Closing
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 cards or post-its, 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.
- If you have a Word Wall, write the word "beehive" with bold marker on an index card or post-it.
Description of Activity
Gather the group in a circle around the labyrinth. Tell that the children it is now time to share a closing ritual to mark the end of your religious education time together for this session.
Relight the chalice. Invite the children to take their name stones from the labyrinth, place them in the basket, and return to the circle. Then, ask a few volunteers to help you fold or roll the labyrinth and put it away.
Next, invite everyone to hold hands and sing just the chorus to "When Our Heart Is in a Holy Place," Hymn 1008 in Singing the Journey.
If you prefer, invite participants to recite the words to the song:
When our heart is in a holy place,
When our heart is in a holy place.
We are blessed with love and amazing grace.
When our heart is in a holy place.
If you have a Word Wall, say:
The word for our World Wall today is "beehive."
Show the group the index card or post-it on which you have written "beehive." Post it on the Word Wall, or ask a volunteer to do it.
Say in your own words:
Now it is time to buzz home, but I hope you'll come back next time, when we'll talk about the homes of other animals. Do you think we will find many similarities between the homes of other animals and our own homes? We'll see.
Extinguish the chalice.
Distribute the Taking It Home handout you have prepared. Remind the children to give the handout to their parents, and dismiss the group.