“English” language resources
Chalice lighting for Imbolc/ Candlemas
A crown of lights
For the gentle healer
A crown of lights
For the inspired poet
A crown of lights
For the smith of dreams
A crown of lights
For the midwife of Ireland
And the chalice of life
For her wisdom.
Chalice lighting for Eid
The morning star is caught in the horns of the Moon;
the month of fasting is over.
Put on your robes of joy
and come to the feast.
Kindle the holy flame of love
and welcome joy.
Chalice lighting for Christmas
Every child is a miracle and a mystery
And in the one born at midnight
In the dark time of the year
We see all children leaping into the light
And as we light this flame
We honour the light in everyone,
the Christ in everyone,
the child in everyone.
Chalice lighting for Yule (Pagan festival of the winter solstice)
At the time when the day is shortest
And the Sun shows herself only briefly above the horizon
We light this flame of hope
To represent the solstice fire on the hilltop
That ancient people lit to remind the sun to return
And we honour the cycle of the seasons
As their tides are echoed in our own
Chalice lighting for Hannukah
As we recall the ancient miracle of Hannukah
With its nine days of holy oil
So we kindle our own holy light
And hope that its light will continue to shine in our hearts.
Chalice lighting for Diwali
Our chalice flame is one light among a myriad
A myriad lights for the festival of lights
Floating upon the dark waters of the river
and illuminating the depths of winter.
Chalice lighting for Samhain / All Souls
Many before us have sought the light of understanding
Heretics, witches, lovers of freedom
This chalice symbolises the communion of Jan Hus
and the lamp upon the altars of ancient Greece.
This flame represents the light of hope
kindled by the dreamers and visionaries of the past
which we must carry into the future.
Closing words
We have always believed – and we are right to do so – that we are free to make choices; and even if that belief is not absolutely correct and the freedom is limited, we have to go with it, because otherwise how could we influence society in the ways it needs to be influenced.