Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Resistance and Transformation: An Adult Program on Unitarian Universalist Social Justice History

Alternate Activity 1: The Charge of the Chalice

Activity time: 35 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • With your co-facilitator, preview Leader Resource 1, Video Clip - Davies Memorial Church, Camp Springs, Maryland or the DVD "Breakthrough Congregations 2007," which includes the 14 minute, 33 second segment (the DVD will be available from your congregation or district library). Ask each other: Does the video challenge any of your assumptions about Unitarian Universalism? How?
  • Prepare the computer, projector, and Internet connection or DVD so you can show participants the clip.
  • Copy Handout 3, Characteristics of Racially Integrated Unitarian Universalist Congregations for all participants.
  • Optional: Read about Davies Memorial Church on the UUA website.

Description of Activity

Show the group Leader Resource 1, Video Segment - Davies Memorial Church, Camp Springs, Maryland, or the same segment on DVD. Then, lead a discussion about Davies Memorial's work to become intentionally multicultural and multiracial. Use these questions as a guide:

  • Does Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church challenge any of your stereotypes of or assumptions about Unitarian Universalism?
  • What has made Davies Memorial's efforts to become a diverse and multiracial religious community successful?
  • What parallels to, or differences from, the Black Humanist Fellowship of Liberation do you see in Davies Memorial?

Allow ten minutes for discussion. Then, distribute Handout 3, Characteristics of Racially Integrated Unitarian Universalist Congregations. Tell the group these are some characteristics Unitarian Universalist minister, historian, and teacher Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed has identified as common to congregations that have successfully became more racially diverse. Ask: How do these characteristics help us understand factors that support racial diversity in our congregations today?

Invite participants to consider their own congregation in the light of the Davies Memorial story and the characteristics Rev. Morrison-Reed has identified. What practices are important for your congregation to emphasize or consider starting, in order to welcome, support, and sustain racial diversity?