Session 14: Life as Mystery Part of Riddle and Mystery, 6th Grade In This Section Introduction From Riddle and Mystery The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science... It was the experience of mystery, even if mixed with fear, that engendered religion.... Session-at-a-Glance From Riddle and Mystery Activity Minutes Opening 5 Activity 1: Questions and Responses 10 Activity 2: Story — Why? A Playlet in Four Scenelets 10 Activity 3: WCUU — Mystery Day Parade 25 Activity 4: WIT Time — Oh, You Mystery 7 Faith in Action: A Big Practical Question Closing 3 Alternate Activity 1: Notable Thoughts... Spiritual Preparation From Riddle and Mystery With everything set to go, take a meditative moment for yourself. Relax. Breathe several deep breaths. Consider your own big questions. If you were guaranteed an answer to just one, which would you ask? Would you really want an answer? If you could help youth find a satisfactory answer to one,... Opening From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice or LED/battery-operated candle Newsprint, markers and tape Bell, tingsha chimes or other sound instrument Handout 1, Today's Big Question and (optional) a plain envelope "Today's Big Question" sign Kid for the Day bag or box, card stock cut... Activity 1: Questions and Responses From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 1, Big Questions and Small Answers Leader Resource 2, UU Responses to Big Questions Optional: Single-hole punch and string or ribbon Preparation for Activity Adapt Leader Resource 1 to include only the Big Questions (and short answe... Activity 2: Story - Why? A Playlet in Four Scenelets From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity The story "Why? A Playlet in Four Scenelets" Optional: Materials for characters' name cards Optional: Props for characters Preparation for Activity Read and print out the story, "Why?... Activity 3: WCUU - Mystery Day Parade From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Microphone(s), video camera(s) and tripod(s), real or simulated Timepiece (minutes) For studio set Backdrop made in Session 1 Masking tape Leader Resource 3, WCUU Script - The Parade Leader Resource 4, UU Mystery Messages Paper for On-Air People's... Activity 4: WIT Time - Oh, You Mystery From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 7 minutes Materials for Activity Handout 2, Four Questions Pencils/pens Preparation for Activity Copy Handout 2 for all participants. Read Alternative Activity 3, Challenge Question. Consider moving directly from this activity to the challenge question, if time will allow.... Closing From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 3 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice or LED/battery-operated candle Newsprint, markers and tape Bell, tingsha chimes or other sound instrument Taking It Home handout Preparation for Activity Adapt Taking It Home for the group and copy it for all participants. Write the closing... Leader Reflection and Planning From Riddle and Mystery Meet with your co-leaders after the session to reflect on it. How was the mix of discussion and action? Are you continuing to find ways to involve all youth fully in the sessions despite any limitations they might have? Does the group have new behavioral issues you need to address? Were youth... Faith In Action: A Big Practical Question From Riddle and Mystery Materials for Activity Computers with internet access Optional: Wireless internet connection Preparation for Activity This activity will be easier if your congregation has a wireless Internet connection and you have access to three or more computers in the same space.... Alternate Activity 1: Notable Thoughts From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Container with participants' Big Questions notebooks (see Session 1, Alternate Activity 1, Notable Thoughts) Blank notebooks for new participants Pencils or pens Masking tape Description of Activity Remind participants that this is a time for them t... Alternate Activity 2: Song - Gathered Here From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Copy(ies) of the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Singing the Living Tradition Optional: A recording of the song and a music player Preparation for Activity Decide how best to present the song "Gathered Here," Hymn 389 in Singing the Living Tradition... Alternate Activity 3: Challenge Question From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Optional: Newsprint, markers and tape Preparation for Activity Optional: Write the challenge question on newsprint, and post. Description of Activity Challenge questions guide a deeper inquiry for especially thoughtful individuals and groups.... Taking It Home: Life as Mystery From Riddle and Mystery The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science... It was the experience of mystery, even if mixed with fear, that engendered religion.... Why? A Playlet with Four Scenelets From Riddle and Mystery Characters Scenelet One: Narrator, Parent, Little Kid Scenelet Two: Narrator, Pediatrician, Parent, Little Kid Scenelet Three: Narrator, Adult, UU Minister Scenelet Four: Narrator, Old Scientist, Old Scientist's Young Friend SCENELET ONE Narrator: A Parent and a Little Kid were at the beach on a... Handout 1: Today's Big Question From Riddle and Mystery To the Kid for the Day: You have two jobs. The first is getting your group excited about hearing today's Big Question. The second is announcing the question. 1. Say to the group, "Give me a drum roll!" Then wait for a minute while the drum roll builds.... Handout 2: Four Questions From Riddle and Mystery Imagine that Mystery has suddenly arrived on earth in a spaceship. Mystery is the wisest being in the universe, who knows all the big questions there are—and the answers. Mystery has agreed to answer just one question from just one person. All the people on Earth have put their names into a giant... Leader Resource 1: Big Questions and Small Answers From Riddle and Mystery In addition to these, create your own pairs from the discussions of your group in previous sessions. Where do we come from? From mystery and stardust. What are we? We are what we do. Where are we going? Toward goals we set for ourselves. Does God exist? Not on a throne in heaven. How did life begin? Leader Resource 2: UU Responses to Big Questions From Riddle and Mystery 1. Where do we come from? Most Unitarian Universalists believe everything in our known universe comes out of the stardust created by a Big Bang. Our history from then to now can best by traced by science. Why there was a Big Bang, and why there is anything at all remains a mystery. 2. What are we? Leader Resource 3: WCUU Script - The Parade From Riddle and Mystery To the Co-Anchors: Today's WCUU program features the UU entries in a Mystery Day Parade. Your job is to follow the script, read your parts and keep things going. When the broadcast begins, you have a microphone. The parade can be seen in the background. Co-Anchor 1: This is WCUU, Wisdom of the... Leader Resource 4: UU Mystery Messages From Riddle and Mystery Here are some UU ideas about mystery. Put the ideas into your own words and use them any way you like as you make a float or another contribution to the Mystery Day Parade. Mystery is fun and fascinating. The whys of life and death will never be completely known. So mystery grows out of both our... Leader Resource 5: Rev. Kowalski on Einstein From Riddle and Mystery Put on your bifocals to read from the book of Genesis and you're relying on the same laws of optics that astronomers use to tell us the universe could not possibly have been created the way the Good Book says. The irony would be delicious if it weren't so dangerous. At least since the time of... Find Out More From Riddle and Mystery Albert Einstein and the Mysterious Albert Einstein was not a Unitarian Universalist, but his writings often resonate with UUs. Einstein wrote, "The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mysterious.... PREVIOUS: Find Out More About Session 13: Oh My Soul UP: Riddle and Mystery NEXT: Introduction Download all of Riddle and Mystery (Word) (PDF) to edit or print.