UNIVERSITY UNITARIAN CHURCH

Special Services

Holiday Services

University Unitarian Church offers three services in recognition of Christmas and the holiday season that are special occasions for adults and children:


  • The Family Holiday Services at 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. are usually the Sunday before Christmas. These services are fun and engaging for all ages! They include a participative Nativity tableau, a child dedication and lots of wonderful music.
  • The Service of Solace is a meditative evening service of music, candle lighting and reflection on the first Wednesday of December. The holidays can be a particularly poignant time for anyone who is grieving a loss or missing a loved one around the dinner table. This service is designed to hold space for grief during the holidays and is also open to anyone needing an evening of respite and reflection from some of the forced cheer of the Christmas season. The hope of this service is to provide people a place just to be and have their hearts held.
  • The Christmas Eve Candlelight Services are at 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. on December 24. These services are beautiful and tranquil, incorporating candlelight and stillness with readings and evocative Christmas choral music. There is also a Christmas carol sing-a-long beginning about 20 minutes prior to each of these services. On Christmas Eve, there is no coffee hour or reception after the services.

Spring Youth Services

 

  • On one Sunday in spring, our high school youth lead both services. These include music and often a clever and eye-opening activity, as well as the wisdom of youth. These services usually take place sometime in February and are always joyful and up-beat!


  • The Coming-of-Age Services are always surprising and inspiring! The services are led by our 9th grade youth at the completion of their year-long Coming of Age Program.  Each youth will read their personal faith statement, which they created during their program.


Child Dedication

We offer two child dedication ceremonies during the church year, at the Family Holiday Service in December, and at Flower Communion Sunday in June. This is a lovely ceremony to welcome your child into the church community. Traditionally this ceremony is done with little ones, but we welcome children up to age 18 to be dedicated.

Flower Communion

Everyone brings a flower to share. We also honor our high school graduates, and dedicate babies and children. It’s a busy and fun-filled service that marks the end of our regular church year. It occurs on the last two-service Sunday before summer, usually the first Sunday in June.

Bridging Ceremony

Our annual bridging ceremony, at Flower Communion Sunday in June, celebrates our high school seniors as they “bridge” from youth to young adulthood.

Annual Meeting Sunday

The second Sunday in June embraces the slower pace of summer. At 10:00, we have a short Sunday service, celebrating church volunteers and honoring all members, whether new or long-time, and recalling our community’s covenant of care, commitment, and leadership. At 10:30 we convene our Annual Meeting, during which members will adopt the budget, elect nominees to the Board, Moderator, and to consider any other matters of congregational interest. All are invited. Voting is limited to members of record.

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