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

Closing

Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Taking It Home
  • Optional: Bookmarks made in Activity 3

Preparation for Activity

  • Download and adapt Taking It Home and copy as a handout for all participants (or, email to parents).
  • Optional: Invite a few participants to make a bookmark to hand on the group wall hanging.

Description of Activity

Say in your own words:

The session is almost over and we will now work together as a community to clean the meeting space.

Ask everyone to first clean up their own area and the materials they were using, and then to clean another area or help someone else. No one should sit in the circle until the meeting space is clean.

Then, gather the group in the circle. If you have not yet done so, invite one or more volunteers to attach bookmarks to the group's wall hanging. When all have returned to the circle, ask participants to cross their arms in front of their body and then take the hands of the people on either side of them. Say "We are tied together by the spirit of service when we ... " and ask anyone who wishes to fill in a word or phrase. When everyone who wishes to share has done so, open the circle by having everyone, while still holding hands, turn to their right, so that everyone is facing out, and no longer has their arms crossed in front of their body. (Be mindful of participants' physical mobility; use this closing activity only if you are sure all children can comfortably participate. As an alternative, simply invite the entire group to hold hands.)

Distribute copies of Taking It Home that you have prepared. Thank and dismiss participants.