Tapestry of Faith: A Chorus of Faiths: A Program That Builds Interfaith Youth Leaders

Activity 1: Planning the Interfaith Service Event, Part 3

Activity time: 25 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Newsprint, markers, and tape
  • Time line and/or calendar (Workshop 1)

Preparation for Activity

  • Review Before You Start, Interfaith Service Event Step-by-Step Outline from the program's Introduction.
  • Post blank newsprint.

Description of Activity

Participants accept responsibility for tasks related to the interfaith service event.

If participants will be the only planners...

At this point, you have identified partners in the community and chosen a service event. With parameters set for what you want to do and when, sit down with all participants and ask:

What are all the things we need to do between now and the interfaith service event to make that event a success? Let's list every little thing, from the most detailed to the most general.

Write everything said on the newsprint. Encourage conversation as you think of tasks that have not been mentioned. Include, for example:

  • Choosing a time, a place, and leaders for interfaith dialogue before and/or after the service event
  • Making posters to advertise the event
  • Drafting a final schedule
  • Emailing the final schedule to everyone who will need it
  • Confirming plans with the service event site and any food providers

Once you have a comprehensive list, decide together on a point person for each task and a deadline by which that task must be completed. Offer, or designate a volunteer, to type the list of tasks, point people, and deadlines and email it to everyone that night. Email it again a week later.

Encourage everyone to complete their tasks to work toward the service event. From here on, it may be helpful to have a five-minute check-in at every workshop about which tasks are done, which are not, and what new tasks have emerged.

If participants think it would be helpful, broadly categorize tasks-e.g., food, dialogue, media-and have committees be responsible for each category rather than individuals take responsibility for each task.

Optional: Set up a Facebook group or Bridge-builders group for your interfaith service event, with a private wall where leaders can communicate with one another.

If the group will share planning with interfaith partners...

When you have a commitment to participate from youth of other faith communities, seek youth and/or adult leaders and invite them to join you in planning the event. Proceed through the planning steps outlined above, sharing responsibilities. For example, you might pair each youth in the UU group with a youth from another faith and ask them to share the "point person" role for specific duties. While some planning may need to happen by phone and email, seek times for UU youth to meet face-to-face with partners.

See Before You Start in the program Introduction for guidance on meetings with partners.