The Search for Peace in Times of Chaos—Volume Sundays and might be difficult to distinguish from those of a Protestant church, but they vary widely among congregations.13 At the opening of Unitarian Universalist worship services, many congregations light a flame inside a chalice This flaming chalice has become a well-known symbol of the denomination It unites members in worship and symbolizes the spirit of their work Many Unitarian Universalist families light a chalice as part of their dinner-table ritual, sort of a UU version of saying grace Many wear chalice necklaces and pendants like Christians wear crosses Hans Deutsch, an Austrian artist, first brought together the chalice and the flame as a Unitarian symbol during his work with the Unitarian Service Committee during World War II The design of a stylized chalice, with the flame of freedom burning inside, was adopted by the because of the challenges of language, culture, and religion in those dangerous days and was used in aiding the escape of countless refugees from Nazi oppression Safe houses were marked by chalices scratched in the dirt; clandestine notes using the symbol were understood to be trustworthy Each Unitarian Universalist congregation holds its own style of religious services Most UU services contain religious music, a chalice lighting, a sermon, prayers or meditations, and readings Sermon topics range from current events to theological concepts like earthly justice to reflections o n t he seasons and might be r ead y the minister or a lay leader Since Unitarian Universalists not recognize a particular text or set of texts as primary or inherently superior; inspiration can be found in many different religious or cultural texts as well as the personal experiences of the speaker 14 Many congregations collect money in offering plates during the service, but people are not required to give The service also includes hymn singing accompanied by organ, piano, or other available instruments and possibly led by a song leader or choir Many UU congregations no longer observe the Christian sacraments of baptism, communion, or confirmation, at least in their traditional forms or under their traditional names Congregations that continue these practices under their more traditional names are often federated churches or members of the ~ 431 ~