"Where the Light Begins" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, December 14, 2025
- uuseoffice
- 23 hours ago
- 2 min read
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 and behold him, born the King of angels:
Chorus:
venite, adoremus
venite, adoremus,
venite, adoremus, Dominum.
Lo humble shepherds, hasting to his cradle,
leaving their flocks in the fields, draw near.
We, too, with gladness, thither bend our footsteps;
venite, adoremus,
venite, adoremus,
venite, adoremus, Dominum.
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
venite, adoremus,
venite, adoremus,
venite, adoremus, Dominum.
Story
"Yitzi and the Giant Menorah"
by Richard Ungar
Children's Choir
"O Hannukah, O Hannukah"
Traditional
Joys and Concerns
Music
"Sarabande and Corrente" from Sonata in g minor
by Henry Eccles
Elliot Vadas, Cello
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
Music
"I Believe"
by Mark Miller
"Where the Light Begins"
by Susan Labarr
Homily
"Where the Light Begins"
Rev. Josh Pawelek
Music
"Night of Silence"
by Daniel Kantor
Closing Hymn
#388 "Dona Nobis Pacem"
words: traditional Latin
music: traditional canon
Dona nobis pacem, pacem
dona nobis pacem.
Extinguishing the Chalice
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.