Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 2, Our Congregation's Structure Organizational chart or summary for your congregation Preparation for Activity Complete Leader Resource 2, Our Congregation's Structure, with help from appropriate leaders in the congregation. Make...

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Handout 1, Covenant as Promise Newsprint, markers, and tape Pens or pencils Optional: Your congregation's covenant Optional: Copies of Singing the Living Tradition for all participants Preparation for Activity Copy Handout 1, Covenant as Promise, f...

Activity time: 15 minutes Preparation for Activity Invite the president, or a past president, of the congregation to address the group for no more than ten minutes. Meet with the leader a few weeks in advance to discuss their presentation....

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Story, "The Founding of the Dedham Church" Preparation for Activity Print out the story "The Founding of the Dedham Church" and copy for all participants. Practice reading the story aloud. Find out how your congregation was founded. If there is a...

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Post blank newsprint. Description of Activity Introduce the activity by providing a bridge from the Opening with these or similar words: Our opening reading spoke about a free church....

Activity time: 3 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of Singing the Living Tradition, or copies of Singing the Journey (supplement to the hymnbook), for all participants Optional: Keyboard or other musical accompaniment Preparation for Activity Determine whether you will sing one of the hymns o...

Activity time: 2 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook, for all participants Chalice, candle, and lighter, or an LED battery-operated candle Appropriate stand or small table for the chalice Cloth or decorative covering for chali...

Materials for Activity Name tags, durable or single use Bold markers Paper and pen/pencil for sign-up sheet Small table Optional: Refreshments Preparation for Activity If you have not done so already, create a sign-up sheet with columns for name, address, phone, and email information and place it...

Imagine being in church on a Sunday morning when a group of children are about to present a musical. They have learned songs and lines and rehearsed and are ready to go. Excitement fills the air. Suddenly, all the celebratory spirit comes to a crashing halt as a stranger opens fire in the sanctuary.

Personalize and adapt this letter to fit your context. To determine the length of time each participant will have to speak, assume that twenty minutes of the panel's time will be presentation. For example, if you have 5 panelists, each will have 4 minutes. Dear Panelist, Thank you for agreeing to...

From Safe Congregation Handbook, Patricia Hoertdoerfer and Frederic Muir, eds. (Boston: Unitarian Universalist Association, 2005). Privilege operates on personal, cultural, and institutional levels to give advantages, favors, and benefits to those who have the greatest access to resources in our...

Under the word "ACTION", write a word or phrase that represents something you have done to make the world a better place. Then, consider what you learned from that action. Write a word or phrase about what you learned above the word "REFLECTION." Then consider whether that reflection led to a...

This is the story of Theodore Parker, a Unitarian minister who was determined to do whatever he could to end slavery in the United States. His powerful sermons were legendary. This is also the story of Millard Fillmore, whose actions earned him the contempt of Theodore Parker and abolitionists...

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 2, Standing on the Side of Love Optional: Standing on the Side of Love pins, tee-shirt, or banner Preparation for Activity Invite someone from your congregation who has been involved with Standing on the Side of Love to join you for...

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Handout 2, Privilege and Oppression Preparation for Activity Copy Handout 2, Privilege and Oppression, for all participants. Optional: Invite someone from your congregation who is active with anti-racism initiatives to join you for this activity.

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 1, Letter to Panelists Preparation for Activity Recruit a panel of people from your congregation who have been involved with social justice. The Social Justice Committee chairperson and minister may be helpful in selecting the panel.

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Handout 1, Action-Reflection Model Pens or pencils Preparation for Activity Copy Handout 1, Action-Reflection Model for participants....

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Story, "Theodore Parker and the Crafts" Newsprint, markers, and tape. Preparation for Activity Copy the story "Theodore Parker and the Crafts" for all participants. Write questions for the small groups on newsprint, leaving them covered until the...

Activity time: 15 minutes Description of Activity Invite participants to introduce themselves and present a brief description of their own work with social justice using words such as: In this workshop, we are talking about social justice....

Activity time: 3 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of Singing the Living Tradition for all participants Optional: Keyboard or other musical accompaniment Preparation for Activity Determine whether you will sing the song or do the reading....