Opening
Activity time: 5 minutes
Materials for Activity
- Conundrum Corner poster/banner
- A digital clock, preferably one that shows seconds, and a living plant
- Chalice and matches
- Optional: Newsprint, markers and tape
- Optional: Recording of "Amazing Grace" and music player
- Optional: Nametags and markers
- Optional: Decorative cloth for Conundrum Corner
Preparation for Activity
- Place the clock and plant on display in the Conundrum Corner.
- Optional: Decide if you will continue to play "Amazing Grace" at Opening and Closing. Feel free to take a break if you feel the routine is getting old. You could also vary the practice by playing different versions of the song. If you decide to continue, have your recording ready to play.
- Write chalice-lighting words on newsprint, and post.
- Optional: Prepare and post an agenda of the day's activities.
Description of Activity
As participants enter, greet them. If you have newcomers, greet them warmly and be sure they know others in the room. Give them nametags if others have them. Ask newcomers and old timers alike to look at the Conundrum Corner, but do not say anything more about it. In answer to any questions about it, say you will be talking about it later.
If playing "Amazing Grace," stop the music or reduce the volume to a very low background level.
Lead the group in the day's opening rituals-a chalice lighting, a moment of focusing silence, and a moment of sharing.
Light the chalice, or let a youth do so, and speak these words (asking the group to join you if you have posted them):
May this light help us understand how right and wrong relate to each other.
Ask the group to be silent for a moment as they reflect on the opening words and settle in for the session. End the silence by saying "blessed be," or other appropriate words.
Ask the youth how they made out with the sole-search reminders they wrote in Session 9's Faith in Action, if that was an activity they took part in at the last gathering. If you have youth who were not at that session, describe the activity to them. Say that you would like to know if the youth thought about developing their souls or did anything else with the notes, but that you do not need the details; those are private. Youth can share them if they wish, with the group or with friends, but there is no pressure to do so.
Extinguish the chalice without ceremony and move the chalice table aside as necessary to allow movement in the room.