Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Wonderful Welcome: A Program for Children Grades K-1

Taking It Home: The Gift Of Spirit

Life becomes religious whenever we make it so: when some new light is seen, when some deeper appreciation is felt, when some larger outlook is gained, when some nobler purpose is formed, when some task is well done.

— Sophia Lyon Fahs, Unitarian minister and religious educator

IN TODAY'S SESSION... The children explored the intangible gift of spirit. They learned about ways they can give and receive this gift with others in our religious education group, in their congregation, and in the larger Unitarian Universalist faith community. The children experienced a ritual of sharing joys and concerns that illustrated one way we give and receive the gift of spirit. They sang together and made a chalice to bring the gift of spirit home.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about...

Help your child understand how the gift of spirit is shared when people intentionally come together in faith.

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try...

Spend some arts-and-crafts time together making individual "spirit posters." Give each family member a blank sheet of poster board or heavy paper, a photo of themselves, magazines to cut up, a glue stick, scissors, markers and stickers. You may like to title each poster, "The Gift of (Name's) Spirit." Invite each person to glue their own picture to their poster and add images that represent who they are, what they care about, and what they believe.

A FAMILY RITUAL

Try sharing your joys and concerns as a family at home. You will need some stones and a partially filled bowl of water. Have each member of the family hold a stone while they think about their joys and concerns. Then invite family members to drop a stone in the bowl as they share their joys and/or concerns aloud or speak them silently to themselves. Affirm each new stone by saying together, "We accept the gift of (name's) spirit." See how each added stone makes the water in the bowl rise, symbolizing how when each person shares their spirit and others accept it, our sharing of spirit grows.