Before You Start
Part of Love Connects Us
This chart provides a snapshot of Love Connects Us for long-range planning. In Session 1, find guidance for planning and displaying the Rainbow Wall Hanging which the group will use each time they meet.
In most sessions, during the Opening, the children attach heart-, hand-, peace sign-, question mark-, or bucket-shaped ornaments to the Rainbow Wall Hanging. The Welcoming and Entering activities for each of these sessions explain how to make templates and set out materials so early-arriving children can cut out ornament shapes. If you do not expect the children will make enough ornaments before the session for every child to have one during the Opening, cut the ornaments yourself.
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Session |
Central Story |
Rainbow Wall Hanging |
Faith in Action |
|
1 A Covenant is a Promise |
Noah and the Rainbow Covenant |
Assemble a Rainbow Wall Hanging to use throughout the program |
Banner of Congregational Covenant |
|
2 A Heritage of Love |
Judith Sargent Murray: Turn Around |
Attach heart-shaped ornaments and/or friendship bracelets |
Helping a Younger Religious Education Group |
|
3 Love is the Spirit of This Church |
The Mish-Mash Heart |
Attach heart-shaped ornaments and/or "mish-mash" hearts |
Multigenerational Mish-Mash Hearts |
|
4 Love Your Neighbor as Yourself |
Crossing the Finish Line Together |
Attach heart-shaped ornaments and/or affirmation badges |
Making Greeting Cards |
|
5 Meeting People Where They Live |
Joseph Tuckerman's Revolution |
Attach hand-shaped ornaments and/or sailor knots |
Direct Service at a Shelter or Other Program |
|
6 The More We Get Together |
The Ants and the Grasshopper |
Attach hand-shaped ornaments and/or straw loom bookmarks |
Volunteer in Service to the Congregation |
|
7 One Person Makes a Difference |
One Person Makes a Difference: Craig Keilburger and Free the Children |
Attach hand-shaped ornaments and/or fringed fabric rugs |
Hold Benefit for Free the Children |
|
8 Great Minds Think Alike |
Great Minds Think Alike |
Attach peace sign ornaments |
Hold Peace Vigil |
|
9 Kindness is the Key |
The Christmas Truce |
Peace sign ornaments and/or (optional) paper peace cranes |
Congregational Peace Crane Mobile |
|
10 Peace Inside |
Serenity, Courage and Wisdom |
Attach peace sign ornaments and/or knotted beads |
Teach Centering Exercises |
|
11 Science and Religion |
Discovering Truth Through Science and Religion |
Attach question mark ornaments |
Planting a Tree |
|
12 Seeing Truth/True Seeing |
Hard Truths |
Attach question mark ornaments and/or God's Eyes (made out of craft sticks) |
Political Issues Research |
|
13 A Matter of Perspective |
Filling the House |
Attach cut-out of an optical illusion |
Video Project |
|
14 Our Heritage's Calling |
The Woman Who Wouldn't Give Up |
Attach bucket ornaments |
Heeding our Calling to Help Others |
|
15 All Work Together |
No More Turning Away |
Attach bucket ornaments |
Create "Box House" with Information on Homelessness |
|
16 We Are Active Creators of Our Faith |
The Treehouse Rules |
Children cut and remove a piece of the Rainbow Wall Hanging |
Covenant Quilt or Banner |