May 7, 2023: “Roots and Wings” May Day Celebration

ORDER OF WORSHIP | May 7, 2023 | 10:00 AM HYBRID SERVICE

We are committed to being an antiracist, anti-oppressive congregation. We celebrate people of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, genders, and sexual orientations. We honor our spiritual connection to the earth and all living things. 

Joys & Concerns will be enveloped within the Maypole ritual today, where you will have a chance to share your joy or sorrow aloud; or, if you’d rather, we can speak it aloud for you if you write it in the Joys & Sorrows Book before the service begins.

Gathering

Prelude
Drum circle led by Tim Kloth

Welcome & Announcements
Susan Walkley, Worship Associate
Katrina Landon

Greetings
Liz Wiley, Worship Associate

Come, come, whoever you are,
Whomever you love,
Whatever your image of the Holy,
Your presence here is a gift.
All are worthy, all are welcome.

Sharing Our Gifts
Online Giving
Text-to-Give: 757-500-0688
In-Person Giving: Place offerings in the collection plates as they’re passed during the service.

This week’s Share the Plate offering will go to a new Food as Medicine project at Olde Towne Medical and Dental Center. The roots of this project go back to a January 2021 service when Williamsburg Community Growers were a Share the Plate guest at WUU. In the following year WCG brought weekly donations of fresh vegetables and herbs for Olde Towne patients during their growing season. This year, starting in a few weeks, ten diabetic patients and their households will be receiving fresh vegetables and herbs and support in adding more vegetables and unprocessed foods in their diet in practical individualized ways. A donation this week will help with items in a welcome bag to help with cooking and with supplementary vegetables in the beginning and the purchase of some other needed supplies. Thank you so much for your generosity.

Offertory Music
Jane Ferguson, recorder

Call to Worship
“Fragile and Rooted,” by Carolyn S. Owen-Towle

Wisdom Time
“May Queen & Green One”

Tree Chant

Standing like a tree with my roots dug down
My branches wide and open
Come down the rain, Come down the sun
Come down the fruit to a heart that is open
To be standing like a tree… (repeats)

Quarter Invocation
Angela Surber, Katrina Landon, Shelby Barnetti, Susan Walkley & Liz Wiley

Goddess Chant
“Freya-Hanna”

Freya-hanna goddess of the wild moon
Freya-hanna mistress of the earth womb
[spoken:] Half Wolf, Half Cat
Feather coat, feather hat
Magic! magic! magic! magic! [clap clap clap clap clap]

Hunting & Gathering the Maypole

Community Joys & Sorrows
“Advice from a Tree,” by Ilan Shamir

Dancing the Maypole

Quarter Farewell Song
“Turn the World Around,” by Harry Belafonte (1927-2023), excerpted

Closing Words
with Jane Ferguson, recorder


New to WUU? Welcome! Learn more about WUU and Unitarian Universalism by visiting wuu.org/about/.