Flower Communion and New Member Service

The Flower Ceremony, sometimes referred to as Flower Communion or Flower Festival, is an annual ritual that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community. Originally created in 1923 by Unitarian minister Norbert Čapek of Prague, Czechoslovakia, the Flower Ceremony was introduced to the United States by Rev. Mája Čapek, Norbert's widow. 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.

Throughout the year (or sometimes just once a year), our congregations hold services to honor the newest members of the congregation. This celebration invites those who have recently “signed the book” to come before the congregation with the minister or worship leader. The new members might share a responsive reading with the congregation or recite a bond of fellowship or covenant together. The focus on membership might be a small part of the overall worship service, or the theme of membership might pervade the entire service.