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

Activity 3: Fourth Emblem

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Several weeks before the session, order iron-on chalice patches.
  • Decide whether you will iron the patches onto the stoles before, during, or after this session. If you plan to iron during the session, invite one or more adult volunteers to help. If you plan to iron afterward, use safety pins to temporarily attach a patch to each child's stole. Remember to apply a patch to the stoles of absent children, if you think they are still part of the program.
  • Identify a place to leave the stoles of absent children and/or children on whose stoles you will iron a patch after this session. Plan to inform the parents where they can pick up their child's completed stole.
  • Prepare emblems children may have missed receiving due to an absence in Session 4, Session 8, and Session 12; use the Leader Resources listed in the Materials for Activity section, above. The first emblem (Session 4) represented living one's faith to oneself The second emblem (Session 8) represented living one's faith in relations with others. The third emblem (Session 12) represented living their faith in the congregation and/or wider community. Optional: Revisit Session 4, Session 8, and Session 12 so you will be able to tell the children more about the meaning of these emblems and remind them of related activities they have done.

Description of Activity

Participants receive an iron-on chalice patch, the last of four emblems for their stole.

Tell children that this is the last session of the program. As a sign of their faith and to show their dedication to being faithful leaders, every child will receive an iron-on patch for their stole.

Invite children, one at a time, to come have a patch pinned or ironed onto their stole. Place each patch at the center of a stole, at the neck.

Check stoles for missing emblems from previous sessions and help children attach these to their stoles. If they did not get a chance to finish making an emblem, help them do so.

While one or two adults attach the patches, have a co-leader lead a discussion with the other children, using these questions:

  • How do our stoles show our connection to Unitarian Universalism? [The chalice is a symbol that connects our religion to the past and present; the stole is a symbol of religious leadership; UUs value each person, and our stoles are a sign of this because they are all similar, but each one is unique.]
  • Sometimes we say the chalice's flame is a symbol of hope for the future. UUs believe in hoping for a better future and working for it, too. What hopes do you have for a better world?

Collect the stoles to distribute to children in Activity 5, Closing Celebration.