LOVE SURROUNDS US
A Tapestry of Faith Program for Children
SESSION 8: LOVE SURROUNDS US IN OUR HISTORY
BY LYNN KERR AND CHRISTY OLSON
© Copyright 2010 Unitarian Universalist Association.
Published to the Web on 11/8/2014 5:36:59 AM PST.
This program and additional resources are available on the UUA.org web site at
www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/tapestryfaith.
SESSION OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
This argument is solid and weighty, but it is neither reasonable nor convincing. Not all the stones in Boston...shall shut my mouth. — Rev. John Murray, father of American Universalism, on the occasion of a rock thrown at him while he preached
Unitarian Universalism has a long and honorable history. The founders of our faith were often called heretics. However, the Greek word "heretic" actually means "to choose," which is exactly what our forbearers did when they chose to reject the Trinity and eternal damnation and follow their own beliefs. We have no creed, yet Unitarian Universalism has a common history that binds its members together and a faith heritage that exemplifies our fourth Principle: affirmation of each person's free search for truth and meaning.
The theme of this session is "Our religion has a long history surrounded in love." Participants learn about the richness of our liberal religious heritage and discover that the basic beliefs of our religion were established hundreds of years ago. The story and activities in this session discuss historical figures and events that were important to the development of our religion today.
GOALS
This session will:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Participants will:
SESSION-AT-A-GLANCE
Activity | Minutes |
Welcoming and Entering | 0 |
Opening | 10 |
Activity 1: History Chain | 10 |
Activity 2: Story — Nathaniel Takes a Ride | 5 |
Activity 3: Time Capsule | 15 |
Activity 4: UU Magnets | 15 |
Faith in Action: Partner Church Project | |
Closing | 5 |
Alternate Activity 1: What's in a Name? | 10 |
Alternate Activity 2: Finger Play | 5 |
Alternate Activity 3: Heart Ribbon Magnet | 5 |
SPIRITUAL PREPARATION
Many members of our congregations are relatively new to Unitarian Universalism. If it was not the religion of your childhood, you may know little of our history. How comfortable are you with our history and your level of knowledge about it? Do you want to learn more about the origins of our religion? As a leader, you will teach some UU history. Think about what you might say if a child asks a question you cannot answer.
Think about the Unitarian Universalist history you do know. What about our past matters most to you? How can you help children connect with Unitarian and Universalist history? Relax, and make yourself ready to share our rich history with the youngest of our faith community.
SESSION PLAN
WELCOMING AND ENTERING
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Use this activity when children arrive individually—that is, straggle in—before the session begins. Welcome each child as they enter. Invite them to take their ribbon stick from the container by the door and move to the large group area. Invite each child to sit at a work table and draw and/or color a picture of their church.
Including All Participants
Give a ribbon stick to any new child or visitor and write their name on it.
Provide wrist ribbons for children who are physically unable to wave a ribbon stick. Help attach wrist ribbons to wrists, legs, or fingers according to the mobility of the child.
Provide a space at a work table for any child who is unable to sit at a chair. Offer to draw an outline of the congregational building for a child to color, if needed.
OPENING (10 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Invite children to find their ribbon sticks and then come sit together. Welcome the children.
Optional: Lead the group to sing the song "Love Surrounds Me."
Have each child say their name and wave their ribbon stick above their head. Remind them that they will learn all the UU Principles and that each Principle will have a different color. Tell them green represents the fourth Principle. Have them find the green ribbon and say the Principle together: "Each person is free to search for what is true and right in life."
Ask participants if anyone can remember the first Principle (Each and every person is important). Ask if they remember what color we assigned to the first Principle (red). Ask if they remember the second Principle (We believe all people should be treated fairly) and its color (orange). Ask if they remember the third Principle (We accept all people and we learn together) and its color (yellow).
Do the opening chant together:
Group chants "Love surrounds us everyday. The Principles show us the way."
Leader says "______ please, put your ribbons away." (Child named returns their ribbon stick.)
Guide children, as they are named, to return their ribbon stick to the container and then return to the circle. This is a way to acknowledge the presence of each participant. If the group is large, say only several names, then direct the others to put away their ribbon sticks all together.
When all ribbon sticks are returned and the children are in the circle, light the chalice. Lead the group to say together:
Love surrounds the chalice and we are included by the light of the chalice.
Including All Participants
Help attach wrist ribbons (Session 1, Opening) to children's wrists, legs, or fingers, and later, help remove them, if any children are physically unable to use a ribbon stick.
ACTIVITY 1: HISTORY CHAIN (10 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
This activity gives children a visual representation of the extent of our Unitarian Universalist history.
Gather participants in a standing circle. Say, in your own words:
We will talk about Unitarian Universalist history today. Unitarians and Universalists used to belong to two separate religions. Unitarian history goes back to the 1500s and Universalist ideas began in the 3rd century—the 200s. Does anyone know what year we are today? What century is this?
Tell the children they will make a time line that goes way back to the beginning of our Unitarian Universalist history. Explain they will tape paper links together in order. Tell them each link represents 100 years.
Pass the 21 links, in order, to the participants around the circle. Help them use tape to link their strips together into a chain. Keep the group on track in terms of linking the strips in order. The "2000" link and the "0" link should not be linked. When the chain is done, have participants stretch into one long line, being careful not to pull the chain too tight. Move along the chain from "0" to "2000" and attach the 6 alternate-color strips to the matching years on the long chain.
Explain to the participants that the chain is the time line for Unitarian and Universalist history and explain that the rings in the different color mark important times in our history. Say that although there are many significant dates, we are just going to point out a few. While pointing to the appropriate year link, say, in your own words:
(200 — the 3rd century)
In this century, a person first introduced the idea that everyone would go to heaven, no matter what a person did during their life. This person believed no one would be punished forever after death. This was called Universal Salvation and it is where the name Universalist came from. Some people were upset by that idea. I wonder why?
Allow participants time to answer.
(1500 — the 16th century)
In this century, some people said that God was three beings, a father, a son, and a holy spirit; but other people thought God was just one being and they were called anti-Trinitarians. That is where the name Unitarian eventually came from because "uni" means "one."
(1700 — the 18th century)
In this century, the first Universalist church in America was established. It was located in Massachusetts, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
(1800 — the 19th century)
In this century, the American Unitarian Association was founded.
(1900 — the 20th century)
In this century, the Unitarians and Universalists joined together to form what we are called today, Unitarian Universalists.
Allow time for comments and questions.
Now process the exercise with the following:
Display the chain in the remaining sessions to remind the children of our history.
ACTIVITY 2: STORY, NATHANIEL TAKES A RIDE (5 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Gather participants to hear the story. Explain that this story takes place when there were no cars, trains, or airplanes. People had to travel by horse, by boat, or on foot. It would take several days to get from one town to another.
Tell the story. Then, process with these questions:
Conclude by affirming:
Universalism gave people a message of love and hope. Many people welcomed the idea that they are loved by God no matter what.
ACTIVITY 3: TIME CAPSULE (15 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
This activity demonstrates that Unitarian Universalism has a long history and we are part of its continuation into the future.
Gather participants in a circle with the container in the center. Explain, in your own words:
This time capsule will be put away in a safe place in the congregation. A long time from now, maybe when you are grown-ups, other people in the congregation will open the time capsule and see what the congregation was like years before.
Ask participants why they think someone would make a time capsule. What kinds of things might we learn if we opened a time capsule? What could people learn about us if they open our time capsule?
Go around the circle and ask participants to show the items they brought for the time capsule and why they chose it. After they speak, invite them to place their item in a baggie, if it will fit, to protect it. Have them place their item in the container.
Optional: Invite each participant to sign their names to the note you have written on letterhead.
Then put the note in a baggie and seal the container. Ask the group how long they should wait until it can be opened. Suggest at least 10 or 20 years. With permanent marker, write "This Time Capsule is not to be opened until ____."
Place the container in a congregational safe or storage area, as pre-arranged.
Process this activity by talking about why it is important that we leave information about ourselves and our world for people in the future.
Including All Participants
Invite participants who did not bring in an item for the capsule, to think of one thing they would want people to know about their congregation and have them, or help them, write their idea on a piece of paper. They can then fold the piece of paper and place it in a baggie. Assist anyone who needs help. Leaders may place items in the container.
ACTIVITY 4: UU MAGNETS (15 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
To help participants remember the long history of Unitarian Universalism and perhaps generate conversation at home, the children make a piece of art.
Distribute Handout 1. Point out that it is a line drawing of a chalice, a Unitarian Universalist symbol. Invite children to color their picture, then use the jar lid to draw a circle around the picture, cut out the circle, and glue their picture inside a lid.
Help children glue a magnetic strip on the back of their lid.
Optional: Glue ribbon to the edge of the lid for decoration. Tie ribbon into a bow at the top.
Including All Participants
Some children may need help to color the picture, to cut it out themselves, to trace and cut the circle, and/or to glue the magnet.
CLOSING (5 MINUTES)
Description of Activity
Invite everyone to gather in a circle and hold hands. Start by squeezing the hand to your right and saying: "Today I found love, today I gave love." Lead the group to move the hand squeeze around the circle until everyone has had a chance to say the words.
Then, invite the group to unclasp hands lead them to say the closing words in unison:
Be good to yourself.
Be excellent to others.
Do everything with love.
Including All Participants
If participants do not want to hold hands, invite them to just say the words to the person to their right. If needed, repeat the words aloud with each child.
FAITH IN ACTION: PARTNER CHURCH PROJECT
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Have a fundraiser that involves something the children can help make or sell so they can participate in a meaningful way. If you choose a bake sale, for example, you might gather participants to bake at the church. Arrange for the children to be present at the fundraiser and help collect funds.
Including All Participants
If the project requires a gathering outside of regular church times, arrange carpooling so anyone wishing to participate has transportation.
LEADER REFLECTION AND PLANNING
Think about the participants in the session today. What did they learn? Do they understand how far back our religion goes in history? Are there participants who need more assistance in crafts? Reflect on your effectiveness in presenting this week.
TAKING IT HOME
This argument is solid and weighty, but it is neither reasonable nor convincing. Not all the stones in Boston...shall shut my mouth. — Rev. John Murray, father of American Universalism, on the occasion of a rock thrown at him while he preached
IN TODAY'S SESSION... participants learned about the fourth Unitarian Universalist Principle, that we believe each person is free to search for what is true and right in life. Through the introduction of some Unitarian and Universalist historical figures, participants learned how searching for what is true has been part of our traditions for hundreds of years. Participants made a paper chain timeline, beginning in the year 0, to represent our long history. A story, "Nathaniel Takes a Ride," explained how our religion was spread in the 19th century when travel was by horse or boat. The children made a magnet to take home to help us all remember we belong to a religion that has long, deep roots—all the way back to the 3rd century Common Era.
EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about... how our religion was spread in early America by itinerant preachers. These ministers rode horses, slept outside, and often did not get enough to eat. What is important in your family? Are there any causes for which you would sacrifice your comforts? What would you be willing to sacrifice for your religion? How important is your church to your family? If you had to move where there were not any UU congregations, what would you do for your spiritual growth, nourishment, and community? If you wanted to interest others in our congregation or in Unitarian Universalism, what would you say or do?
EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try...
A Family Adventure. The next time your family travels to another part of the country, see if you can go see another Unitarian Universalist congregation. Is it different than yours? The same? How old is the church where they meet? In the 1800s, how would people have reached this church? If your family travels often, consider keeping a journal to record the locations of churches you have visited and your thoughts about each one.
Family Discovery. Check out the UUA website (at www.uua.org/) for information about congregations all across the country. Explore the UUA bookstore (at www.uuabookstore.org/) for books about our tradition. Look in your congregational library for books on our history. If your church does not have a lending library, locate your UUA District office and website via the UUA website (at www.uua.org/). District offices often lend books and will send them in the mail if you do not live close by.
A Family Ritual. This Day in Unitarian Universalist History (at www.uua.org/publications/skinnerhouse/browseskinner/titles/18853.shtml) by Frank Schulman (Skinner House Books, 2004) provides anniversaries and milestones from our religious tradition. Read the day's entries at a family meal each day.
ALTERNATE ACTIVITY 1: WHAT'S IN A NAME? (10 MINUTES)
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
This activity introduces the history of your congregation along with brief biographies of historical figures important to our heritage.
Gather participants and tell them the history behind each name or room that you researched. Then, lead a discussion with these questions:
ALTERNATE ACTIVITY 2: FINGER PLAY (5 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
This activity acquaints participants with the names of historic figures in our faith heritage.
Gather participants. Read the list of names aloud, one at a time, asking the group to repeat each name after you so they become familiar with the pronunciation. You may also read the brief description of each person.
Lead the children to use the hand gestures and tune of "Where is Thumbkin?" In place of "Thumbkin," shout out different names of each historic person. Sing about some or all of the famous Unitarians and Universalists listed above.
Including All Participants
Do not use the hand gestures if any children are unable to participate in that way; you can just sing the song.
ALTERNATE ACTIVITY 3: HEART RIBBON MAGNET (5 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
This activity connects the color green and the fourth Principle as children work on their Heart Ribbon Magnets—a reminder of the UU Principles they may take home at the close of the program.
Tell the children the green ribbon represents the fourth UU Principle, "We believe each person is free to search for what is true and right in life." Demonstrate how to fold a length of green ribbon in half, push the folded end into the hole on the side of the heart next to the yellow ribbon, and insert the two loose ends of green ribbon through the loop formed by the folded end. Pull the green ribbon through tightly.
Help any new children or visitors begin a Heart Ribbon Magnet, following instructions in Session 2, Alternate Activity 1, and add red, orange, yellow, and green ribbons.
Set aside the magnets and remaining colors of ribbon for future sessions.
Including All Participants
Partner very young children with an older child who can help them.
LOVE SURROUNDS US: SESSION 8:
STORY: NATHANIEL TAKES A RIDE
Hundreds of years ago, when America was still a very new country, Unitarianism and Universalism were also very new. They were actually two separate religions. By itself, Universalism was a loving and accepting religion. Universalists believed that God loved everyone and did not punish people. In some places, Universalists gathered in church buildings. In some places, people would gather in someone's barn, or house, or yard for a church service.
The Stacy family went to a church building on Sundays. Their church was the first Universalist church established in America. It was in Massachusetts. A few years later, the family moved to a small farming village in New York where there was no Universalist church nearby. They could no longer go to church every Sunday, but sometimes, Universalist preachers would visit them in New York. In those days, Universalist preachers would travel to places where there were no churches and have gatherings for people interested in hearing about Universalism.
One of the Stacy children, Nathaniel, grew up listening to these traveling preachers on his family's farm. Eventually, Nathaniel was old enough to decide what he wanted to do when he grew up. He was interested in Universalism but not really that excited about riding a horse all around and then standing on a tree stump to preach to small crowds. It turned out, though, that Nathaniel was really good at public speaking. A Universalist minister friend of his encouraged him to be a preacher. So in 1803, Nathaniel became a Universalist preacher. He hopped on a horse and travelled around the country, preaching to those who would invite him to their farms.
After each sermon, people would pass around a hat and put money into it to pay the preacher. Sometimes the preacher and his horse were invited to stay in someone's house or barn. Sometimes Nathaniel slept outside with a blanket. Sometimes people fed the horse and the preacher and sometimes Nathaniel would find things to eat out in the wild forests.
Nathaniel travelled through New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. At times, he would have to travel two hundred miles to speak to people. When he was much older, Nathaniel would remember his time travelling with his horse. He told stories about not getting enough money to feed both him and his horse, so what do you think he would do then? Sometimes he would feed the horse, and go hungry.
Nathaniel wrote his stories down and tried to explain why he continued to lead such a hard life as a minister who never got to sleep at home, never got enough to eat, and had to be out in bad weather. He explained that he did it because someone had to. He felt it was so important for the Universalist ideas about love and acceptance to be spread in the new country of America, that he was willing to give up his comfort to make sure there would always be a religion called Universalism. He thought preaching Universalism was like "planting a seed" and the Universalist churches that were built were the "crops."
In those long ago days, many other Universalists and Unitarians lived like Nathaniel did to spread their religion. Aren't we lucky they did—or we might not have our church today!
LOVE SURROUNDS US: SESSION 8:
HANDOUT 1: CHALICE PICTURE FOR MAGNET
FIND OUT MORE
Unitarian Universalist History
Books on Unitarian Universalist history include Unitarian Universalism, a Narrative History by David E. Bumbaugh (Meadville Lombard Press, 2000); This Day in Unitarian Universalist History by Frank Schulman (Skinner House, 2004); The Larger Faith: A Short History of American Universalism by Charles A. Howe (Skinner House Books, 1993); and A Stream of Light: A Short History of American Unitarianism by Conrad Wright (Skinner House, 1975).