Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: A Chorus of Faiths: A Program That Builds Interfaith Youth Leaders

Faith In Action: Speed Faithing

Activity time: 60 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Newsprint, markers, and tape
  • Timepiece (minutes)
  • A bell or chime that will be heard above several conversations

Preparation for Activity

  • Schedule a room that has enough chairs for all participants. Set up chairs in pairs facing each other.
  • Invite members of the congregation to participate as guests.
  • Write on newsprint, and post:
    • What makes you a Unitarian Universalist?
    • What is the relationship between Unitarian Universalism and social action or service?
    • What is the relationship between Unitarian Universalism and interfaith cooperation?

Description of Activity

Participants and guests practice and get feedback on their "Unitarian Universalist interfaith service story," i.e., short articulations about their Unitarian Universalist faith and its relationship to interfaith service

Explain that the group will be divided into pairs. One person in each pair will have three minutes to answer the questions on the newsprint. Then you will sound the bell, and the second person will have three minutes to answer the questions. When you sound the bell again, the pair will have one minute to give each other feedback on their statements. The bell will ring again, and everyone will have 30 seconds to find a new discussion partner.

Remind youth of the story review you have done together. Invite them to illustrate their answers with a short story on Unitarian Universalists and interfaith service. If guests have a hard time understanding, begin the activity by having two youth model the conversation.

Ten minutes before you need to end the activity, call everyone back into the larger group. Ask these questions:

  • What was this experience like for you?
  • Did you find that you were changing your statements as you received feedback?
  • Do you feel more confident with your statements? Will you be more likely to have such conversations out in the wider community?

Tell participants their Unitarian Universalist interfaith service story can be combined with their personal interfaith story to help explain to others why interfaith service work is important to them.