chalice with rainbow flame
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex County

The Typical Sunday Service

Our service begins with an organ or piano prelude, chalice lighting, opening words from the Minister, and welcome and announcements by the President. Early in the service is the time called "milestones," when we share with the assembled congregation important events that have happened in our lives since we were last together.

The major portion of the service is usually in the form of a sermon or lecture, but may sometimes consist instead of a dramatic or musical performance, a panel discussion, or some other format. Our Consulting Minister presents the service on two out of four Sundays; on the other Sundays the presentation will be either by a guest speaker or by one or more members of the congregation.

During the typical service we also take an offering, have a time of meditation, and sing three hymns, usually from the 1993 hymnal Singing the Living Tradition, but sometimes from the older Hymns for the Celebration of Life (1964).