Tapestry of Faith: Signs of Our Faith: A Program about Being UU Every Day for Grades 2-3

Alternate Activity 1: Leadership in Action - Question Board

Materials for Activity

  • Newsprint, markers, and tape
  • A display board and materials to decorate it, such as markers, construction paper, scissors, and tape)

Preparation for Activity

  • Decide the best way to create the question board. You can use a bulletin board, a dry erase board, or poster board mounted on a bulletin board or easel.
  • Locate a place to display the question board and seek permission, if needed. Choose a prominent place on an existing bulletin board, on a table large enough for a dry erase board or a tri-fold, free-standing, poster board.

Description of Activity

Participants create a forum for collecting congregational questions and wisdom.

Ask:

There are many Unitarian Universalists who come to our congregation, but each one's religious exploration is unique. If you could poll our congregation about religious exploration, what kinds of questions would you ask?

Post blank newsprint. Prompt the group to generate questions to ask the congregation related to faith, spiritual practices, religious questions, and religious beliefs. Questions should be open-ended (not "yes/no") to invite personal answers. Questions might include "What is your personal spiritual practice?" or "What leadership roles have you held at this or another congregation?" or "What is your favorite piece of wisdom to share?" or "What is the biggest religious question you have ever wondered?"

Once you have a few good questions, tell the children you want them to create a bulletin board of questions and invite the congregation to respond by writing their answers. Engage the children in planning. Do they want to put all the questions on the board at once, or post one question at a time and so there will be room for many people to write their answers to each question.

Decorate the board and post one or more questions. Leave an assortment of colored markers by the board. Plan to have children look at the responses on the board in future sessions. Remember to change the question periodically if you have agreed to do so.