built beloved communities
to carry on the light of hope.
by Sara Eileen LaWall
Out of the flames of fear
We rise with courage of our deepest convictions
to stand for justice, inclusion and peace
Out of the flames of scrutiny
We rise to proclaim our faith
With hope to heal a fractured and hurting world
Out of the flames of doubt
We rise to embrace the mystery, wonder and awe
of all there is and all that is yet to be
Out of the flames of hate
We rise with the force of love
Love that celebrates our shared humanity
Out of the flames we rise.
by Bets Wienecke
May this flame,
symbol of transformation since time began,
fire our curiosity,
strengthen our wills,
and sustain our courage
as we seek what is good within and around us.
A Chalice Lighting for Ingathering
by Janet Parsons
The flame of our chalice is a symbol of the warmth and brightness of our connections.
The flame lights our way back together again from our separate summer lives,
and it lights our way forward into this new church year of promise and renewal.
The Chalice is a Symbol
by Debra Faulk
A chalice lit in our midst is a symbol of our liberal faith,
A faith built on the foundation of freedom, reason and tolerance
A faith sustained by acts of kindness and justice
A faith that visions a world flourishing with equality for all her people
A faith that demands the living out of goodness
A faith that requires thoughtfulness
A faith of wholeness
This tiny flame is the symbol of the spark of all this within each of us.
Open to Unexpected Answers
by Julianne Lepp
We seek our place in the world
and the answers to our hearts’ deep questions.
As we seek, may our hearts be open to unexpected answers.
May the light of our chalice remind us that this is a community of warmth, of wisdom,
and welcoming of multiple truths.
We Are a People of Beauty
by Kimberlee Anne Tomczak Carlson
Recognizing the beauty around us and within us, in voice and spirit, we gather to light our chalice.
May we savor the beauty of our abundance and diversity, always cherishing one another and our earth.
May we remember to inhale the lushness in life knowing that we are a people of beauty.
Until “All” Means All
by Erika A. Hewitt
The chalice, as a symbol of Unitarian Universalism,
arose as a beacon of hope in an atmosphere of tyranny.
The chalice arose as a sign of promise
that the marginalized would neither be forgotten nor ignored,
because they are beloved and precious from the perspective of the Holy.
Today, we remember all of the people
who have been told explicitly—
or implicitly, through police violence or government policy;
through derision or dehumanization;
that they’re anything less than whole; anything less than beloved.
As we each light a chalice in our homes,
may we make of our lives a beacon:
a symbol of our promise to draw the circle wide;
a sign that we will not rest until “all” means all.
Sacre
by Robin F. Gray
We join our voices in a holy communion of mind and heart, dedicated to the promises that bind us in compassion, one with another.
In this hour we light the flame that signals our intention to find the sacred in every living thing.
Love Can Transform the World
by Maureen Killoran
Love is the aspiration, the spirit that moves and inspires this faith we share.
Rightly understood, love can nurture our spirits and transform the world.
May the flame of this chalice honor and embody the power and the blessing of the love we need, the love we give, the love we are challenged always to remember and to share.
Faith in Summer
By Ellen Hamilton
In faith, together, we light this small scrap of light,
symbol of Grandfather Sun’s enormous power,
whose energy burns so brightly In these days of deep Summer,
catapulting the leaves and vines,
vegetables, flowers and fruits to astonishing size, lengths and heights,
spilling over the tops of cages, walls and trellises,
delighting and nourishing all beings.
We bask in the warmth and the heat of these days,
with lightened hearts and quickened senses,
in gratitude and in faith.
(July 27, 2022)
With Love As My Guide
by Cindy Terlazzo
Amidst the swirl of life’s challenges, fears, and even moments of crisis,
I make time to gaze at the night sky to see the vastness there,
And to remember that this moment in time is but a flicker—
Not an inconsequential flicker—
For what I do and think now does matter.
My work, though, is to let the debris of this world pass by
While I anchor myself to what I know is true:
Love, Kindness, Compassion
And caring for this precious life—
This precious planet and all that calls this place home.
This is my North Star. With love as my guide,
How can I possibly go wrong?
Remembering Our Unity
by Katie Romano Griffin
May the flame of this chalice, the symbol of our faith,
connect us to all who have come before us,
all who are with us in body and spirit,
and all who are yet to come into being.
May it serve as a reminder of our unity and connection
across all time and space.
Sacred Unknowing
by Amy Carol Webb
We light this flame
For the art of sacred unknowing.
Humbled by all that we cannot fathom in this time,
We come into the presence of what we do know,
Perhaps the only thing we can ever know:
That Love is now and forever
The only answer to everything
And everyone
In every moment
Bringing Us Home to Love
by Frances Koziar
We light this chalice today as a people dedicated to personal growth.
May it burn away the oppressions we have been taught, and glow instead with
the humility of learning.
May it reignite our dreams for a better world, and kindle our joy for simple living.
May its warmth extend out into the forgotten alleyways of exclusion,
and bring us home to love, to welcoming, and to all the challenges,
the questions, and the blessings of this beautiful path to becoming a beloved community.
With Love As My Guide
by Cindy Terlazzo
Amidst the swirl of life’s challenges, fears, and even moments of crisis,
I make time to gaze at the night sky to see the vastness there,
And to remember that this moment in time is but a flicker—
Not an inconsequential flicker—
For what I do and think now does matter.
My work, though, is to let the debris of this world pass by
While I anchor myself to what I know is true:
Love, Kindness, Compassion
And caring for this precious life—
This precious planet and all that calls this place home.
This is my North Star. With love as my guide,
How can I possibly go wrong?
All Animal Chalice
by Mark Causey
We light this chalice, spark of the original fire of creation, to remind us that we all on this planet—the furred, the feathered, the finned, and the scaled, along with us featherless bipeds—we are all made of the same star-stuff and all share a common destiny. We all share the same hopes of a life free from harm and suffering and the same aspirations of happiness, love, and flourishing—being able to express our own unique natures and capacities as best we may. We are just that many diverse perspectives from which the whole is seen and experienced. We are inextricably intertwined, interconnected and interdependent. And it is good.
Blessed be.
Share Your Glorious Light with the World
by James Morison
Within each of our hearts there is a most glorious light.
Go forth, and let its spark help you understand what troubles both you and others;
Go forth, and let its light of reason be a guide in your decisions;
Go forth, and bring its ray of hope to those in need of help in both body and spirit, that they may find healing;
Go forth, and fan the flames of passion to help heal our world;
Go forth, and spread the warm glow of love, pushing back the darkness of the world;
Go forth, and share your glorious light with the world.
Chalice Lighting for Challenging Times
by Lisa Doege
“Why a flaming chalice?” the question comes.
It’s the cup of life, we answer.
A cup of blessings overflowing.
A cup of water to quench our spirits’ thirst.
A cup of wine for celebration and dedication.
The flame of truth.
The fire of purification.
Oil for anointing, healing.
Out of chaos, fear, and horror,
thus was the symbol crafted, a generation ago.
So may it be for us,
in these days of uncertainty, sorrow, and rage.
And a light to warm our souls and guide us home.
A Child’s Chalice Lighting of Gratitude for the Earth
by Karen G. Johnston
What if when I light the chalice, you hear an invitation to welcome gratitude for the earth?
This week, as I got ready to light the chalice, my family talked about blessings from this planet. Here is my list:
what is your list?
A Fire in the Universe
by Shawn Trapp
Our chalice reminds us that the fire within ourselves is the same fire that illuminates the Universe. It is our reminder that all is connected even though the space of the void is vast, and our experience here is but a blip in the cosmic timeline. This flame is our promise that in our smallness and our short time on this Earth, that we live intently and deeply, with love for one another, with honesty and integrity, to be guided by rational thought and critical thinking, and with a sense of shared responsibility—for as the late astronomer Carl Sagan reminded us, this pale blue dot is the only home we’ve ever known. Within the heart of the flower, the fountain of beauty.
Within the Heart of the Flower
by Amy Zucker Morgenstern
Within the heart of the flower, the fountain of beauty
Within the heart of the community, a fire that warms and dances
Within the heart of each of us, a spark of the spirit of life.
Holy, holy, holy.
We Are a People of Beauty
by Kimberlee Anne Tomczak Carlson
Recognizing the beauty around us and within us, in voice and spirit, we gather to light our chalice.
May we savor the beauty of our abundance and diversity, always cherishing one another and our earth.
May we remember to inhale the lushness in life knowing that we are a people of beauty.
(Adapted from a unison affirmation by Napoleon Lovely.)
New Light
by Charles A Howe
We light this chalice to affirm that new light is ever waiting to break through to enlighten our ways:
That new truth is ever waiting to break through to illumine our minds:
And that new love is ever waiting to break through to warm our hearts.
May we be open to this light, and to the rich possibilities that it brings us.
(Adapted from a unison affirmation by Napoleon Lovely.)
Like the First Hint of Green
by Jennifer McGlothin
As the first hint of green begins to peek through the barren ground
As that little sprig grows into a healthy stem
As that stem grows into a stalk and forms a bud
As that bud slowly opens with each new day
To form a yellow daffodil
Let us be, like that first hint of green, renewed by the warm of the sun’s rays
And ready to emerge with a new energy, ready to face the day.
We light this chalice to bring a glimmer of that warmth into our space.
For the Web of Life
by Paul Sprecher
We light this chalice for the web of life which sustains us,
For the sacred circle of life in which we have our being,
For the Earth, the Sky, Above and Below, and
For our Mother Earth, and for the Mystery.
Connected through the Web of Life
by Jennifer Gracen
Around us, light is returning.
It rekindles the spirit of life in the skeletons of trees.
It brings forth new shoots from the soil.
It wakes us from our winter slumber and invites us to see what lies beyond.
We light this chalice in the spirit of our Earth’s awakening
and to reaffirm our commitment to the value of our home.
Connected through the Web of Life
by Jennifer Gracen
We light this chalice, symbol of our purpose to bring more love and justice into the world.
We light this chalice, knowing our congregation as a church dispersed across communities,
not bound by walls but connected through the web of life.
Superheroes
by Cynthia Landrum
Mindful that
With great power comes great responsibility,
We light this chalice in the hopes that
In brightest day, in blackest night,
Our faith will
Flame on!
—Spiderman, Green Lantern, & the Human Torch (compiled by Cynthia Landrum)
Words for the Chalice Lighting
by Lindsay Bates
To face the world’s shadows, a chalice of light.
To face the world’s coldness, a chalice of warmth,
To face the world’s terrors, a chalice of courage.
To face the world’s turmoil, a chalice of peace.
May its glow fill our spirits, our hearts, and our lives.
by Robin F. Gray (adapted)
Day breaks on our gratitude for family and friends,
For the freedom to find our own truth,
For the company of those who gather near,
And the promises we offer one another.
Let the light of each day bring the grace of faith into our lives.
Many of the past generation and many of today have found three abiding values in prayer: the quiet meditation on life,
the reaching out toward the universal and the infinite,
and the courageous facing of one’s profoundest wishes.
Let parents sense and share with their children the glory and mystery of everyday things.
Let them look with sympathy upon humanity’s age-long dilemmas.
Let no questions be taboo.
The next generation can ill afford to have the deeper values deleted from the book of life.
by Sophia Lyon Fahs
Many of the past generation and many of today have found three abiding values in prayer: the quiet meditation on life,
the reaching out toward the universal and the infinite,
and the courageous facing of one’s profoundest wishes.
Let parents sense and share with their children the glory and mystery of everyday things.
Let them look with sympathy upon humanity’s age-long dilemmas.
Let no questions be taboo.
The next generation can ill afford to have the deeper values deleted from the book of life.
by Ma Theresa “Tet” Gustilo Gallardo
We cast not our eyes below, we say to ourselves we are how we came, wounded from struggles, triumphant in our survival, entitled by birthright to belong to this the only humankind there is, saying I am included, I belong, I am here, and I will be and do. I will breathe joy into a desolation, I will breathe peace into conflict, I will breathe life into destruction. I will be the earth I wish to see. I am growth, and hope, and glee.
The Meaning of the Chalice
by Martha Kirby Capo
For some, the chalice cup is a communion cup, freely offered to all who would seek the greater Truth. Others see the circle of fellowship in its embracing sides. The sacred hoop of its rim, the ambient energy cradled in its basin, the abiding, grounded strength of its pedestal: may all be lit by the fire of spiritual integrity; so too may we each be bathed in the glow of our shared Truth, multifaceted and radiant.
In Times of Cold We Seek the Warming Fire
by Brian Kiely
In times of darkness we stumble towards the tiny flame.
In times of cold we seek the warming fire.
In times of repression we reach for the lamp of truth.
In times of loss we pray for the comforting light.
In times of joy we light a candle of celebration.
Spirit of Life, as we kindle this light, help us find what we need this day.
The End Is the Beginning
by Katie Gelfand
We call forth the life of our faith by igniting our chalice.
This spark of new beginnings invites us into a sacred space
to reflect where we have been and where we are going.
Even knowing that this particular flame will intentionally end
with our ritual extinguishing, we fear not its end…
For we know, with brave hearts,
that from every ending of our lives,
We are sent forth to make a new beginning.
On the Brink of a New Year
by Lois Van Leer
We light this chalice on the brink of a new year
Letting go of what has been
Open and hopeful for what may come
Renewed, restored, ready
To live Life fully anew
May we move forward with intention.
A Flame to Light Our Path
by Debra Burrell
Let Fire consumes and casts a bright light.
May our chalice flame consume our regrets for the past,
our fears about the future, and our worries about today.
May it light for us a path of joy and peace.
Let There Be Light
by Andrew Pakula
Let there be light
The light of joy, the light of happiness, and the light of contentment
May it illuminate our paths and fill our lives with peace
And let there be dark
For it is from our dark places that we are brought forward
Tried and tested
And impelled toward growth
It is in these places that we realize compassion and learn to love
And there was day and there was night.
And there was joy and there was sorrow.
And it was good.
In the Bleak and Cold Winter
by Cynthia Landrum
In the bleak and cold winter,
We gather ourselves in
To light the fire to warm our spirits,
To kindle the flame of love and hope.
Embrace The Night
by Jennifer Gracen
Universal mystery,
Guide us away from the desire to
Shine light in all the corners.
Teach us to embrace the night,
For without the darkness,
We never see the stars
Warmth, Joy, Togetherness
by Ben Soule
Out of the darkness, light.
Out of the light, warmth.
Out of the warmth, joy.
Out of the joy, togetherness.
May this flame hold us
for the time we are here with one another.
by Gordon B McKeeman
Deep calls unto deep, joy calls unto joy, light calls unto light.
Let the kindling of this flame rekindle in us the inner light of love, of peace, of hope.
And “as one flame lights another, nor grows the less,”
we pledge ourselves to be bearers of the light, wherever we are.
Give Thanks, Feel Alive, Know Love
by Rev. Leia Durland-Jones
As we light this flame, we remember friends and loved ones near and far
and we give thanks.
As the fire burns brightly, we open our minds and hearts to new ways of being and we feel alive.
As the room glows with warmth and kindness, we extend our circle ever wider to welcome those who want to come in, and we know love.
A Communion of Heart and Soul
by Bruce Southworth
For the gift of this day and for our community of spiritual nurture and compassion, we give thanks.
We light this chalice as a symbol of our faith.
May our many sparks meet and merge in communion of heart and soul.
For the Memory that Heals and Holds
Rev. Scott Tayler
We light this chalice in honor of the history that holds and heals us.
For the stories of heroism that inspire our own.
For the faces of loved ones who have passed,
in whose images we see our better selves.
For reminders of those who paved the path on which we travel,
and blessed us with advantages we didn’t earn all on our own.
These memories do not live in the past.
They carve the contours our of present,
They throw themselves into our futures and lure us into building a life better for all.
They are here today.
Look. Listen. Let them in.
May their light guide our way.
By Audette Fulbright Fulson
This light we kindle
is set in the lamp of our history.
We inherit this free faith
from the brave and gentle, fierce and outspoken
hearts and minds that have come before us.
Let us be worthy inheritors of this faith
and through our good works, pass it boldly to a new generation.
Legacy Chalice Lighting
by Paul Sprecher
We light this chalice to honor the memory of those who have come before us,
kindling flames of wisdom in dark times,
willing to challenge orthodoxy even at great personal risk,
giving us a legacy of freedom and a love of truth,
A legacy that warms our hearts and lights our paths.
Within the Heart of the Flower
By Amy Zucker Morgenstern
Within the heart of the flower, the fountain of beauty
Within the heart of the community, a fire that warms and dances
Within the heart of each of us, a spark of the spirit of life.
Holy,
holy,
holy.
Blessed is the Fire That Burns Deep in the Soul
by Eric A Heller-Wagner
Blessed is the fire that burns deep in the soul. It is the flame of the human spirit touched into being by the mystery of life. It is the fire of reason; the fire of compassion; the fire of community; the fire of justice; the fire of faith. It is the fire of love burning deep in the human heart; the divine glow in every life.
by Paul Stephan Dodenhoff (adapted)
For this this precious moment, Spirit of Life, may we let go.
May we let go of our anxieties,
our fears,
our anger,
our self-doubts,
our regrets,
our petty grievances,
and our distractions.
If only for one second, then one minute, then one hour, then one day,
let the flame of this chalice
burn in our hearts and minds
and light our way to peace and serenity.
Amen.
In This Time of Uncertainty (adapted)
by Amy Williams Clark
We quiet our minds and our hearts in this time of uncertainty,
full of unknowns, as angst closes in upon us.
We light this chalice with a flame that connects us with those
we love and connects despite the distance.
With this flame, we cut through the dankness of isolation
and are warmed by the fires of our ongoing interconnection.
For this moment, this radical moment,
we find a certainty within the knowable bonds of love and community.
We are not alone.
We are held in the embrace of a love that is greater than us all.
Each Breath (adapted)
Leaf Seligman
As we light this chalice, we pause in the stillness to rest for a moment, to quiet ourselves so that we can feel what stirs within us. Each breath draws us closer to the pulse of life and with each exhalation we make room for something new… may it come. We bid it welcome.
Amen and Blessed Be.
Welcome Home
Rachel Rott
Welcome home…
There is, in this place, the possibility of healing, of repair, of making things right:
within ourselves, between us, and with the wider world.
May it be so.
Amen and Blessed Be.
Let Astonishment be Possible
Rev. Gretchen Haley
Whatever you have come in
anticipating
Whatever you expect
Or worry
For our world, for the future
For our lives –
Let it go
Make space in your heart
to be surprised
Make room in your soul
For a new story to take shape
Let astonishment be possible
At this life that remains
a miracle
Imagine here the bursting of joy
Relentless and resilient
Coming in waves
Washing over us
with music,
and story
silence,
and still this dreaming together
Being hope for each other
and courage
to believe
in this new day
dawning
for us all. .
.
Building the Possible
Written by Rev. Scott Tayler,
inspired by and with use of the words of John Schaar
May this flame cast its light
toward the coming days,
reminding us that “the future
is not simply a place we are going,
but a place we are creating.”
The path of new possibilities will not be found, but made.
A new world is waiting to be built.
Deep Calls Unto Deep, Joy Calls Unto Joy
by Gordon B. McKeeman
Deep calls unto deep, joy calls unto joy, light calls unto light.
Let the kindling of this flame rekindle in us the inner light of love, of peace, of hope.
And “as one flame lights another, nor grows the less,”
we pledge ourselves to be bearers of the light, wherever we are.
Vessels of Life-Saving Welcome
by Michael Tino
The flaming chalice was first used by the Unitarian Service Committee as a symbol of life-saving refuge for people fleeing persecution in Europe.
As we light this chalice, we invoke the love that called
people to put their lives at risk to save others.
May we be vessels of life-saving welcome.
All the Lights of the Heavens
by Cynthia Landrum
For the wonder and inspiration
We seek from sun and stars
And all the lights of the heavens
We light this chalice.
Chalice Lighting on Thresholds
by Florence Caplow
We kindle this flame. Honoring the doorways in our souls: The windows through which we gaze at one another. The balconies where we catch glimpses of sky. The thresholds we stand on this morning – wondering, hoping, fearing, dreaming.
Sacred
by Robin F. Gray
We join our voices in a holy communion of mind and heart, dedicated to the promises that bind us in compassion, one with another. In this hour we light the flame that signals our intention to find the sacred in every living thing.
from the Oberlin UU Fellowship in Oberlin, Ohio
We light this chalice to find inner peace,
love for each other, and faith in ourselves.
Also, to be welcoming to whomever we meet
and kind to all living creatures. So gather around
this light of hope as we share this time together.
Exploring Who We Are
by Melanie Davis
Under the right circumstances, playing with fire is a delight—imagine being gathered round a firepit as the crackling flames invite us to sing, dance, and roast a marshmallow or two.
Our chalice also invites us to play, although with ideas rather than with marshmallows. The flame encourages us to explore who we are, who our neighbors are, and where we are on our spiritual journeys.
Today, we light this chalice in the spirit of play. Let us trust the light to guide us in this hour and in the days to come, finding joy along the way.
attributed to Kalidasa
Look to this day! For it is life, the very life of life! In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence: The bliss of growth, the glory of action, the splendor of beauty; For yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow only a vision; But today, well lived, make every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look, well, therefore, to this day.