Session 14: Our Heritage's Calling

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

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Love Connects Us, Grades 4-5

In This Section

Introduction
From Love Connects Us

If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it. — Margaret Fuller, 19th-century Unitarian theologian In this session, we turn to the phrase in the Blake covenant which encourages us to “help one another.” Through the story of 19th-century Unitarian Elizabeth Blackwell, who became a…
Session-at-a-Glance
From Love Connects Us

Activity Minutes Welcoming and Entering 0 Opening 10 Activity 1: Filling Buckets Obstacle Course 15 Activity 2: Story — The Woman Who Wouldn’t Give Up 15 Activity 3: Rope Ladder Helping Ritual 15 Faith in Action: Heeding Our Calling to Help Others Closing 5 Alternate Activity 1: Ropes Course…
Spiritual Preparation
From Love Connects Us

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….
Welcoming and Entering
From Love Connects Us

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….
Opening
From Love Connects Us

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…
Activity 1: Filling Buckets Obstacle Course
From Love Connects Us

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Plastic buckets, two for each team Plastic cups, one for each team Cardboard boxes of different sizes and shapes, and items such as chairs, tables, brooms, and pillows Yardstick or ruler Whistle, bell, or gong Optional: Plastic tarps or other…
Activity 2: Story - The Woman Who Wouldn't Give Up
From Love Connects Us

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story, “The Woman Who Wouldn’t Give Up” A copy of the Unitarian Universalist Principles Preparation for Activity Read the story several times so you are comfortable sharing it with the participants….
Activity 3: Rope Ladder Helping Ritual
From Love Connects Us

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Two four-foot lengths of rope One-foot lengths of rope (all the same length)-one for each participant plus two extra Large basket to hold all the one-foot lengths of rope Preparation for Activity Lay the two long pieces of rope parallel to each oth…
Closing
From Love Connects Us

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…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Love Connects Us

Reflect on and discuss with your co-leader(s): How did the timing go today? What might we do to make it better? How did the participants respond to the story? Did they “get” it? How did the participants respond to the obstacle course? Did it appear challenging to them, or too easy?
Faith In Action: Heeding Our Calling to Help Others
From Love Connects Us

Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Post blank newsprint. Description of Activity Using the newsprint and markers, brainstorm ways we can be called to help others. Then, decide as a group which of the callings to help others interests the group the most…
Alternate Activity 1: Ropes Course
From Love Connects Us

Materials for Activity Permission forms for all participants, as needed Preparation for Activity Arrange with your religious educator and/or congregational leadership to take the group on a field trip to a ropes course or climbing wall. Determine the cost of the activity and transportation….
Alternate Activity 2: Role Play on Helping Others
From Love Connects Us

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….
Alternate Activity 3: Create a Rap, Song, or Cheer about Helping Others
From Love Connects Us

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….
Taking It Home: Our Heritage's Calling
From Love Connects Us

If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it. — Margaret Fuller, 19th-century Unitarian theologian IN TODAY’S SESSION… the participants experienced a challenging obstacle course and then heard a story about Elizabeth Blackwell who persisted in her quest to become a doctor even as…
The Woman Who Wouldn't Give Up
From Love Connects Us

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….
Find Out More
From Love Connects Us

Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell Learn more about Elizabeth Blackwell and her contribution to our heritage of helping others on the National Library of Medicine’s website, the website of the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and the https://www.nlm.nih.gov/changingthefaceofmedicine/physicians/biography_……

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The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Session 14: Our Heritage's Calling

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