Children and Youth Ministry Update November 29

Special Program for Children in grades K-6

Prayer is a language of the heart, a secret place where a person grows to know themselves, others and earth more fully. Prayer is about being thankful, asking for help, and becoming comfortable with one’s self. Prayer can take many forms: walking, singing, sitting in silence, working with your hands. Above all, prayer is about intentionality. It is about opening the heart to connect with the loving spirit in all life.

Today’s workshop with the children focuses on many ways to pray. We heard the story, “In God’s Name” which tells about people who fight over what to call God, then God goes away. When the people learn that God has many names, God returns to the people. As UU’s we believe their are many ways to experience and understand God. Prayer is about taking the time to connect with the Spirit of Life and Love, this is how many UU’s have come to experience God.

Stations: (after the story children were invited to do activities in stations)

Prayer Wheels: From the Buddhist tradition, it is believed spinning a prayer wheel is the same as reciting a prayer. In our station, children were asked to explore what good things they wanted to create in the world. Every time they spin their prayer wheel, they will be reminded of the goodness they want to produce.

Prayer Flags: From the Buddhist tradition, flags are printed with images, prayers and mantras and hung outside of homes and sacred places. The wind which passes over the flags carries to good intentions all through the earth.

Soul Collage: Simple collages made of images that speak to one’s hearts desire. Children were asked to find images of things that create joy in their lives. Reminders of joy and beauty help children remember the love that surrounds them. IN addition to being reminded of joy, children are encouraged to consider how they actions create joy of others.

Yoga: from the Hindu Tradition, poses and stretches which engage the body, mind, and heart to create unity. In Yoga children learn how to use their bodies to create peace within.

Reading: taking time to engage the mind is a wonderful prayer, we are using our human gifts to learn and change the world. The books selected for this station focused on cultivating peace and joy in one’s heart and life.

As we begin the time of Advent, a time of waiting and anticipation, I hope that prayer practice becomes a tool for your family to center and realize the abundance of love in your home. The first week of Advent focuses on being a messenger of peace. Using prayer to cultivate peace within one’s heart is the first step in bringing peace to the world.