Flaming chalice basic lesson

UU Principles Song
This song was created and adapted by many UU religious educators, most recently by Katie Erslev Covey. It is sung to the tune of Do Re Mi.
One: Each person is worthwhile.

Two: Be kind in all you do.

Three: We help each other learn.

Four: And search for what is true.

Five: All people have a say.

Six: Work for a peaceful world.

Seven: The web of life's the way,

That will bring us back to me and U.U…

PROMISES BASIC LESSON
written by Nita Penfold
Materials:

• 
  Underlay (rainbow on one side, deep purple on other side; outline of gold circle and triangles can be marked on fabric, about 20” square) rolled up;
  
• 
  basket with objects: small wrapped gift, heart, felt flame or wooden flame, flower, bell, dove, and earth picture or ball; basket with seven promises (equilateral triangles in rainbow colors, see Flaming Chalice lesson);
  
• 
  large gold circle 7” in diameter.
  

Notes: practice placing triangles so that they are distributed evenly around the gold circle or mark placement on fabric.

Presentation:
Words for you to say are in italics; actions are in plain type.
Point around circle of children on rug.
This is the circle of our community.
Roll out underlay rainbow side up and smooth down.
This is the Rainbow Path of our Unitarian*Universalist community, the way in which we try to live our lives.
Take out large gold circle and place in middle of underlay.
This is the Spirit of Love and Justice and Truth, the Spirit of Mystery that some people call God. We use the color gold for the Mystery.
You know, sometimes, it’s hard to be in community. One person might do something that another one doesn’t like. They might think someone is being unfair.
Take basket with triangles and basket of objects and put in front of you.
So in our Unitarian*Universalist community we make promises to each other about how we are going to treat each other, so that we all get along, and do what’s right. These promises are also called our principles.
Take out red triangle. Place on underlay to your right at your 3 o’clock position just outside the gold circle, pointing into it.
Our first promise is red for Respect People. Each person is special just by being his or her self. Each person is like a gift. You are special just by being yourself. You are a gift.
Take out red gift box and place on gold circle across from red triangle.
We don’t know all the wonderful things about each other until we learn about each other, find out all of our gifts. We are all precious so we treat each other as a little part of the Mystery.
Take out orange triangle. Place on underlay to left of red triangle, pointing into gold circle.
Our second promise is orange for Offer Fair and Kind Treatment to All People. Since we believe that all people are gifts, we need to be kind and fair to them.
Take out orange heart and place on gold circle across from orange triangle.
This heart reminds us to be kind to all people.
Take out yellow triangle. Place on underlay to left of orange triangle, pointing into gold circle.
Our third promise is yellow for Yearn to Accept and Learn About Ourselves, Others, and the Mystery.
Take out yellow flame and place on gold circle across from yellow triangle.
By thinking about ourselves and other people and learning & celebrating our differences, we are reminded by this flame that we are all connected to the Mystery that some people call God.
Take out green triangle. Place on underlay to left of yellow triangle, pointing into gold circle.
Our fourth promise is green for Grow by Exploring What is True and Right in Life.
Take out flower and place on gold circle across from green triangle.
It’s sometimes hard to decide what is true and right, so this flower reminds us that we grow as people by exploring answers to our questions. We may find different answers to the same questions, or questions that have no answers, but we keep on asking.
Take out blue triangle. Place on underlay to left of green triangle, pointing into gold circle.
Our fifth promise is blue for Believe in our ideas and Act on them.
Take out bell and place on gold circle across from blue triangle.
Once we figure out what is right and true for us, this bell reminds us that we have to try to do what’s true and right, not just talk about it. The bell is that little voice inside us that lets us know when something we do is right or wrong.
Take out dark blue or indigo triangle. Place on underlay to left of blue triangle, pointing into gold circle.
Our sixth promise is indigo or dark blue for Insist on a Peaceful, Fair, and Free World. We try to do what’s right and we want all people to have freedom and justice in their lives. Justice means being fair to everyone. Peace means living together in harmony.
Take out dove and place on gold circle across from dark blue triangle.
The dove reminds of us peace for all.
Take out violet triangle. Place on underlay to left of dark blue triangle, pointing into gold circle.
The seventh and last promise is violet, a kind of purple color, for Value our home, Earth, that we share with all living beings. We value each living being as a gift just like we do people.
Take out Earth ball or picture and place on gold circle across from violet triangle.
This Earth reminds us again that we are all connected in our lives. We need to be careful of what we do so that all living beings on Earth will have clean water, and clean air, and enough places to live. We need to remember that we are only one being on the Earth and that there are many others that we need to respect.
Count the triangles around the circle, touching each one.
There are seven promises we make to each other to help us be in community. They remind us that we are connected to each other and to the spirit of Love or Mystery which some people call God.

Ask some of these Wondering Questions (as time and interest allow):

I wonder if you have ever made a promise?
I wonder which promise you like the best?
I wonder how it feels when we keep a promise?
I wonder what happens when we keep a promise?
I wonder if it is easy or hard to keep a promise?
I wonder what happens when a promise is broken?
I wonder what here is most important?
I wonder how it feels to be on this rainbow path?
Wondering Questions for each promise
Red--I wonder how it feels to be special, to be a gift?
Orange--I wonder how it feels to be kind and fair? I wonder if you’ve ever noticed unfairness?
Yellow--I wonder if you’ve ever learned something about yourself? others? the Mystery?
Green--I wonder how it feels to ask a question? I wonder how it feels to find an answer to a question?

I wonder how it feels to have a question answered?
Blue--I wonder if you’ve ever heard that little voice inside that tells you something’s right or wrong?
Indigo--I wonder how it feels to have peace and justice in your life? I wonder how we can be peaceful?
Violet--I wonder how it feels to be a part of Earth? I wonder how we can respect all living beings?
Choices
Say something like:
In this classroom you are able to choose what you would like to do with your time here after the story and before class is over.
Today’s choices are:

• 
  Retelling the story to yourself
  

• 
  Go outside and make a rainbow path with chalk on the front sidewalk (or a back sidewalk if you’re shy)
  

• 
  Trust walk
  

• 
  Learn the Principles Song
  

Or other activities you have chosen as the teacher. It is up to you whether to give totally free choice to each child individually (this will work best when you have enough adults to assist any child who needs help with a chosen activity without too much waiting) or whether to help the class as a whole decide on one or two activities to do together. Whichever you decide, be sure to let the children know clearly what choices they have (and do not have).

Activity Directions
Retelling the story independently:
Coach children to take turns, and to treat the materials with respect so that they will be available for other children and teachers to use in the future. For older/reading children, provide a copy of the script (above). For younger/non-reading children, provide a photo of the finished storyboard.
Go outside and make a rainbow path with chalk:
Take sidewalk chalk outside and make a “rainbow path”. This could be very simple – just blocks of rainbow colors (preferably in order) on the pavement; or it could be more complex, with the Promises written out in chalk for worshipers or parents to walk over contemplatively later on after class.
Trust walk:
There are a variety of “Trust” exercises which are commonly used as group building exercises. A Trust Walk is probably the easiest one to do with a mixed age group of children who may not all know each other very well yet.
You can use blindfolds if you’d like, but many children find them uncomfortable. If the children would rather not use them, it will be up to them to keep their eyes closed during the exercise.
You should decide whether to set up an ‘obstacle course’ type of space in your classroom, or whether to take the walkers on a short tour around the building/outside.
There are two ways to do this: either pair the children off with each other in roughly equal-ability pairs OR have everyone line up in a ‘snake’ type of line with the second person’s hands on the first person’s shoulders, third person’s hands on the second person’s shoulders, etc.
The guide (in pairs) or leader (in the snake) has the job of showing the follower(s) how to safely move around the designated area. In pairs, this can be done non-verbally, with the guide leading the follower by the hands, and gently touching feet or arms to suggest direction and speed. In a snake formation, it is better for the guide to speak (i.e., there’s a step up here ... everybody go to the left around the chair)
Make sure that each person has a turn being the guide and the follower (in pairs) or that everyone who wants to gets a turn to be the leader.
Before each walk begins, invite the guide to say, “I promise to keep you safe to the best of my ability.” Have the follower(s) say, “I promise to trust your guidance.”
Learn the Principles Song:
While we sing the Principles Song each time we begin in the Circle Time room, some children may not know all of the words or feel confident singing it. See the lyrics (following) and help children work on memorizing the words (to the tune of Do Re Mi)

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