Touchstones Project nurture your spirit, help heal our world

Program & Worship Resources for Unitarian Universalist Congregations

An innovative ministry project of First Universalist Church of Denver the Pacific Western Region of the

Unitarian Universalist Association. In the spirit of Congregations & Beyond.

Mountain Desert District, 2242 S. Albion St., Denver, CO 80222 TouchstonesProject@gmail.com

Five Year Cycle of Monthly Themes for the Touchstones Journal

2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018

September Unity/Diversity Vision Reverence Inherent worth

& dignity

Beauty

October Vocation/Call Creation Reason Emotional

Intelligence

Hospitality

November Gratitude Covenant Spirituality Care of the Soul Faith

December Peace God Communion Healing Hope

January Grace Authority Non-Violence Courage Justice

February Prayer Evil Generosity Respect Love

March Letting Go/

Surrender

Forgiveness Renewal Balance Humility

April Wholeness/

Salvation

Freedom Mindfulness Consolation/

Desolation

Transformation/

Resurrection

May Truth Mercy Theological Re-

flection

Acceptance Transcendence

June Mystery Compassion Power Prophetic Impera-

tive

Wisdom

July Liberal Theologies Harmony Journey Circle of Life Liberation

August Formation Sabbath Kindness Ambiguity/

Paradox

Beloved Commu-

nity

The Mission The Touchstones Project will provide compelling program and worship

materials to enrich the experience of people participating in Unitarian

Universalist congregations.

The Premise The premise behind the Touchstones Project is simply this: “we’re better

together.” Each week Unitarian Universalist ministers and congrega-

tions create an astonishing amount of excellent material. Some gets

posted on a website, but overall the reach and, therefore, impact of the

material is far too limited. We explore hundreds of sites monthly and

curate the best material we can find on a specific theme to create the

Touchstones resources. Below is a table of the 60 themes. On page two

is an image of the front page of a Touchstones Journal.

The Promise The annual subscription fee for the materials is invested back into the

project to provide other offerings. As an example, go to

www.createmeaning.org to see the next project that we are developing

(and more are planned).

Some Background This project emerged in response to the Theme-Based Ministry

program launched by the Rev. Marlin Lavanhar at All Souls

Unitarian Church in Tulsa, OK to help members of that church

“build their own theology.” In 2011-2012, we launched the

Touchstones Project on a limited basis to congregations in the

Mountain Desert District. Through a generous grant from the

Mountain Desert District, we expanded it in 2012-2013 to the

UUA’s Pacific Western Region.

Touchstones Materials An annual subscription fee (September to August) of $240

includes the following monthly:

The Touchstones Journal (8 pages in a pdf format)

A 20- to 25-page Worship Resource Packet with enough

materials to create two worship services

A discussion guide for use by small groups

Individuals can also subscribe to the Contemplations e-letter ,

which is sent on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings

Touchstones Journal The 8-page journal includes

1. Introduction to the Theme

2. Wisdom Story for All Ages

3. Faith & Theology that explores

the theme in-depth

4. Family Matters for use by par-

ents and religious educators

with materials on the theme

and two to three activities to

explore the theme with chil-

dren

5. Small Group Discussion Guide

for adults

6. Readings from the Common Bowl

(a quotation on the theme for

each day of the month)

7. Contemplations (a guide to go

deeper and an invitation to

receive a brief reading three

days a week)

8. A Wordle on the theme and

articles, poetry, and Creative

Commons licensed photos as

space allows

Worship Resource Packet This packet comes as a Word document for ease of use and has 4 to 10

selections of material in twelve areas, all of which are thematically

based. There is enough material to create and present two services on

the theme. Materials come from the UUA’s Worship Web, our UU

hymnals, and UU and non-UU websites. The sections are:

1. Opening Words

2. Chalice Lightings

3. Hymns

4. Readings from the Common Bowl

5. Stories & Illustrations

6. Meditations

7. Prayers

8. Responsive Readings

9. Readings

10. Extinguishing the Chalice

11. Closing Words

12. Excerpts of sermons with links to the full text

Small Group Discussion Guide A small group discussion guide is provided as a Word document for

ease of copying and use. The guide anticipates a discussion lasting 60

to 75 minutes. Page 8 of the journal includes an abbreviated version of

the guide.

Contemplations Page 2 of the journal features Contemplations and includes guidelines

for a morning and evening meditative practice using Readings from the

Common Bowl on page 3. Individuals can also subscribe to our Contem-

plations e-letter for a brief reading every Monday, Wednesday, and

Friday morning throughout the year. They can subscribe with an email

to createmeaningnow@gmail.com.

Join in collaboration If you have original or curated materials that you would like to submit

for our consideration for a theme please send them to us at Touch-

stonesProject@gmail.com.

To Order Make a check of $240 payable to MDD-Touchstones and

mail to MDD, 2242 S. Albion St., Denver, CO 80222. Write Touchstones

on the memo line. Provide contact info and the email address to which

materials are to be sent monthly.

Using Touchstones’ Materials Using the materials can be done in many ways. While they have been

developed in the context of theme-based ministry (i.e., worship and

educational activities for all ages that are focused on a monthly

theme), they can be used independently of such a program. Further, if

a congregation is already committed to a theme-based ministry pro-

gram with their own unique themes, these materials can be used

alongside of those, and not as a replacement for them.

1. At the simplest level, these are rich resources for Ministers, Wor-

ship Committees, RE Committees, and Adult RE Committees in

both minister-led and lay-led congregations of all sizes, and can

be used as need, interest, and imagination dictate.

2. The easiest level of “formal” implementation involves emailing

the pdf of the Touchstones Journal to all participates in a congrega-

tion on a monthly basis. This alone would be very enriching.

3. An easy “ask” is to invite members as they are so moved to hold a

small group gathering using the discussion guide on page eight of

the journal.

4. Like #3, but for families, invite parents to share the Wisdom Story

with their children, as well as the materials and activities on the

Family Matters page.

5. More formal implementation can begin by scheduling one Sunday

service monthly to focus on the Touchstones theme. This can be lay

-led or minister-led. (It can also exist alongside another theme for

the month that your congregation may be exploring.)

6. To further the shift to an actual Theme-Based Ministry program

implicit in #5, invite those in charge of your religious education

program to consider focusing one Sunday a month on the theme.

If children attend part of the service on a Sunday, the Wisdom Sto-

ry could be presented to them on that Sunday.