Tapestry of Faith: Building Bridges: A World Religions Program for 8th-9th Grades

Introduction

When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means [they] follow[s] an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation.

The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers.

We worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation. — Edain McCoy, Wiccan author

Introduction

This workshop looks at aspects of Neo-Paganism, touching on a few branches of this large and diverse movement. If you or your co-leader identify as Pagan or know members of the congregation who do and are willing to participate, consider adding personal experiences to this workshop.

Goals

This workshop will:

Introduce participants to some aspects of Neo-Paganism Connect the seasonal celebrations on the Wheel of the Year with the story of the Great Goddess and Great God Compare and contrast a variety of Neo-Pagan belief systems, including Wicca Present connections between Pagan beliefs and practices and Unitarian Universalist beliefs and practices.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

  • Understand how Neo-Paganism relates to ancient Pagan religions
  • Explore aspects of Wicca and Neo-Paganism
  • Discover the organization Covenant of UU Pagans and consider how Unitarian Universalism can be a welcoming place for pagans.

Workshop-at-a-Glance

Activity

Minutes

Welcoming and Entering

0

Opening

15

Activity 1: Find the Pagan

15

Activity 2: Wicca

10

Activity 3: Neo-Pagans

10

Activity 4: Story — The Goddess and the God

25

Activity 5: Fact Sheet

10

Activity 6: Time Line

3

Faith in Action: Community Clean-up

 

Closing

2

Alternate Activity 1: Engagement

90

Alternate Activity 2: Tree of Life

30