Tapestry of Faith: Faith Like a River: A Program on Unitarian Universalist History for Adults

Alternate Activity 1: A History of Covenant

Activity time: 25 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Print out Leader Resource 1, A History of Covenant and prepare to present its contents.
  • On the Time Line of UU History, locate the Cambridge Platform (1648).
  • On a sheet of newsprint, list these concepts:
    • God/Ultimate
    • Persons
    • Beliefs/Creed

Description of Activity

Take about ten minutes to present the contents of Leader Resource 1, A History of Covenant. Indicate key events on the time line as you present the material.

Tell participants you will ask them to form small groups to consider the way in which a covenantal organizing structure differs from one where a congregation is organized around a set of beliefs. Invite participants to move into groups of three while you post the list you prepared on newsprint. Provide each triad with markers and two sheets of plain paper, and invite them to draw a diagram showing a congregation organization along creedal or belief lines and one organized along covenantal lines. Ask them to include the three concepts you have listed on newsprint however they wish to in the diagrams.

Allow triads ten minutes to work. Then invite each group to present their diagrams.

Invite responses to these questions:

  • Does a covenantal organizing structure preclude unity of belief?
  • Does it necessarily include unity of values?