Chalice lighting
Kindling the Flame of Truth
Inspired by Cliff Reed’s hymn, The Flame of Truth is Kindled.
We light our chalice, symbol of our Unitarian and Free Christian faith,
For that which is best in us:
For the truth that makes us free,
For the thought that leads us to wisdom,
And for the love that makes us whole.
May this light
Lighting the Chalice
The congregation is invited to speak the bold sections aloud.
Peace be with you.
And also with you.
We begin our worship with lighting the chalice.
May it speak to us of our inner light;
a light that shines brighter
through open hearts and minds;
a light which the darkness
will not overcome.
Lighting the chalice
The congregation is invited to speak the bold sections aloud.
We light this chalice today
in a spirit of awe and wonder;
in a spirit of curiosity and imagination;
in a spirit of humility and gratitude;
in a spirit of grace and openness.
in a spirit of welcome and hospitality;
in a spirit of encouragement.
Peace be with you.
And
Chalice Lighting for Unity
We light this chalice
for all children who long for love,
for orphans seeking comfort,
and for widows and widowers
who carry both sorrow and strength.
May this small flame travel across the world
and remind us that,
black and white, young and old,
we are one family under nature.
As December arrives
and Christmas draws near,
Chalice Lighting for Remembrance
(Adapted from words by Nick Cave)
I light our chalice for the light in the darkness,
for the memory that warms us in our grief,
for the beauty that blossoms through devastation,
for the beautiful, complex, earned love
that lives on the other side of loss.
Amen
Enabling Love
(Inspired by Hymn 220 in Hymns for Living: ‘Break not the Circle of Enabling Love’)
May our chalice shine as a hearth light,
welcoming friend and stranger alike
to a circle of compassion that embraces all the living.
May our chalice shine with the wonder of the love that frees,
empowering those of every race and nation
Chalice Lighting at an Equinox
We are lighting our chalice today for the gentle turning of the seasons, asking for a sense of balance to enter our lives and to honour our equal place among the wider family in the world. Let our time together be joyous, sacred and inclusive. All are welcome here, Amen.
Chalice lighting for Harvest
We light this chalice and acknowledge the turning of the season and the harvest. May we embody generosity, abundance and care, welcoming all to our table. Amen.