|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gifts of the Spirit Shirts |
|
| Confirmation Certificates |
|
|
|
|
|
| Books for Small Christian Communities |
|
| Books for Prayer and Spirituality |
|
|
| Books for Scripture Study |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The Our Father: Lent 2012 Retreat |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | Tips for Faith SharingWe live our lives in the Holy Spirit; our experiences reveal God’s face, voice, and presence. A faith-sharing group works to understand God’s relationship to us and our world as we find it described in scriptures and experience it in the book of our own lives. When we tell our own stories along with Jesus’ story, we learn to recognize God working in our daily lives and begin to open ourselves to hear and consider the points of view and experiences of others.
Who can lead a group?
Now one needs to be an expert to use Sunday By Sunday. Rather, we envision members sharing or rotating leadership of their groups. A different group member can take responsibility for facilitating the group each week. Or, two or three group members can share leadership: one leading prayer, another leading gospel reflection, a third leading reflection on the first reading. Prayers frequently call all to participate.
Each group member needs a copy of Sunday By Sunday, so he or she can work with the reflection and questions before and after participating in a group. Groups and individuals can use Sunday By Sunday during the week before or after they hear the Sunday scriptures in the parish assembly.
Groups can choose to use all or parts of each issue. Groups can read parts silently then discuss; read parts aloud and discuss; or read and prepare beforehand. Take time at the end of your first session to plan the way the group wants to prepare for the next meeting.
What about attendance?
Decide what your group expects concerning regular attendance in the group. Review time, place, meeting length, number of weeks to meet. Participants who must miss a meeting should let the group or host know when they can’t come.
What if the same people always talk?
Eric Law, an Episcopal priest, suggests a process of mutual invitation when a group wants to hear from everyone or offset a person who monopolizes conversation. The process assumes people are sitting in a circle and can see each other. A leader shares his or her response to a question and invites a second person to speak. This person can be anyone sitting anywhere in the group. Each new person can either pass or share; in either case, the person has the privilege of inviting a new person into the process. (See Eric H. Law, The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb, 113).
What if some people never talk?
Use a timed active listening technique around a Sunday By Sunday question. A leader chooses a question. Group members form pairs. The leader times a one-minute or two-minute segment for one person in each pair to talk. The leader calls time after one or two minutes and has people reverse roles. In the role of active listener, a partner must listen only. He or she can nod and react but cannot talk. If the talking partner falls silent, the listening partner can ask question.
What if someone digresses?
The leader or anyone in the group can repeat the question the group wants to explore and bring the group back to focus. Don’t hesitate. People are often unaware they have digressed.
How can we tell how our group is doing?
 Take a few minutes after each gathering to identify what participants like or want to change about their time together. Plan the next session, who will lead what, how to prepare.
Getting a Grip on Your Group by Barbara Darling gives excellent directions for groups who wish to take a look at how they are doing. Get a copy of this book for each group member. Set aside a few sessions to read chapters aloud together and discuss them.
What are the important things to remember?
Always remember the Holy Spirit is with you. Your group will be a holy experience if you:
- Each member contributes to the fuller truth the whole group or small Christian community sees together. Be open and be surprised.
- Most people don’t speak because usually no one is listening.
- Take the responsibility for contributing to the group.
- What is said in the group, stays in the group. When people share at a personal level, they expect trust of one another.
Quick links: Catholic Youth Ministry, Catholic Religious Education, Catholic Bible Study, Catholic Resources, Catholic Confirmation | |
