Tapestry of Faith: What Moves Us: A Unitarian Universalist Theology Program for Adults

Closing

Part of What Moves Us

Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Small worship table and cloth
  • Chalice, candle and lighter or LED battery-operated candle
  • A copy of Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook
  • Taking It Home handouts for all participants

Preparation for Activity

  • Review the Taking It Home section. Decide which extension activities you will encourage participants to do.
  • Download the Taking It Home section to your computer, customize it for your group, and copy for all participants.

Description of Activity

Gather participants around the altar or centering table. Affirm the good work that participants have done in this workshop.

Distribute the Taking It Home handout. Explain that each workshop provides a Taking It Home handout with ideas for continuing to explore the workshop's subject with friends, co-workers, housemates, and family. Mention that the Faith in Action activities included in the handout offer another extension opportunity.

Offer a benediction these closing words from Thandeka's story:

Gradually, I began to notice a shift, a letting go, a change of heart. It was subtle. ... And yet, for me, it was... vividly affirming. I had finally said to myself— "I am sad and for good reason." And I heard myself reply: "Yeah."

Suddenly, I felt a childlike intensity of feeling that turns every experience of life into something unmistakably marvelous.

I felt love beyond belief. And I loved life, every moment of it.

But I could not sustain this change of heart by myself. I needed the care and compassion of my own Unitarian Universalist community to stay the spiritual course of my change of heart, my experience of love beyond belief.

Extinguish the chalice and invite participants to go in peace.

Including All Participants

Be inclusive of people with a variety of living situations-for example, living alone, with a significant other, in a multigenerational family, or with housemates-in the way you explain the Taking It Home activities.