Tapestry of Faith: A Place of Wholeness: A Program for Youth Exploring Their Own Unitarian Universalist Faith Journeys

Activity 1: Story - Spirit of Life

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • A copy of the story "Spirit of Life"
  • Copies of Singing the Living Tradition, for all participants

Preparation for Activity

  • Read the story "Spirit of Life," until you are comfortable presenting it.

Description of Activity

Participants are introduced to the ideas of spirituality and spiritual practice through the story of how the hymn "Spirit of Life" was written and how it is used in Unitarian Universalist congregations today.

Invite participants to rise in body or spirit and sing Hymn 123 "Spirit of Life" from Singing the Living Tradition.

After the song, present the story or invite a participant to read it. After the story, ask another participant to read the words of the song. Then lead a brief discussion with the following questions:

  • Why do you think this song is sung so often in Unitarian Universalist settings?
  • What does this story tell us about what it means to be spiritual?
  • What are some examples of spirituality in this story?

Including All Participants

Invite participants to rise in body of spirit to sing the hymn.