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

Introduction

You cannot shake hands with a closed fist. — Indira Ghandi

Love is not a doctrine. Peace is not an international agreement. Love and Peace are beings who live as possibilities in us. — Mary Caroline Richards, poet, potter, and philosopher

Our sixth Unitarian Universalist Principle affirms "the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all." This session shows how we can act to promote this goal in our relationships and communities. The story "The Christmas Truce" describes how soldiers on opposite sides in World War I created a ceasefire on the Christmas of 1914, meeting for a moment of shared humanity in the midst of bloody conflict. By playing a cooperative game and dramatizing solutions to conflict situations, participants explore what it means to choose peaceful relationships.

Goals

This session will:

  • Emphasize the power of individuals to create peace
  • Teach that conflict situations offer a wide range of options for action
  • Empower participants to think of themselves as peace-builders and peace-makers
  • Encourage creative thinking and clear communication as pathways to peace.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

  • Give examples of how they embody their faith through acts of peace-building
  • Learn the true story of "The Christmas Truce," about opposing soldiers who chose to create a brief time of peace on a World War I battlefield
  • Embody the "tied together" theme of the curriculum in a multi-legged race
  • Consider their full range of options for action in conflict situations
  • Practice creative conflict-resolution skills by acting out different solutions to a conflict.