Chalice Lighting Words and Grace for Small Groups

Note: Members of the Unitarian Universalist Church often begin worship services, committee meetings and small group gatherings by lighting a chalice. The chalice may be a real or virtual candle, an artistically created vessel containing an oil lamp, or anything in between. There are many interpretations of the flickering light of the chalice. This blog page contains chalice lighting words and a community grace that you are welcome to share and use freely and to revise as may suit your needs. If you would like to know more about the Flaming Chalice as a symbol of the Unitarian Universalist Church, follow this link. If you would like to search for other chalice lighting words, follow this link.

Repair

We light our chalice today to recognize and honor the capacity we each have

to recognize brokenness,

to seek remediation,

and to accept compromise when appropriate.

We celebrate the resilience of the human spirit,

which makes it possible to meet challenges

that may at first seem insurmountable.

The Responsible Path Ahead

We light our chalice hoping for

insight into the responsible path ahead.

We seek better understanding of how to ensure

justice, equity and compassion for all, and how to show

greater respect for the interdependent web of all existence.

We celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of those gathered here,

and honor the contribution each brings.

May the flaming chalice inspire us to share our best selves.

Together we can achieve greater wisdom and significant progress

toward our individual and common goals.

SUPPORT AND LOVE

We light our chalice to signify our commitment

To support one another

In our personal and spiritual quests for wisdom and understanding.

May the flicker of the chalice light remind us to offer

Sensitivity, respect, honesty, generosity, and love to all gathered here.

Beloved Community

We light our chalice as a reminder of the Beloved Community we aspire to become:

Friends and neighbors of diverse backgrounds,

Coming together in an interdependent relationship of love, kindness, respect, and care,

Working toward equity and justice in the local community and around the world.

GRATITUDE AND JOY

We light our chalice in gratitude for

The Joy we experience when we come together

The Insights we receive from one another

The Challenges we encourage one another to meet

And the Satisfaction we receive from listening to one another and sharing our ideas and beliefs.

HOPE AND EQUITY

We light our chalice

With the HOPE that our conversation today will move us along the path

toward greater understanding and an increased commitment to equity,

With GRATITUDE for those who have come before us,

leaving a legacy of dedication to the betterment of the world, and

With CONFIDENCE that creative ideas, enthusiasm, and commitments

will emerge from our time together and enable us to achieve our personal and collective goals.

CAMP FIRE MEMORIES

May the flicker of the flaming chalice remind us of the hearth which was once the center of homes, providing warmth and a place to cook nurturing food.

Let it also remind us of the campfire we may have experienced as youth, around which campmates shared stories and songs.

Today, let us find warmth, support and joy in the words we exchange.

As families and friends have done across the generations, let us celebrate friendship and our community, helping one another discover inner wisdom and strength to better face the challenges of the coming weeks and months.

The Wonder of Winter

We light our chalice in celebration of the Wonder of Winter.

During a time of inactivity and darkness quiet renewal begins.

We experience sparkling lights in the night sky, our neighborhoods, and our homes,

For many people and across the generations those lights have symbolized

The values of Hope, Faith, Joy, Peace, and Love.

Let our time together today nurture those values in each of us.

Together Again at Camp

Today’s chalice lighting in is in honor of our Homecoming.

Coming home to this beloved Unitarian Universalist community, we celebrate the joy of being together in this beautiful setting.

We are grateful for our health, the financial resources that allow us to be present, and the leaders who have kept our camp dreams alive.

We are hopeful that, through the hardships of the recent past, we have gained resilience that will enable us to meet future challenges and that we have also gained a new understanding of community inequities, making us better advocates for positive changes in the world.

May the light of our chalice continue to spark joy, gratitude, and hope in each of us throughout our time together.

Women’s History

We light today’s chalice in honor of our mothers, grandmothers and caretakers who made it possible for us to be here today and who, in some cases, sacrificed their own personal goals that we might have better lives.

Let us pass on the nurturing we have received by offering our love, help and guidance to friends and family.

COMMUNITY GRACE

Spirit of life, Mother and Father of all---

Thank you for the abundant food you have provided to us

Through the richness of the soil, the warmth of the sun, and the gentle rain,

through the labor of the farm workers, the wonder of our transportation system,

and the talents and hard work of the cooks and servers.

May this food nourish our bodies and souls and enable us

To contribute to the well-being of this community and the world around us.

Amen

Created and shared by Carolyn Hayek, August 10, 2021, revised November 26, 2021, December 8, 2021 and October 25, 2024. Additional entries will be added over time.