Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Spirit of Life: An Adult Program on Unitarian Universalist Spirituality

Activity 2: Spirituality and Action Panel

Part of Spirit of Life

Activity time: 30 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Additional chairs for guest speakers
  • Optional: Cordless microphone

Preparation for Activity

  • Recruit two or three speakers to serve on a panel on spirituality and justice work. Speakers may be Unitarian Universalist or of another faith; they may be clergy or lay; they may be working for social change in many different ways. If possible, invite people with different generational perspectives. What is important is that each speaker be able to articulate the connection between their spirituality and their justice work.
  • After recruiting speakers, brief each speaker on what to expect.

Description of Activity

Introduce the panelists to the group by name, then offer two minutes each for panelists to introduce themselves further.

Guide the panelists' sharing with your own questions or these:

  • In what ways is your spirituality an expression of your work for change?
  • In what ways has your work for justice informed your spirituality? Has it affected your relationship to the sacred? Has it affected your definition of what is sacred?
  • Where do you find the sustenance you need to keep working for change, even when change doesn't come easily?

Solicit participants' questions for the panelists. When twenty-five minutes have passed, thank the panelists for their participation and invite them to share any final thoughts with participants.