Session 6: The Gift Of Friends

Beautiful orange sunset over a deep blue ocean. — Tapestry is Sunsetting

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Wonderful Welcome

In This Section

Introduction
From Wonderful Welcome

A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Hold a true friend with both your hands. — Nigerian proverb People are social animals, and relating to others affirms both our and others’ inherent dignity and self-worth. This session introduces the intangible gift…
Session-at-a-Glance
From Wonderful Welcome

ACTIVITY MINUTES Opening 5 Activity 1: Wonder Box 5 Activity 2: Story — How Coyote Lost His Songs, Music, and Dance 10 Activity 3: I Like My Friend Because……
Spiritual Preparation
From Wonderful Welcome

Most of us know what it is like to enjoy and value our friends, and also what it is like to want to be alone. Take a quiet moment to reflect on friendships you have valued, and on times when you wanted — like Coyote — nothing but to be alone. How have you balanced these needs? Take your own…
Opening
From Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice and candle or LED/battery-operated candle Lighter and extinguisher, if needed Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Print the opening words on newsprint and post where the children will be able to see it when they gather in…
Activity 1: The Wonder Box
From Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Wonder Box (Instructions are included in Session 1) Large, cardboard box with fitted lid Decorative wrapping paper or foil Optional: Ribbons, stickers, glitter and other decorations A woven friendship bracelet Optional: One or more images of Coyote …
Activity 2: Story - How Coyote Lost His Songs, Music, And Dance
From Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story, How Coyote Lost His Songs, Music, and Dance Optional: Pictures, masks or puppets (Leader Resource 1) for Coyote, Rabbit, Moose, Bird and White Buffalo Woman Optional: “How Coyote Lost His Songs, Music, and Dance” coloring sheet…
Activity 3: I Like My Friend Because...
From Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Stuffed animals, dolls, or picture cards of animals or people for all participants Basket or paper bag Preparation for Activity Obtain a variety of stuffed animals, dolls or picture cards of different animals….
Activity 4: Singing "make New Friends"
From Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Optional: Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Prepare to teach the song, “Make New Friends.” You may choose to teach it as a round. If you wish, invite a musical volunteer to lead it….
Activity 5: Tissue Paper Friendship Flowers
From Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Various colors of tissue paper Optional: Silver and gold tissue paper Pipe cleaners for all participants Preparation for Activity Cut tissue paper into 8x10-inch sheets (five sheets per participant) Optional: See a finished tissue paper flower on t…
Closing
From Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Wonder Box poster (Instructions are included in Session 1.) Friendship bracelet (or Coyote story characters) from Wonder Box Copies of Taking It Home for all participants Newsprint, markers and tape Preparation for Activity Display the Wonder Box…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Wonderful Welcome

Reflect on these questions and discuss them with your co-leaders: How do we feel about today’s session? What parts of the session worked well? What can we learn from the experience of this session? What preparations do we need to make for the next session?
Faith In Action: Bring A Friend To Sunday School
From Wonderful Welcome

Materials for Activity Preparation for Activity Talk with your religious educator about a good time to have visitors to Wonderful Welcome….
Alternate Activity 1: Coyote And Friends Role Play
From Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of Leader Resource 1, Coyote, Rabbit, Moose, Bird and White Buffalo Woman Masks and Puppets Scissors Optional: White shawl for child(ren) enacting role of White Buffalo Woman For Puppets Color markers, pencils or crayons Straws or chopsticks…
Alternate Activity 2: Making Friendship Bracelets
From Wonderful Welcome

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Colorful beads, including both dark- and light-colored beads Small bowls for beads Stretchy string and scissors Preparation for Activity Cut stretchy string into strips about 10 inches long to fit a child’s wrist with extra string for knotting. Set…
Taking It Home: The Gift Of Friends
From Wonderful Welcome

A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Hold a true friend with both your hands. — Nigerian proverb IN TODAY’S SESSION… When the children opened the Wonder Box today, they found a friendship bracelet. We talked about the intangible gift of friendship.
How Coyote Lost His Songs, Music, And Dance

Kenneth W. Collier

From Wonderful Welcome

From Our Seven Principles in Story and Verse: A Collection for Children and Adults by Kenneth Collier (Boston: Skinner House Books, 1997). Used with permission. Read or tell the story. Here is a new story about Coyote. One day it occurred to him that he didn’t need any of the other creatures….
Leader Resource 1: Coyote, Rabbit, Moose, Bird and White Buffalo Woman Masks and Puppets
From Wonderful Welcome

Printing This Handout Download a high-resolution copy of this Handout (PDF) for printing.
Leader Resource 1: Page 2
From Wonderful Welcome
Find Out More
From Wonderful Welcome

CoyoteIn Native American oral storytelling traditions, Coyote is a character that appears as a male trickster and sometimes a buffoon. In a typical story about Coyote, he gets himself into trouble and, as he gets himself out, the listener learns some new wisdom along with Coyote. In Kenneth…