Session 1: On the Threshold

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

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Creating Home, Kindergarten-1st Grade

Tapestry of Faith, Creating Home, Session 1 JPEG illustration for Magic Vase — **COLORING SHEET**
Invite children to draw or color while they hear the story, “The Magic Vase” (PDF).
Illustration: Susan Shallenberger

In This Section

Introduction
From Creating Home

I want to remind myself and others that our homes can become sacred places, filled with life and meaning. — Gunilla Norris This session is the threshold of a journey that leaders and participants will take together, an exploration of the spiritual sense of home. In Session 1, children will learn…
Session-at-a-Glance
From Creating Home

ACTIVITY MINUTES Opening 10 Activity 1: Home and Back Again 5 Activity 2: Story — The Magic Vase 5 Activity 3: Walking the Labyrinth (concurrent with Activity 4 and/or Activity 6) 25 Activity 4: Our Name Stones 10 Activity 5: Singing “The More We Get Together” 5 Activity 6: Decorating the…
Spiritual Preparation
From Creating Home

Every adult has a unique ancestral history. As a leader, you will model for participants the way you embrace and honor your own. Your history with the word “home” is likely to creep into your presentation of this program….
Opening
From Creating Home

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice candle or LED/battery-operated candle Lighter and extinguisher, if needed Labyrinth, folded or rolled to conceal its design Basket or bowl of stones Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Write the chalice-lighting words on…
Activity 1: Home and Back Again
From Creating Home

Activity time: 5 minutes Description of Activity Children will learn to define the threshold of their family homes by actively interpreting the story below, which you will read aloud or tell in your own words. Have participants stand in a semi-circle or circle, so that all can see you and all can…
Activity 2: Story - The Magic Vase
From Creating Home

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Copy of story, “The Magic Vase” Optional: “The Magic Vase” coloring sheet, and crayons Preparation for Activity Read and print the story, “The Magic Vase.” Prepare to tell it without reading directly from the script….
Activity 3: Walking The Labyrinth
From Creating Home

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Labyrinth Preparation for Activity Have the labyrinth spread out on the floor. While you guide individual children to walk the labyrinth, you may wish to engage the other participants in Activity 4: Our Name Stones or Activity 6: Decorating the…
Activity 4: Our Name Stones
From Creating Home

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Name stones, one for each participant Newspaper Permanent markers Arts and crafts materials, including a strong glue to affix decorations to a stone Optional: Paper and a pen or pencil Preparation for Activity Spread newspaper to cover floor or tab…
Activity 5: Singing "The More We Get Together"
From Creating Home

Activity time: 5 minutes Preparation for Activity Listen online to the song, “The More We Get Together” if you do not know it. Description of Activity Singing and moving together builds a sense of community among the children….
Activity 6: Decorating the Threshold
From Creating Home

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Colored tissue paper, cut into five-inch squares (ten squares for each flower) Green construction paper to cut into leaf shapes Markers Optional: Leader Resource 1, Leaf Shape Pencils and scissors (including left-handed scissors) Tape Colored ribbo…
Closing
From Creating Home

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice candle or LED/battery-operated candle Lighter and extinguisher, if needed Labyrinth, with participants’ name stones placed on it Basket for name stones Optional: Index cards or post-its, markers, and tape Optional: One copy of Singing the…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Creating Home

To reflect on today’s session, ask yourself: 1. How have my/our expectations about today’s time been met? 2. What surprised me about today? 3. What can I do differently as a leader next time to meet the needs of this group? 4….
Faith In Action: Decorating Others' Thresholds - Short-term or Long-term
From Creating Home

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Arts and crafts materials Tape or approved mounting material for use at residential facility Bottle(s) of hand sanitizer Preparation for Activity In advance, contact an elderly housing or assisted living facility in your community….
Alternate Activity 1: Building Homes Free Play
From Creating Home

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Magazines to cut up, such as National Geographic, Better Homes and Gardens, or others rich with visual representations of diverse kinds of homes Scissors (including left-handed scissors), tape or glue sticks, and poster board Building toys such as…
Alternate Activity 2: Finger Labyrinth
From Creating Home

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of Handout 1, Finger Labyrinth for all participants Cotton-tipped swabs Paint, in wide-mouthed containers Preparation for Activity Print out and photocopy Handout 1, Finger Labyrinth. Description of Activity Tell children they will now let…
Alternate Activity 3: Making a Magic Vase
From Creating Home

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity In the Resources section, under “Leader Resources,” find a recipe for homemade modeling dough and web links to more recipes and directions for forming a pinch pot. Description of Activity Participants will love to take a magic vase home….
Taking It Home: On the Threshold
From Creating Home

I want to remind myself and others that our homes can become sacred places, filled with life and meaning. – Gunilla Norris IN TODAY’S SESSION… We began our exploration of home by talking about thresholds – places of entrance and exit where we begin and end our journeys. We created name…
The Magic Vase
From Creating Home

“The Magic Vase” was adapted from “The Magic Vase” as retold by Margaret Silf in One Hundred Wisdom Stories from Around the World, compiled by Margaret Silf (Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2003), 41-42. Used by permission, all rights reserved. There was once a poor family who lived in a drab…
Handout 1: Finger Labyrinth
From Creating Home

Used with Permission Printing This Handout Download a high-resolution copy of this handout (PDF) for printing.
Leader Resource 1: Leaf Shape
From Creating Home

Printing This Handout Download a high-resolution copy of this Handout (PDF) for printing.
Find Out More
From Creating Home

Labyrinths Learn about the history of labyrinths and their contemporary spiritual and educational uses, as well as how to draw or build a labyrinth, from the website of The Labyrinth Society….