Session 15: Prayer Is A Place To Grow A Soul

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Part of Windows and Mirrors, Grades 4-5

In This Section

Introduction
From Windows and Mirrors

Oh God, if there is a God, save my soul, if I have a soul. — Joseph Ernest Renan, French philosopher and historian Prayer helps us to identify our motives, our pains, our cravings, and joys. As we come to know ourselves, we are changed beyond selfishness into harmony with those Presences from…
Session-at-a-Glance
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity Minutes Opening 5 Activity 1: Story — Letter to Nancy 5 Activity 2: Praying Thanks, Regret and Hope 5 Activity 3: Finger Labyrinth 5 Activity 4: Prayer Stations 25 Activity 5: Window/Mirror Panel — Reflections of Prayer 10 Faith in Action: Building and Walking a Labyrinth Closing 5…
Spiritual Preparation
From Windows and Mirrors

In private or in public, in solitude or with others, prayer is a highly personal experience. Whether you pray regularly, have never prayed or have prayed or meditated before, you may find this session challenging and revealing, as you guide children to explore prayer as a window into the human…
Opening
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice or LED/battery-operated candle Large, round mirror to hold the chalice Reflective materials, such as beads or pieces of stained glass Newsprint, markers and tape Opening Words Basket and opening words (see Session 1, Leader Resource 1)…
Activity 1: Story - Letter to Nancy
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Copy of the story “Letter to Nancy ” A bell, chime, rain stick or other musical noisemaker Preparation for Activity Read the story. Try adopting a different voice for Nancy’s minister….
Activity 2: Praying Thanks, Regret and Hope
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers and tape Optional: Paper and pencils for small groups Preparation for Activity Decide whether to conduct this discussion as a whole group or in small groups. If you prefer small groups, each will need an adult facilitator and you…
Activity 3: Finger Labyrinth
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Handout 1, Finger Labyrinth, for all participants Quiet music and music player Timepiece Preparation for Activity Find quiet, instrumental music to play during a three-minute meditation. Copy Handout 1 for all participants. Make some extra; children…
Activity 4: Prayer Stations
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Handout 2, Respecting Others’ Spiritual Practices Optional: Silhouette images of body prayer postures, from Leader Resource 1 Optional: Music, and music player Prayer Stations Work as Prayer….
Activity 5: Window/Mirror Panel - Reflections of Prayer
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity All participants’ Window/Mirror Panels Handout 1, Finger Labyrinth, from Activity 3 Optional: Newsprint, markers and tape Basket(s) of Window/Mirror Panel materials: Sheets of Mylar(R) in several colors, shiny gift wrap, aluminum foil and other…
Closing
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers and tape Taking It Home handout Optional: A copy of Session 1, Leader Resource 2, Namaste Preparation for Activity Identify a place for participants to store their Window/Mirror Panels between sessions. Keep in mind, there may be…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Windows and Mirrors

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 you make with the children? What connections did the children make with each other? How was this evident? How could a sense of…
Faith In Action: Building and Walking a Labyrinth
From Windows and Mirrors

Materials for Activity Leader Resource 2, Drawing a Labyrinth A large, open space at least 12x15 feet (180 square feet) for constructing the labyrinth For an indoor labyrinth: Rolls of blue painter’s tape, wide ribbon and masking tape to anchor it to the floor, and/or play construction blocks For…
Alternate Activity 1: Story - Finding God in Silence
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Copy of the story “Finding God in Silence” A bell, chime, rain stick or other musical noisemaker Preparation for Activity Review the story….
Alternate Activity 2: Journaling
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Notebooks and pens/pencils for all participants Preparation for Activity This activity is designed to follow Activity 4, Prayer Stations. You might also wish to provide a journaling option as part of Activity 5, Window/Mirror Panel — Reflections of…
Alternate Activity 3: Sun Salutations
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Yoga mats for all participants Chairs for participants who may do modified versions of poses Leader Resource 3, Sun Salutation Preparation for Activity Identify a co-leader or adult volunteer with experience doing-preferably leading-yoga movement.
Alternate Activity 4: Body Prayer Library
From Windows and Mirrors

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Visual resources about body prayer. These books are recommended: Body Prayer: The Posture of Intimacy with God by Doug Pagitt and Kathryn Prill ( Colorado Springs, Colorado : Waterbrook Press, 2005) Praying with Our Hands: 21 Practices of Embodied…
Taking It Home: Prayer Is A Place To Grow A Soul
From Windows and Mirrors

Oh God, if there is a God, save my soul, if I have a soul. — Joseph Ernest Renan, French philosopher and historian Prayer helps us to identify our motives, our pains, our cravings, and joys. As we come to know ourselves, we are changed beyond selfishness into harmony with those Presences from…
Finding God In Silence

Mary Ann Moore

From Windows and Mirrors

By Mary Ann Moore, in Hide and Seek with God (Boston: Skinner House Books, 1994). Based on tales from Zen Buddhism and Hebrew scripture. Used with permission. Once there was a man who wanted to know what God was truly like….
Letter to Nancy
From Windows and Mirrors

A seven-year-old girl named Nancy asked her minister, “What prayer shall I say when I go to bed?” He wrote her back this answer. Dear Nancy, You may not have realized it, but when you asked me to suggest a bedtime prayer for you, you raised a very important question. It is a question which people…
Handout 1: Finger Labyrinth
From Windows and Mirrors

Printing This Handout Download a high-resolution copy of this Handout (PDF) for printing.
Handout 2: Respecting Others' Spiritual Practices
From Windows and Mirrors

There are more than six billion people in the world. Many use spiritual practices and rituals that may be unfamiliar to you, but offer deep meaning to them. In your own search for truth and meaning, you may want to try an unfamiliar practice. Here are some ways you can show respect: Ask about…
Leader Resource 1: Body Prayer Posture Silhouettes
From Windows and Mirrors

Use these images to decorate the meeting space for this session. Printing This Handout Download a high-resolution copy of this Handout (PDF) for printing.
Leader Resource 2: Drawing a Labyrinth
From Windows and Mirrors

Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has no “dead ends.” The three-path labyrinth is simple to draw. Use blue painter’s tape to create this design in a large, indoor open space, or chalk to draw it on a hard-top, outdoor surface….
Leader Resource 3: Sun Salutation
From Windows and Mirrors

Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation, is a series of 12 postures performed in a single, graceful flow. Each movement is coordinated with the breath. Inhale as you extend or stretch, and exhale as you fold or contract. The Sun Salutation builds strength and increases flexibility. Different styles of…
Find out More About Session 15, Praye Is a Place to Grow a Soul
From Windows and Mirrors

What Is Prayer in Unitarian Universalism? Within our faith, prayer has a wide range of functions, meanings and practices. Find eight contemporary UU ministers’ diverse perspectives in the pamphlet, “UU Views of Prayer,” edited by Catherine Bowers (Boston: UUA, 1999). Read the text or order the…