“English” language resources
The sacredness of trees
(Christchurch Park, Ipswich)
He was the King of Trees
Keeper of the glades …
(Cat Stevens, ‘King of Trees’, 1974)
In the middle of an oak grove,
with trees of a few years old and trees of centuries,
feel the sacredness, the everlasting power
of the life around you,
and know the transitory nature of your own.
The ancient druids,
A safe and sacred space
The lighting of this chalice calls us to attention –
as we focus on its flickering light for a moment
let us recall the shared intention that it represents –
to make this a safe and sacred space for prayer and sharing
in which we can re-connect with life’s depths and our highest aspirations –
For a better world
We light this chalice as a reminder of the tradition that holds us,
and the values and aspirations we share as a community:
our commitment to the common good,
our care for those who are downtrodden,
and our yearning for a better world that’s yet to be,
where all may know true freedom, justice, equality,
Our guiding principles
May the light of this chalice be a reminder of the
shared values and principles around which we gather:
upholding the inherent worth and dignity of every person;
cherishing all those diverse creatures and habitats
with whom we share this Earth, our home;
seeking human liberation and flourishing;
serving the common good of all.
May this
Fragrance of apples
The fragrance of apples conjures a dream
of blossom humming with bees,
singing with the voices of chaffinches in its midst;
of young apples forming, growing, ripening
from green to shades of russet and of red.
And then the harvest:
apples to eat as they are,
to cook in pies and crumbles;
apples to quench our
Meditation, prayer and silence
In our time of prayer now, may we bring our contemplations into the stillness, and know that in that place we may hear the deeper stirring of the soul …May we remember the simple words of Psalm 46 verse 10 ‘Be still and know that I am God’…The place of the spirit can be a
A Unitarian Gloria
This reading is inspired by the words of the Gloria in the traditional Latin Mass, which is often set to music.
We rejoice in the glory of the universe
We live in the hope of peace on earth
For all people, even those who disagree with our views.
We praise the giver of life
The parent,
For the waters of the earth
Genesis 1: 2; Psalm 104: 25; Psalm 107: 23–24
O God, whose Spirit moved upon the face of the primeval deep;
whose works and wonders are seen by those who go down to the sea in ships;
whose ocean bounty is gathered with skill and hope and courage,
as it was by the first disciples;
we