About Water Communion

To commemorate the original water ceremony, the Harvard Square Library commissioned and shared this original graphic from artist Cathleen Young.

The original Water Ritual / Communion was created in 1980 by Lucy Longview and Carolyn McDade for a Women and Religion retreat. The webpages linked here are great sources for the history of this special ritual.​​

Learn more about the water communion:

https://www.uua.org/worship/holidays/water-communion

https://www.uuwr.org/resources/the-water-ritual

https://www.uua.org/international/engagement/worship/water-communion

For many years, UUs settled into a kind of 'travelogue' version of this service, mingling waters brought back from travels or favorite places. Most often, people poured their vial of water into the shared bowl and told a short story about from where the water came.

Applying an anti-oppression lens, we now recognize this travelogue ritual can be set in classism, highlighting those who have the money to have impressive stories of expensive trips where they gathered the water. While this ritual is heartfelt in honoring another year in community, for many it can feel uncomfortable if they were unable to travel that summer.

Learn More about the First Water Ceremony:

https://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/featured-new/water-rituals-and-ingatherings-revitalized/

https://www.uuwr.org/resources/the-water-ritual

Lucile's Notebook Original Script (PDF)