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Our Worship Services
Our worship services are central to our aspiration to
nurture spirit. Topics on this page are:
Description of
Worship Services
Lay-Led Worship
Services
What Visitors
Can Expect
Schedule of Future
Services
Description of Worship Services
Services begin at 10:30 a.m. Sunday and typically last one
hour. Although each of our services is unique, the services usually begin
with a welcome and announcements, after which newcomers and visitors are
given an opportunity to introduce themselves (but are not obligated to do
so).
Interspersed with a variety of
music and hymn singing, the typical service also inludes the lighting of the
chalice, one or more inspirational readings, a sermon or homily, an
offertory, an opportunity to express joys and concerns (either spoken or in
silence), and a closing benediction.
During the Joys and Concerns segment of our
worship service,
congregants may either light a candle in silence or
light a
candle and speak to their particular joys or concerms.
After the service we gather back in the greeting area for
fellowship, conversation, and coffee.
During the regular church year from September through May,
our minister is in the pulpit every week except the third Sunday of each
month, when the service is lay led. From June through August all services
are lay led.
A group of church members known as the Worship Associates
assist in planning worship sevices and also participate in conducting
services. For more information see the Worship Associates
page.
Lay-Led Worship
Services
Our lay-led services honor our commitment to lay
involvement in church leadership and our church's history. We began in 1951
as a lay-led fellowship, and thus all services were lay led until we called
our first minister in 1980.
From September through May on the third Sunday each month, the minister steps down from the
pulpit, and the service is entirely lay led, usually by one of the groups in
the church, such as the Writer's Group, Social Action, or the high school
youth group.
During the summer, the Worship Associates organize weekly
services that are entirely lay led. These services are often non-traditional
and unique, and allow individuals to speak to a topic of interest or lead
the congregation in exploring a variety of activities related to the many
facets of worship and spirituality. Summer service topics have included an
Animal (Pet) Blessing, Silence, What It Means to be an American, and the
two Honduras Humanitarian trips.
What Visitors
Can Expect
What can you expect on Sunday mornings at the Unitarian
Universalist Church of Columbia when you arrive for our 10:30 a.m. worship
service?
When you come through our doors into our greeting area,
you will receive a friendly welcome from a greeter. Much of the time, our
minister and a member of the Board of Trustees will be greeting people as
they enter.
You will be invited to sign our guest book and be offered
a name tag.
Others present for the service will greet you as you walk
among us in our warm and friendly greeting area before entering our
beautiful sanctuary for the service.
You should plan to dress casually and comfortably.
We are an active church with an informal style. Our
church is centrally heated and cooled.
Because each of our services is unique, you might want to
plan to attend several services to experience the range and diversity of our
thought and action.
Schedule of
Future Services
On our home page you will find
details about the worship service for next Sunday. Plans for future worship
services can be found in the Church Calendar, also on our home page.
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