In the 1980s, the Water Ceremony (also called Water Communion) began in UU churches as a symbol of unity in diversity. The way the ritual typically works is that each congregant who wants to brings a small amount of water from a place or event or wherever (even the tap!) that holds meaning for them, and additional water is made available for anyone who doesn’t bring some with them, and then, during the service at an appointed time, a bit of each portion of water is added to a vessel, building a “whole” from the parts. The ceremony itself was created by two UU women, and the initial service was entitled “Coming Home Like Rivers to the Sea.” As in the original, our congregation invites those who have water, as each is moved to do so, to share a bit about its importance – symbolically or otherwise. In many congregations, like ours, after the service is concluded, the collective water is then poured into the soil of the Earth, which holds a particular significance for many who strive for environmental justice.
Join us this Sunday for DUUC’s annual water ceremony. Please feel free to bring a bit of water, or we will have some you can use. See you Sunday morning!