Rites of Passage
Weddings
We are delighted when a couple makes the decision to commit their
lives to one another through the ceremony of marriage, and are pleased to perform lmarriage ceremonies for members
of West Shore UU Church. The Ministers also perform weddings for non-members as well. (Click this link for information about non-church member rites of passage.)
Services of Gay Marriage, Civil Union
Unfortunately, the
state of Ohio has not yet made it legal for same-sex couples to be
married. Our ministers will do services of union for same sex couples
as a celebration of their commitment to one another. There is no charge for
pledging members who wish to have their relationship celebrated in the same
way that heterosexual coulples do. The
same honorarium for non-member services of union is requested.
Child Dedications
Services of Dedication are typically done for church member families three times a year, at the 10:30 a.m. Ingathering Ceremony, the first Sunday of September; at the 5:00 Christmas Eve family Service and at the 10:30 a.m. Mother's Day, as part of the congregation’s commitment to its children as a religious community. The child is welcomed into the world, whether by birth or adoption, called by his/her name, blessed by the symbols of rose and water, and receives a gift from the congregation. Only church members and their children may be a part of this important covenantal act.
We will also offer private naming and blessing ceremonies for members
and non-members of West Shore who, for whatever reason, cannot participate
in the Sunday morning service. An honorarium of $100.00 is requested
from non-members and from members if the blessing ceremony is held
outside the church.
Memorial Services/Celebration of Life
Unitarian Universalists generally believe that what is most important about dying is how a person lived his or her life and what made that individual unique. Our memorial services are deeply personal, which requires one of the ministers to meet with the family in advance of the service to plan and prepare an appropriate tribute to an individual’s life.
Service are often composed of favorite readings or hymns of the deceased; a celebration of life is generally given by the minister, and sometimes pictures or a Power Point slide show are part of the service. For church members, the members of the Memorial Society offer tea, coffee and light refreshments. There is no charge for memorial services for members. The minister’s request an honorarium of $300 for memorial services for non-members.
For those persons with a previous association with the church who are no longer active members, the ministers will gladly offer their services. A donation to the church’s Memorial Gifts Fund would be greatly appreciated. There is a nominal fee for non-active members who use the space to cover cleaning closts.
