• Chalice-lighting words, written on newsprint
• Chalice with tea light flame or other preschool chalice option
• Feelings Chart or Feelings Flashcards by Todd Parr
• Two teddy bears (or two other stuffed animals)

• Post the chalice-lighting words on the wall near the Circle Time area.

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. Repeat your 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:

Our church [congregation] is a place where weddings happen. When two people love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together, they may want to get married, and they can have a ceremony in our church [congregation]. Have you ever been to a wedding or a service of union? Today we will have a wedding right here, between these two bears. But before we do that, let's read a story together.

If any child has mobility problems, you could 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.