YEAR C SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL
RELATED TO THE BISHOPS’ THIRD GOAL
ARCHDIOCESE OF PORTLAND
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. It is recommended that there be an initial meeting of all potential participants in the Disciples in Mission groups prior to the beginning of Lent. The purpose of this meeting:
a) Introductions
b) Present an Overview of Disciples
in Mission
c) Give participants training and
experiences of:
1) Individual Relational Conversations
2) Table conversations
3) Journaling
d) Gather participants into Lenten
Groups
2. We recommend that an alternative schedule be used in place of the schedule provided. This alternative schedule allows time for individual relational conversations, journaling and spontaneous bidding prayers.
3. We recommend that the supplemental questions be used with the questions provided in the Small Group Booklet. Questions are supplied for all six sessions of Disciples in Mission.
4. The use of alternative action suggestions is recommended. These represent actions that are less individualistic. Rather that acting in isolation, we encourage people to take action that bring us closer together, focuses on our public selves and builds the community.
Each small group meeting lasts 90 minutes
and follows this format:
5 minutes……….. Welcome and opening prayer.
15 minutes……… Individual Relational Conversations
(Focus question from the Scripture provided;
or conversation about the impact of the action taken the previous
week.)
10 minutes……… Read Scriptures out loud, using the Bible. A short silence follows each reading.
5 minutes………. Journaling on the questions provided.
35 minutes……... Faith sharing, based on the questions provided.
5 minutes………. Discuss suggested actions for the week. Decide.
15 minutes…….. Closing prayer, including spontaneous bidding prayers.
SUGGESTED ADDITIONS TO MEETING DIRECTIONS
Individual Relational Conversations:
Radical (root) listening to another person. In engaging in these
conversations, you come gradually to know
the other person and their interests as well as gaining a new
understanding of your own self and story,
your interests, both inner and public. You can experience the energy of
the Spirit working between you and the
other person—and experience both persons’ sacredness.
To participate in the Relational conversation,
focus on the person speaking, not on your next question, not on
your opinion about what the person is
saying, not on what you want to tell the other person. Listen for the
feelings behind the what is being said.
Don’t be afraid to ask “why” questions. Withhold opinions and judgments
about what the person is saying. Observe
body language—both your own, and the other person’s. In other
words, be fully attentive, so sharing
your story is natural and easy.
Story:
In an oral culture, story is the primary way in which persons communicate
about themselves to others. In
our Western culture, we depend on the
written word, which puts distance between us. In this time of Lent, you
are invited to encounter yourself and
others by telling your own story and listening to the stories of others.
This is
a new way of knowing another person as
well as knowing yourself. Allow yourself to enter into the radical
listening that evokes the story of the
other.
Journaling:
Write notes for yourself about how you are impacted, touched by either
the scripture stories, or by
the story of the person with whom you
had your individual relational conversation. How does the story touch your
own life and experience? What do you hear
in the story that might change your story? What are the common
threads? How does your story connect
to the bigger Scripture story? Use this time to record your thoughts
and
feelings so that you can more deeply enter
in the conversation at the table.
Spontaneous Prayer: During the closing prayers, you are encouraged to speak out loud those things for which you wish the community to pray. What you cry out allows the Holy Spirit to bind us together through the revelation of each person’s pain.