The Water Communion (Water Ritual) is a

ritual A ritual is a repeated, structured sequence of actions or behaviors that alters the internal or external state of an individual, group, or environment, regardless of conscious understanding, emotional context, or symbolic meaning. Traditionally ...

service common in Unitarian Universalist congregations. It is usually held in the fall, during September, as it is the beginning of the

Liturgical year The liturgical year, also called the church year, Christian year, ecclesiastical calendar, or kalendar, consists of the cycle of liturgical days and seasons that determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be obse ...

. Some congregations of other religions have also adopted the ritual. For example, a United Methodist service on

Earth Day Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally through earthday.org (formerly Earth Day Network) includin ...

2013 in

Austin, TX Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

includes a water communion.

History

The first Water Ritual was held at the November 1980 Women and Religion Continental Convocation of Unitarian Universalists in East Lansing, Michigan.Carolyn McDade, Lucile Longview, ''Coming Home, Like Rivers to the Sea: A Women's Ritual''. Original booklet published by Pacific Central District W&R, November 1980. It was created by activist Carolyn McDade and UU leader

Lucile Schuck Longview Lucile may refer to: * ''Lucile'' (poem), an 1860 story in verse By Owen Meredith (Robert, Lord Bulwer-Lytton) *Lucile, the couture house (and nickname) of early 20th-century fashion designer Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon * ''Lucile'' (opera), a 1769 ope ...

"as a way for women who lived far apart to connect the work each was doing locally to the whole".Kimberly French
"Carolyn McDade's Spirit of Life"
''UU World'', Fall 2007 Eight women were asked to bring water from different sources, including

rainwater Rain is a form of precipitation where water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Eart ...

, the

Assiniboine River The Assiniboine River ( ; ) is a long river that runs through the prairies of Western Canada in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It is a tributary of the Red River. The Assiniboine is a typical meandering river with a single main channel embanked ...

, the

Atlantic ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

, the

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( or ) in the United States or the Río Bravo (del Norte) in Mexico (), also known as Tó Ba'áadi in Navajo language, Navajo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the Southwestern United States a ...

, and the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

. It has come to be used as an ingathering/homecoming ritual for UU congregations.

Ritual

Due to the nature of Unitarian Universalism, traditions vary from one congregation to another; however, most Water Communions follow the same basic framework. Throughout the year, members of the congregation collect small amounts of water that have meaning for them, either from a special location (e.g., the family home, an ocean or river, memento of a trip) or a special occasion (first rain after a dry spell). At the service, the samples of water are placed in a single bowl so they can merge. Oftentimes, some of the water is saved, sterilized, and then used for ceremonial purposes at other times of the year. The rest is returned to the world.

Symbolism

The symbolism, like that of the comparable Flower Communion, can be interpreted in various ways. The classic life-related symbolism of water is apparent. The rejoining of many waters can also symbolize the rejoining of the congregation after summer travels. McDade and Longview chose this way to honor the "journeys" of women, and to represent the way women both contribute to and draw from each other's strength, working both individually and together, to bring change.

References

External links

"The Water Ritual" Booklet of the original ceremony written by Carolyn McDade and Lucile Longview
{{UnitarianUniversalism-stub Religious rituals Unitarian Universalism Water and religion