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 question 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 a question.

My religious superstitions gave place to rational ideas based on scientific facts, and in proportion, as I looked at everything from a new standpoint, I grew more and more happy, day by day. - Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 19th century Unitarian suffragist and author of The Woman's Bible

Question: How does reason based on scientific facts lead to a happy life?

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