Order of Service
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Second Life
For occasions when no service leader has volunteered to lead the service.
Introduction
This order of service describes a process for leading a Thursday night or Saturday morning service at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Second Life when no service leader has volunteered to lead the service.
At about 5 minutes after the appointed start time, whoever has received this notecard should begin reminding everyone to say OOS in chat to get their copy.
Someone who has attended services previously and is familiar with our format should step forward and facilitate the service, following the suggestions on this notecard. We will call that person the Temporary Volunteer Service Leader (TVSL). If no TVSL self-nominates, the group as a whole should facilitate the process and take on the responsibilities of the TVSL.
Shortly before 6:30 pm on Thursday or 6:00 am on Saturday, the TVSL should send [copy/paste] the following announcement to the group chat:
Worship Service at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Second Life will begin in shortly at Lovelace [http://slurl.com/secondlife/Lovelace/30/30/21]
Announcements
(copy/pasted into chat by the TVSL)
Welcome to the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Second Life.
An Order of Service is available by saying oos in chat.
For visitors, a special welcome.
If you are not familiar with Unitarian Universalism (“UU”), a single service is not enough to experience the diversity of ideas and styles of interaction that we offer, either here in SL or in RL. Please come again.
You might also wish to look at uua.org, fuucsl.org, or consider joining the group Unitarian Universalists of SL to receive regular announcements.
We are always looking for members of our community who wish to get more involved. If you would like to try your hand at leading a service, please contact a member of the Leadership Group their names are available in the notecard dispenser in the welcome area.
Please join us after the service for coffee and conversation a venerable UU tradition!
Are there any other announcements?
Lighting The Chalice
(TVSL should touch the chalice to light it)
(Everyone type or copy/paste into chat line in staggered unison)
We gather this hour as people of faith
With joys and sorrows, gifts and needs.
We light this beacon of hope,
Sign of our quest
For truth and meaning,
In celebration of the life we share together
Christine Robinson
Opening Words
(Everyone type or copy/paste into chat line in staggered unison)
Come into this place of peace
And let its silence heal your spirit;
Come into this place of memory
And let its history warm our soul;
Come into this place of prophecy and power
And let its vision change your heart
William F. Schulz
Joys And Concerns
(copy/paste into chat by TVSL)
Now let us prepare our hearts to receive the joys and concerns, hopes and sorrows, fears and dreams of one another.
If there is something that has recently happened to you, happy or sad, and you would like to share it with us, now is the time. We invite you to share your joys and concerns in chat, when you are ready.
(Everyone should try to keep the conversation from wandering away from joys and concerns and when it seems, in a natural way, like all the joys and concerns are finished, the TVSL should suggest moving on.)
Offering
(copy/paste into chat by TVSL)
A freewill offering is a sacrament of a free Church.
This fellowship is supported by the voluntary generosity of all who join with us.
There is an offering plate in the pool in front of us.
Please be generous in support of this UU fellowship.
Musical Interlude
To the (audience right) of the pulpit chair, there is a small pyramid. The TVSL should touch the pyramid and choose a musical interlude.
Discussion
Someone suggests a topic or finds a topic from one of the following sources. Try to gently remind one another to stay on the chosen topic or at least on topics relevant to a respectful Unitarian-Universalist discussion.
UU quotes:
(This linked page disappeared)
Wayside pulpit quotes:
(This linked page disappeared)
At about 10 minutes before the scheduled ending time, read the closing words together in unison.
Closing Words And Extinguishing The Chalice
(TVSL should touch the chalice to extinguish it)
(everyone type or copy/paste into chat line in staggered unison)
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.
Elizabeth Selle Jones