• Chalice and matches

Gathering

Gather participants and invite them to sit in a circle. Welcome participants; go around and say names. If participants are meeting each other for the first time, engage them in a "get-to-know-you" activity. Choose one of the two activities described below or create your own.

Round Robin Sharing. Go around the circle and ask participants to name a favorite food, favorite kind of music, favorite place to vacation, and so on.

Step In, Step Out. Begin the activity by saying, "This game is just to help us know about some things we may have in common. I am going to read a statement. If you agree, move three steps into the circle. We will look around to see who has moved and who has not. Then we will step back into the large circle and I will read another statement." Participants simply indicate agreement by stepping inside the circle. Make sure the starting circle is fairly large. Read statements and allow participants to move into the circle as they agree. After a statement is read and those agreeing have moved in, allow time for participants to step back into the original circle. You may use the statements below or make up your own.

• I prefer the mountains to the beach.
• I protect the environment.
• I recycled today.
• I like anchovies on my pizza.
• I am good at cooking or baking.
• I cooked or baked something this week.
• I would choose a trip to Alaska over a trip to France.
• I like to sleep late.
• I like watching basketball.
• I like playing basketball.
• I am political.
• I am radical.
• I tell people I am a Unitarian Universalist.

Chalice Lighting

When you light the chalice, use the words provided below or those of your own choosing.

We light this chalice

With thanks that we can all be here together

And with faith

For the joy of our coming work together.

Overview

Provide an overview of the rest of the session; post the day's schedule if you prepared one. Explain that subsequent sessions of the program combine activities and ongoing photo-documentary project work.

If movement poses a difficulty, have participants raise their hands instead of stepping in and out of the circle.