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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 [email protected]
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
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-
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.