Worship

We invite you to come participate in the services at MDUUC. We worship in the Sanctuary each Sunday and on Wednesday evenings as a way to noursh our minds and hearts through reflection, through connection with one another and through reverence for the mystery and beauty of life.

Services

Our typical service follows a traditional structure: chalice lighting, hymns, readings, candles for joys and concerns, music and a sermon. Although the service's format is similar to a Protestant church, the content is quite different. The readings and music are drawn from many religious traditions and sources of inspiration.

On Wednesday evenings (except in the summer), after the Community Dinner, members and friends gather for Vespers, a quiet meditative service held from 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. It offers a centering opportunity amidst a busy week, with readings, candle-lighting, music and meditation.  And at 7:30 the choir begins rehearsals.

As a teaching church, MDUUC welcomes an Intern Minister each year, a seminary student who participates in church life and is mentored by the ministers and the congregation.

 

Sunday Schedule

9:00 a.m. MEDITATION (Small gathering in the Fireside Room)

[Summer Schedule: through September 4, 2011 -- One Service]

10:30 a.m. WORSHIP SERVICE in the Sanctuary, with Religious Education Programs for Children

[Starting September 11, 2011 -- Two Services]
9:30 a.m. WORSHIP SERVICE in the Sanctuary, with Religious Education Programs for Children
& 11:30 a.m. WORSHIP SERVICE in the Sanctuary, with Religious Education Programs for Children

Dress is casual, especially for children who may play in the playground after church while waiting for the adults. The service lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes, and we invite all visitors to join us after or between the services for coffee, bagels and conversation on the patio or in the Fellowship Hall.

We ask all our members to wear nametags. First-time guests are invited to wear a red nametag and those returning wear blue nametags. If you plan to attend MDUUC regularly, please sign up on the nametag list at the Greeters' Table.

Wednesday Schedule (starting in September 2011)

Wednesdays, 6:45 p.m - 7:15 pm  VESPERS MEDITATION (see calendar)

All services are open to members, visitors and guests.

What to Wear

People often wonder what to wear on a first visit. Be comfortable! Our dress on Sunday morning typically ranges from business casual (dresses, slacks, sport shirts) to casual (blue jeans or shorts and t-shirts). The same is true for children, who often end up playing on our playground after their Religious Education classes, while adults socialize on the patio.

The Flaming Chalice

Many visitors ask about the significance of the flaming chalice. In the days preceding World War II, the Boston-based Unitarian Service Committee was attempting to rescue Unitarians and other religious liberals from those parts of Europe (notably Czechoslovakia) where their lives were threatened by Nazism. The flaming chalice was the code by which those needing to be rescued identified themselves to the Unitarian Service Committee.