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

Introduction

Part of Amazing Grace

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.

— Buddha

This session introduces the Universalist strand of Unitarian Universalism. It is a companion to Session 6, The First U, which introduces the Unitarian strand. Session 7 is the third of four that focuses on Unitarian Universalism.

It begins by asking youth to identify and model the animals they would have chosen to save had they been in charge at the time of Noah. That activity serves as a jumping-off point to the Universalist concept of universal salvation. Next, there is a story about a famous Universalist woman, one of the first women to become ordained in response to a call to ministry. Participants then use movement to answer questions about being called in their own lives.

The session's Faith in Action segment asks youth to consider working to help domestic animals by volunteering at local animal shelters. You can make the activity more rewarding by finding out in advance where such shelters are and how youth may help them.

Goals

This session will:

  • Explore the Universalist strand of Unitarian Universalism
  • Help youth understand the concept of universal salvation
  • Explain to participants the meaning of "being called"
  • Optional: Provide an opportunity for participants to help animals
  • Compare the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to our UU Principles.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

  • Understand the concept of universal salvation through an activity related to the story of Noah's ark
  • Understand eternal salvation as a religious idea
  • Know Augusta Chapin as a Universalist called to serve the religion of universal salvation
  • Consider the concepts of religious proselytism and evangelism
  • Optional: Explore the idea of a call to save animals.