Sunday, June 4

100th Anniversary Flower Ceremony
​
Worship Participants:
Rev. Dr. Beth Johnson, Minister
Megan Griffin, Worship Associate
​Pam Fodor, Director of Programs
Jamie Pastman, Piano
Celebration Singers, led by Julia Beckman

This Sunday, we will join Unitarian Universalist and Unitarian congregations around the world in celebrating the Flower Ceremony, developed in 1923 by Norbert Čapek of Prague, Czechoslovakia. The Flower Ceremony (sometimes referred to as Flower Communion or Flower Festival), is an annual ritual that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community. In this ceremony, everyone in the congregation brings a flower. Each person places a flower on the altar or in a shared vase. The congregation and minister bless the flowers, and they're redistributed. Each person brings home a different flower than the one they brought.

Opening Music	Jamie Pastman
Welcome & Church Life	Pam Fodor
Land Acknowledgment	Rev. Beth
Opening Hymn	"Your Bring an Aster," by Rev. Suzelle Lynch ​Celebration Singers and Congregation
Call to Worship	"Flowers Have the Gift of Language" by Rev. Richard Gilbert ​Rev. Beth/Pam Fodor/Megan Griffin
Chalice Lighting	Rev. Beth and Pam Fodor
Musical Interlude	"Čapek’s Journey," by Rev. Suzelle Lynch Joe Saintcross, vocals Jamie Pastman, piano
Offertory/Offering Music	Pam Fodor and Jamie Pastman

​Flower Communion Ceremony

Opening Hymn	"In the Depths of My Soul," lyrics by Norbert Čapek, adapted to music by Rev. Suzelle Lynch Celebration Singers
Story of the Flower Communion	Rev. Beth
Mother Spirit, Father Spirit/Beloved	Celebration Singers
Consecration of the Flowers	Pam Fodor
Sharing of the Flowers	Congregation
Flower Communion Prayer	Written by Norbert Čapek Read by Rev. Beth
Chalice Extinguishing	Rev. Beth and Megan Griffin
Closing Hymn	"We Are One"
Benediction/Closing Words	Rev. Beth
Closing Music	"Mr. Blue Skies" Celebration Singers and Jamie Pastman