WATER COMMUNION
At the beginning of each church year, Northwoods congregants gather with water that symbolizes an experience or an insight that they had during the summer months. These waters are commingled and the common water is used throughout the year in Child Dedication Ceremonies.
DAY OF THE DEAD
Each Sunday before All Saints Day Northwoods reflects on our ancestors and our beloved dead through the building of a community altar.
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS
These seasonal events include a pageant presented by the children as well as Christmas Eve candlelight services.
BURNING BOWL SERVICE
On the first Sunday of the New Year, people are invited to note something they wish to let go of and then consign it to a flame.
GORILLA SUNDAY
The men of Northwoods create a service reflecting male spirituality accompanied by the men’s Gorilla Chorus.
FLOWER COMMUNION
Each Easter Northwoods celebrates the beauty and diversity of community through a flower communion originally created by the Czech Unitarian Rev. Norbert Capek.
YOUTH SERVICE
Each spring the high school youth of Northwoods share their spirituality and vision by creating a unique worship service for the congregation.
NORTHWOODS LITURGICAL THEMES
Our church program is fashioned around monthly theological themes. Each theme plays a part in the development of a well-grounded religious and spiritual life. The church’s offerings each month are by no means limited to the themes, however, these topics provide an axis around which many elements of church life gain more meaning and depth. They provide us with a set of common stories and ideas that become elements of an ongoing community conversation. We hope that engaging in these themes will help to transform, enlighten, and fulfill! Our themes rotate on a 3-year cycle and are governed by Reverend Ellen Cooper-Davis and the Committee on Ministry.
Year One . . . Forgiveness . . . Death . . . Faith . . . Hope . . . Justice . . . Love . . . Brokenness . . . Transformation . . . Transcendence
Year Two . . . Unity . . . Vocation . . . Gratitude . . . Peace . . . Grace . . . Prayer (Spiritual Practice) . . . Letting Go . . . Salvation . . . Truth
Year Three . . . Vision . . . Creation . . . Democracy . . . God . . . Authority . . . Evil . . . Redemption . . . Freedom . . . Mercy
