(5 minutes)

Materials

• Copies of Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook
• Small worship table
• Chalice, candle, and lighter or LED battery-operated candle
• Covenant created in Workshop 1, and wall-safe tape

Preparation

• Set the chalice on the worship table.
• Post the covenant.
• Choose either the song or the reading for your opening:
  • “Here We Have Gathered,” Hymn 360 in Singing the Living Tradition, is a good choice if your group likes to sing.
  • “We Need One Another,” Reading 468 in Singing the Living Tradition, is a responsive reading. Plan to have half the participants read the plain text and the other half read the italicized text.

Description

Gather the group in a circle. Ask a participant to light the chalice as you and the group engage in the opening words, either singing “Here We Have Gathered” or responsively reading “We Need One Another.”

Tell participants that today’s workshop focuses on spiritual well-being and that some activities may induce a mild level of stress. Let them know that they can always “pass” or excuse themselves if they are uncomfortable. Reassure them that the purpose of the workshop is to build participants’ awareness of how they react to and reduce stress and to explore how they, as leaders, can set a congregational tone that invites others to care for themselves in body and spirit.

Review the posted covenant.