Barry Salad

Most, if not all, Unitarian Universalist churches have a chalice lighting at the beginning of each worship service.

In February 2005, I wrote the following as a chalice lighting for our annual IllUUmination Sunday service at First Parish Church in Taunton.

Everyone in the congregation has a candle.  The lights can be dimmed for effect.  There are 2 chalices on the altar - the church’s chalice used each Sunday and the children’s chalice, which they made from a flower pot.

The minister or chalice lighter can hold a lit candle or long match.

In the early days of the first people, a flame meant life.  It meant warmth and protection.  It also meant community.  The people would gather by the flame and share its light and heat.  At these times, the people would also share their stories, passing important lessons on to future generations.

The flame was always cared for and protected.  If it was lost, so would they all be lost.

Today, we cherish our flame as a symbol of our church community.  Around it, we gather each week to share its warmth and light - a spiritual warmth and a guiding light.  We gather around the flame each week to share our stories and pass along our faith.

Today, we celebrate and share the flame that is the symbol of our proud Unitarian Universalist history.

The minister/chalice lighter lights the chalice.  Adults from the congregation light their candles from the chalice, passing it along to their children and guests.  The youngest in the congregation lights the children’s chalice.

Like the flame, our faith is not diminshed as we share it.  It grows, spreading its warmth and light.