Tapestry of Faith: Sing to the Power: A Social Justice Program for Children Grades 4-5

Session 12: Closing

Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Circle of Elements mural from Session 1
  • Leader Resource 2, "Reaching Out" Circle, and tape
  • Session 1, Leader Resource 3, Circle of Elements Mural Instructions
  • Closing Words for Basket (Session 1, Leader Resource 5), and basket
  • Bracelets from Session 1, plus lengths of cord for any new participants
  • Large beads, one per person, in shades of red or orange
  • Opening Words for Basket (Session 1, Leader Resource 1)
  • Tea lights (one per participant), matches, and a taper to light the tea lights (if you are able to have live flame in your RE space)
  • Taking It Home handout

Preparation for Activity

  • Print Leader Resource 2 onto red or orange paper. Cut out the circle. Find the position on the Circle of Elements Mural where you will post the "Reaching Out" circle, by referring to Session 1, Leader Resource 3, Circle of Elements Mural Instructions..
  • If needed, print copies of Opening Words for Basket (Session 1, Leader Resource 1) and Closing Words for Basket (Session 1, Leader Resource 5). You will offer these to the children who volunteer to read opening or closing words next time the group meets, so they may choose and prepare their reading in advance. Keep copies on hand throughout the program.
  • Download and adapt the Taking It Home section and copy for all participants (you may wish to email to parents as well).
  • Set one tea light per participant on your focus space.

Description of Activity

Explain that the session is almost over and that the group will now work together as a community to clean the meeting space. Ask everyone to clean their own area and put away the materials they were using, and then to clean another area or help someone else. No one should sit in the circle until the meeting space is clean.

Gather the group in a circle. Tape the "Reaching Out" circle (Leader Resource 2) outside the "Fire" quadrant of the Circle of Elements mural, in the position shown on Session 1, Leader Resource 3. Say:

Fire power moves from one person to another, catching people's energy up like a spreading wildfire.

Invite each participant to take a bead and string it on the elastic. Use a match to light a taper candle. Invite them to use the taper to light a tea light. Have the day's closing worship leader choose a reading from the Closing Words Basket and read it aloud (or, to read aloud the reading they prepared after the previous session). Extinguish all flames.

Ask for (and record) a volunteer to lead the opening and closing readings for the next session. Offer the volunteers a copy of Session 1, Leader Resource 1, Opening Words for Basket or Session 1, Leader Resource 5, Closing Words for Basket that they may take home to choose and practice their readings. Tell them they are also welcome to choose their reading from a basket when they come next time.

You may wish to invite the opening worship volunteer to bring a symbol of the next element in the program (water) for the centering space.

Invite participants to put the bracelets in the Closing Words Basket. Distribute Taking It Home handout. Thank and dismiss participants.