Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: A Place of Wholeness: A Program for Youth Exploring Their Own Unitarian Universalist Faith Journeys

Welcoming and Entering

Materials for Activity

  • Journals for new participants
  • Newsprint, markers and tape

Preparation for Activity

  • Have journals available for visitors or participants who do not have one. Set out supplies for them to personalize the journals during the Welcoming and Entering time.
  • Write the Welcome Words and questions on newsprint and post.

Description of Activity

The Welcome Words are meant to set the stage for the workshop and spark conversation before the workshop begins. The Welcome Words for today are a quote and questions.

I walked through my house in the dark, found my piano, and that was my prayer: May I not drop out. It was not written, but prayed. I knew more than anything that I wanted to continue in faith with the movement. - Carolyn McDade, about the night she wrote "Spirit of Life"

Questions: Do you pray? If you do, what is your prayer? If you do not, in what way to you see yourself as spiritual?

As participants arrive, invite them to personalize a journal, review and/or add to their journal based on the Welcome Words posted, or informally discuss the Welcome Words. Orient visitors and first-time participants to the program and getting a sense of what brought them today.