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THE
TRINITY: AN EXPLORATION OF GOD,
CHRIST, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT BIBLE
STUDY WORKSHOP ACTIVITY
ONE: GOD (approx. 45 mins.)
Materials: ·
a large piece of butcher
paper at least six feet long ·
colored markers ·
a piece of scratch paper
and a pencil or pen for each group
Background: God has many names throughout the world, Creator, Allah,
Great Spirit, Great Mother, Yahweh. In
the Christian tradition we often think of God as Creator, Mother God, or Father
God. Jesus called God Abba, the Aramaic word for Daddy, as a way of making God
more close and personal. Both the
Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Scriptures use hundreds of metaphors for God
– a woman sweeping, a shepherd searching for a lost sheep, a mother eagle, a
mighty warrior, a pillar of fire, a still small voice. Step one: Scripture
Search for who God is. Read the background piece to the participants. Break the participants into 9 groups and have each group read one of theses passages or groups of passages about who God is or what God wants. If you do not have 9 people, have a couple of good readers double up on the shorter readings. Ask each group to write down at least three characteristics of God based on their reading(s). Scriptures: · Genesis 1:1-2:3 · Exodus chapter 3 · Exodus chapter 20 · Psalm 23 · Zechariah 8:16-17; Micah 6:8; and Amos 5:21-24 · Romans chapter 12 · Matthew 20:1-16 · Matthew 25:31-46 · Luke chapter 15 Step two:
Drawing a picture of God
Get someone with some artistic or cartooning ability to draw a large outline of a person on the butcher paper (you can actually lay the paper down and trace someone from the group). As each group shares their three or more characteristics, have the group come up with symbolic ways of representing those qualities and have your artist draw them onto the outline of the person. When you are finished, put it up on the wall. ACTIVITY
TWO: JESUS THE CHRIST (approx. 45 mins.)
Materials: ·
a large piece of butcher
paper at least six feet long ·
colored markers ·
a piece of scratch paper
and a pencil or pen for each group
Background: Jesus the Christ was many things to many people, Savior,
Messiah, God’s Anointed, Emanuel (God with us), a baby, a healer, a radical, a
storyteller, dangerous to the authorities of his time.
Some scholars differentiate between the Jesus of History (the human
Jesus), and the Risen Spirit of Christ. We
will be looking at stories about the human Jesus from the Gospels. Step one: Scripture
Search for who the human Jesus was. Read the background piece to the participants. Break the participants into 9 groups and have each group read one of theses passages or groups of passages about who Jesus was or what he did. If you do not have 9 people have a couple of fast readers double up on the shorter readings. Ask each group to write down at least three characteristics of the human Jesus based on their reading(s). Scriptures: · John 14:1-13 · Luke 12:22-31 · Matthew 5:38-48 · Matthew 22:36-39 · John 8:1-11 · John 6:1-15 · Luke 10:25-42 · Matthew chapter 26 · Luke Chapter 2 Step two:
Drawing a picture of Jesus
Get someone with some artistic or cartooning ability to draw a large outline of a person on the butcher paper (you can actually lay the paper down and trace someone from the group). As each group shares their three or more characteristics, have the group come up with symbolic ways of representing those qualities and have your artist draw them onto the outline of the person. When you are finished, put it up on the wall. ACTIVITY
THREE: THE HOLY SPIRIT (approx. 45 mins.)
Materials: ·
a large piece of butcher
paper at least six feet long ·
colored markers ·
a piece of scratch paper
and a pencil or pen for each group
Background: Both the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Scriptures have
images of The Holy Spirit or the Spirit of God.
In Jewish theology the Spirit of God is often referred to as the Shekena
which is the feminine aspect of God. Another
ancient way to talk of the Holy Spirit is to call her “Sophia” the Spirit of
Wisdom. In the Christian scriptures
the Holy Spirit is called many things and symbolized by doves or fire. Step one: Scripture
Search for who The Holy Spirit is. Read the background piece to the participants. Break the participants into 9 groups and have each group read one of theses passages or groups of passages about the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit. If you do not have 9 people have a couple of fast readers double up on the shorter readings. Ask each group to write down at least three characteristics of God’s Holy Spirit based on their reading(s). Scriptures: · Genesis 1:1-2, Mark 1:9-12 · Proverbs chapter 8 · Joel 2:28-29 · Acts Chapter 2 · Luke 4:14-19 · John 14:15-17 · 1st Corinthians 12:1-11 · Acts 8:26-39 · Isaiah 11:1-9 Step two:
Drawing the Holy Spirit
Get someone with some artistic or cartooning ability to draw a large circle or other abstract shape on the butcher paper. As each group shares their three or more characteristics, have the group come up with symbolic ways of representing those qualities and have your artist draw them onto the abstract shape on the butcher paper. When you are finished, put it up on the wall. ACTIVITY FOUR: OUR IMAGE OF THE DIVINE (approx. 30 mins.) Materials:
A large piece of butcher paper and markers
Now that everyone has had an opportunity to explore images of the Trinity in Scripture, lay a large piece of butcher paper down on the ground and invite everyone to draw words or symbols of their personal images of The Divine. When everyone is finished, invite those who wish to share what they drew/wrote and why. Close by reminding everyone that the Divine connects with each living thing in a wonderful and unique way and that all images, aspects are parts of the Divine. Deepening Faith: Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press Copyright © 2001
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