“With all my heart I would extol the precious gift of God in the noble art of music, but I scarcely know where to begin or end. There is nothing on earth which has not its tone. Even the air invisible sings when smitten with a staff … Music is to be praised as second only to the Word of God because by her are all the emotions swayed. Nothing on earth is more mighty to make the sad gay and the gay sad, to hearten the downcast, mellow the overweening, temper the exuberant or mollify the vengeful.” Martin Luther

Music plays a key role in Unitarian Universalist worship services. We use music to set the mood for the service, create community, connect with spirituality, speak to our values, call us to action, feel deeply, and celebrate with joy. 

Music in UU services come from many different sources. Our hymnal, Singing the Living Tradition, and the hymnal supplement, Singing the Journey, both offer a wide variety of hymns ranging from our traditional Christian roots through contemporary songs written for UUs by UUs. Other music in our services may be in a variety of styles including, but not limited to, classical, jazz, pop, rock, and folk. 

Here is a playlist of hymns that we would invite any UU churches to use in their worship services with only the request of a small donation to UUUtica.

Amazing Grace Jazz Instrumental

Hymn #346 Come Sing a Song With Me

Come sing a song with me, come sing a song with me, come sing a song with me, that I might know your mind. And I’ll bring you hope, when hope is hard to find, and I’ll bring a song of love, and a rose in the wintertime. Come dream a dream with me, come dream a dream with me, come dream a dream with me, that I might know your mind. And I’ll bring you hope, when hope is hard to find, and I’ll bring a song of love, and a rose in the wintertime. Come walk in rain with me, come walk in rain with me, come walk in rain with me, that I might know your mind. And I’ll bring you hope, when hope is hard to find, and I’ll bring a song of love, and a rose in the wintertime. Come share a rose with me, come share a rose with me, come share a rose with me, that I might know your mind. And I’ll bring you hope, when hope is hard to find, and I’ll bring a song of love, and a rose in the wintertime.

Hymn #1023 Building Bridges

Building bridges, between our divisions, I reach out to you, will you reach out to me? With all of our voices and all of our visions, friends we can make such sweet harmony. (The following is sung in a staggered start by different parts of the group) Building bridges between our divisions, I reach out to you will you reach out to me? With all of our voices and all of our visions, friends we can make such sweet harmony. Building bridges between our divisions, I reach out to you will you reach out to me? With all of our voices and all of our visions, friends we can make such sweet harmony. Building bridges between our divisions, I reach out to you will you reach out to me? With all of our voices and all of our visions, friends we can make such sweet harmony.

Hymn #126 Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come thou fount of every blessing, tune our hearts to sing thy grace. Steams of mercy never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. While the hope of life’s perfection fills our hearts with joy and love, teach us ever to be faithful, may we still thy goodness prove. Come thou fount of every vision, lift our eyes to what may come. See the lion and the young lamb dwell together in thy home. Hear the cries of war fall silent, feel our love glow like the sun. When we all serve one another, then our heaven is begun. Come thou fount of inspiration, turn our lives to higher ways. Lift our gloom and desperation, show the promise of this day. Help us bind ourselves in union, help our hands tell of our love. With thine aid, oh fount of justice, Earth be fair as Heav’n above. With thine aid, oh fount of justice, Earth be fair as Heav’n above.