“English” language resources
Chalice lighting for Rosh Hashanah
As the bird of space moved over the face of the waters
As the creative word was spoken
As the universe was born on this day
And life first emerged from the fertile clay
May the Divine Presence be with us
as we light this chalice:
a flame hovering over the void.
Chalice lighting for Harvest
We reap the fields and orchards
We gather in the wheat.
The gleaners at the margins
Look for our gifts.
Share the bounty of the land:
Open heart and open hand.
As we light our chalice flame
So we laud the holy name
of love.
Chalice lighting for Lammas / Lughnasadh
The corn is gathered,
The last sheaf bound,
The harvest gathered in.
Life is given that life may continue.
Let the games begin.
Let it be a dance we do.
As each sheaf is safely gathered in
Let’s illuminate the chalice flame
As we dance the harvest in.
Chalice lighting for Midsummer
The light is at the height of its power
The Sun shines fiercely.
But now that power must wane
Descending into the darkness
to be reborn.
Light and darkness dance
in the crucible of desire
and bring forth life.
So we light the chalice flame
to represent life, hope, love and laughter.
Chalice lighting for Beltane
The trees are green, the forests awakened from the sleep of winter.
Deck the boughs with ribbons;
make bowers in the field for Robin and Marian.
Make merry; sing, dance, laugh and make love.
As the Beltane fires are kindled on the hilltops,
So we light our chalice flame,
in honour of the Spirit of
Chalice lighting for Easter
Joy to the World
Life calls to life
Arise! Awake!
Fear no more the silence of the tomb
For the lives of humanity
are strung like pearls on the thread of the spirit
and the pearl shines in the darkness of the deep.
Life arises,
Life unending,
Life triumphant!
Spirit like a flame catching on
Chalice lighting for Tenebrae (the night before the Crucifixion)
The night seemed endless:
drawn like a veil over the suffering land
that cried out in its sleep,
“The Anointed One is betrayed.”
The Sun was eclipsed, the veil of the temple rent in two But a single star of hope
Illuminated the uncanny dark:
the resilience of the human spirit.
And so we light
Chalice lighting for Holi
The many colours of the spring
Are splashed exuberantly over the land
And so people splash colour in imitation of nature.
May all the colours of the rainbow
Be contained in our chalice flame.