This morning we arrived for the morning session to find four small paper bags on each table. It was obvious that there was stuff in each bag. They were part of this morning's energizer, which was a community building exercise. Each table had to use what was in the four bags, and only the four bags of stuff, to build a model representing their community. That was followed by time to look at what the other tables built. Then every two tables had to combine their models, followed by looking at the other combined tables. Finally, we combined into four tables to build yet another model. What was interesting about our group was that we were the ones willing to move and integrate with the other tables, while they seemed to be more interested in us coming to them. This exercise comes from a Youth Specialties book (Experiential?). Here's the progression of our community model:
Our worship has been primarily music, and Victor Floyd, our worship leader, has been great. We have a variety of songs and styles, some of which he teaches us as we go along. This morning he played "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen. A handful of us dissolved into tears. Sometimes songs just hit you that way. You can hear Rufus Wainright's version and see the lyrics on this YouTube video.
Joyce began her talk with some discussion about Harry Potter and how he would have been better off with some Christian education. She told us that it was clear from reading the books that his parents had been churchgoers and believed in God. In the scene where Harry and Hermione go to the churchyard looking for his parents graves, Harry completely misses the clues on some of the gravestones, including his parents', because he doesn't recognize the quotes from Christian scripture.
From Harry Potter she moved to Lewis' Narnia series, specifically The Last Battle. I can't even begin to tell you the context because I've never read the series, not even The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I suppose I really ought to read them, so I can get some kind of idea as to why are they so popular and what is it about them that appeals to so many people.
She also read us a rather lengthy quote from a paper by Karen Marie Just that was quite critical of Christian education/Sunday School curricula and the role they played in the development of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Someone tracked down the book the essay appears in, and it's $105 on Amazon.com!!!
The morning refrain was, "What we believe about God matters to how we live."
She gave each table a question about God and asked us to come up with three things we believed. My table's question was "Who is the immanent God?" This is what our anwer looked like by the time we got done with it:
An observation from this morning's sessions: I am amused (and sometimes aggravated) those who are sticklers about following directions yet can't follow directions from other people.
After the morning break, Victor spent a half hour talking about hymns. He's picked some wonderful music for us throughout the conference, and not all of it was in the hymnals! He also has a great sense of humor. Lots of good stuff, but the two questions that stick out in my mind are: Is it ethical to lead liturgy that you don't agree with? Is it ethical to lead liturgy the people don't agree with? Interesting questions to ponder, and not just in terms of leading liturgy.
Back to Joyce, who finally began to take us from the theoretical to the practical. We are in eight groups working on presentations about each of the age groups and their pictures of God and ways in which me might teach them about the image of God. We'll be finishing up tomorrow morning.
I've been making an effort both in the morning sessions and at meals to sit with different people. That's not an easy thing for an introvert. But, it's about making connections and getting to know others who are working in the same field. Today I ate lunch at a table of United Church of Christ educators. The conversation ended up being about a new program that's in the process of being released online. Obviously, I didn't have anything to add to that conversation. Still, it's been good for me to make the effort.
This afternoon while I was sitting in my room working on a couple of things, I looked up and saw this:
At one point today I realized I wasn't feeling quite up to par. A slight headache and that just slightly "off" feeling. Then I thought, "Just because you're on the waterfront doesn't' mean that you're at sea level!" Drinking some extra water helped, and by dinner time I was feeling fine.
For the fourth and final workshop session I chose something for me, rather than strictly for work: Small Groups for Big Impact Adult Formation led by Julia McCray-Goldsmith and Lyle SmithGraybeall. Julia I've known for a while through networks related to my job, but Lyle, who works for Renovare, is someone I met here for the first time. Again, I didn't learn a lot of new stuff, but there were some snippets of helpful information.
After the evening workshops, we Episcopalians gathered for Eucharist. Part of me really wanted to bring a Prayer Book, but I refrained. Aris' extemporaneous services have been wonderful. And he asked all of us to lift our hands during the actual prayer of consecration. Nor have they been totally "Aris-led services. They have been community Eucharists. These evening Eucharists have been important to all of us. They have strengthened the connections we are building with each other.
A good deal of what I've been writing in these blog posts about the conference will end up in my report to my team at the office. And I will be copying the Program Directors on that report. Even with the technology available to help us meet online, face-to-face connections are important. Many of the folks I have met here I would not have the opportunity to meet via Skype, GoTo Meeting, or any of the other online communications tools we use. I value those tools, but I also understand their limitations.
I have made valuable connections here, and they are all the stronger for having been made in person.
Peace,
Jeff
When I was the Godly Play person at the cathedral in Wilmington, Delaware, about halfway through the godly play year, after the story, during the "art response" time, I noticed that all the kids in the class were working together with the stories on the shelves - ALL of the stories on the shelves! - and the desert box. They had rearranged all the stories in the desert box and I asked them what it all was. "The Kingdom of God" was the reply, and they went on to explain all the pieces of the kingdom.
ReplyDeleteYour work on day 3 reminds me of that.