Tapestry of Faith: Principled Commitment: An Adult Program on Building Strong Relationships

Leader Resource 1: Order Of Service - Commitment

Follow this Order of Service as you lead the opening of Workshop 9, Commitment.

Welcome

Chalice Lighting

Principle

Guided Meditation

Reading

Welcome

Welcome participants. Explain that this workshop is devoted to the concept of commitment. Participants will explore different forms of commitment and learn skills to help them protect and enhance their commitment to each other.

Chalice Lighting

Light the chalice while reading the following words:

We light this chalice as a symbol of our faith: to seek truth and honesty, to build respect, and to foster greater trust among all people, beginning with ourselves. May we dedicate our time together to these purposes.

Principle

Introduce the guiding Unitarian Universalist Principle for this workshop:

We covenant to affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.

Our loving relationships are intimately connected with what happens in the greater world. Relationships can teach us to value — or devalue — community, justice, liberty, and peace. When we enact love and justice in our relationships, we are better equipped to enact them in the wider world. The commitments couples make with one another can fuel commitments to live their values socially and politically. By taking charge of personal behaviors, by committing to principles, by learning to cope with difficulties and change in a constructive manner, by living a life of generosity and good intention through loving and compassionate relationships, we help ensure that a similarly positive world becomes a more realistic vision.

Guided Meditation

Lead participants through the following guided meditation to center them for the rest of the workshop. Read the words slowly, pausing between phrases.

I invite you into a time of silence. Try to sit with your spine straight, with your feet flat on the floor. Perhaps close your eyes. Take a deep breath, inhale . . . and exhale. Take another deep breath . . . and exhale. Again; this time, as you exhale, let go of all the pressures of the day. Let go of the "to dos," the "should haves" . . . just let them float out of the room. You can return to them later. Take another deep breath. As you inhale, take in the energy of this place. As you exhale, let go of any tension or stress you might be feeling.

[Long pause]

Come into this place of connection. Envision yourself expressing your commitment to your partner. It is a gift you are giving each other. What does it feel like? What does it look like?

[Sit in silence for two to three minutes.]

Please maintain this spirit during the reading.

Reading

Read words by Judith Meyer, 672 in Singing the Living Tradition.

Sit in silence for a few moments before saying:

When you are ready, please bring your focus back into this room and join our check-in.