Tapestry of Faith: Signs of Our Faith: A Program about Being UU Every Day for Grades 2-3

Faith In Action: Canvass

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Once the congregation starts planning the canvass, ask the appropriate leaders how the children can help. Be ready with suggestions: Perhaps the advertisement/announcement for the canvass could involve children's handprints or other artwork. Children could help with set-up and clean-up for a multigenerational meal. They can make announcements in worship services. They could perform "The Magic Penny Song" and a generosity dance as canvass entertainment or in a pre-canvass worship.
  • Consider inviting a congregational leader to visit. Ask them to tell the children what the canvass is and how it is an opportunity for stewardship that engages the whole congregation. Invite them to bring posters, flyers, or photos from canvass-related events. Tell them to plan to present for five minutes or less.
  • If you will need children to gather at a time other than the usual RE time, adapt Leader Resource 2, Letter to Parents to explain the plan to parents and caregivers.

Description of Activity

Participants help with the canvass.

Explain the canvass, or introduce the guest you have invited to do so.

Present the options for helping with the canvass to the group. Help them decide how they will help and make an action plan. Communicate roles and responsibilities, dates, times, and places to families. After this meeting, remind families by email and in person of the commitment the children have made. Be sure to note that the children and families' contributions to promoting the canvass are a form of stewardship.

After the canvass, ask the children what they learned about the congregation. Did they meet new people? How do they feel about their contribution? In what other ways might they contribute to the canvass in the future? Thank participants for being good stewards of the congregation and our faith.