Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis

Corvallis, Oregon

Order of Service

"Joining of the Waters"

Sunday, September 11, 2005

9:30 and 11:00 a.m.

Rev. Gretchen Woods

Welcome and Announcements

Prelude:

The heartbeat of community

Chalice Lighting

Opening Words:

Like individual drops of water, we return to this, our welcoming spiritual community,

gathering once more from our respite of summer.

We bear with us heavy hearts

for our brothers and sisters

whose summer brought

death, fear, pain:

those fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq,

those who suffered and continue to suffer

from Hurricane Katrina,

those who survived the flash floods in Transylvania,

those among us who have lost loved ones

through illness or by haunting accident.

And our hearts and minds are lifted, freed,

by the recognition

that this community, this congregation,

this river of love and support

continues to flow here for us.

We begin with gratitude for those

who keep the river of community flowing,

the very spirit of life that fills our thirsty souls,

bringing wisdom and love to all.

Blessed be!

Opening Song:

We all come from the Mother

And to her we shall return

Like a drop of water

Flowing to the ocean

Sharing Service for all Ages:

Water Dance

Sung Response:

The earth, the air, the fire, the water

Return, return, return, return

Offering and Offertory

Celebrating with Music:

"The Water Is Wide"

Joining of the Waters of Community: A Communion

This spiritual community,

where we study, serve, and celebrate life,

has a tradition of recognizing our return

to one another,

by bringing gifts of living water on our return.

These gifts represent the refreshment

our spirits have found while away.

With reverence and gratitude

we share these gifts now,

to enrich all as we have been blessed.

Meditation

Spirit of Life and of Love,

We remember our connections with one another and with your energy moving in and through all,

bringing living waters to our lives.

What gifts! What blessings!

We know that sharing in community

generates greater abundance for all,

so we bring our gifts together,

and send these energies to one another,

empowering our possibilities to reach

far beyond this space into the needs

of our deeply troubled and troubling world.

May our shared search for truth and meaning

extend beyond the narrow confines

of our limited lives into the great sea of Life,

Thus deepening and enriching all.

We, who are given much,

Are called to give in return.

So Be It! Blessed be!

Body Prayer

Closing Song:

#136 "When Gentle Tides" (verses 1&2)

Closing Words

Closing Song:

#136 (verse 3)