Forever the same ... sharing
prayer through Lent
Introduction
to a Lent Course on Prayer
for
use with the web site, Jesus for Today
It is the most
natural thing in the world ... and yet it can be the most difficult! Prayer
Those new to faith
often want to have practical answers to very practical questions about the life
of faith. How should I pray? How can I pray? Teach me to pray.
People new to
faith are not alone in asking such questions.
People whose faith has been a part of their lives for some time find
themselves asking very much the same questions.
Maybe their faith hits a difficult patch. Maybe they long to grow in their faith. How should I pray? How can I pray? Teach me to pray.
These are not new
questions. The very first followers of
Jesus wanted to find out more. They had
prayed from childhood. They had prayed
with others. Yet, when they saw Jesus at
prayer and realised all that prayer meant to Jesus they felt strangely
inadequate; they wanted to find out more.
‘Lord, teach us to pray.’
One way to learn
is to share. And that is what this Lent
Course is all about. Sharing. That’s one way of translating one of the
greatest New Testament words.
Koinonia. It’s occasionally
translated as ‘participation’, sometimes as ‘communion’, often as
‘fellowship’. It simply means
‘sharing’. It’s what happened when the
first followers of Jesus met together [see Acts 2:42]. It’s up there with ‘grace’ and ‘love’ as the
third dimension of Christian experience we celebrate as we say the words of The
Grace together (II Corinthians 13:13)
By sharing
together we learn from one another.
Jesus forever the same - introducing the
five sessions of the course
The Course makes
use of the five prayer meditations Jesus
forever the same which are the third part of the Video Jesus ... today, tomorrow, forever?
It may well be appropriate for the Group to meet during Holy Week
and watch the first part of the Video Jesus
for Today. Many of the themes
shared during the Lent Course will be echoed in that moving account of the way
a Passion Play took the story of Jesus to the streets and moved many who shared
in it.
Through the course
the Group will share an exploration of different dimensions of prayer - for the course material click on the links below ...
Each session will
be made up of three parts:
a.
sharing
friendship
b.
sharing
reflections on the Bible
c.
sharing
prayer
Each week there
will be a focus for prayer which will need some preparation beforehand. The prayers will make use of the Trade Badge
of the Trade Justice Movement supported by Christian Aid, CAFOD and many
others.
Jesus forever the same - what you will need
for each session
The Group will
need
·
a Host
who will provide refreshments which can be anything from ‘tea and biscuits’ to
a light buffet supper which some groups may find most helpful. The refreshments which begin the evening are
a key part of sharing friendship
·
a
Leader, supported by a Helper, who will guide the group in the process of sharing reflections on the Bible and sharing prayer.
·
video
player and TV to show prayer meditations from Jesus for ever the same, the third part of the Video Jesus ... today, tomorrow, forever?
·
a tape
or CD player and an appropriate CD or tape of quiet, reflective music for the
time of sharing prayer.
·
a
focus for reflection - a ‘table ornament’ which will be used to get minds
thinking in sharing reflections on the Bible and to act as a focus in sharing
prayer. At one point in the evening
these need to be placed on a low table in the middle of the circle, or in a
prominent spot as a focal point.
1.
Friendship- an empty jug of water and glasses or paper cups for each member of the group
5.
Resurrection
- a ‘crown of thorns’ encircling a nest - with enough mini Easter eggs for each
member of the group. Also a little dish
with a small crown of thorns blu-tacked around the plate.
·
enough
Trade Badges for each member of the group - group members will be asked to
donate £2 towards the Trade Justice campaign and invited to wear the badge as a
reminder to continue sharing prayer through the week.
Jesus for ever the same - the structure of
each session
·
Sharing Friendship
As people arrive refreshments
are served. This is not only an
opportunity to break the ice and build up friendship ... it will help to
prepare the way for sharing reflections on the Bible and for sharing
prayer. On the table or near the
refreshments place the ‘table ornament’ that will become the focus for
reflection. As people gather round in a
circle and everyone has arrived it is best to encourage conversations to flow
and to enjoy a good time of fellowship together. Each week there are a couple of questions
which can be used to direct the conversation as this part of the evening comes
to an end. This sharing friendship helps shape the way the group will share
reflections on the Bible ... there may be connections to be made between the
experiences people have shared and the passage of the Bible they go on to share
together. Those experiences may then
help to shape the prayer they will share.
·
Sharing Reflections on the Bible
Each week the ‘table ornament’
will be used to lead into the reflections the group shares on the Bible. It is very important that a real sharing goes
on. The idea is not for one supposed
‘expert’ to tell the others how to read the passage, but rather for people to
share their own reflections. In doing
that the group will be encouraged to look out for things in the Biblical
passage which will help to shape the prayers they share in the final part of
the session.
·
Sharing Prayer
Some quiet music will lead into the final part of the
session. Whatever has been used to
prompt reflections on the biblical passage will now become a focus for sharing
prayer. While the leader will guide the
group through a time of prayer together the emphasis will be on sharing prayer
together as a group. At each session one
of the prayer meditations from Jesus for
ever the same, the third part of the Video, Jesus: today, tomorrow, forever?
will be used. A copy of that prayer meditation will be given to each
group member to take home and use for reflection during the week.
Jesus for ever the same - signposts to lead
you through the notes
The course notes
are clearly divided into three sections - sharing friendship, sharing
reflections on the Bible, sharing prayer.
They are intended for use by the Leader.
·
words
in italics provide the leader with guidelines, explaining how the session works
and indicating things that need to be prepared beforehand.
·
a full
script is provided to introduce the three sections of each session. This could be used by a leader, who might
give other members of the group parts to read.
Leaders may well prefer to use the script as a starting point for their
own introduction. To help those who want
to adapt the script themselves key words and phrases are highlighted in bold
text.
·
in the
section sharing reflections on the Bible the intention is that the group will
come up with their own thoughts on the Bible passage. The kind of points that will be raised are
listed in a box - the leader may find it helpful to prompt the group’s thinking
on the points that they have not come up with themselves. It would be helpful for the Leader to have
done some background work on the Bible passage with the help of a commentary
before hand.
Jesus for ever the same - follow-up to the
course
Forever the same -
sharing prayer for Lent is a Lent course that lasts for five weeks. During Holy Week, on Good Friday or over
Easter week-end it would be good for the group to meet together again, or to
meet together with other groups to watch Jesusfor Today, the first programme on the Video, Jesus: today, tomorrow, forever?
Many of the things touched on in the course will be echoed on the
video. It would be a good way of
gathering the course together and leading into Holy Week, Good Friday and
Easter.
The course may be
copied for use with the Video, Jesus: today, tomorrow, forever? The text is © Richard
Cleaves , 2002. The
whole course is available on the web, together with other resources at
www.Jesusfortoday.co.uk
