REFLECTION

             It is important to do your reflection as close to the ACTION as possible.  If your ACTION involved going somewhere you might want to build in time as soon as the activity is finished to reflect and process either on site or back at the church.

1.     Light a candle and open with a prayer, perhaps repeating the candle liturgy in Preparation #1.

2.     Invite the group settle into a comfortable place, sitting, maybe eyes closed.  Use the following guided remembering or use your own words:

·       “Take a moment and remember back to the meetings getting ready to _________(whatever your action was). 

·       How did you feel about people who were different from you? 

·       What were your expectations and assumptions?

·         Think about __________________(the action).  Who did you meet?  

·       What did you learn? 

·       Was there anything surprising? 

·       Was there anything uncomfortable?  Why?

·       In Genesis chapter one it says that we are created in the image of God.  If God is loving, creative, full of humor, and compassion, where did you reflect that image?  What part of God reflected out of you to another person?

·       Jesus said that whatever we do to the least of his people, our human brothers and sisters, we also do to him.  Where did you see the face of Christ on another person? 

·       Where did you see God’s image reflect out in another person?

·       Did you learn anything about yourself in this process? 

·       Did you learn anything about someone in our group? 

·       Did you learn anything about other people?

 Take a few minutes and write or draw in your journal about your experiences and feelings.

3.     Give them time to write or draw.  When it seems like most people are done, invite the ones still writing or drawing to take one more minute to finish their thought.

4.     Invite the group to go around and share where or in whom they saw the face of Christ or saw God reflected.

5.     Go around again and invite them to share any other thoughts, ideas, feelings, or stories from the experience.  Allow kids to pass if they don’t want to share.  It helps to go around the circle so that everyone gets the chance to say something if they wish.  God bless extroverts like me, but if you don’t specifically give the introverts a chance to share or pass, the extroverts will, like the energizer bunny, just keep going.

6.     You can close with this prayer, or a circle prayer, which gives each kid a chance to say something if they want.

Closing prayer: God of diversity, thank you for the gifts each individual brings to our world.  Thank your for the millions of combinations of race and age and gender and sexual orientation and physical ability and cultural background and family configuration and experience that make our world a richer place.  Help us God to see each person as your beloved child, and to work for equality and justice for all your people. Amen.

Deepening Faith:  Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice

Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press

Copyright © 2001