Tapestry of Faith: Love Connects Us: A Program on Living in Unitarian Universalist Covenant for Grades 4-5

Introduction

If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it. — Margaret Fuller, 19th-century Unitarian theologian

In this session, we turn to the phrase in the Blake covenant which encourages us to "help one another." Through the story of 19th-century Unitarian Elizabeth Blackwell, who became a physician in order to help others heal, we discover our faith heritage of perseverance, hope, and giving. Blackwell became the first woman doctor in the United States—one of the pioneering Unitarians and Universalists who heeded a calling to help others despite societal obstacles and personal hardships.

Goals

This session will:

  • Highlight our Unitarian Universalist heritage of persisting through obstacles to help others when we are called to do so
  • Demonstrate, through the story of Elizabeth Blackwell, how our faith heritage calls us to help others
  • Demonstrate how working together cooperatively can produce better results than working alone.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

  • Learn the example of 19th-century Unitarian Elizabeth Blackwell who overcame societal resistance and personal hardship to become the United States' first woman physician
  • Experience cooperative games which encourage teamwork
  • Explore their own calling to help others.