Tapestry of Faith: Sing to the Power: A Social Justice Program for Children Grades 4-5

Leader Resource 5: Closing Words for Basket

The authors of these readings have given approval for their use.

After downloading, add closing words commonly used in your congregation or other readings you like. Print out and cut into slips

Deep peace of the running wave to you.

Deep peace of the flowing air to you.

Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.

Deep peace of the shining stars to you.

Deep peace of the infinite peace to you.

Adapted from Gaelic Runes, Reading 681, Singing the Living Tradition

Be ours a religion which, like sunshine, goes everywhere;

its temple, all space;

its shrine, the good heart;

its creed, all truth;

its ritual, works of love;

its profession of faith, divine living.

Theodore Parker, Reading 683, Singing the Living Tradition

The blessing of truth be upon us,

the power of love direct us and sustain us,

and may the peace of this community preserve our going out and our coming in

from this time forth, until we meet again.

Duke T. Gray, Reading 684, Singing the Living Tradition

Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers.

Those who look into the perfect law,

The law of liberty, and persevere,

being not hearers who forget, but doers who act—

they will be blessed in their doing

Christian scripture (James I), Reading 709, Singing the Living Tradition

The circle is open, but unbroken.

Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.

Traditional Pagan

This we know:

The earth does not belong to us;

we belong to the earth.

This we know.

All things are connected

like the blood which unites one family.

Chief Seattle (Noah Sealth) Reading 550, Singing the Living Tradition

May the atmosphere that we breathe

breathe fearlessness into us... .

May fearlessness surround us

above and below!

Hindu sacred text (Atharva Veda XIX)

You shall go forth in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Hebrew scripture (Isaiah 55:12)

May we move like water: flexible, unresisting, without rough edges or harshness. May we move like water: unstoppable, unceasing, capable of carving the hardest stone.

Author unknown

Each of our lives is a flaming chalice, burning for justice, shining with truth, warming the world with our love.

Author unknown