Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

Read the story so you will be comfortable telling it to the group.
Optional: Print the coloring page and copy it for all participants. Plan to distribute it, with crayons, so they can color while you tell the story.
Optional: If you have a basket of fidget objects for children who will listen and learn more effectively with something in their hands, make the basket available during storytelling. See Session 1, Leader Resource 2, Fidget Objects for a full description of fidget baskets and guidance for using them.

Tell or read the story. Then, process with these questions:

The birds took a journey to find a leader for their community, the Simorgh. What did they find at the end?
Along the journey, the birds supported each other. They grew closer as a community. In the end, they discovered that their community was strong. What are some of the communities to which you belong? Which ones are most important to you? Which ones feel strong? Why?
Our congregation is a community that supports us in many ways. Think back to the signs of our faith we have talked about in other meetings: leadership, seeking knowledge, growing in faith, celebrating life, caring, and sharing. How does our congregation help us show these signs of our faith? [We share joys and concerns with each other; we ask Big Questions in RE; we celebrate lives at their beginning with child dedication, along the way with Coming of Age and wedding ceremonies, and at their end with memorial services; we are given opportunities to be leaders.]
What other gifts do we receive from belonging to the congregation? [Making new friends, talking about what is important to us, connecting us to something other than ourselves, and fun.]
What do you like best about belonging to the congregation?
What are signs that we are members of this community? [Name badges, tee shirts, showing up on Sunday morning, participating in other events, bumper stickers, signing the membership book.]