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

Opening

Part of Spirit of Life

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Altar or centering table
  • Cloth for covering altar or centering table
  • Chalice, candle and lighter or LED battery-operated candle
  • Handout 1, Roots Hold Me Close
  • Copies of the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Singing the Living Tradition
  • Optional: Small votive candle in holder
  • Optional: Taper candle in candlestick
  • Optional: A recording of "Spirit of Life" and a music player

Preparation for Activity

  • Review and photocopy Handout 1.
  • Prepare the altar or centering table with the cloth you have brought, a chalice and candle, a votive candle, a taper candle, and matches or a lighter. If you are using an LED battery-operated candle, place it in the chalice.
  • Gather copies of Singing the Living Tradition, enough for all participants. Obtain large print and/or braille copies for participants who need them.
  • Optional: Light the votive candle in advance and place the taper nearby so that chalice lighter can use the taper to carry the flame to the chalice.
  • Optional: Arrange for musical accompaniment or set up music player.

Description of Activity

Offer these words of welcome:

Welcome to this program on Unitarian Universalist spirituality. Each of our personal spiritualities is shaped by our roots, traditions, and heritage, by our role models, mentors, and teachers. Each one of us has had much life experience. Here may we learn from one another. I'm so glad you are here!

Distribute Handout 1. Invite a participant to light the chalice, while you lead the group in reciting the unison chalice-lighting words.

Invite participants to read silently along with you as you read aloud the Unitarian Universalist Principle and Source that this workshop highlights.

In this workshop about roots, invite participants to share their full names. You may ask participants to share how their full name connects to their spiritual or cultural roots.

Explain that this workshop focuses on the line "roots hold me close."

Invite participants to rise in body or spirit and sing "Spirit of Life" by Carolyn McDade, Hymn 123 in Singing the Living Tradition.