Tapestry of Faith: Chalice Children: A Program about Our Unitarian Universalist Community for Preschoolers

Activity 3: Circle Time

Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Chalice-lighting words, written on newsprint
  • Chalice with tea light flame or other preschool chalice option
  • Feelings chart or Feelings Flashcards by Todd Parr

Preparation for Activity

  • Post the chalice-lighting words on the wall near the Circle Time area.
  • Identify places and times the chalice is used at your congregation. Many congregations display a large chalice outside, in their lobby, or in the front of the sanctuary. Most light a chalice to indicate the start of a worship service.

Description of Activity

Bring the chalice into the circle, either on the floor or on a small table or stand. Say, in these words or your own:

Welcome to Circle Time! First we light our chalice.

Point out where your chalice-lighting words are displayed. Say the chalice-lighting words as you “light” the chalice:

We light this chalice for the warmth of love, the light of truth, and the energy of action.

Say, in these words or your own:

Now we share our names and feelings. How are each of you feeling today? We will go around the circle and each say our name and point to how we’re feeling today on the Feelings Chart [or Feelings Flashcard]. If you would rather not share today, you may say, “No, thank you.”

Once everyone who wishes to has shared, say, in these words or your own:

For all the feelings that we feel today, we know that we have our friends, our families, and our church [congregational] family to share them with.

Introduce today’s theme, in these words or your own:

At [name of congregation], we help each other. When someone is sick, we take care of them and show them that we are thinking of them. When there is something bad happening, we try to make it right. When someone has died, we comfort the family. Today we are going to make some cards to cheer up people who might be lonely or who are sick. But before we make the cards, let’s read a story together about helping others.

Including All Participants

Hold your circle activities in a circle of chairs to make it easier to include a wheelchair or for a child to sit while wearing leg braces.