Taking It Home for Sunday, February 3, 2013

Taking It Home Information for Families

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Spirit Play (4-5 year-olds): 

This week children worked with the Flaming Chalice Lesson which is a central liturgical lesson in Spirit Play.

Wondering Questions:

I wonder if you have seen a chalice anywhere else in our church? 

I wonder what part of it you like best?

I wonder what part is most important?

I wonder how big this community could really be?

I wonder who is in this community?

I wonder if the people in the community have names?

I wonder how it feels to be in this community?

I wonder where you are in this community?

I wonder if you have ever made a promise?

I wonder what happens when you break a promise?

I wonder if a promise is different than a wish?     

I wonder if there is one promise that is more important than the others?

I wonder if there is one promise that we could remove and still live together peacefully?

I wonder what would happen if the promises weren’t here?

I wonder what would happen if someone new came to join this community?

I wonder if you have ever come close to the Mystery?

I wonder if you have ever felt the Spirit of Love and Mystery?

Extension wondering questions:

I wonder if you have ever taken care of a plant?

I wonder if you have ever taken care of an animal?

I wonder how plants and animals can be part of our community?

I wonder how big our community can really be?

Grades K-2: Wonderful Welcome

Taking It Home, Session 3: The Gift Of Forgiveness

When I see the Ten Most Wanted Lists... I always have this thought: If we'd made them feel wanted earlier, they wouldn't be wanted now.

Eddie Cantor, 20th-century actor, singer and comedian 

Forgiveness is the act of admitting we are like other people.

Christina Baldwin, Life's Companion, Journal Writing as a Spiritual Quest 

It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.

Mother Teresa 

IN TODAY'S SESSION...

When children opened the Wonder Box today, they found a picture of a dove bearing an olive branch — a common symbol for peace. We talked about the intangible gift of forgiveness, something we can use to restore peace to a relationship when we feel hurt or wronged. The children learned that forgiving somebody can make things fair again and can be a way to welcome someone back with you after a conflict. 

In the story from India , a prince and a rhinoceros, Great Joy, are good friends. Great Joy offers to help the prince win gold in a race, but in his hunger to win, the prince abuses Great Joy, who then refuses to perform. Mistrust and mistreatment are overcome when an apology is accepted. 

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about...

Have there been conflicts in your family that ended in forgiveness, or should have? Talk together about these times. 

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try... Make a family covenant together with forgiveness as its focus. Acknowledge that there will be conflict within the family, and agree together that the individuals in conflict will seek forgiveness of one another — even if it takes time for the forgiveness to come.

Grades 3-5: Windows and Mirrors

Taking It Home, Session 3: We Need Not Think Alike to Love Alike

We need not think alike to love alike. — Francis David

To different minds, the same world is a hell, and a heaven. — Joseph Priestley

IN TODAY'S SESSION...

We explored diversity of faith heritage and religious belief as a desirable and welcome feature of a Unitarian Universalist congregation. The activities helped children practice active affirmation of each individual's faith heritage and personal religious beliefs. The children learned that when we affirm each other's meaningful faith traditions and their theological questions and beliefs, we affirm each other as individual truth-seekers (our fourth Principle) and show that we accept every individual and encourage their spiritual growth (third Principle). The session introduced the six Sources that support and nurture Unitarian Universalist faith. Children will explore how the Sources embrace a variety of faith traditions, including Unitarian Universalism itself. A story about Thomas Starr King illustrates that to follow one's own faith path is not only allowed but a core value in Unitarian Universalism.

Children learned symbols of Unitarian Universalism and several other major faiths. Some children used these symbols to represent their faith heritage in an art activity.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about ...

Ask your child what they shared about their faith heritage today. Ask if they learned anything surprising about themselves when it was time to think about what they believe about God or another religious topic. Were they surprised by anything a peer contributed? If your child learned that a friend holds a different belief or comes from a faith tradition that is different from yours, ask how it felt to discover this difference. Ask them what they think about the religious diversity around them and the ways this diversity is celebrated in your congregation and/or your home.

Share your thoughts on religious diversity, inside and outside your congregation. Share your feelings about freedom of religious belief.

EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try...

A FAMILY ADVENTURE

Do you have friends whose religious beliefs differ from yours and are comfortable articulating their faith choices? Arrange for your family to join them for a religious service or celebration and some conversation about their beliefs. Bring along a copy of the Unitarian Universalist Sources and find out which Sources, if any, resonate religiously for your friends.

FAMILY DISCOVERY

Discuss the theological diversity within your family. Sketch your family's faith heritage "family tree" and discuss the faith journey(s) that led you to your Unitarian Universalist community.

Middle School: Riddle and Mystery

Taking It Home, Session 3: Looking Toward Tomorrow

I am always more interested in what I am about to do than what I have already done. — Rachel Carson

Talk about the quote. Is it true? Does every single person on Earth help decide where we are going together?

WHAT WE DID TODAY

Today's Big Question is "Where are we going?" We thought about that in several different ways. We talked about the difference between cosmic and quotidian, and about the butterfly effect. We reacted to some questions about the future, and in the process, we thought about humanism and what it says about our control over where we are going. Our story was about Rachel Carson, a woman who may have changed the whole history of the world. Our WCUU broadcast talked about where UUs think we humans should be going. In WIT Time, we considered how much control we have and how much difference we can make at various times in our lives.

ANSWERING TODAY'S BIG QUESTION

What do family members and friends have to say about the question "Where are we going?"

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

Make a chart that shows exactly where everybody in your family will be at every hour, on the hour, tomorrow. The day after, go back to the chart and see how accurate you were. Did you really know where you were going? How sure can you ever be about where you are going to be and what you are going to do at a certain time?

SHARED SEARCH

Go together and check out a place that will be important to your family a few years from now. Maybe it will be the high school you expect to attend. Maybe it will be... ? You decide.

REFLECT ON YOUR BELIEFS

How do you feel about humanism? Almost half of Unitarian Universalists say they are humanist. How about you and other family members? Are you humanists? What does that mean to you? How does being a humanist affect where you are going?

CHANGES

Has anything changed at your school in the past year? Find out who made the change happen and why. Discuss with your friends whether the change has been for the better.

FAMILY FAITH IN ACTION — PHOTO CHALLENGE

Together, choose something at home or in your neighborhood that you agree is not good and that you can change. Take a photograph and hang it on your refrigerator, a bulletin board or a wall. Work to improve the situation, then photograph the improvement and hang it beside the first photograph. This does not need to be a large project. You might clean up an empty lot on your street, or groom your pets. You can do this project with friends, too.