Unity of Albany invites you to celebrate the wonder and promise of Christmas, 2021 as we rekindle our hope and zeal for life. The powerful Christmas story is a clear reminder that we do not travel our spiritual journey of rediscovery alone.
The Christmas season is a reminder that we can awaken a sense of wonder and joy as we allow the Christ child to be reborn and express itself in and through us.
All of these services are both in-person and live-streamed on our YouTube Channel.
The Christmas Eve and Burning Bowl services will require pre-registration.
PLEASE NOTE: As of Monday, December 20, the Christmas Eve service is FULL and the Burning Bowl service has a few spaces left. Additional registrants will be placed on a waiting list and will be notified as seats become available. Please register by calling the church at 518-453-3603 and either speaking with our office staff or selecting extension 20.
Worship & Celebration Service
Sunday, December 19, 10:00 am
Preparing our hearts and minds for an expression of love and joy! Rev. Brigid and our music team.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Friday, December 24, 5:30 pm
The wonder and joy of candlelight and sacred music in our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on December 24th is, for many, a highlight of the year. Let it be just as true for us this year, whether you join us in person or from your own home. We’ll recall the Christmas story and share beloved carols such as O Holy Night, Angels We Have Heard on High, Joy to the World, and other Christmas favorites. We’ll close with our beautiful candle lighting ceremony and sing Silent Night. For those joining us at home, we invite you to bring your own candle as part of the ceremony. Registration required for in person attendance. See above.
Worship & Celebration Service
Sunday, December 26, 10:00 am
Our Christmastide celebration continues as we gather for a joyful Sunday morning of prayer, song and an inspiring message from Rev. Brigid.
Burning Bowl Ceremony
Friday, December 31, 5:30 pm
It is time for both letting go of the old and welcoming in the new. This uplifting service gets you ready for your journey into 2022. It is a favorite here at Unity because it gives us an opportunity to move into the new year with a clean slate and to set intentions of what we would like to see more of in our new year. Together we hold a space for the continued awakening of the Divine within each and every person in 2022.
Registration required for in person attendance. See above.
The service is in two parts:
1.) Releasing of that which no longer serves us, and
2.) Writing our “Letter to God.”
For the Releasing part, if you plan to participate from home, please go to the Burning Bowl event page (unityalbany.org/event-items/burning-bowl-2021/) by Thursday, December 30 and fill out the form there to submit your Burning Bowl Release. Your slip will be held in sacred confidence until the Burning Bowl ceremony and will be burned on that day.
You can send your Letter to God sealed in a self-addressed, stamped envelope to us to be returned in the fall. See more at unityalbany.org/event-items/burning-bowl-2021
White Stone Ceremony
Sunday, January 9, 10:00 am
This day we set our intentions (similar to resolutions) for the new year. Rather than focusing on what we will do, we focus on who we are called to be in order to birth the emerging vision of our highest essence. During the service, we connect with our divine essence—whatever we call God, as we are invited to ask for guidance on what our word or words will be for the upcoming year. These words will represent our highest intention and may be in the form of a new name that will represent this emerging spiritual identity that will guide us through the new year as our high intentions unfold. That name is then written upon the white stone that we keep throughout the year as a reminder of our intention. Stones will be provided for those attending in person. You can also stop by the office the first week of January and pick one up for yourself if you plan to participate online.
Stones will be provided for those joining us in person. If you are joining us online, you may either reuse a stone from a previous year, find one that you like, or drop by the church to pick up one of the stones we will be using this year (rectangular white tiles).