Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

• Chalice candle or LED/battery-operated candle
• Lighter and extinguisher, if needed
• Labyrinth, with participants' name stones placed upon it
• Basket for name stones
• Optional: Index cards or post-its, bold marker, and tape

Preparation for Activity

• Review Hymn 1008 in Singing the Journey, "When Our Heart Is in a Holy Place." Decide whether to have the children sing or recite the chorus words to close this session. If you will need the words and/or music to lead the group, place a copy of Singing the Journey near your chalice.
• Customize, print out, and photocopy the Taking It Home section for all participants.
• Optional: The words "burrow," "den," "nest," and "shelter" printed on index cards to post on your Word Wall
• If you have a Word Wall, write the words "burrow," "den," "nest," and "shelter" with bold marker on index cards or post-its.

Description of Activity

Gather the group in a circle around the labyrinth. Tell the children that it is now time to share a closing ritual to mark the end of your religious education time together for this session.

Relight the chalice. Invite the children to take their name stones from the labyrinth, place them in the basket, and return to the circle. Then, ask a few volunteers to help you fold or roll the labyrinth and put it away.

Next, invite everyone to hold hands and sing just the chorus to "When Our Heart Is in a Holy Place," Hymn 1008 in Singing the Journey.

If you prefer, invite the children to recite the words to the song:

When our heart is in a holy place,

When our heart is in a holy place.

We are blessed with love and amazing grace.

When our heart is in a holy place.

If you have a Word Wall, say:

The words for our World Wall today are "burrow," "den," "nest," and "shelter."

Show the group the index cards or post-its on which you have written "burrow," "den," "nest," and "shelter." Post these on the Word Wall, or ask a volunteer to do it.

Tell the group:

We are glad you joined us today. We hope you felt sheltered and safe in your faith home, here in our Unitarian Universalist congregation, as we learned together. Next time we meet we will learn more together about creating home.

Extinguish the chalice.

Distribute the Taking It Home handout you have prepared. Remind the children to give the handout to their parents. Thank and dismiss the group.