Tapestry of Faith: Amazing Grace: A Program about Exploring Right and Wrong for Grade 6

Faith In Action: Magazine Search

Part of Amazing Grace

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • A pile of back issues of UU World magazine, at least one for each participant
  • Sticky notes or small pieces of scrap paper to use as place markers
  • Newsprint and markers

Preparation for Activity

  • Review the pile of UU World magazines to get an idea of their social justice content.

Description of Activity

Youth look through magazines to find out about social justice work UUs have done and are doing.

Distribute copies of UU World magazine and tell the youth to search through them for information about UU social action efforts. Pass out sticky notes or scrap paper so youth can mark their discoveries.

After youth have spent several minutes in their search, ask them to come forward and write social action topics they have found on the newsprint.

In the last few minutes of the activity, ask participants to put the magazines aside. Call attention to the newsprint and read the entries together. Do any common themes unfold? Does the list make the group feel proud to be UUs? Do they think we all had better get busy if we are going to achieve all the goals the denomination talks about? Are there any issues they would add, issues that they know their congregation or others are actively working toward improving?

Including All Participants

If participants with limited mobility have difficulty reaching the magazines, bring the magazines to them. If they have difficulty reaching the easel, bring the newsprint to them or write on it for them. However, do not assume that youth using wheelchairs or crutches do not wish to move about the room. The goal is to assist, but only when needed. If some youth have limited reading ability, have the group pair up to go through the magazines.