"Solstice Reflections" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 21, 2025

Gathering Music (Mary Bopp)

Welcome and Announcements (Rev. Josh Pawelek)

Centering

"Winter Takes its Time"

Music by Mary Bopp

Words by Rev. Josh Pawelek

Prelude

"O Come, O Come Emmanuel"

advent hymn, monastic tradition

Mary Bopp, piano

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

#1063 Winter Solstice Chant"

Children of the Earth,

we have come to

sing to each other,

Sister to Brother

songs of our Mother Earth.

Children of the Earth,

Autumn soon will

breathe her last breath and

quick will her death bear

witness to Winter's Birth.

Children of the Earth,

can you feel the

air getting cold as

darkness takes hold and

sleep covers Mother Earth?

Children of the Earth,

we have come

to sit in the darkness,

breathe in the silence,

think of our Mother Earth.

Time for All Ages

"Winter Takes its Time"

Music by Mary Bopp

Words by Rev. Josh Pawelek

Drone:

Winter takes its time. Winter takes its time.

Verses:

Let us all heed winter's teaching.

Let us not pass quickly by.

Let us honor winter's wisdom.

Let the darkness hold us close.

Let us rest in winter's stillness.

Let us rest the long night through.

Joys and Concerns

Musical Meditation

Offering

"We do not gather our gifts only for ourselves, but to share with the larger community"

Continuing our practice of sharing our gifts with the community beyond our walls, fifty percent of our Sunday plate collections for the month of December will go to three area shelters: McKinney Men's Shelter (Hartford), East Hartford Community Shelter, Cornerstone Shelter (Rockville).

Offering Music

"Magical Solstice"

by Mary Bopp

Sermon

"Three Solstice Reflections"

Rev. Josh Pawelek

Closing Hymn

#55 "Dark of Winter"

by Shelly Jackson Denham

Dark of winter, soft and still, your quiet calm surrounds me.

Let my thoughts go where they will; ease my mind profoundly.

And then my soul will sing a song, a blessed song of love eternal.

Gentle darkness soft and still, bring your quiet to me.

Darkness, soothe my weary eyes, that I may see more clearly.

When my heart with sorrow cries, comfort and caress me.

And then my soul may hear a voice, a still, small voice of love eternal.

Darkness, when my fears arise, let your peace flow through me.

Extinguishing the Chalice

"The Flame in Our Hearts"

Music by Mary Bopp

Words by Rev. Josh Pawelek

The flame in our hearts, never ceases burning.

Closing Circle

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.