Child Dedication, 9/14/25

 

Note: this is the script for the child dedication I performed on 9/14/25 at UUCE, posted with permission of the family.

As we move into our ritual of child dedication, I invite parents Andrew and Kristen, together with Roz, Ari, and Orion, to come forward. I also welcome any children who would like to join us up front.

In our Unitarian Universalist tradition, a child dedication is not baptism, and it is not confirmation. We are a non-creedal faith, which means belonging does not depend on a single belief.

Instead, this ritual is an act of covenant. Together we welcome children and parents into our circle of care. We affirm that Roz, Ari, and Orion belong here among us, and that their journeys of spirit and meaning are their own to discover. Our task as a community is to create the conditions in which they can grow in wisdom, compassion, and courage.

Doing this dedication is special to me, because I was dedicated as a UU child, as was my sister, and so even though I don’t remember my dedication very well, cuz I was 3, I do remember what it meant to be held by a Unitarian Universalist community. Today we extend that same embrace, celebrating these children, their family, and our shared responsibility to nurture them in love.

In this ritual, I will speak each child’s name, lifting up its meaning and story. After each name, we will join in a call and response: parents, congregation, and children together voicing the promises of our covenant.

Finally, I will bless each child with a rose dipped in water. These are symbols deeply rooted in our Unitarian Universalist history. The rose recalls the flower communion, celebrating beauty and uniqueness. The water comes from our water communion, celebrating interconnection and shared life. Some of the very water we poured together last week is part of today’s blessing. Rose and water together remind us that each child is both unique and beloved, and also part of the wider stream of humanity and of this community of love.

Roz

I speak the name: Roz Fielding Emmott-Curé. Roz carries the memory of her great-grandfather Ross Fielding, and the name itself is rooted in the rose, a symbol of beauty, unfolding life, and resilience.

Call and Response

Parents
We covenant to nurture your curiosity and wonder.
We commit to honor your questions and your truth.
We covenant to walk beside you with compassion.

Congregation
We commit to nurture your spirit with love.
We covenant to guide you toward justice and kindness.
We commit to walk with you and your family in faith.

Children / Peers
You belong with us.
We are glad you are here.
We will grow together in love.

Blessing

As a symbol of beauty, uniqueness, and unfolding, I dip this rose into water, the flow of shared life. We bless Roz with rose and water, affirming their belonging in this community of love.

Ari

I speak the name: Ari William Emmott-Curé. Ari’s middle name honors his great-grandfather William. The name Ari means “lion” in Hebrew, a sign of courage and strength, and “eagle” in Old Norse, a symbol of freedom and vision.

Repeat Call and Response

Blessing
As a symbol of beauty, uniqueness, and unfolding, I dip this rose into water, the flow of shared life. We bless Ari with rose and water, affirming their belonging in this community of love.

Orion

I speak the name: Orion Stuart Emmott-Curé. Orion bears the middle name of his grandmother, and his first name comes from ancient Greek, the hunter placed among the stars. The constellation Orion has guided travelers for centuries, a symbol of direction, wonder, and mystery.

Repeat Call and Response

Blessing
As a symbol of beauty, uniqueness, and unfolding, I dip this rose into water, the flow of shared life. Rose and water together remind us that Orion is filled with wonder and rooted in community, unique and connected. And so, we bless Orion with rose and water, affirming their belonging in this community of love.

Beloveds, together we lift our voices in covenant. Roz, Ari, and Orion, we receive you into the circle of love. We promise to hold you in care, to nurture your spirits with compassion, and to walk with you and your family in faith and hope. You are part of us, and we are changed by your presence.