Tapestry of Faith: Amazing Grace: A Program about Exploring Right and Wrong for Grade 6

Taking It Home: Unitarian Universalism

Part of Amazing Grace

My Church Believes in Civil Rights for All

— Bumper sticker produced by the Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland, Maine, during a state referendum about the rights of sexual minorities

IN TODAY’S SESSION… We performed a play about some UU youth meeting some bullies. We talked about elevator speeches that describe our religion. We heard a story from Africa and we made UU bumper stickers.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about…

  • The situation your group did in Ethics Play (if you did Ethics Play). What do family members and friends say the Star should have done?
  • Elevator speeches. Ask: Do members of your family ever explain Unitarian Universalism to other people? What do you say? Do you have something like an elevator speech that you use every time? What do you think of the idea that people should avoid talking to each other about politics and religion?

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try…

  • Talking about religion with friends or family members who are not Unitarian Universalist. See if you can find ways for everybody to show respect for other people’s ideas.
  • Thinking about how your religion would view the situation the next time you have a family disagreement. Can the UU Principles help you decide what is right and what is wrong?
  • Get or make a UU bumper sticker and place it on your family car. Choose the wording together.

MYSTERY AND ME

Take some personal quiet time and think about your religion. Does it help you to think about big things like life and death? Or is your congregation mostly a place where you come to meet friends and have fun? If you are journaling, write down some of your thoughts about your congregation’s activities.

A FAMILY RITUAL

Talk each day about the right and wrong you have experienced. Did you each do something good you want to share? Is there somebody in the family you want to thank for a virtuous act? Is there something you wish you had not done that you need to talk about? How can you make tomorrow a better day?

A FAMILY GAME

Ride in an elevator and talk about your religion together. How much can you actually say between floors? Are you comfortable talking in front of other people or does it feel weird?

FAMILY DISCOVERY

Discover a new Unitarian Universalist activity. Do something in your own congregation that you have never done before. Go to a UU conference or retreat center or visit another UU congregation. What do you learn that you never knew before? How does knowing this new thing expand or change your faith?