Workshop 3: The Stirrings Of Compassion: Caring For One Another

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

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Part of Spirit of Life

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Introduction
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Workshop-at-a-Glance
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Activity Minutes Welcoming and Entering 0 Opening 15 Activity 1: Story — A Hospital Blessing 20 Activity 2: Creating Blessings 25 Activity 3: Sharing the Blessings 30 Faith in Action: Reaching out with Compassion Closing 5 Alternate Activity 1: Care and Compassion 10 Alternate Activity 2: Creatin…
Spiritual Preparation
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Reflection. You may wish to set aside some time to reflect on your personal experiences and understanding of spiritual care and compassion. Either individually or together, co-leaders can use the workshop activities to spark and structure your reflection. Doing so will prepare you to explain and…
Welcoming and Entering
From Spirit of Life

Materials for Activity Nametags and bold markers Sign-in sheet and pen or pencil Optional: Newsprint, markers, and tape Optional: Computer, digital projector, and digital slide that displays a list of this workshop’s activities Preparation for Activity Create a sign-in sheet to gather participant…
Opening
From Spirit of Life

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Altar or centering table Cloth for covering altar or centering table Chalice, candle and lighter or LED battery-operated candle Handout 1, The Stirrings of Compassion Copies of the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Singing the Living Tradition Optiona…
Activity 1: Story - A Hospital Blessing
From Spirit of Life

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Copy of the story “A Hospital Blessing” Optional: Cordless microphone Optional: Pulpit or podium Preparation for Activity Review the story and practice reading it aloud to ensure that you will present it effectively….
Activity 2: Creating Blessings
From Spirit of Life

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Bell Clock, watch, or timer that shows seconds Leader Resource 1, Creating Blessings Writing paper and pens or pencils Preparation for Activity Participants work in five small groups to create blessings to share with the entire group. If the group…
Activity 3: Sharing the Blessings
From Spirit of Life

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Optional: Cordless microphone(s) Preparation for Activity If more than five small groups have created blessings, think creatively about how each group can present within the allotted time. If you have decided to divide your whole group into two,…
Closing
From Spirit of Life

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Altar or centering table Cloth for covering altar or centering table Chalice and candle or LED battery-operated candle Chalice extinguisher Taking It Home section of this workshop Preparation for Activity Review Taking It Home and decide which…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Spirit of Life

After the workshop, co-facilitators should make time to get together to evaluate the workshop and plan future workshops. Use these questions to guide your shared reflection and planning: What were some of our favorite moments from the workshop? What were some of our most challenging moments? What…
Faith In Action: Reaching out with Compassion
From Spirit of Life

Description of Activity Find out from your parish minister, your pastoral care team, or other appropriate congregational group about the ways in which assistance is needed. Ask about opportunities that require a small time commitment as well as a substantial one….
Alternate Activity 1: Care and Compassion
From Spirit of Life

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Optional: Newsprint, and markers, and tape Optional: Cordless microphone Preparation for Activity Optional: Write the two questions for reflection on newsprint, and post. Description of Activity Explain that the topic for this activity is care and…
Alternate Activity 2: Creating a Meditation or Prayer
From Spirit of Life

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Handout 2, Creating a Centering Meditation or Prayer Writing paper and pens or pencils Clock, watch, or timer that shows seconds Books of prayers or meditations for participants to browse for inspiration. The readings at the end of the Unitarian…
Alternate Activity 3: Healing Circle
From Spirit of Life

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity The Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Singing the Living Tradition Singing the Journey: A Supplement to Singing the Living Tradition for each participant Optional: A piano, a guitar, or another instrument for accompaniment Preparation for Activity…
Taking It Home: The Stirrings Of Compassion: Caring For One Another
From Spirit of Life

We covenant to affirm and promote… Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. The living tradition we share draws from… Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love.
A Hospital Blessing
From Spirit of Life

As human knowledge has grown, we have come to know the immensity of the universe. The universe is big and we human beings can seem infinitesimally small. The hurting in the world, our community, and our families seems huge, and we can feel as though there is little we can do. There’s so much that…
Handout 1: The Stirrings of Compassion
From Spirit of Life

UNISON CHALICE LIGHTING …
Handout 2: Creating a Centering Meditation or Prayer
From Spirit of Life

Create your own centering meditation or prayer that names your experiences, feelings, and hopes as you try to respond with compassion to individuals, groups, or the world. Perhaps you’ll be drawn to completing some of these sentences….
Leader Resource 1: Creating Blessings
From Spirit of Life

Cut sheet into 5 strips along dotted lines. I. Blessing of Our Minds The hurting in the world, our community, and our families seems huge, and we can feel as though there is little we can do. Every day, our minds process so much information. We learn of pain and suffering, we learn of hurting and…
Find Out More
From Spirit of Life

Books of Prayers and Meditations Collections of meditations by Unitarian Universalists, compiled by Skinner House Books: Lis… for Our Song Day of Promise https://books.google.com/books?id=MioStxhEMcUC&pg=PR4&lpg=PR4&a… the Gifts of Life Singi… in the Night Prayers collected by Elizabeth…

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The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Workshop 3: The Stirrings Of Compassion: Caring For One Another

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