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Church, United Church of Christ

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST -  The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination, with historical confessional roots in the Reformed, Congregational and Lutheran traditions, and "with over 5,000 churches and nearly one million members". The United Church of Christ is in historical continuation of the General Council of Congregational Christian churches founded under the influence of New England Puritanism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC.

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Church, Unitarian Universalist (UU)

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST (UU) - (FLAMING CHALICE) -  A flame within a chalice (a cup with a stem and foot) is a primary symbol of the Unitarian Universalist faith tradition. Many of our congregations kindle a flaming chalice in gatherings and worships and feature the chalice symbol prominently. 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. To Deutsch, the image had connotations of sacrifice and love.

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Flower, Tulip

TULIP FLOWER -  The meaning of tulips is generally perfect love, devotion and thorn-less vulnerability.  A tulip bouquet represents elegance and grace. This flower is a rare bloom indeed because it continues to grow after it is cut.

 

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Tree, Stump or Trunk

TREE STUMP OR TRUNK -  Symbolizes a life cut short.  Tree stones were popular from the 1880’s to 1920’s.  They are called tree stump stones, tree trunk stones and tree stones.  Joseph Cullen Root was the founder of Modern Woodmen of America (1883) and also of Woodmen of the World (1890,) both fraternal insurance benefit societies.  Both became well known for using tree gravestones for their members. Root decided on the woodmen name after hearing a minister describe his congregation as ‘trees in God’s forest.”

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Flower, Thistle

THISTLE FLOWER -  Is a symbol for protection because of its prickly-edged leaves.  The Greeks believed that a thistle would protect against demons and the Germanic people made a connection between the thistle and their god Donar who was supposed to protect everyone who carries a thistle with them.  But the symbol of protection only came in full effect centuries later when the Scotts started to use this plant as their national symbol around 1200 after Christ.

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Tent

TENT -  In the Holy Bible a tent was the original tabernacle of God a place of worship, a sacred place.  That to dwell in tents signifies what is Holy of love, is evident from the signification of tents in the Holy Bible.

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Piano

PIANO -  For centuries, keyboard instruments have been a symbol of  family unity in both American and European households and bore the responsibility of lifting spirits.  Music, which in turn could symbolize feelings and messages unable to be put into words (ie, the expression of the soul). Often found on headstones of pianists. 

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Teepee (Tipi)

TEEPEE (TIPI) -  For the Plains Indians, the teepee was more than just a home—it was a sacred space.  It was placed so that the door would face the rising sun in the east, with the westerly winds to the back.  The circle, a sacred symbol of the inter-connectedness of all things, is the foundation of the teepee.  The floor symbolized the earth and the walls the sky.  A small altar built of stone or earth was used for burning incense during prayer times.

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Church, Native American

NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH (NAC) -  The Native American Church (NAC), also known as Peyotism and Peyote Religion, is a Native American religion characterized by mixed traditional as well as Protestant beliefs and by sacramental use of the entheogen peyote.  The religion originated in the U.S.

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Flower, Sunflower

SUNFLOWER -  Symbolizes Faith.  The Sunflower moves itself in the most direct position in front of the sun so it can get the maximum sun rays. This is symbolic of spiritual faith, our devotion to God, and worship because we follow our belief system as the Sunflower moves to face the life-giving rays of the sun. The Sunflower is the perfect symbol for the faith because the blossom (bright and bountiful) is always seeking out the light. ​

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