Our congregation gathers at 11:00 a.m. every Sunday.  You can read more our service on our website at http://uutampa.org/sunday-services/ or take a drink from our 2014 Water Communion Service.

While the website says that no two Sundays are the same, that isn’t quite true.  We do have a typical structure and we never miss ‘passing the collection plate’.  However, during our interim process we have been experimenting with some new things such Joys and Concerns.  In the past, we had individuals stand and share their message.  Now we have a book where messages are written prior to the service.  Our Care Committee representative reads them during our service.   We continue to change and improve our services.  Our typical service layout is:

1. Ingathering:  Opening hymn, Lighting the Chalice, Welcome, Greeting, Announcements, Joy and Concerns
2. Centering: Call to celebration, hymn
3. Exploring: Story for All Ages, Passing the Flame and Singing the Children out, Responsive Reading, Meditation or Time of Silence
4. Celebrating Community: Offering, Music or Choir
5. Message: Speaker usually followed with a hymn
6. Closing: Closing Words, Extinguishing the Chalice, Closing Song

We follow our service with ‘Coffee’.  Coffee time is a important time to greet visitors, welcome new attendees and connect with friends.  It is indeed an important feature of our Sunday!