Workshop 8: Sharing New Insights

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

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Facing Death with Life

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Introduction
From Facing Death with Life

And so I shall go, in time, as all Go and greet this sustaining earth with gratitude and pray I am worthy and have served Her well. — Melitta Haslund, from “A Shovel Full of Earth” This workshop invites participants to reflect on what they have learned and experienced through Facing Death with…
Workshop-at-a-Glance
From Facing Death with Life

Activity Time Opening 5 minutes Activity 1: Field Trip Reflections 35 minutes Activity 2: Sharing Creative Expressions and Process 45 minutes Activity 3: A Good Death? 15 minutes Activity 4: Evaluation 10 minutes Closing 10 minutes…
Materials
From Facing Death with Life

Chalice, candle, and lighter or LED/battery-operated candle Candle, lighter, and holder or LED/battery-operated candle for each participant Newsprint, markers, and tape Our Covenant from Workshop 1 Handout 1, Evaluation Handout 2, Final Thoughts Computer or video player, speakers, and screen…
Preparation
From Facing Death with Life

Post Our Covenant from Workshop 1. Customize and make copies of Handouts 1 and 2 for all participants. Write on newsprint and post: What were your impressions? What was expected? What was unexpected? Did your views on death change, and if so, how? Did the visit affect your personal plans for your…
Opening
From Facing Death with Life

Activity time: 5 minutes Light the chalice and share these words from Rev. Kate Walker: With courage we turn to look, with fear and love pulling us forward, death will greet us one day. We look, but we do not welcome, not this time, not next time, we only look, with courage. Call attention to the…
Activity 1: Field Trip Reflections
From Facing Death with Life

Activity time: 35 minutes Invite participants to share insights, comments, and observations from your field trip to the funeral home, cemetery, or crematorium and record them on newsprint. If the group includes participants who did not make the field trip, invite others to fill in details. Call…
Activity 2: Sharing Creative Expressions and Process
From Facing Death with Life

Activity time: 45 minutes Invite participants, one at a time, to share their creative expressions and the process that led to the work they are sharing. Ask participants to give each other the gift of attentive listening during each presentation. Lead the group in affirming each person after they…
Activity 3: A Good Death?
From Facing Death with Life

Activity time: 15 minutes Ask, “Is there such a thing as a good death?” Invite a discussion, encouraging participants to share any experiences and learnings from the workshop program that have influenced their response to the question.
Activity 4: Evaluation
From Facing Death with Life

Activity time: 10 minutes Distribute Handout 1, Evaluation and invite participants to complete it and turn it in.
Closing
From Facing Death with Life

Activity time: 10 minutes Invite each participant to light a candle and name the fear about death and dying they would like to let go. Share these closing words from Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet: What do you really possess, And what have you gained in this life?…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Facing Death with Life

Make a time for individual reflection and discussion with your co-leader after the conclusion of the workshop. Consider these questions: What worked well in today’s workshop? What was most challenging? At what points were participants most and least engaged? Were all voices in the group heard?…
Handout 1: Evaluation
From Facing Death with Life

Facing Death with Life What did you like the best about the program? What would you change or improve? What readings or videos offered you new insights? Did you share any of them with other people? Is there something we didn’t cover that you would have liked to cover? What was most helpful about…
Handout 2: Final Thoughts
From Facing Death with Life

A Shovel Full of Earth Melitta Haslund, in “A Shovel Full of Earth.” Published in For All That Is Our Life, edited by Helen and Eugene Pickett (Skinner House, 2005). Used with permission. A few shovel fulls of earth await humbly. Dark brown as only earth can be— dug from the fragrant depths.

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The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Workshop 8: Sharing New Insights

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