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SENSUALITY A
CELEBRATION OF TASTE,
TOUCH, SMELL, SIGHT, AND SOUND Background: The one line that keeps repeating in the first Creation story in Genesis (Genesis 1:1-2-3) is, “…and God saw that it was GOOD!” and sometimes, “…and God saw that it was VERY GOOD!” We are blessed by God with a full range of sensual ability, sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. God has blessed us by providing ample opportunity to revel in those senses through all the wonders of creation. This exercise is an opportunity to reflect on that, and say, “Thanks, God.” Materials:
·
A
low table in the middle of the room heaped with sensual delights, e.g.
chocolate, fresh baked bread, Music CD’s, a piece of velvet or silk, sweet
smelling flowers, a piece of sculpture, a picture of a sunset, etc. ·
Blank
paper and pencils or pens Step
one: The liturgy Reader: The Book of Genesis tells us that in the beginning God created light and dark… ALL: AND GOD SAW
THAT IT WAS GOOD! Reader:
God went on to create the dry land and the seas… ALL: AND GOD SAW
THAT IT WAS GOOD! Reader: God then
brought forth vegetation of all kinds; flowers and trees and all kinds of
plants… ALL: AND GOD SAW
THAT IT WAS GOOD! Reader: God created
the sun and the moon and the stars swirling in the heavens… ALL: AND GOD SAW
THAT IT WAS GOOD! Reader: And God
created fish; big fish, little fish – and birds; all kinds of birds floating,
soaring in the sky… ALL: AND GOD SAW
THAT IT WAS GOOD! Reader: And God made
animals – felines and canines, elephants and field mice, all manner of
animals… ALL: AND GOD SAW
THAT IT WAS GOOD! Reader: And God
said, “Let us make humankind in our own image, in our image let them be
made!” ALL: AND GOD SAW
THAT IT WAS GOOD! Reader: So it was
that God made a juicy, yummy, startlingly beautiful, captivatingly lovely,
wonderful universe! ALL: AND GOD SAW
THAT IT WAS VERY GOOD! Step two: Enjoying sensual delights in the memory · Invite the participants to think for a moment about their five senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing. Ask them to choose one of their senses right now this moment as their favorite – it doesn’t mean they don’t love the others, just that at this moment choose one and get into a groups based on their choices. Hopefully you will end up with five groups, but you might have an under-represented sense and only end up with three or four. · Once they are in their group ask them to brainstorm all the things they love about that sense, e.g. if their sense is sight, have them brainstorm all the things they love to look at, if their sense is taste, all the things they love to taste and eat, etc. · When they’ve finished with the brainstorm, ask each sense group to come up with a poem or song or chant celebrating their sense and the things they came up with. Give them five or ten minutes to create their poem/song/chant. · Have each group share their piece with the other groups. Step three: Enjoying sensual delights in the moment · Invite the group to eat, smell, look at, listen to, and feel the things on the table. Step four: The Liturgy
Repeat the Liturgy from Step One Deepening Faith: Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press Copyright © 2001
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