Session 4: Building A Community Of Forgiveness

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

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Windows and Mirrors, Grades 4-5

In This Section

Introduction
From Windows and Mirrors

The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world. — Marianne Williamson Ideally, a faith community is the place to practice repentance and forgiveness, the better to use them in the world outside. This session explores pathways to forgiveness….
Session-at-a-Glance
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity Minutes Opening 5 Activity 1: Law, Crime and Punishment 5 Activity 2: Game — Steal the Bacon 10 Activity 3: Story — Teaching a Thief 15 Activity 4: Write a Letter of Forgiveness 15 Activity 5: Window/Mirror Panel — Forgiveness Heart 5 Faith in Action: International Forgiveness Day…
Spiritual Preparation
From Windows and Mirrors

Find a place where you can be quiet with your thoughts. Make yourself comfortable and light a candle to mark the time as different from other activities. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for about five minutes; perhaps repeat a word or phrase to separate you from the activities of the day….
Opening
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice or LED/battery-operated candle Large, round mirror to hold the chalice Reflective materials, such as beads or pieces of stained glass Newsprint, markers and tape Opening Words Basket and opening words (see Session 1, Leader Resource 1)…
Activity 1: Law, Crime and Punishment
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers and tape Preparation for Activity On a large sheet of newsprint make three columns. Write the word “Crime” over the first column, “Mild Punishment” over the second and “Harsh Punishment” over the third….
Activity 2: Game - Steal the Bacon
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity An object that serves as the “bacon” (something that will not roll or bounce; a glove or hat works well) Preparation for Activity Create a space large enough for the group to form two lines facing each other and about 10-15 feet apart….
Activity 3: Story - Teaching a Thief
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story “Teaching a Thief” A bell, chime, rain stick, or other musical noisemaker Preparation for Activity Consider telling the story rather than reading it from the page or read it dramatically. Practice telling it or reading aloud….
Activity 4: Write a Letter of Forgiveness
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 1, Three-Step Forgiveness Letter Paper and pencils for all participants Newsprint sheets generated in Activity 1, Law, Crime and Punishment Optional: Newsprint, markers and tape Preparation for Activity Decide how you will lead the…
Activity 5: Window/Mirror Panel - Forgiveness Heart
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity All participants’ Window/Mirror Panels Color pencils (sharpened or with a sharpener available) Basket(s) of window/mirror panel materials: Sheets of Mylar(R) in several colors, shiny gift wrap, aluminum foil and other reflective paper Sheets of plai…
Closing
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers and tape Taking It Home handout Optional: A copy of Session 1, Leader Resource 2, Namaste Preparation for Activity Identify a place for participants to store their Window/Mirror Panels between sessions. Keep in mind, there may be…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Windows and Mirrors

Reflect on and discuss with your co-leader(s): How did the timing go today? What might we do to make it work better? What worked well? What didn’t? What connections did children make with the activities and/or the central ideas? How could you tell that was occurring? What connections did you make…
Faith In Action: International Forgiveness Day
From Windows and Mirrors

Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers and tape Blank paper and pencils, crayons or markers for all participants Optional: From the International Forgiveness Day website, handouts describing the organization’s activities Preparation for Activity Optional: Prepare a few handouts that describe…
Alternate Activity 1: Spiritual Practice - Forgiveness Meditation
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity A chime or a bell Leader Resource 2, Forgiveness Meditation for Children Preparation for Activity Review Leader Resource 2, Forgiveness Meditation for Children, and prepare to lead the meditation….
Taking It Home: Building A Community Of Forgiveness
From Windows and Mirrors

The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world. — Marianne Williamson IN TODAY’S SESSION… We affirmed the value of forgiving people who break the rules of a community. We explored the idea of expressing righteous anger when we have been hurt by…
Teaching A Thief
From Windows and Mirrors

“Teaching a Thief” is taken from Kindness, A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom by Sarah Conover and Valerie Wahl (Boston: Skinner House, 2010). Availavle from inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop. All rights reserved. Bankei was a famous Zen teacher in Japan long ago. Students from all over came to his…
Leader Resource 1: Three-Step Forgiveness Letter
From Windows and Mirrors

Step One: Feeling Letter Dear (person’s name), A) Anger. Write your feelings of anger. I am angry that… / I am furious… / I hate… B) Sadness. Write your feelings of sadness. I am sad that… C) Fear. Write your feelings of fear. I am afraid that… D) Sorrow or regret….
Leader Resource 2: Forgiveness Meditation for Children
From Windows and Mirrors

From the website A View on Buddhism. Read aloud the words you want children to say silently to themselves one phrase at a time, with pauses in between. Give children an extra moment each time you ask them to picture someone new.
Find Out More About Session 4
From Windows and Mirrors

Ideas about Forgiveness You can explore: You can learn more from the Dhar… Wisdom website and the Buddha Net website, which explores love and forgiveness meditations.http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/Meditations/love_forgiveness_meditati…; Atonement for breaking a covenant at Judaism 101—Yom…

Download all of Windows (Word) (PDF) to edit or print.

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Session 4: Building A Community Of Forgiveness

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