Connected: Web of Yarn

Here is an exercise that uses balls of yarn to illustrate community/unity/oneness/body of Christ by physically connecting a worshiping congregation.  It could be used:

•  as an illustration for a children’s message
• as an illustration during a sermon about community
• as part of  reading Scripture (e.g. Romans 12:4-5, John 17:21, Psalm 133:1)
• Your idea here:________

Procedure:

1. Get some balls of yarn (inexpensive/used/donated).  Hard to say how many for your setting, but you will need enough yarn to weave back and forth throughout the congregation.  For 75 worshipers, we used about 6 medium sized balls of yarn and that was sufficient.
2. Introduce the exercise (e.g. by talking about how all of us are individuals with unique skills and gifts.  In Christ, though, we become connected and united as the body of Christ.  Unity in diversity, diversity in unity).  Your introduction will need to reflect your particular Scripture verses and focus.
3. Invite those who are able to stand and then hand out the balls of yarn to individuals in different locations around the worship space.  Make it clear that those who don’t stand are still able to participate.
4. Invite those with the balls of yarn to hand/throw the ball to someone else BUT ALSO TO KEEP HOLD OF THE END.
5. Instruct the whole congregation to keep throwing and holding until each person is holding some of the yarn.
6. Give them permission to play, have fun, throw the balls across the room, etc.
7. When done, the yarn should look like web, woven  throughout the congregation with everyone connected.
8. To close, invite the congregation to observe the web, to reflect on what it feels like to visibly see their connections with one another.  You may choose to end with a prayer that acknowledges this connection to one another and reminds all that God is connected with them too!

© Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen, 2016

Kevin Goldenbogen is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ serving an amazing congregation in the foothills of the Green Mountains of Vermont. He skis, climbs, runs, bakes bread, rides a red Vespa, and tries every day to follow Jesus. He is married to the perfect woman and has two boys who he loves beyond words.