Tapestry of Faith: Miracles: A Multigenerational Program on Living in Awe and Wonder

Activity 1: It's a Miracle

Part of Miracles

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Print Leader Resource 1, It’s a Miracle, and cut the phrases apart. Put the slips of paper into the basket. Make sure you have enough unique slips for all participants. Feel free to add your own ideas.
  • Write “YES” on one sheet of newsprint and “NOT SURE” on another sheet.

Description of Activity

Invite participants to play a game called “It’s A Miracle!” This is not a winning and losing game; it is a thinking game. This game is intended to be played at a quick pace, as an introduction to the idea that different people in different time periods may see and define miracles differently. There are no rights and wrongs, just opinions and ideas.

Post the newsprint sheets “YES” and “NOT SURE” some distance apart in the room. Make sure everyone can move safely around the room.

Tell participants that they are going to hear some examples of what other people have believed are miracles, some are from long ago, some are from current times. Invite participants to take a one slip of paper you have cut from Leader Resource 1 from the basket and read it aloud. Instruct participants to listen and decide if they consider what they heard to be a miracle. If they do, they can move to stand beside the “YES” sign, if they don’t (or aren’t sure), they can move to stand beside the “NOT SURE” sign.

Invite other volunteers to choose and read slips of paper until your time or slips of paper run out. Keep track of which miracles seem most favored and least favored. Set this information aside to refer to in the next activity (Activity 2, Our Own Definition) and the Faith in Action activity for this session (Miracles Are All Around Us).

Including All Participants

This activity intentionally invites participants to move around a bit. However, be ready to modify as needed if a large, open space is not available, if any participants may be physically unable to move rapidly between “Yes” and “Not Sure,” or if any participant is uncomfortable in crowds. For example, you can ask participants to stand up or raise a hand to indicate their opinion about each miracle.