Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

• Chalice candle or LED/battery-operated candle
• Lighter and extinguisher, if needed
• Labyrinth, with participants' name stones placed on it
• Basket for name stones
• Optional: Index card or post-it, bold marker, and tape

Preparation for Activity

• Review Hymn 1008 in Singing the Journey, "When Our Heart Is in a Holy Place." Decide whether you prefer to have the children sing or recite the chorus words to close this session. If you will need the words and/or music to lead the group, place a copy of Singing the Journey near your chalice.
• Customize, print out, and photocopy the Taking It Home section for all participants.
• Review Alternate Activity 2: Taking "Creating Home" Home. Decide whether you would like to give each child a Taking It Home Booklet, Continuing the Journey. The Taking It Home Booklet shows how you can make each family a booklet of home extension activities related to a variety of the Creating Home sessions. Follow the directions to make the booklets. Add five minutes to your session plan for Alternate Activity 2: Taking "Creating Home" Home, and send each child home with a booklet as well as a copy of the Taking It Home handout for this session.

Description of Activity

Gather the group in a circle around the labyrinth. Relight the chalice. Invite the children to take their stones from the labyrinth, place them in the basket, and return to the circle.

Then, ask the children to help you carefully fold the labyrinth and put it away.

Invite the children to stand together in a circle and hold hands. Lead the group in taking a deep breath together and, if you like, doing an easy circle dance by walking counterclockwise in a circle as they begin singing the Closing words. Have the group switch direction at each new line of the chorus to "When Our Heart is in a Holy Place," Hymn 1008 in Singing the Journey. The circle dance will also work if the group recites, rather than sings, the song:

When our heart is in a holy place, (circle left slowly)

When our heart is in a holy place. (circle right slowly)

We are blessed with love and amazing grace. (circle left slowly)

When our heart is in a holy place. (face inward and look at each other)

Say in your own words:

Today has been our last time together to explore how we create family homes and faith homes. We have been on a journey together and this is the end of the journey. I will miss each of you and I will remember the unique and special gift you have been to this Creating Home group. I wish blessings on your family homes and I hope to see you all in worship.

Extinguish the chalice.

Distribute the Taking It Home handout you have prepared and the Taking It Home booklets if you have prepared them. Ask the children to give these to their parents.

Thank and dismiss participants.