The holiday celebrations at UCBR reflect the six sources of our faith and the theological diversity of our congregation.

Our congregation celebrates Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter, Jewish holidays like Yom Kippur, and Pagan holidays like winter solstice, among others. Our holiday services use the stories and traditions creatively, calling us to our deeper humanity and our commitment to making this a better world.

Christianity

We’re in southern Louisiana, so the Catholic church calendar is a rhythm of life in our city. We observe Lent, Easter, Advent, Christmas, and of course we celebrate Mardi Gras!

Our Christmas Eve candlelight service is one of our biggest services of the year, with carols, music, the Christmas story read by our senior youth, and the beautiful finale of hundreds of candles lighting the darkened sanctuary.

After the exciting atmosphere of Mardi Gras season, we observe the more introspective time of Lent, which culminates in Holy Week. Our annual Tenebrae service is a special service on Maundy Thursday, telling the story of the death of Jesus of Nazareth. We give and receive communion at Tenebrae, and end the service in dark and silence.

Our Easter services are bright and joyful with special guest musicians as we celebrate the spring and the story of the resurrection of Jesus. The senior youth prepare an Easter egg hunt after each service for the younger children.

Pagan

Our annual Winter Solstice service is a quiet service celebrating the dark of the year and the rebirth of light as we turn back toward spring. We use candlelight, poetry, and music to make this service special.

Secular Holidays

In addition to religious holidays, we also honor secular holidays including Earth Day, LGBTQ+ Pride, Labor Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Thanksgiving, and others throughout the year. We often celebrate with special guest musicians from the community.