SIGNS OF OUR FAITH: BEING UU EVERY DAY A Tapestry of Faith Program for Children Grades 2-3 BY JESSICA YORK © Copyright 2013 Unitarian Universalist Association. This program and additional resources are available on the UUA.org web site at www.uua.org/tapestryoffaith. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THE AUTHORS ...................................................................................................................................... 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................................................................... 3 THE PROGRAM .................................................................................................................................................... 4 SESSION 1: SIGNS, SYMBOLS, AND RITUALS ............................................................................................ 12 SESSION 2: WE LEAD ....................................................................................................................................... 28 SESSION 3: OUR FAITH IS A JOURNEY ........................................................................................................ 37 SESSION 4: SEEKING KNOWLEDGE.............................................................................................................. 48 SESSION 5: WE REVERE LIFE ......................................................................................................................... 62 SESSION 6: SIGNS OF CARING ....................................................................................................................... 84 SESSION 7: WE SHARE ..................................................................................................................................... 93 SESSION 8: MEMORIAL RITUALS ............................................................................................................... 106 SESSION 9: LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF COMMUNITY ............................................................................... 121 SESSION 10: SIGNS OF WELCOME .............................................................................................................. 137 SESSION 11: WORSHIPPING TOGETHER .................................................................................................... 148 SESSION 12: STEWARDSHIP IS A SIGN ...................................................................................................... 161 SESSION 13: FINDING BEAUTY IN UNIQUENESS .................................................................................... 177 SESSION 14: FAIR GROUP DECISIONS ........................................................................................................ 190 SESSION 15: WITNESS FOR JUSTICE: PUBLIC SIGNS OF OUR UU VALUES....................................... 201 SESSION 16: SIGNS OF FAITHFUL LEADERSHIP ...................................................................................... 215 Note: If you add or delete text in this program, you may change the accuracy of the table of contents. The Table of Contents is an auto-generated list; if you change content and want an accurate representation of the page numbers listed in the TOC, click the table and click “Update Field.” Then, click “Update page numbers only.” Click OK. 2 ABOUT THE AUTHORS Jessica York began her career in religious education after several years' experience in the theatre, retail bookstore management, and substitute teaching. After six years as the Director of Religious Education at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham, AL, she joined the UUA as Youth Programs Director. In that role, she has edited several Tapestry of Faith youth programs. She is a co-author of the Tapestry of Faith programs Creating Home and Virtue Ethics: An Ethical Development Program for High School Youth, as well as Sharing the Journey: Small Group Ministry with Youth and the book, Bridging: A Handbook for Congregations. Jessica is also the author of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's curriculum Beyond the Mountain: A Multigenerational Religious Education Program on Haiti. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A special acknowledgement to Aisha Hauser, who co-authored two sessions in this program. Thanks to Pat Kahn, UUA Children and Family Programs Director, for helpful suggestions and feedback. Thanks to Michelle Bishop, Religious Education Assistant at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, Georgia, for creative ideas with emblems and stoles. Tapestry of Faith Core Team The following UUA staff brought Tapestry to fruition: Judith A. Frediani, Curriculum Director, Tapestry Project Director Adrianne Ross, Project Manager Susan Dana Lawrence, Managing Editor Jessica York, Youth Programs Director Gail Forsyth-Vail, Adult Programs Director Pat Kahn, Children and Family Programs Director Alicia LeBlanc, Administrative and Editorial Assistant We are grateful to these former UUA staff members who contributed to the conceptualization and launch of Tapestry of Faith: Tracy L. Hurd Sarah Gibb Millspaugh Aisha Hauser Pat Hoertdoerfer Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley 3 activity. May this program help you nurture the next THE PROGRAM generation of UU leaders. …if religion is ultimately about what we love, then “faith” GOALS is not so much about what we think is true (or hope is true, despite lack of evidence), but about being faithful to This program will: what we love. — Peter Morales, past president, • Identify common traits or characteristics of Unitarian Universalist Association faithful Unitarian Universalists, including Rev. Morales asks us to think about religion as the revering life, being welcoming, finding beauty in practice of being faithful to what you love. In order to do our uniqueness, and sharing leadership this, you must decide what you love and do your best to • Encourage and guide children to live their UU live that love faithfully every day. Signs of Our Faith faith in their everyday lives guides children to do their best to live faithful lives every day. It presents fourteen traits or values that most • Explore the nature of rituals—particularly Unitarian Universalist love, including the quest for religious rituals—and the role they play in our knowledge, reverence for life, supporting one another on lives our faith journeys, and public witness. Children examine • Build leadership skills. how their lives do and can exhibit these traits and values, and come to understand that their faith is a living LEADERS faith whose histories and teachings are fortifications for living faithfully in a complex world. A team of two or more adults should lead the program. Having two leaders present at all times helps assure Signs of Our Faith engages children to explore ritual child safety. While one leader implements an activity, practices of our faith that remind us of these traits and the other can focus on classroom management. values. Some of the rituals are enacted in the Communication between team members is crucial to congregation. Some we conduct alone, or in our create a common culture in the sessions. Your interactions with family, friends, and peers; others are leadership should include at least one congregational offered to the wider world. This program helps children member who is familiar with the rituals of the understand the abstract concept of a ritual by naming congregation. rituals as signs of our faith. Rituals are defined broadly, so that naming and dedicating a baby is a ritual, but so PARTICIPANTS too is befriending a new child at school. Through the Signs of Our Faith is for children in second and third concept of "ritual," children discover evidence of their grade or ages seven through nine. You may find it useful faith in everyday actions and are encouraged to ritualize to think about the developmental norms for this age or form into habit such traits as caring, welcoming, and group. Not all children arrive at each developmental making fair group decisions. stage at the same time, but knowing what to expect Signs of Our Faith asks young people to see themselves overall from seven-, eight-, and nine-year-olds can be as leaders of their faith. They build experience quite helpful, especially to first-time leaders. performing and, at times, creating rituals to share in their In Nurturing Children and Youth: A Developmental families as well as the congregation, and are thereby Guidebook (Boston: UUA, 2005), Tracey L. Hurd positioned as co-creators of the faith. Leadership in discusses developmental characteristics of school-age Action, alternate activities included in every session, children. She notes that by age seven, children's invite children to lead the flower ceremony, host an learning disabilities and behavioral or psychological appreciation event for congregational leaders, and write issues may have appeared and been identified. meditations and prayers for congregational use. By Individual learning styles and strengths may also be sharing their leadership with a wider group, children apparent. Children who need glasses often get their first deepen their connection to our faith and see themselves pair around this age. as needed leaders in the congregation, other UU communities, and the world beyond. Hurd notes that the typical child in this age group is "passionately interested" in moral issues: Your leadership of this program is truly a sign of great faith. It is a sign of lived faith. Your leadership will be an She seeks what is fair and right... By developing example to the participants that