Goal:
To learn some of the famous sayings of Jesus. To learn the golden rule in six different world religions.
Materials:
Make copies of The Golden Rule in Six World Religions Page 1 and Page 2
Bibles
Introduction:
Many of the beliefs and practices of Unitarian Universalists come from Jesus ideas about the best way to live and treat each other. The expressions in this lesson will be ones your children will hear over and over in their lives. Familiarize them with the meaning behind these famous sayings and help them apply it to their own lives.
Activities:
1. Read each saying. Find it in the Bible: The first word in parentheses is the name of the book in which the quote is found, followed by the chapter number, then the verses, or exact line numbers. (The expression to read something chapter and verse itself comes from reading the Bible.) Discuss the questions that follow each famous saying.
2. Make a Golden Rule Poster
First, find the Golden Rule in the Bible. (Matthew 7: 12) Then, distribute copies of The Golden Rule in Six World Religions. Color the religious symbols, then cut out the squares and put them together in any design you would like to make a Golden Rule poster.
3. See What is the Golden Rule? from the Early Childhood section
Goal:
To consider the importance of living ones faith and to identify some famous Unitarians and Universalists.
Materials:
List of stamps and their numbers
2 sample stamp collection pages: Marlenes Stamp Collection and UU Kids Book
Background:
Its difficult to teach our children what UUs believe. We dont have a single statement of belief, or dogma to teach them. The theological beliefs of Unitarians and Universalists have changed dramatically over time. We continue to call ourselves a living tradition, one that evolves and reforms itself. But one hallmark of Unitarian Universalismpast, present and futureis social activism. Thats because Unitarians and Universalists have always believed that we must apply our faith to the world we live in. So, we turn to famous Unitarians and Universalists as one way to see this faith in action throughout history.
Activities:
Collect stamps of famous UUs.
Make an album of your own. You can use Marlenes example, the UU Kids Book pages, or make up your own design.
Goal:
To learn about some of the Unitarians and Universalists in Europe and the United States.
Materials:
The Dangerous Journey game board (copy onto legal-size paper with printer set to horizontal)
Die and pieces for each player
Activities:
Read about King John Sigismund, Joseph Priestley, and John Murray
Read Whos Who on the Dangerous Journey
Play The Dangerous Journey instructions
If I were helping to found a religious group with others whom I like to be with,
I would want us to celebrate or honor . . .
I would want us to meet . . . (where?)
When? (day of the week, frequency?)
Two things we would do are …
Something we would never do is …
The most important thing about us would be …
"Hey Dad," called Raychel," is it okay if I go over to Heather’s house for dinner tonight?"
"Didn’t you go over there twice already this week, honey?"
"But tonight is special. There’s a meeting of a club from Heather’s church called the Handmaidens. She asked me to join. They play games and go on camping trips and they do good stuff like helping poor people. She said there are some things club members have to believe and some things they have to promise to do-but it’s no big deal. I think it sounds cool."
"Wait a minute here, my dear," Raychel’s dad liked rhyming words when he could. "What church is Handmaidens connected to? You already have a church."
"I don’t know much about the church," said Raychel, "All I know is that they have a girls’ group called the Handmaidens and a boys’ group called the Soldiers. Heather’s brother, John Peter, has asked Tony to join that one. Sometimes the two groups do things together. It sounds really neat."
"I think we should know more about what you are supposed to believe and what you are supposed to do to be a member of this club before you decide to join," said her dad.
"But Dad," argued Raychel, "We’re Unitarian Universalists. Didn’t you tell us we’re free to believe anything we want? What if I decide to believe the things the Handmaidens believe? That’s okay isn’t it?"
"It might be okay, but only after you have done a lot of hard thinking about it. Unitarian Universalists don’t just believe anything. We ask lots of questions and make sure that the beliefs –and the things people do because of them — are things that make this world a better place," explained Raychel’s dad.
"Tell you what though, you go to your friend’s tonight and tomorrow we’ll all talk about it. Then, if you still want to, you can join them."
The next day, Tony and his parents joined Raychel’s family for dinner. At the dinner table, as usual, everybody was talking at once. Raychel’s dad, Val, stood up and banged his spoon on the table to get everyone’s attention. In a big, booming voice he said, "Hear ye, hear ye, the dining table will come to order.
"Raychel Morgan, will you tell us about your visit to the Handmaidens?"
"It was boring," sighed Raychel. "First they read from the Bible, and everyone recited the Handmaiden’s Creed, which was all about obedience to authority and the leaders — whoever they are. Then we played a game with words from the Bible. Heather’s mother talked to us about how important it was to be a Handmaiden and how we had to try and get more kids to be Handmaidens so more people would get the message and be saved. I wanted to ask, "What message?" and, "Saved from what?" but nobody else was asking questions. Anyway, I didn’t like it."
"Sounds a little different from our church," said Raychel’s dad.
"It was really different from our church and our youth group," Raychel continued. "But when they asked me about our church I couldn’t think of anything to say. They knew exactly what to say about their church and what they believed. But what do UUs believe?"
"Raychel has asked a very important question," said her dad, "Can anyone here sitting give answer to that question?" He was having fun talking like a real judge.
"Well, what about the words we say at the beginning of church," Tony offered, "you know" love is the doctrine of this church, the quest of truth is its sacrament and service is its prayer…?"
"I can say the words, but I don’t get what they mean," said Raychel.
"Those words are a perfect place to begin," said Raychel’s father. "We believe that love is the strongest power in the world–stronger than hate and stronger than fear. I like to call this power God, because that’s the best word I know for a power that is so much bigger and stronger than any person. Your mom doesn’t like to use the word God, because it makes her think of an old man sitting up on a cloud. But even though she doesn’t use the same word to describe this power of love, she believes in it the same way I do. And ‘doctrine’ simply means something that is taught. So the first line means that we teach love."
"What about the next line, ‘the quest for truth is its sacrament?’ What does that mean?" asked Raychel.
"Well," continued Raychel’s dad, "a sacrament is an object or an act that is considered very, very special in a religion. Other words used to describe these things are ‘sacred’ or ‘holy.’ A quest is a journey to find something. So the second line means that we consider searching for truth to be a very special and important part of our religion. And to us, searching for truth means more than never telling a lie."
"Like what?" asked Raychel, getting confused again.
"For one thing, it means that what might be true for us today might not be true tomorrow if we learn something new."
"You mean like when people used to think the world was flat until someone noticed it was really round?" asked Tony.
"Or that only birds could fly until someone invented an airplane?" added Raychel.
"That’s it," answered Raychel’s dad.
"Or that someone named God invented the world in seven days even though the study of science has given us different facts to believe," added Raychel’s mom. "You see, some people believe that God told the truth many years ago to men who then wrote it down in a book like the Hebrew or Christian Bible or the Islamic holy book, the Koran. They believe that this one truth is the only truth they need to know to live a good life. So they don’t question it."
"Other people, like Unitarian Universalists," she continued, "keep asking questions because we believe there is always more to know, always new ways of thinking and acting that can make the world a better place."
"So what does ‘and service is our prayer’ mean?" asked Raychel, "How can service be a prayer?"
"Most Unitarian Universalists believe words alone aren’t enough. We have to work to make a better world, not just talk about it," said Raychel’s mom.
And for a moment, strange as it seems, everybody in this noisy wonderful family was quiet.
"So," said Raychel’s dad, "what do you think?"
"I think Unitarian Universalism is a hard religion to explain," answered Raychel. "But from now on, when I’m asked, I’m going to say, "we believe in love, we believe in searching for truth, and we believe in making the world a better place."
"I think that’s a very good answer Raychel," said her dad. "It says a lot about how we think in just a few words. And in this family, anything said in just a few words is amazing indeed!
"So, Raychel. Do you think you’ll be joining the Handmaidens next week?"
"Well, dad," said Raychel, "I think I ask too many questions to make a good handmaiden."
Goal:
To better understand the reason for death rituals.
Preparation:
1. Locate one of the following books in your local library:
The Happy Funeral by Eve Bunting
Grandpas Slide Show by Deborah Gould
Saying Good-bye to Grandma by Jane Resh Thomas
2. Read background information from Lessons of Loss on different religious and cultural beliefs and practices regarding the afterlife and rituals for mourning, including a section on UU beliefs and theology.
Activities:
Read your selected book.
Use the questions below to stimulate discussion.
Summarize by saying that many people find it difficult to accept the reality of a death, especially when the deceased is much beloved and significant in the mourners life. However, death rituals, such as wakes, funerals, and sitting Shiva (a Jewish tradition), help to make the death more real and to enable the mourner to adjust to a world in which the deceased is physically not present. Use material from the background information as appropriate to your situation.
Questions for discussion:
The Happy Funeral
How does Lauras family prepare for the funeral?
What happens at the funeral home?
How does Laura feel as she attends her grandfathers funeral?
What rituals are included in the funeral?
What do you think the family gains from holding a funeral?
Grandpas Slide Show
Why do people bring food to the house after Grandpa dies?
Why does Dad say that at the funeral, well need to act calm? What happens there? How do people react?
What happens after the funeral?
What do Sam and Douglas learn about attending a funeral?
Saying Good-bye to Grandma
How did Suzie feel about seeing her grandmothers body at the wake? What was it like when she got there?
What happened during the funeral?
Where did Suzie and her family go after the funeral service?
Why did everyone go back to the church for dinner?
How do you think Suzie felt at the end of the day? Do you think she was glad she went to the funeral? Why or why not?
10 minutes
Invite participants into a guided mediation. Begin by asking them to find a comfortable position either sitting with a straight spine on a cushion or lying on the rug on the floor. Ask them to close their eyes and take a couple of long, slow, deep breaths. Continue by saying something like the following guiding words from On the Path by Wayne Arnason: "Now I’d like you to take a cleansing breath by first exhaling all of your discouragements and disappointments of this past week, breathing them out as you exhale…And now slowly inhale hope and vision…And now take another cleansing breath by exhaling pain and sadness…And now exhale tension and frustration…And inhale relaxation and peace." (Pause for 10 seconds).
"Now let come into your awareness one of your favorite places in nature, a place that you visit on a regular basis, perhaps in your backyard or in a nearby park or woods or near your congregation. A place nearby that is special to you, where you can feel a sense of peace…Now let your imagination take you to that place." (Pause for 20 seconds.)
"Find a comfortable spot to sit in this place…And experience the energy of this place…Feel your inner self becoming quiet, calm…As you sit, feel yourself connecting with the essence of this place, its own inner energy…Feel how this energy can help to hold you, to heal you, to nurture you." (Pause for 20 seconds.)
"Now invite yourself to communicate with the essence of this special place. You may imagine this essence of energy taking on a form, or you may wish to experience it in a more general way…Let the essence become very real to you…Now express your gratitude to this essence for helping to nurture you…Ask this essence how it would like to be treated…Ask if it has a message for you. Be still within and listen for an answer." (Pause for 30 seconds.)
"Now feel your sense of gratitude for having this special place available to you." (Pause for 10 seconds.)
"And when you are ready, bring your awareness back to this room and open your eyes."
When all participants have opened their eyes, gather in a circle and invite them to share how they experienced the guided mediation.
The origins of Hinduism date back to the third millennium B.C.E., establishing this faith as one of the world’s oldest major religions. Hinduism is a complex and diverse faith that has no uniform dogma or creed. One of the main Hindu world views describes each soul (Atman) as experiencing a series of life-journeys through unending cycles of time. Through these life-journeys, which include the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, the soul seeks to gain union with the Supreme Being (Brahman).
This cycle of reincarnation is called "Samsara:’ To gain union with Brahman, the Hindu must live an exemplary life of self-control, nonviolence, reverence for all living creatures, charity toward and tolerance of other humans, and devotion to rituaI and worship. This journey of spiritual ascent through Samsara requires attention to the following processes and principles:
Dharma
Accepting one’s station in each incarnation or life, as expressed through the caste system.
The caste system (varna) is the framework on which Hindu society has been built for many centuries. Though the Indian Parliament has outlawed caste discrimination and education is eroding some of its power, custom and tradition are so thoroughly ingrained in Indian life that change moves slowly and with great difficulty. Caste is less a foctor than it once was, yet it still pervades Hindu society and is most powerfuI in the many small villages where the majority of India’s population lives.
The four main castes were originally organized by occupation. These four have evolved into three thousand subcastes. The maincastes are as follows:
Brahmin: priests, teachers, seers
Kshatriyas: originally soldiers; now corporate directors,
administrators, office workers, and managers
Vaisyas: merchants, craftspeople, technicians
Sudras: factory workers, field hands, laborers
Outside of these divisions are the "outsiders/outcastes," once known as "untouchabies," Mahatma Gandhi called these people the Harijans or "people of God," They did-and in many cases still do-the work that other caste members would not do. Restrictions were so rigid-and often still are-that an "untouchable" was not allowed to walk on the same side of the street as a Brahmin. Never could they eat with or live in the same areas as members of the main castes.
Some historians claim that castes were not originally a part of the Hindu religion but were created to defend the position of the Aryan ruling class against both the indigenous population and later conquerors. Throughout recorded history, however, caste has been pervasive In the scriptures and customs of Hinduism.
Karma
Today’s actions bear on the future, or "one reaps what one sows."
Maya
This material world is really illusion. Yet it is in this world that each human being must seek to overcome his or her faults and weaknesses.
Moksha
Liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth through attainment of union with Brahman.
Hinduism is sometimes referred to as the "religion of thirty-three million gods and goddesses." Traditional Hindu beliefs describe many gods and goddesses who live in the Himalayas of northern India. These deities are not God as is Brahman, nor are they fully human though they enact all kinds of human experience. Indian literature includes many myths and legends detailing the origins of these deities and of the rituals, celebrations, and festivals relating to them that have become an important part of Hinduism over the centuries.
Even with all of these gods and goddesses, Brahman is clearly identified as "god" as Westerners understand this concept. Brahman is the Creator and the Creation, though always described in three personifications: Brahma (Creator); Vishnu (Preserver), and Shiva (Destroyer)
For the Hindu, every aspect of daily life is an expression of religion. The separation of the secular and the sacred familiar to Westerners is unknown in Hinduism. The Hindu’s day begins in the morning with bathing according to prescribed rituals. The preparation, serving, and eating of meals are carried out in accordance with religious prescriptions. Most Hindu homes have a family shrine where the family’s chosen god or goddess is worshipped. Each day the family god/goddess must be bathed, given food, and decorated with fruits and flowers in preparation for the family worship.
Hindu religious practice includes many rituals, celebrations, and festivals, which occur regularly throughout the year. Many of these rituals focus on honoring the gods and goddesses. Hindu practice also involves rites of passage throughout childhood and adulthood that are important in Hindu life. These serve as constant reminders of the person’s duty as a devout Hindu, and they strengthen family ties and people’s sense of responsibility to one another.
Some of the better-known scriptures of Hinduism include the following: The Vedas, The Brahmanas, The Upanishods, and The Bhagavad-Gita. Passages from several of these scriptures will be used as resources during this unit.
MANTRAS
1. OmorAum
When chanting Om, draw the syllable out to the fullest extent of your breath until the "m" is a low, murmuring sound.
Om sounds like: Ooo ooo o o o mm mm m m . . .
Om or Aum is a sound that is believed to contain the energy of Brahman, the same energy that created the universe.
2. Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram Om
(Phonetically: Shree rahm ji rahm ji ji rahm oo oo oo mm mm)
Accent the underlined syllables as you chant:
Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram Om
Translation:
Sri: a title of honor
Ram: Lord
Jai: Hail!
Om: the expression of the whole of being, of the ultimate creative energy in the universe
READINGS FROM HINDU SCRIPTURES
From The Bhagavad-Gita
"On Self-Control"
If you have self-control
and move in the world
while restraining your senses,
you are free from attachment and hate,
and attain serenity of mind.
"The Yoga of Meditation"
For one who has conquered his self by the self, the Self is a friend; but for one who has not conquered the self, the Self becomes hostile like an enemy.
One who is impartial to friend, companion and foe, to those who are remote and neutral, to those who are hateful, to relatives, to good and evil men-excels.
From The Upanishads
KATHAI
Om…
May Brahman protect us,
May Brahman guide us,
May Brahman give us strength and right understanding.
May love and harmony be with us all.
Om . . . Peace. . . Peace. . . Peace.
SVETASVATARA XII
1. O Brahman Supreme!
Formless art thou, and yet
Though the reason none knows,
Thou bringest forth many forms;
Thou bringest them forth, and then
Withdrawest them to thyself.
Fill us with thought of thee!
2. Thou art the fire,
Thou art the sun,
Thou art the air,
Thou art the moon,
Thou art the starry firmament,
Thou art Brahman Supreme:
Thou art the waters-thou
The creator of all!
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