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Clara
Barton
WE HELP MAKE THE WORLD
BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
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Please read the Overview before using
this Plan.
B b
Letter B introduces Clara Barton and ways to
help others in need, including discussion of the Red Cross and the
Clara Barton Camp. There will be a focus on birthdays, with a party
for everyone, and on sacred books, including the Bible and the
Hymnal.
MATERIALS: Construction paper Letter
B with hole punched in top, yarn for necklace
Listing of the birthdays of
children/adults working with the group
Samples of sacred books,
such as a Bible, Koran, Book of Mormon, and the Unitarian
Universalist Hymnal ( Singing the Living Tradition)
Snack—Birthday cake, ice cream
for a birthday party. Or bread.
GETTING STARTED:
Welcome. After
each person says his or her name, the group responds with “Welcome,
(name).” For a child who is attending for the first time this
year, add name to the letters that have been posted and to the
attendance sheet, and make a nametag during or after the session.
Leave a seat for someone who is not present or for someone who has
not joined the group yet.
Letter for the Day:
Talk about the Letter.
Give the Letter Necklace to a
person with that initial.
Talk about the things that the children have
brought for the Letter B, and/or Letter Bag.
Put the things related to the letter in the
Special Place.
SPECIAL PERSON: Clara Barton
(December 25, 1821-April 12, 1912)
Clara
Barton’s parents started the Universalist Church in Oxford,
Massachusetts.
Clara
Barton had 2 older sisters and 2 older brothers who taught her the
lessons as they learned them. She went to some schools but got most
of her schooling at home. When she was eleven, her brother David was
hurt in a fall from a barn roof, and she took care of him for two
years.
There
was a war in the United States almost 150 years ago, called the Civil
War, or "War Between the States." Clara Barton heard that
soldiers who had been hurt sometimes went for days without care or
food. She wanted to help, but was told that this was not something
that a woman should do. She did not agree. After all, she had taken
care of her brother! She asked Universalist churches and other groups
to help her gather supplies, food, bandages and blankets.
After the Civil War was
over, Clara Barton went to Geneva, Switzerland, for a rest. Leaders
from the International Red Cross visited her. The Red Cross organizes
contributions so that supplies are ready when they are needed. Clara
Barton stayed in Europe to help the Red Cross during a war.
When the war in Europe
was over, she returned home to start the American Red Cross. She
found that the Reverend Henry Bellows, a Unitarian minister, had
tried to start the American Red Cross several years earlier. Clara
Barton worked until the American Red Cross became part of the
International Red Cross. This means that the Red Cross helps in
countries around the world. Besides in war, the Red Cross helps
people whose homes are destroyed by floods, fires, earthquakes, and
other disasters. Clara Barton directed the American Red Cross for 23
years.
In
1921, the National Women's Organization of the Universalist Church
restored the home in North Oxford where Clara Barton was born, and
the camp for girls with a condition called diabetes was started by
the Universalist Missionary Association.. At this camp, they learn
about diabetes and their treatment. We remember Clara Barton through
supporting the Clara Barton Camp. The Unitarian Universalist Women's
Federation gives an award in honor of Clara Barton to women who help
others.
AFFIRMATION: We help
make the world better for everyone.
Talk about things that people need when there are
disasters, such as bandages (band aides), blankets, blood (blood
banks), food, shelter, clothing, care.
THE LETTER
B IN THE CHURCH
Books: Where do
we use books in the church? Is there a church library?
Have a collection of
“sacred texts,” such as the Bible, the Koran, Book of
Mormon. Show them the Unitarian Universalist hymnal (Singing
the Living Tradition), with the section on the hymns, and the
readings. Our readings, hymns and music come from many different
sources, including the Bible, world religions, and earth-based
spirituality.
Birthday. See
Calendar. Include the birthday of the church, or at least the year it
started.
Birthdays and Books
The children, or the entire congregation, can have a Birthday Book
Club or library.
A-B-C
Animals: baboon,
bat, bear, beaver, bee, bird, butterfly, buffalo
Body (add to Body
Picture): bones. possibly have a picture of a skeleton. Discuss
how bones give structure to the body.
breathing. Sit straight
in chairs, feet on the floor. Take in air with a big breath, hold for
just a moment, and let it out again, with a sigh. This can be as
noisy as possible for emphasis. Repeat three or four times. We all
need to breathe, but becoming aware of taking in air and letting it
out can become a tool when the group needs a focus. Talk about being
aware of their breathing when they get upset. With practice, they
will be able to focus on their breathing easily.
Calendar:
Note the date of the session and any special
events for the day, including birthdays.
Note items beginning with that
letter, such as birthdays. Talk about birthdays and put each
child’s birthday on the calendar. Discuss birthdays as a time
to celebrate a person’s life. Discuss the recognition that
your church gives to birthdays, such as noting birthdays in the
Newsletter.
Birthday of the church (see note under Letter B
in the Church).
Note events between today and the next session,
including birthdays.
CLOSING: Gather around the Special Place where the
things related to the letter have been placed. " We give thanks
for the Letter B. We have shared and learned about special people
and animals and ourselves and our church. May we leave in love and
peace. Next week we will meet again. Our letter will be ____ and
our leader(s) will be ____________________." Make sure that
people take home things that need to go.
VARIATIONS FOR OLDER
CHILDREN
SPECIAL PERSON
Additional information about the Red
Cross and the Clara Barton Camp, and possibly have speaker. (PO Box
356, 30 Ennis Road, North Oxford, MA 01537, 508-987-2056)
Have speaker from Red Cross or Clara
Barton Camp
Do a fundraiser for either cause or
another charity, such as a food bank or blanket drive. If church
regularly has a food bank, remind children of how the food is
collected and used.
BOOKS: Focus on the Bible. Collect
many editions of the Bible, such as King James Version, Revised
Standard Version, Children’s Bible (with pictures),
BIRTHDAYS
If the birthday or birth
year of the church presents a significant time for celebration, such
as the 10th or 100th year, involve children in
developing a celebration.
Organize an all-church
birthday party during Fellowship Time. Recruit people to make a cake
for each month (and some months may actually need 2 cakes). Invite
people to go to the tables with the cake for their month and meet
others.
(Other variations of this theme:
--Have basic cakes at each table and
have each month decorate its own cake. Allow people to see all of the
cakes before cutting them.
--Each group develops a cheer for its
month.)
Recognize people of all ages. At the
end of a service, during Fellowship Time, have people line up by age
groupings, like
--children up to grade 5 or 6,
--youth grades 6-12 or ages 11 or 12
to 18
--young adults ages 19-30
--40-50
--50-60
--60-70
--70-80
--over 80
Recognize the youngest and the
oldest.
© Helen Zidowecki
10.2007
