Activity time: 20 minutes

Materials for Activity

• Newsprint, markers, and tape

Preparation for Activity

• Write the following quotation on newsprint, and post:

We are a continuum. Just as we reach back to our ancestors for our fundamental values, so we, as guardians of that legacy, must reach ahead to our children and their children. And we do so with a sense of sacredness in that reaching. - Paul Tsongas, U.S. Senator (1941-1997), in 1991 announcement of candidacy for U.S. President.

Description of Activity

Use the quotation from Senator Paul Tsongas as a prompt and invite participants to consider the value and impact of their giving practices on future generations. Use these questions to guide discussion:

• What fundamental values about giving have you received from those who have come before, either in your family or in your faith community?
• How does an understanding of the “sacredness in that reaching” to future generations play into personal giving decisions? How does it play into the way our faith community frames conversations about giving?
• How does being a responsible employer by providing fair salaries and benefits to our congregational staff reflect our Unitarian Universalist values and Principles? How does it help our faith community offer a sacred legacy for generations to come?
• How might our generosity today nurture and grow our community of faith into the future?