A UU minister once told me that when you lead worship, “Remember, someone there might be giving it their last chance.”
I asked for a clarification. “Do you mean religion or life?”
He said, “Both.”
I take worship very seriously. To me, worship is about celebrating and contemplating what is of worth and ultimate meaning in our lives. Out of all the things a minister does, I feel most called to leading and designing times to reflect and create sacred space like this. Many religious leaders claim worship to be the center of congregational life. While this might be true for many congregants, ministers and other religious leaders say this because that is what they spend the majority of time on. However, Sunday worship with a Protestant order of service does not work for everyone and we have many other ways to be connected to this community.
It is important to acknowledge that UU worship services are heavily aural, with lots of speaking and music. If we take into account we have a diversity of learning of styles among us, we should try to incorporate all learning styles into worship. I feel strongly that there has to be a kinesthetic element in worship.
You may have noticed I changed “Announcements” to “Next Steps” in the Sunday order of service. If the goal of Sunday morning is to meditate on what is of ultimate worth, I see worship as time that potentially changes lives. “Next steps” has more of an action orientation to it, a reaction to a life being changed in some way. Next steps should be short and to the point. For example, “If you were moved by last week’s sermon on social justice please attend the….”
Child Dedications
Child Dedications are rituals held during Sunday worship involving water and roses where babies and children are welcomed into this faith community and include:
- A blessing for the new life of the child
- An expression of the parent or parents’ hopes for the child
- A promise by the congregation to support and nurture the child
If you are interested in having your child dedicated in a Sunday morning worship service, please contact me.
Blessed Be, The Rev. James Galasinski