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"Caring for Parents, Children, and Their Families in These Times" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, March 8, 2026
Gathering Music Welcome Centering Prelude "Come, Come Whoever You Are" by Lynn Ungar Arr. by Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "This Faith" by Heide Cottam Opening Hymn #21 "For the Beauty of the Earth" words by F. S. Pierpoint music by Conrad Kocher For the beauty of the earth, for the splendor of the skies, For the love which from our birth over and around us lies: Source of all, to thee we raise this, our hymn of grateful praise. For the joy of ear and eye, for

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5 days ago2 min read


"Belonging and Thriving --Together!" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, March 1, 2026
Gathering Music "Canzona Bergamasca by Samuel Scheidt Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude "Ricercard Del 12 Tono" by Andrea Gabrieli Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "This Faith, This Place, These People" by Rev. Josh Pawelek (based on "This Place, These People" by Paul Dalzell) Opening Hymn #128 "For All That is Our Life" Words by Bruce Findlow; music by Patrick L. Rickey For all that is our life we sing our thanks and praise; for all life is a gift which we are ca

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Feb 242 min read


"The Generous Spirit" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, February 22, 2026
Gathering Music (Jenn Richard) "Call it Dreaming" by Iron & Wine "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears "Today and Every Day" by Dar Williams Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude “All Will Be Well” Words and music by Meg Barnhouse Song leader: Jenn Richard Chorus: And all will be well And all will be well. All manner of things Will be well. Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Excerpt from “Generosity” By the Rev. Dr. Sherri Prud-homme Adapted by

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Feb 172 min read


"Strategic Planning: A Discipline of Resistance" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, February 15, 2026
Gathering Music Welcome Centering Prelude "Winter Morning Meditation" by Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting & Opening Words #429 in Singing the Living Tradition by William F. Schultz Come into this place of peace And let its silence heal your spirit; Come into this place of memory And let its history warm your soul; Come into this place of prophecy and power And let its vision change your heart. Opening Hymn "Come Sing a Song With Me" #346 in Singing the Living Tradition Words & Musi

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Feb 103 min read


"What Makes You Come Alive?" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, February 8, 2026
Dean Howard Thurman Assison N. Scurlock, photographer Smithsonian Online Archives NMAH AC 0618.S04.01 Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Prelude Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Excerpt from "Waiting to Grow Again" by Jennifer Johnson Opening Hymn "Winter Takes its Time" Music by Mary Bopp Words by Rev. Josh Pawelek and Mary Bopp Drone: Winter takes its time. Winter takes its time. Verses: Let us all heed winter's teaching. Let us no

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Jan 302 min read


"The Nature of Resilience" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, February 1, 2026
Gathering Music Welcome Centering "The Strength of Water" https://www.uua.org/worship/words/meditation/strength-water Prelude "Wellspring" Composed & performed by Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Opening Hymn #169 "We Shall Overcome" African American spiritual adapt. by William Farley Smith Mary Bopp, piano We shall overcome, we shall overcome, we shall overcome someday! Oh, deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome someday! We'll walk hand in h

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Jan 282 min read


"I Am Today" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, January 25, 2026
(from Vecteezy.com ) Welcome & Announcements Centering Chalice Lighting Opening Hymn #126 "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" Words: v. 1 Robert Robinson, v. 2-3 Eugene B. Navias Come, thou fount of ev'ry blessing, tune our ears to sing thy grace. Streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. While the hope of life's perfection fills our hearts with joy and love, teach us ever to be faithful, may we still thy goodness prove. Come, thou fount of ev'ry visio

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Jan 202 min read


"Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, January 18, 2026
Gathering Music Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude "Mine Eyes Have Seen" by Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting and Opening Words excerpt from the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s eulogy for the Rev. James Reeb (March 15, 1965) Opening Hymn Mashup "Say, Brothers, Will You Meet Us" and "John Brown's Body" lyrics by various authors, adapted by Rev. Josh Pawelek traditional American hymn tune Say, brothers, will you meet us, Say, brothers, will you meet us, Say, brothers, will you

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Jan 123 min read


"The Arts as Resistance" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, January 11, 2026
Gathering Music (Mary Bopp, piano) Welcome and Announcements (David Klotz) Centering Prelude (Mary Bopp, piano) Chalice Lighting & Opening Words (David Klotz & Jane Penfield) #493 Hildegard of Bingen Fire of the Spirit, life of the lives of creatures, spiral of sanctity, bond of all natures, glow of charity, lights of clarity, taste of sweetness to the fallen, be with us and hear us. Composer of all things, joy in the glory, strong honor, be with us and hear us. Introduct

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Jan 61 min read


"Two Epiphanies" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, January 4, 2026
Gathering Music Mike Zanta, Guitar Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude "White Flag" by Joseph performed by Meetinghouse Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Matthew 2: 10-15a (New Revised Standard Version) Opening Hymn #1007 "There's a River Flowing in My Soul" by Faya Ora Rose Toure (Rose Sanders) There's a river flowin' in my soul. There's a river flowin' in my soul. And it's tellin' me that I'm somebody. There's a river flowin' in my soul. There's a river flowin' in

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Dec 29, 20251 min read


"Reflections & Hopes" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 28, 2025
Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude "Edelweiss" by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II Service Introduction Chalice Lighting & Opening Words Chalice Lighting #448 in Singing the Living Tradition by Christine Robinson We gather this hour as people of faith with joys, sorrows, gifts and needs. We light this beacon of hope, Sign of our quest For truth and meaning, In celebration of the life we share together. Opening Hymn "My Life Flows on in Endless Song" #108 in S

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Dec 23, 20253 min read


"Silent Night, Holy Night" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 24, 2025 - 5:00 PM
Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Words of Welcome (Emmy Galbraith) Centering (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Prelude "Bring a Torch, Jeannette Isabella" Traditional French carol Arr. by Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Excerpt from "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens gently adapted by Rev. Josh Pawelek Opening Hymn "Angels We Have Heard on High" Words by Earl Marlatt Music: French Carol Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains And the mountains in reply E

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Dec 16, 20255 min read


"Evening Vespers Service" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 22, 2025
Gathering Music (Debbie Vinick, harp) Welcome Introduction Centering Chalice lighting and Opening Words "Forgotten Church" by James Crews The next time you pray for someone else, send whispered words on shaky wings up to the night sky, you might consider including yourself before the final amen. When you ask for your own happiness, plead for a flashlight to shine a path through whatever darkness you are facing, it's like stepping back into the forgotten church of this one bo

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Dec 16, 20253 min read


"Where the Light Begins" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 21, 2025
Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Centering Prelude "Joy on Christmas Morning" by Audrey Snyder UUSE Choir Chalice Lighting and Opening Words #542 "Solstice" by Diane Lee Moomey Again did the earth shift Again did the nights grow short And the days long. And the people Of the earth were glad And celebrated Each in their own ways Opening Hymn "Winter Takes its Time" Music by Mary Bopp Words by Rev. Josh Pawelek and Mary Bopp Drone: Wint

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Dec 11, 20252 min read


"Where the Light Begins" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 14, 2025
Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Welcome and Announcements Introit "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Trad. English carol, arr. by BNL) the Gonzalez family, vocals Jennifer Richard, guitar Centering Prelude "Joy on Christmas Morning" by Audrey Snyder UUSE Choir Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "A Joyful Noise" by Rev. Josh Pawelek Opening Hymn #253 "O Come, All Ye Faithful" by John Francis Wade O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem. Come

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Dec 10, 20252 min read


"Choosing Hope" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 7, 2025
Welcome (Stacey Musulin) Centering (Martha Larson) Prelude : Improvisation on steel tongue drum performed by Kristen Dockendorff Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Excerpt from "We Gather" by Pat Uribe-Lichty We gather to find New ways of loving. New ways of thinking. New ways of being. We gather - yes, always we gather, for it is in gathering that we find our hope. Opening Hymn #118 "This Little Light of Mine" Words and music: African American spiritual, c. 1750-1875 This

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Dec 2, 20252 min read


"Awake My Soul" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, November 30, 2025
Gathering Music "Someday at Christmas" by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells "Calling on Mary" by Aimee Mann Jenn Richard, guitar and vocals Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Centering Prelude "Astral Plane" by Valerie June Jenn Richad, guitar and vocals Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "Late November" by the Rev. Mary Wellemeyer adapted ever-so-slightly by Rev. Josh Pawelek Opening Hymn #15 "The Lone, Wild Bird" words by H. R. MacFayden music from William Walker's Sou

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Nov 19, 20252 min read


"Gratitude for UUSE" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, November 23, 2025
Gathering Music Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude "Rainbow Connection" by Paul Williams Chalice Lighting and Opening Words "The Abundance of Our Lives Together" by Katie Sivani Gelfand We light our chalice as a symbol of gratitude... In this sanctuary we harvest bushels of strength for one another ... we cultivate a simple sweetness to brighten our spirits ... May we be grateful for the ways we nourish and uplift each other, For it is the sharing of this hallowed ti

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Nov 17, 20252 min read


"Do UU Know Your History?" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, November 16, 2025
Gathering Music (Mary Bopp) Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek) Centering Prelude “Gather the Spirit” by Jim Scott adapted by Mary Bopp Chalice Lighting and Opening Words Excerpt from “I Call That Church Free” by James Luther Adams Opening Hymn #145 “As Tranquil Streams” lyrics by Marion Franklin Ham music: Musicalisches Hand-buch , Hamburg, 1690, adapt. As tranquil streams that meet and merge and flow as one to seek the sea, our kindred hearts and mi

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Nov 10, 20252 min read


"Supporting Dignity through Compassion and Love" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, November 9, 2025
Gathering Music Welcome and Announcements Centering Prelude Chalice Lighting & Opening Words "Chalice Lighting Words" by Albert Schweitzer At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. In the glow of that gratitude, let our worship begin. Opening Hymn STJ #1008 "When Our Heart Is in a Holy Place" When our heart is in a holy place, When our heart

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Nov 4, 20253 min read
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