---

We kindle this chalice flame because there is darkness
In our world, the shadows of injustice, oppression, hunger, and pain fill too many lives with gloom
We light this small flame
Not because it will vanquish all darkness
But because it is a start
Because rather than condemn the dark
We have chosen to bring light

---

Afraid of the dark

In sightless night, terrors draw near
Nameless fears of talon and tooth
Hopelessness yawns before us – an abyss
Alone and unknown in the gloom, longing for the dawn

O sacred flame blaze forth – wisdom brought to life

Guide us –
With the light of hope
The warmth of love
The beacon of purpose and meaning

Because we are all afraid of the dark
Let there be light

---

Let there be light
The light of joy, the light of happiness, and the light of contentment
May it illuminate our paths and fill our lives with peace

And let there be dark
For it is from our dark places that we are brought forward
Tried and tested
And impelled toward growth
It is in these places that we realize compassion and learn to love

And there was day and there was night.
And there was joy and there was sorrow.
And it was good.

---

Let this light remind us of the sacred flame of life that blazes within.
Constant, yet ever-changing
Burning, yet never consumed

O inner light of soul and spirit
Lead our minds to greater understanding
Lead our hearts to love more fully
And lead our hands to create justice

---

Let the lighting of this flame
kindle within us a blaze of hope
Strengthening us for the path ahead
May it guide our feet to take us where we are needed
our hands to work for justice
our minds to know our interconnectedness
and our hearts to loving kindness for all

---

We light this chalice now – distinctive symbol of our Unitarian faith
Ours is a faith that treasures the past, but that abides fully in the present and looks with hope to the future’s promise
Let this flame help us bring to mind those who came before us – holy heretics who gave their lives to create a path free of the encumbrances of narrow thought and lifeless creed
We do not call our heroes ‘saint,’ but human – flawed and holy, limited and blessed.
May this flame remind us that a divine spark resides within each one of us and that we too are imperfect.
May its light guide us as we take each faltering step toward a brighter tomorrow.

---

We recall now the ancient fires
Fires of mystery and magic
Fires of welcome and warmth
Fires that vanquished the wild terrors of the dark night

[light chalice]

May this small flame be to us a sign of these ancestral blazes
Connecting us yet again to mystery, comfort, and hope.

---

Within the chalice, dark and cold, lies the potential of flame
It is invisible – offering no light, odour, or warmth
And yet, with the mere touch of another flame it emerges
A generous source of light and heat

Within our often fearful hearts, lies the potential of the indwelling God
It is invisible and undetectable.
And yet, with the warmth of community, the touch of a caring hand, or even the hurt that breaks us open, it emerges:
An infinite source of hope and love.

---

We light this chalice candle, symbol of our free religious community
May it be a sign of welcome to all who seek
An illuminating light for all who are lost
And a reflection of the love that burns deep within each heart

---

Oh flame of life and light
Blaze again in our hearts and minds
As we join together in this space made sacred by our aspirations
Let us celebrate the gift that is our life
And seek the great love that joins all beings as one

---

We illuminate this chalice – the symbol of our free and generous faith.
May its light reach into dark places
to offer hope to the hopeless
to give comfort to the suffering
to bring reason where there is ignorance
to show understanding where there is hatred
and to shine like a beacon, showing the way home

---

We come together here this morning as people of diverse perspectives
We bring different beliefs, different loves, different fears, different joys, and different pains.
We bring with us also the unique, living stories and dreams of our own lives and the lives of those who came before us.
And yet, we here – with all of our differences – come together to form something altogether new.
A community: Held by common values. Warmed by love. Guided by reason, and deeply engaged in the search for meaning and that which is of ultimate value.
For this community, we illuminate the chalice, symbol of our free faith, as Unitarians do today throughout the world.
Through this simple act, we unite also with that larger community –
adding the light of our small flame to the great struggle to bring justice, love, and peace to the Earth.

---

We light this chalice – the symbol of our free faith.
As this light begins to glow gently and to radiate light and warmth,
Let is be mindful of the need for illumination in so many hearts and in so many benighted places on this earth
And let us also bear in our hearts the power of love’s warmth
– a force that we can each radiate to begin to make a more peaceful, joyous life for all.
May it be so.

---

We come together to be a light unto one another and a light unto the world
We are through with despairing of hope and with cursing the darkness
One candle! We light one candle against the gloom of sorrow and despair
May its light awaken within us our own flames, so that we may shine forth
Offering not hell, but hope, to a world in need

---

Here in this place
Hallowed by the dreams, disappointments, joys, sorrows, successes, and failures of this community and of all those who have gone before
We come together to join the holy sparks within each heart
Together, we may be as a blazing beacon
May the warmth of our flame thaw the numbing ice of indifference
May the light of our flame illuminate the dark places of ignorance and suspicion
And may our flame be shared to kindle the flame of love in every aching and empty heart.

---

[Light the chalice and then read…]

We set this time apart to commemorate those who have fought for us
Those whose sacrifices have helped to create the reality we live today
In their honour…

May this kindled chalice be a flame of remembrance –
A tribute to all that they have given

May this chalice be a beacon light –
Leading us in the sacred work of spreading justice and freedom.

And may this chalice blaze forth with the sweet glow of love –
The only true path to peace.

---

In the shadowy darkness of uncertainty
We imagine a world bereft of generosity and goodness
A world of scarcity and indifference

May this chalice flame burn bright with the light of faith beyond knowing
May it vanquish the shadows of fear and suspicion
Illuminating for us a universe of plenty
The beauty that surrounds us
The goodness in every human heart
And the love that holds us all

---

Entering December…
The time of daylight – already brief – grows shorter still
A primeval fear stirs within as life-sustaining sunshine dwindles
As our ancestors did in ages past,
We kindle a flame against the darkness
And treasure its flickering glow

Let there be light
Light to illuminate the faces of loved ones
Light to vanquish the shadows of hatred and fear
Light to bring hope to the despairing
And the sweet light of love – its wonder to share

---

The darkness of midwinter lies upon the land
Its icy fingers bring a frigid stillness to earth and sky
Lush green has given way to skeletal gray
And seeds lie in shelter against the killing frost

Flesh is not immune to cold and gloom
Each warm thing seeking cave or hearth
Even the radiance of spirit is dimmed – love’s vital flame drawn down –
drained into the surrounding gloom

Now a change has come at last
Minute by minute – imperceptibly at first
the days have begun to lengthen
The dominion of night’s long chill gives ground

All earthly things, be of good cheer
The coming of the light is here
We light this chalice flame as a sign of our faith
May we ever trust
The good light within each heart
The sacredness of life
The transformative force of love
And our own power to make a difference

---

Chalice lighting/Opening Words

Here, we display no cross, no star, no crescent…
No Buddha, deep in contemplation
No saints, suffering for their principles
No images of Shiva, Brahma, or Vishnu – avatars of the sacred one
It is not narrowness that keeps these symbols from our view
But a broadness that invites all
And so, we light our chalice – sign of this inclusive faith
One small flame of welcome
To illuminate all that is sacred
And guide our way on

---

We light this chalice flame as a sign of our faith
May we ever trust
The good light within each heart
The sacredness of life
The transformative force of love
And our own power to make a difference

---

Here, we display no cross, no star, no crescent…
No Buddha, deep in contemplation
No saints, suffering for their principles
No images of Shiva, Brahma, or Vishnu – avatars of the sacred one
It is not narrowness that keeps these symbols from our view
But a broadness that invites all
And so, we light our chalice – sign of this inclusive faith
One small flame of welcome
To illuminate all that is sacred
And guide our way on

---

We light this chalice flame
May it bring the illumination of wisdom where there is ignorance
Understanding where there is mistrust
Hope, where fear abounds
And may it make visible the love that holds us all

---

Igniting this small flame, we think of all those who cry out in the darkness
Let our chalice be a light of hope to banish the shadows of fear
A light of compassion to illuminate the path of greater understanding
And a light of love leading toward wholeness and unity

---

May the flame we kindle now
Like the gentle radiance of daybreak,
shining on eyelids clenched against life’s hardness
Awaken us to a world alive with possibility and hope

---

As we take one faltering step and then another in the journey of our lives
We are in search of something more than what our ordinary existence seems to have to offer
Where is the moment of glory and the choirs of angels?
Where is the epiphany?
Where is the touch of God’s hand on ours?
Where is the sudden vision that brings clarity and meaning to life?
Where is the miracle we have been promised?
Perhaps it is here, but we are simply looking in the wrong place…
May this chalice flame illuminate for us the sacredness that pervades all life – let it show us that the divine can be found in every touch, behind every pair of eyes, and in every living, growing thing.
May the glow of this flame make us aware that love surrounds us all
That hope and peace are within our grasp
And that the miracle we seek is here in our hearts if we will only stop searching long enough to look.

---

Once again, we light our chalice flame
It is a small action
One little point of light in a vast universe of darkness
Alone, it this flame will not light or warm even this single room
Yet, we light this chalice flame
Again and again
It is an act of faith
Nothing worth doing is ever completed at once
Nor is it done alone
And nothing is ever hopeless
When love is in our hearts

---

We ignite this flaming chalice
Symbol of our free faith
May its light illuminate the path of compassion
Its warmth fill us with understanding
And may it guide us on our way toward love
We kindle this chalice, the symbol of our free faith
May our faith, like light, offer illumination in dark places,
dispel the shadows of ignorance and fear
And may it guide us on our way toward wholeness and unity

---

Kindle us O light of life
Set us ablaze with the flame that does not consume
That sheds the light of wisdom
That shines with compassion and justice
Let us burn brightly with the unending fire of love

---

“Be ye lamps unto yourselves” said the Buddha
Suggesting the illuminating wisdom that lies within
As we light this chalice flame
Let us be mindful that it is but a reflection of that greater light
The beacon that is for us to fuel and sustain
In our own hearts and in one another

---

We light this chalice, symbol of our free faith
May its steady flame be a beacon of welcome to all who seek
A source of courage to conquer fear
And a blaze of hope for the despairing
May it illuminate the path toward wholeness and peace.

---

May the flame we kindle now
Illuminate the world that can be
May it welcome all into that dreamed-of peace
And may it guide our hands to make this vision a reality

---

We light this chalice candle, symbol of our free religious community
May it be a sign of welcome to all who seek
An illuminating light for all who are lost
And a reflection of the love that burns deep within each heart

---

When the shadow of evil plunges us into darkness
When loss brings a night so black we can not find our way
Even then - even then - we must strive to be a source of light
We kindle this chalice flame in memory of those who have fallen and in kinship with those who bear wounds of body, heart, and soul
We kindle this flame for strength to respond to hatred with love
And we kindle this flame for courage – that violence may never turn us away from our sacred purpose

---

We gather here together
Each of us a flame
Each of us burning with love and hope
Some burn brightly
Other flames have dwindled – leaving just the faintest glow
Together, we light this one flame
To reflect the illumination we each bring
To strengthen lights that have dimmed
And to offer our love to brighten the world

---

We illuminate this chalice – the symbol of our free and generous faith.
May its light reach into dark places
to offer hope to the hopeless
to give comfort to the suffering
to bring reason where there is ignorance
to show understanding where there is hatred
and to shine like a beacon, showing the way home
As days grow shorter
And the shadow of night extends its dominion
We illuminate this flame
May it be a light to vanquish fear
A light by which to see the truth
And a light unto our hearts, showing the way of love

---

May this chalice flame illuminate all that is good
– all that is beautiful and true
Let it reveal the opportunity behind every trial
The possibility for growth behind each sorrow
And the love that awaits in seed for the awakening warmth of compassion

---

May the flame we kindle now
Like the gentle glow of daybreak,
shining on eyelids clenched against life’s hardness
Awaken us to a world alive with possibility and hope

---

We kindle this chalice flame, symbol of our free faith and mark of our commitment to the creation of the world we seek

We dream of a world without oppression and discrimination
Sacred Flame, shine forth with Justice

We dream of a world without hostility, a world where individuals and nations have learned to coexist in harmony
Sacred Flame, shine forth with Peace

We dream of a world where all are attuned to the needs, sorrows, and yearnings of each and every heart
Sacred Flame, shine forth with Love

---

May this chalice flame illuminate all that is good
– all that is beautiful and true
Let it reveal the opportunity behind every trial
The possibility for growth behind each sorrow
And the love that awaits in seed for the awakening warmth of compassion

---

We come together to be a light unto one another and a light unto the world
We are through with despairing of hope and with cursing the darkness
One candle! We light one candle against the gloom of sorrow and despair
May its light awaken within us our own flames, so that we may shine forth
Offering not hell, but hope, to a world in need

---

As we kindle our chalice flame
Let us recall the light that burns in each heart
A goodness that may dim but can never be quenched
A warmth that can thaw the ice of inhumanity
And a dignity that none may extinguish

---

The illumination of a candle is a sign of human mastery
- a reflection of our power to create, to control, and to destroy
May this be a flame of humility
- that we may be aware of our recklessness
May it be a flame of compassion
- encouraging us to bring light into darkness and spread warmth where cold prevails
And may it be a flame of connection
- that we may recognise the great human family of which we are part

---

There are worlds beyond our awareness
perspectives we have not fathomed
and stories we do not yet know
May the flame we light now bring the clarity of insight
and the illumination of understanding
opening our hearts and minds to the richness of the visions that may come

---

May our flame burn bright with the light of hope
Blazing a welcome to all who seek
May our spirits burn bright with the warmth of love
A balm for the wounds of a world in need

---

We light this chalice flame - symbol of our liberating faith
may its light make visible what is hidden from our view
The fragility behind the wall of arrogance
The tender longing behind the brusque exterior
And the beauty that lies just under the surface of all life.