First Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex County

The Flower Communion service, celebrated annually by many Unitarian Universalist churches, originated at the Prague Congregation of Liberal Religious Fellowship founded in February 1922 by Norbert Capek and his wife Maja.   Initially, the Prague services were entirely lectures.   Singing of hymns (written by Capek) was added in October 1922.   The majority of members had formerly belonged to the Roman Catholic church (the state-sponsored church of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), had left that church when Czechoslovakia became independent, and were wary of any ritual reminiscent of the mass.   The Capeks, seeking to add a suitable spiritual dimension to the service, devised the Flower Communion, which was first celebrated on June 24, 1923.   Each member was asked to bring a single flower to the service, which began with the flowers being placed in a large vase in the middle of the hall.   As explained in the sermon, the flowers symbolized the members, each unique and free, joining together in fellowship and accepting each other regardless of their differences.   At the end of the service, each member was to take one flower "just as it comes without making any distinction where it came from and whom it represents, to confess that we accept each other as brothers and sisters without regard to class, race, or other distinction, acknowledging everybody as our friend who is human and wants to be good."

Maja Capek introduced the Flower Communion to the United States in the spring of 1940 at the First Parish Church in Cambridge.   It is now widely celebrated by Unitarian Universalist congregations everywhere.   Many follow the tradition of making it the last service of the church year, before summer vacation.   Others have it at Easter time (though Maja Capek disapproved of having it then.).   In many churches it is also an occasion of remembrance of Dr. Capek.   In many churches, the Flower Communion is an intergenerational service; in some, the children distribute the flowers to the members of the congregation.   In the First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn, NY, the unity of the congregation is emphasized by a joining of hands at the time of the consecration of the flowers.

(If your church or society has a variation on the Flower Communion service, or a special Flower Communion prayer or reading that you would like to share with others, please let us know. )

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SOURCES:

• Richard Henry, Norbert Fabian Capek: A Spiritual Journey (Skinner House Books, 1999), p.143-144
• Dorothy Boroush, "Flower Communion Facts," The Flame(UU Women's Heritage Society), Vol.6 No.2 (April 1997), p.3-4.
• Maja Capek, Letter to Rev. Dr. Ernest Kuebler, American Unitarian Association, June 1,1961.
• Norbert F. Capek, "Flower Communion Prayer" & "Consecration of the Flowers," Singing the Living Tradition,(Beacon Press, Unitarian Universalist Association, 1993), numbers 723 & 724.
• Reginald Zottoli, The Flower Communion Service: A Service of Celebration for Religious Liberals (UUA pamphlet, circa 1962)
• See also our page of Capek & Flower Communion Links .

Our Symbol: the Flaming Chalice

A flame within a chalice (a wide-lipped stemmed cup), like that which you can see at the top of this page, represents the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and is a symbol of the Unitarian Universalist (UU) faith.

"At the opening of Unitarian Universalist worship services, many congregations light a flame inside a chalice. This flaming chalice has become a well-known symbol of our denomination. It unites our members in worship and symbolizes the spirit of our work." -Dan Hotchkiss

Hans Deutsch, an Austrian artist, first brought together the chalice and the flame as a Unitarian symbol during his work with the Unitarian Service Committee during World War II.   To Deutsch, the image had connotations of sacrifice and love.  Unitarian Universalists today have many different interpretations of the image. To many, the cup represents religious community, while the flame represents ideas including the sacrificial flame, the flame of the spirit, and more.

The flaming chalice image has changed many times over the past 65 years.  There is no single interpretation of today's flaming chalice symbol.  Modern chalice designs often incorporate two overlapping circles which, for many people, represent our Unitarian and Universalist heritages.  Other images include additional elements, some of which are merely decorative and others which are very meaningful.

Our current official UUA logo (at the top left of each UUA.org web page) was designed to offer a visual representation of a modern and dynamic faith.  Unitarian Universalist congregations are free to use the UUA's logo in their congregational work, but they are not required to do so. Because of this, you may see many different styles of flaming chalices and other images used by UU congregations.

UUHS Joins Emerson Bicentennial Project

Ralph Waldo Emerson was born on May 25, 1803, and in 2000 the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) board of directors formed a planning group to organize a variety of programs, events, and celebrations to honor the life of the renowned minister, lecturer, writer, and public citizen whose legacy to American culture is unparalleled. As the most recognized and revered figure in the Unitarian movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson continues to attract many to our congregations. Yet his years serving as a Unitarian minister are not well known to most people, even to many Emerson devotees.

The UUA believes, according to the Emerson Bicentennial Committee’s planning document, that “the bicentennial of Emerson’s birth provides a valuable opportunity for us to recognize and celebrate Emerson’s contribution to Unitarian Universalism and to call attention to the growing body of recent scholarship that has led to a greater understanding and appreciation of his influence in American thought and religion.”     

At its October, 2001, board meeting, the UUHS board voted to fund a small traveling exhibit entitled “Emerson as Unitarian” that opened in March, 2003 at the First and Second Church in Boston with a special reception hosted by the UUHS. Emerson scholars David Robinson and Wesley Mott made presentations on Emerson’s ministry and influence on UU history and theology at the reception, and a commemorative anthem was sung for the first time by the congregation’s choir.

The exhibit, designed by Bonnie Hurd Smith, was installed during the spring months of 2003 at 25 Beacon Street (UUA headquarters), when hundreds of young UUs visit Boston each year. From there, it travels upon request.   Other plans for the Emerson Bicentennial included:

• exhibits at The Emerson Society in Concord, Houghton Library at Harvard University, the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston, and the Concord Free Public Library;
• youth-oriented educational materials to accompany the UUHS-funded exhibit that were developed by Betsy Williams, Director of Religious Education for the Church of the Larger Fellowship and editor of the magazine UU&Me;
• adult education programming;
• worship resources packets for ministers (hymns, readings, opening and closing words, sermon materials, and bibliographies);
• a workshop and forum on Emerson’s enduring legacy during ministers’ Professional Days prior to 2003 General Assembly (GA) led by Emerson biographer Robert D. Richardson (note: GA 2003 was held in Boston);
• a major lecture at GA 2003;
• a post-GA conference in Concord, MA, including presentations by Emerson scholar Rev. Barry Andrews and Concord historian Jayne Gordon.

In addition, the UUA published articles and announcements in its member magazine, UU World, and the UUHS devoted our entire 2003 issue of the Journal to essays and research notes about Emerson.

For more information about the Emerson Bicentennial, contact Rev. Barry Andrews at RevBMA@aol.com.