Order of Service
Taino – Unitarian Spring Equinox Service
Worship Leader Miguel Sague, Jr & Canay Indigenous Spiritual Circle
Liturgist Carol Washburn
Song Leaders – Kris Rust & Unitarian Community Singers
Piano Ellen Gozion
Tech
Worship Coordinator Chrisie Ambrass
Prelude – Tabacco song & Ritual
Miguel Sagué Jr. (Beike & lead vocal), Dayvanna Caraballo-Schreiner (Beike)
Kris Rust (First UU Choir Director), UU Community Singers
Madeline Izzo (flute), Danny Rectenwald (guitar)
Paul Cunningham (bass), “Cha” Miguel Sagué III (drums)
Welcome – Erica Shadowsong (Director of Lifespan Faith Development)
Land Acknowledgement – Eric Acosta
Lighting the Chalice – Carol Washburn
Blessing the Four Directions – South, West, North, East
& associated foods: green squash, black beans, white casava loaf, yellow corn
Ah eh ah, canay Ata. (Mother Earth)
Ah eh ah, canay Baba. (Father Sky)
Call to Praise / Song Taino ti waki Ata
To the Mother Earth we raise our voices, songs of praise.
Sharing Joys & Sorrows+ Carol
Meditation & Silence Carol
Song – #1009
When I breathe in, I’ll breathe in peace. When I breathe out, I’ll breathe out love.
Homily – Significance of Spring Equinox & Taino Equinox Ritual
Snake Dance Ritual
Offering* Carol
Offering Music “Yoka Hu”
Praise to Father Sky, who is everywhere and gives us life.
Collective Reading Carol
Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values.
We covenant:
To practice Interdependence, we honor the interdependent web of all existence;
To practice Pluralism, we celebrate that we are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and theology;
To practice Justice, we work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all thrive;
To practice Transformation, we adapt to the changing world;
To practice Generosity, we cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope;
To practice Equity, we declare that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion.
We are accountable to one another for doing the work of living our shared values through the spiritual discipline of Love
Song – “Chant for the Seasons”
Winter rains have turned the starwheel, springtime is upon us. (2x)
Sharp the smell of loam, bursting in our eyes the turrets of the tulip.
Winter rains have turned the starwheel, springtime is upon us.
Greening is the grass, soft upon our brows the sunlight warm caresses.
Extinguishing the Chalice Flame Carol
We extinguish this flame but not the light of truth,
the warmth of community, or the fire of commitment:
these we carry in our hearts until we are together again.
Closing Song – “Turn the world around” by Harry Belafonte
Ellen Gozion (piano), Julianna Byerly & Morgan Hawkins (soloists)
Congregation: Whoa – oh, so is life! Ah – ah, so is life!
+Joys and Sorrows: During the offertory music, you are invited to light a candle or place a stone in Blessed Community water as you offer silent gratitude or prayers. Two tables are in the sanctuary; one in the front, to the right of the platform, and one in the back right alcove.
*Donations by check may be mailed to the church office. Electronic donations can be made online through the church website or by texting “give” to (412) 435-1050 and following the instructions.
Share the plate for March is the Khasi Hills School Partnership
To donate to Share the Plate
– by check mailed to the church office, please include STP on the memo line
– online on the church website, use the drop down to select Plate.
– by texting “Give” to 412-435-1050 following the directions with the word share or pledge after the donation amount as appropriate.
To make a pledge payment
-by check, please put pledge in the memo line
– online on the church website, keep the default General Fund 2025 option
First Unitarian Church is honored to Share the Plate in March with the Annie Margaret Barr Higher Secondary School in the village of Kharang in the Khasi Hills of northeast India. As part of a global Unitarian Universalist Association initiative, we have been partners with our Unitarian friends in the Khasi Hills since 2003. This mountainous, rural region is home to the 3rd largest population of Unitarians in the world. The school – founded in 1968 by a Unitarian minister – is open to boys and girls of all backgrounds. With your generous support, First UU Pittsburgh raises $9,600 each year to pay the salaries of two of the high school teachers.