Session 14: Weddings and Other Services of Love and Union

Beautiful orange sunset over a deep blue ocean. — Tapestry is Sunsetting

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Chalice Children, in Preschool

In This Section

Introduction
From Chalice Children

Oh, you can be anybody you want to be, you can love whomever you will. — “Everything Possible,” Hymn 1019 in Singing the Journey The children learn that weddings and services of union happen in your congregation between two people who love each other. They spend time playing with the…
Session-at-a-Glance
From Chalice Children

Activity Minutes Activity 1: Free Play 15 Activity 2: Circle Rhymes Transition 5 Activity 3: Circle Time 5 Activity 4: Story 5 Activity 5: Wedding 15 Activity 6: Circle Games 10 Closing 5…
Spiritual Preparation
From Chalice Children

Take time before the session and find a quiet place for reflection. What weddings or services of union did you attend as a child or as an adult? If you’ve had a wedding, do you remember feeling gladness, hope, nervousness? A wedding is really about hope—that despite all the things they know could…
Opening
From Chalice Children

Description of Activity In the Chalice Children program, sessions begin with Activity 1, Free Play rather than a formal Opening. The chalice is lit in Activity 3, Circle Time.
Activity 1: Free Play
From Chalice Children

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Name tags Variety of free play options, such as toys, a puzzle, a story book, manipulatives, dramatic play props, and markers and paper Two stuffed bears (or other stuffed animals) Wedding-related items Preparation for Activity Collect wedding-rela…
Activity 2: Circle Rhymes Transition
From Chalice Children

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Circle Rhymes posters Preparation for Activity Display the Circle Rhymes posters from Session 1. Description of Activity Using the same songs and chants each week will help the children transition smoothly and predictably from free play to Circle Time.
Activity 3: Circle Time
From Chalice Children

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice-lighting words, written on newsprint Chalice with tea light flame or other preschool chalice option Feelings Chart or Feelings Flashcards by Todd Parr Two teddy bears (or two other stuffed animals) Preparation for Activity Post the…
Activity 4: Story
From Chalice Children

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Story book Preparation for Activity Choose a story from the following suggestions: The Wedding by Eve Bunting, 2003. On her way to town, Miss Brindle Cow meets a host of animals who are late for a very important wedding….
Activity 5: Wedding
From Chalice Children

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 1, Wedding Ceremony Readings Two stuffed bears (or other stuffed animals) Wedding-related items Wedding music and equipment to play it Three battery-operated tea lights Something festive to drink, such as sparkling white grape juice…
Activity 6: Circle Games
From Chalice Children

Activity time: 10 minutes Preparation for Activity Familiarize yourself with the games and songs. Display any Circle Games posters you have made. Description of Activity Gather in a circle on the floor. Play the games and sing the songs. Keep the pace brisk to help the children stay focused.
Closing
From Chalice Children

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Taking It Home handout Markers or crayons Preschool chalice Optional: Envelopes, hole punch, and yarn or ribbon Preparation for Activity Download and adapt Taking It Home and make a copy for each child….
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Chalice Children

Reflect on these questions and discuss them with your co-leader: How do we feel about what went on during this session? Why? What was the best part of this session? Why? What preparation do we need for the next session?
Taking It Home: Weddings and Other Services of Love and Union
From Chalice Children

Oh, you can be anybody you want to be, you can love whomever you will. — “Everything Possible,” Hymn 1019 in Singing the Journey IN TODAY’S SESSION … the theme was “At [name of congregation], we have weddings and services of union celebrating love.” EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER….
Leader Resource 1: Wedding Ceremony Readings
From Chalice Children

From The Same-Sex Wedding Guide: A Resource for Same-Sex Couples and Ministers, by the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns, 2004. The quotation in Reading 1 comes from A Book of Pagan Rituals, edited by Herman Slater, 1978. Reading 1…
Find Out More
From Chalice Children

The UUA website provides The Same-Sex Wedding Guide: A Resource for Same-Sex Couples and Ministers (2004). Read two articles about historic same-sex wedding ceremonies recently performed by UU ministers: “U.U….

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The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Session 14: Weddings and Other Services of Love and Union

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