(5 minutes)

Materials

• A penny for each participant

Preparation

• Optional: Customize the Taking It Home handout for your group before emailing or photocopying it.
• Copy Taking It Home for all participants, or plan to email it.

Description

This activity was developed for children, but it works well for adults too.

Distribute copies of Taking It Home or tell the group when you will email it.

Say:

How many of you have thrown a coin into a fountain and made a wish? Some of us may have a superstitious idea that if we keep our wish a secret, it will magically come true. When I throw coins into a fountain, I usually don’t remember what I wished for, and so I don’t know if those wishes ever come true.

Today, I want to give you an idea for a new way to make wishes. I’m going to give you each a penny. Hold your penny in your hand, and wish something not for yourself, but for this congregation.

Now I invite each of you to give that penny to someone else and share your wish aloud.

(Pause.)

You just gave another person your hopes and dreams for the congregation, and you just received someone else’s hopes and dreams. They have given you an invitation to help them with their wish, and you have invited them to help you. Pass your pennies around again.

(Pause.)

Imagine doing it again. And again. So many wishes and hopes and dreams passing through so many hands. May you all be ready to help one another fulfill those wishes. I hope you will also tell others outside this room what your wish is so they can help you fulfill it.

Keep your penny, and when you look at it, think of the hopes and dreams that we all have for this congregation, and pledge to help one another make your wishes come true.