"On War, Women and Witness or Do UU Know Your History? Part III" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, March 15, 2026

Illustration by Sarah Green

from "Brave Clara Barton"

Gathering Music

Dorothy Bognar, piano

Welcome and Announcements

Annual Appeal Pulpit Testimonials

Robin Byrne

Centering

Prelude

"For What it's Worth"

by Steven Stills

Dorothy Bognar, piano

Chalice Lighting and Opening Words

To Remind Ourselves What Is Real

by Elena Westbrook

Opening Hymn

#360 "Here We Have Gathered"

Words by Alicia S. Carpenter

Music: Genevan Psalter, 1543

Here we have gathered, gathered side by side;

circle of kinship, come and step inside!

May all who seek here find a kindly word;

may all who speak here feel they have been heard.

Sing now together this, our hearts' own song.

Here we have gathered, called to celebrate

days of our lifetime, matters small and great:

we of all ages, women, children, men,

infants and sages, sharing what we can.

Sing now together this, our hearts' own song.

Life has its battles, sorrows, and regret:

but in the shadows, let us not forget:

we who now gather know each other's pain;

kindness can heal us: as we give, we gain.

Sing now in friendship this, our hearts' own song.

Time For All Ages

"Brave Clara Barton"

by Frank Murphy

illustrations by Sarah Green

Hymn

#1057 "Go Lifted Up"

by Mortimer B. Barron

Go lifted up,

Love bless your way,

moonlight, starlight

guide your journey

into peace

and the brightness of day.

Joys and Concerns

Musical Meditation

Offering

The recipient of our community outreach offering is the CT Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Their mission is to create communities free of sexual violence ad to provide culturally affirming, trauma-informed advocacy, prevention, and intervention services centered on the voices of survivors.

Offering Music

"Theme from "To Kill a Mockingbird"

by Elmer Bernstein

Dorothy Bognar, piano

Sermon

"On War, Women and Witness

or Do UU Know Your History? Part III"

Rev. Josh Pawelek

Closing Hymn

#212 "We Are Dancing Sarah's Circle"

Words by Carole A. Etzler

Music: African American spiritual

We are dancing Sarah's circle,

we are dancing Sarah's circle

we are dancing Sarah's circle,

sisters, brothers, all.

Here we seek and find our history...

We will all do our own naming...

Every round a generation...

On and on the circle's moving...

Extinguishing the Chalice

Closing Circle (music by Dorothy Bognar)

May faith in the spirit of life

And hope for the community of earth

And love of the light in each other

Be ours now, and in all the days to come.