Rites & Rituals

Ritual has been important to humans since we first painted on cave walls. People today still have the need to mark the seasons of the places we live, and the seasons of our lives. I love ritual.

​From baby dedications and new member ceremonies to weddings and memorial services, part of what we do as a congregation is to bring people together, create supportive space for emotions, and give form to our feelings and commitments, through ritual. Ritual can also enhance our interfaith connections, help us deal with tragedy, and support our witness in the public square.

Pictured here:  Celebrating water in-gathering with both children and adults.

Some rituals are entirely personal, such as rituals I have designed for individuals to mark the transition of breast cancer surgery, and to embrace the wise elder stage of life.  Other rites of passage serve entire families or communities. Officiating at weddings is a joy, and I am especially moved by the process of working with family and friends of the deceased to plan and share a Celebration of Life service.

With UU pagan writer and ritualist Margot Adler. I was fortunate to study ritual with her - and learn many earth-centered chants from her - toward the end of her life.

Of course, ritual is part of a congregation's shared life as well.  Some rituals are pastoral in nature, others are spiritual, and still others are communal. These pictures are from a processional that highlighted many church groups; during the Time for All Ages, I discussed with the children the meanings of objects carried forward by church representatives, and how the various teams and groups of the church help to carry out its mission.

Lay leaders carry objects representing social outreach programs, affinity groups, and teams

I enjoy supporting long-standing traditions of the congregation I serve, creating new opportunities for ritual during worship, as well, and supporting ceremonies for different points in the life cycle of persons.

Participants tied ribbons on with their wishes for the earth, during one Earth Day worship ritual

For Water Ingathering 2021 (COVID year 2), people came to their choice of four staggered metro-area park gatherings, with the water ritual station traveling from park to park. Included ritual actions for past, present and future, with water beads color-coded for what participants invited more of in the coming year.