As Unitarians, we have several traditions that bind us together as a community. Our Flower Ceremony in the Spring and our Water Ceremony or Water Communion Service in the Fall are two meaningful traditions in our church.

The first water ceremony was conducted by Carolyn McDade (a Unitarian activist) and Lucile Longview (a UU leader) in East Lansing, Mich. In 1980. Carolyn McDade wrote the song we sing and use for our meditations, “Spirit of Life.”

Many of us brought a container of water to represent an event that has special meaning to us. Remember, it doesn’t matter where you collected the water. What is important is what the water represents to you.

Water sustains life wherever it exists. Water from clouds produces rain. Rain falls into rivers that run into the sea. Rain falls on the land that produces our plants that provide food for animals and humans. Without water, we would not have life.

Just as water merges into the rivers and oceans, our Unitarian beliefs allow for the merging of many world religions: Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity. This inclusion of beliefs makes us stronger as a faith community.

Just as we live separate lives, we come together as a beloved community to gain strength, wisdom, and yes, love from each other. Our lives merge together just as the separate containers of water merge into the larger vessel.

Closing Prayer:

May our gathering together this morning be a blessing for one and all.

May it inspire us to a year of hope and love and courageous faith.

And may we walk this year in the full awareness – as often as possible –

Of the blessed ties that bind each to all.