Special Services

Special Days and Ceremonies: In addition to the typical ceremonies that celebrate individuals such as Baby Blessings, Coming of Age, Marriages, and Memorials, there are several days of celebration at UUCSV in the service year.

Water Ceremony: The Water Ceremony, sometimes called the Water Communion is celebrated at the beginning of the church year in September. UUCSV members and friends bring a sample of water from their travels or water that has other significance for them. The combined water is symbolic of our shared faith coming from many different sources, as well as a coming together into one congregation. These words bless our water:

“In this water, tears and laughter are spilled, solitary journeys and familial idylls are mingled. In the depths of winter we will remember the stories we have told and the water made sacred by this sharing. Today we divide the water, holding back some for blessing ceremonies in this community, some to anoint our land, and some to bless the great river alongside which we make our home.”

Peace Service: UUSCV’s Worship Committee and our poets choose the readings for our Peace Service.

Joseph Priestley Sunday: Joseph Priestley Sunday is celebrated jointly with the Joseph Priestley Fellowship from Lewisburg on the Sunday closest to his birthday in March.

Service of the Living Tradition: This is a celebration of milestones in the life of our members and the life of the church. It is also the day we celebrate our connections to the Unitarian Universalist Association and all the struggles and issues that are important to us as people of faith. We are members of an ancient and venerable tradition and we do well to stand in solidarity with the people who struggle for food, shelter, education, health care and a place to worship freely, no matter who you are or what you believe.

Flower Communion: The Flower Communion was started in 1923 by Norbert Capek, who was looking for a way for Unitarians to celebrate our diversity and to claim a communal celebration. Each person brings a flower to the service and places it in a communal vase. At the end of the service, each person takes home someone else’s flower, which represents the beauty and individuality in our community.