Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

• Altar or centering table
• Cloth for covering altar or centering table
• Chalice and candle
• Matches or lighter
• Copies of Singing the Living Tradition, the UUA hymnbook (one per person)
• Optional: A piano, guitar, or other form of accompaniment
• Optional: Microphone

Preparation for Activity

• Arrange for musical accompaniment if you believe it will be necessary for singing "For All That Is Our Life."
• Set up the altar or centering table with the cloth, chalice, candle, and matches or a lighter.
• Place copies of Singing the Living Tradition on or next to participants' chairs.

Description of Activity

Welcome participants to Spirit in Practice.

Ask the group to turn to "For You" by Walt Whitman, 659 in Singing the Living Tradition. You may wish to share with participants that Walt Whitman was a famous and controversial 19th-century poet who is widely believed to have been gay. Invite a participant to light the chalice as the group reads responsively.

After the reading, ask the group to turn to "For All That Is Our Life," 128 in Singing the Living Tradition. Invite the group to join in singing. If the group is largely unfamiliar with the song, you may need to teach them the tune.

Including All Participants

If your congregation has large-print and/or Braille versions of Singing the Living Tradition, make those copies available for participants who might need them. Using a microphone for this activity helps more people hear you.