Holidays and Traditions

The holiday celebrations in Unitarian Universalist congregations reflect the Six Sources of our faith.

At UUSD, we celebrate Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter, Jewish holidays like Passover, and those of other traditions, like Pagan Winter Solstice, among others. Our holiday services use stories and traditions creatively, calling us to our deeper humanity and our commitment to the good.

Unique rituals of our UU faith

  • Water Communion
    Members bring a small bit of water from a special place and pour it into a shared bowl, as symbolic of our shared faith, coming from many different sources.
  • UUSSD_Holidays_and_Traditions_01Flower Ceremony
    In the spring, members bring a flower and place it in a shared vase. The flowers are blessed by the congregation and minister and each person takes home a different flower. The ceremony celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community.
  • Jean Charles Service Sunday
    Annually, a lay sermon on the topic of service is presented by a UUSD member to honor Jean Charles, a long-time member and former Board President.
  • Coming of Age
    Teenagers study a curriculum that teaches them about the UU faith and take part in a ceremony where they read aloud a statement of personal belief which they have developed.
  • Bridging
    This ceremony celebrates the transition of our youth from their high school experience into young adulthood.