Each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint ... discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you. — Oprah Winfrey In this concluding session, participants examine...

By Steven Cooper and Hannah Cooper.My name is Hannah and I'm in the sixth grade. I attend a Unitarian Universalist church in Naperville, Illinois. This past year our church joined many other UU congregations in the Chicago area on a project called No More Turning Away. The purpose of this project...

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Ball of yarn Optional: Scissors, including left-handed scissors Description of Activity In addition to building community through sharing information about important events in participants' lives, this version of sharing joys and concerns uses a...

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Polar fleece fabric cut into strips: 15 strips approximately 4x72 inches 18 strips approximately 4x60 inches Preparation for Activity Purchase polar fleece or (less expensive) old blankets or flannel sheets from a thrift store. It is best to use at...

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Two-foot lengths of yarn or rope, at least two per participant Preparation for Activity Plan an indoor or outdoor course for the group to walk which is safe and accessible for all participants, yet challenging for a cluster of people tied together.

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint and tape Copies of a map (see below) Pencils with erasers, color markers, and crayons-one set for each small group Preparation for Activity Identify a homeless shelter, food distribution center, senior residence, pre-school, or other...

Activity time: 10 minutes Preparation for Activity Make sure you have a large, open space where the group has room to form a machine together. Description of Activity A basic element of helping one another is the experience of responding to others and joining them in a cooperative effort....

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story, "No More Turning Away" Preparation for Activity Read the story and prepare to share it with the group....

Homelessness and Social Action The National Coalition for the Homeless website provides fact sheets about homelessness. The http://search.usa.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&sc=0&query=kids+and…. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers information you can share with participants about...

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 we make with the participants? What connections did the participants make with each other? How was this evident? How could we...

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Taking It Home Preparation for Activity Download and adapt Taking It Home and copy as a handout for all participants (or, email to parents). Description of Activity Explain that the session is almost over and that we will now work together as a...

Materials for Activity Refrigerator box or another large, cardboard appliance box Utility knife Colored paper, markers, and tape or glue sticks Preparation for Activity Arrange a place in your congregation to display the finished "box home" at your congregation....

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice, candle, and matches or LED/battery-operated candle Newsprint, markers, and tape Bucket ornaments cut from card stock (see Welcoming and Entering) Markers, pens, and pencils Preparation for Activity Set up chalice. Write the words of James...

Materials for Activity Card stock in various colors Scissors Hole punch String or yarn Pencils/markers Preparation for Activity Draw a bucket on card stock and cut it out to make a template....

Find a place where you can be quiet with your thoughts. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for about five minutes, perhaps repeating a word or phrase to separate yourself from the activities of the day....

This story appears in volume 5 of The Stream of Living Souls, the Rev. Denise Tracy's self-published anthology of short stories for worship based on the lives of famous historical Unitarian and Universalists. I have a question for you....

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Paper and pencils/pens Description of Activity Form teams of four or five participants. Invite each team to create a rap, song, or cheer about helping others....

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Pieces of fabric, hats, and/or scarves for simple costume props Boxes of various sizes for set props Preparation for Activity Gather props for costumes or the set. Description of Activity Form groups of three or four....