Tapestry of Faith: Spirit of Life: An Adult Program on Unitarian Universalist Spirituality

Closing

Part of Spirit of Life

Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Altar or centering table
  • Cloth for covering altar or centering table
  • Chalice and candle or LED battery-operated candle
  • Chalice extinguisher
  • Taking It Home section for this workshop
  • A copy of the closing words you want to use

Preparation for Activity

  • Review Taking It Home and decide which extension activities you will encourage participants to do.
  • Print out Taking It Home for all participants.
  • Review the closing words. Decide whether to use these or another closing. Print out a copy of the closing words you will use and place it near the chalice.

Description of Activity

Gather participants around the altar or centering table. Affirm the good work that participants have done in this workshop.

Hand out the Taking It Home section you have prepared. Invite participants to "take the workshop home" and explain the activities, as needed.

Invite participants to rise in body or spirit. Offer these instructions:

Place your left hand palm up and your right hand palm down, so both thumbs are pointed left. Now, each of us is in a position of receiving and giving. Let's join hands with one another around the room. Perhaps in this way we can feel energy, the Spirit of Life, moving through us.

Once participants have all joined hands, invite them to call out a word or phrase that describes how they are feeling right now. Allow some silence to be sure all who would like to do so have a chance to speak.

Then, read aloud the closing words-either the words below or words of your choice.

We give thanks for this time together,

for the courage it takes to show up,

for our willingness to share, to listen attentively,

and to hold one another in trust and good will.

Thanks for our desire to grow spiritually

and learn from one another.

Spirit of Life, be with us in our parting and in our return.

Be with us now and always. Amen.

Extinguish the chalice.

Including All Participants

Be sure to be inclusive of people with a variety of living situations-living alone, with a significant other, in a family, with housemates, etc.-in the way you explain the TakingIt Home activities.