Worship Q&A
Are you considering attending a worship service at First Unitarian for the first time? Or perhaps you have been around for a while, and new questions are popping up for you. Read on for answers to some common questions about worship.
Q: What does it mean to worship here?
A: From the Latin, worship means to remember that which is of worth. Thus we gather together weekly, in a community of all ages and walks of life, to reground ourselves in our highest values. For some, worship is a time to get in touch with the Spirit of Life, God, or an unnamable force that permeates our reality. Others may identify as atheist, humanist, or agnostic.
For almost all who find their way here, our connections to one another – and to the web of life of which we are a part – are an integral part of the worship experience. We sing together, carry on familiar rituals (like the lighting of the chalice), listen to stories, lift up Joys & Concerns, share contemplation, and hear the minister, members or guests reflect on perennial spiritual questions or pressing events of our age.
I encourage people to attend as regularly as you can, for the most practical of reasons – this is how you will come to experience connection, inspiration, belonging, comfort, and invitations to growth, on a regular basis. This is how you begin to build and experience community for yourself. And by your presence and care, you will be helping to create that spirit of community for others, too.
Lastly, worship invites us to live into our congregational vision:
We are a beloved community grounded in love, where all people are welcomed, valued, and inspired to live with purpose. We strive to be a courageous and compassionate congregation—deepening connection, nurturing spiritual growth, and standing boldly for justice. Together, we seek to transform ourselves and our world, building a future where equity, dignity, and love guide all that we do.
Q: What’s up with the practice of chalice-lighting?
A: The flaming chalice is a symbol of Unitarian Universalism, and lighting a chalice at the beginning of gatherings is a widespread practice within our communities
The chalice is a vessel of spiritual nurturance and life-giving sustenance in many cultures. The candle flame has many meanings, understood variously as a beacon of hope, as representing “the light of truth, the warmth of love, and the fire of commitment” (as one chalice-lighting has it), or as the spark of the universe and our very Source. (More here.)
At First Unitarian, our chalice lighting words, used week after week, remind us of our interconnection with one another, with the Spirit of Life, and with the earth.
Q: What other rituals are incorporated into worship here?
A: Most weeks, in-person attendees have the opportunity to come forward during the offertory music, and place a stone in a bowl. The stone signifies a joy or sorrow to be held in community. Joys and Concerns may also be submitted for sharing aloud by worship leaders. You can submit them in advance via the form on our web site, or that morning by writing in the Joys & Concerns binder at the back of the sanctuary, or if online, by putting it in the chat earlier in the service.
Rituals observed seasonally in most UU congregations include water in-gathering in late summer / early fall, and flower festival in spring / early summer – both drawing symbolic inspiration from nature, as well as from our history. Other rituals First Unitarian carries on annually include: honoring ancestors in late October or early November; acknowledging loved ones missed during the winter holidays; and a fire ceremony around the New Year. And of course, we dedicate children to the care of the community, welcome new members, and conduct other rites of passage for our members.
Q: Why don’t I see any crosses in this church?
A: While Unitarianism and Universalism both emerged as radical expressions of the Jesus tradition, Unitarian Universalism has long been more focused on what Jesus taught and how he lived, than on the religion created about him long after his death. Some UUs today may identify as Christian (with a variety of meanings), while others do not.
Most do not find meaning in the atonement theology that the cross represents to many people. Our focus is more on practicing the sort of radical love that Jesus modeled – in our lifetimes – than on notions of sin, redemption, or an afterlife. Additionally, UUs may find inspiration in a variety of sources, including science, art, prophetic people throughout history, and the rhythms of nature, as well as the world’s wisdom traditions.
Q: How do children fit into worship?
A: Being in intergenerational community is one of the blessings of congregational life. We love kids! A Time For All Ages is included in the worship service periodically, when kids are invited forward (or brought into the sanctuary from their classrooms) to hear a story. Activity baskets and fidgets for busy hands are available in the main foyer for any children, youth, or adults who enjoy having something to do with their hands while listening. The service is also streaming in the Common Room, where all ages are also welcome.
Most Sundays, age-appropriate curricula are offered concurrent with worship for Elementary kids (1st-6th grade) and PreK/Kindergarteners. Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU), our 7th-12th grade youth group, meets on Wednesday nights. Childcare for ages 0–5 is available Sundays 10:00–12:30. To register your child/youth for religious education, or for details about our Child & Youth Programs, please contact Christina Strong, Coordinator of Child & Family Programs.
Children and youth are welcome to attend worship with their families any Sunday, including when Sunday School is in session – whatever works best for your family. And some Sundays are designed for all ages to be together throughout. That includes story-based multi-generational worship services – often with opportunities for kids, youth, parents and other adults to participate in the story-telling – and Brunch Church, which is held in the Common Room, with food and fellowship built into worship.
Q: I have a suggestion for a guest speaker or musician, or would like to get involved in worship. What do I do?
A: Wonderful! Speaker suggestions may be shared with our Worship Arts Team (worshiparts@firstuuomaha.org), which includes our Minister. Suggestions or inquiries related to music – including sharing of one’s own talents, as part of our choir or individually – may be directed to our Music Director (musicdirector@firstuuomaha.org).
If you are interested in lending other talents to enhance our worship life – for example, serving as an occasional reader, making banners, doing liturgical dance, presenting the Time for All Ages, or participating in brainstorming sessions – please reach out to the Minister, or in the case of the Time for All Ages, our Coordinator of Child and Family Programs.
Q: How long is worship?
A: Worship begins at 10:30 am and typically runs 60-75 minutes. Variables like the number of announcements, special music, inclusion of a children’s story, number of joys and concerns, and rituals can all affect length. Our worship artists aim to weave meaningful services that can touch and transform people; we have found 60-75 minutes a reasonable length toward that end.
Q: What should I wear?
A: Casual clothing is common at First Unitarian, but some folks like to dress in their Sunday best. Please feel free to do what feels authentic and good for you.
Q: How do I share feedback on worship?
A: Our Minister (minister@firstuuomaha.org) and Worship Arts Team (worshipteam@firstuuomaha.org) welcome feedback about both minister- and guest-led worship services. Much time, care and craft goes into every service and we appreciate hearing whether/how/when worship touches you – or when it misses the mark.
Our staff AV Tech Coordinator (avtech@firstuuomaha.org) and volunteer tech team (techies@firstuuomaha.org) are eager to ensure that hearing assist devices work properly, the livestream is functioning well, and other technical aspects of worship are serving our community. If something’s not working right, please alert them at your earliest convenience, so it can be addressed.
One thing to keep in mind is that worship is a shared ministry serving a diverse population – people of different ages and stages, theologies and preferences, tenures in the church, and more. Our goal with worship is to include and speak to as many people as we can, among those who resonate with UU values. This means that each person may occasionally have to do a little translating, internally, for their own meaning-making. Know that on those Sundays when a service does not especially speak to you, it may be giving others exactly what they need; and vice versa.
Approaching worship as a time for connection, rather than consumption, is a constructive, caring way to show up to church and help to build the Beloved Community. Our Minister and Worship Arts Team aim to provide a variety of service types and topics, drawing on diverse sources of inspiration – so that everyone may find spiritual nurture over time – while ensuring enough continuity from week to week to create a grounding place for you to plug into.
Q: Can I attend online?
A: Absolutely! Almost all of our worship services are streamed live on our YouTube channel; the recordings may also be watched anytime thereafter. We endeavor to make services inclusive for participants whether you attend in person or online. (The only services not streamed are brunch church Sundays, which take place in our Common Room and involve food and fellowship as part of worship.)
Attending online is a great option if you are newly checking out First Unitarian and prefer to start online… if you are sick or staying out of the weather… when you have to work on Sunday... or when out of town. If you join our email list, you will get an email every Sunday morning that includes a hotlink to that Sunday’s streaming event. (You can join this list by scrolling to the bottom [footer] of our web site, entering your email address where it says “subscribe to our mailing list” and hitting the subscribe button. The main eblast is on Friday, with a short reminder message Sunday morning.)
I encourage you to attend in person when you can, for the maximal experience of community. In person, our nervous systems co-regulate with each other as we sing and meditate and share in the sacred space of the sanctuary. You also have a greater opportunity to connect with others, both during worship and during coffee hour afterwards, when you come physically to the church.
I look forward to seeing you in worship!
Warmly –
Reverend Shari Woodbury, Minister
