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Be Alert! Prepare! Christ Comes!
Advent 4
As you gather
Light a candle in the centre of the group and hold silence for at least a minute (If you are not used to doing this you will need to time it)
Go round the group and talk about finding stillness (Advent 1) or removing obstacles (Advent 2) or about practising compassion and integrity. Support each other in the struggle to be still, block-free, compassionate and honest !
Hear the Word Read Hebrews 10: 5-10
The Hebrews passage is comparing the actual ritual of sacrificing animals which was a part of Jewish worship with the spiritual practice of doing what God wants ("I have come to do your will")
Go round the group and speak of people you have known (without using names) whom you feel were hard workers for the church and either
(a) did that work out of duty and familiar habit (sometimes grudgingly ) without any change in their personality or happiness
or
(b) those who willingly and freely lived for God, making all sorts of sacrifices, it seemed, without barely noticing, they were so happy to do it for God.
This might lead on to your speaking together of times when you sacrifice grudgingly and when you do something simply because you want to do something for God and the sacrifice is no trouble.
Use this prayer or another one which suits your group better to sum up this discussion.
Loving God you do not want us to simply go through the motions. We pray with sadness for those people we knew and know who just follow you out of duty, getting little satisfaction or reward because their hearts are closed to joy. We give grateful thanks for those in our lives who showed us what giving was about, whose love for you was infectious and whose example we have found ourselves following. Help us not to do things out of duty or ritual but from the heart, especially this Christmas We pray in the name of the one who gave all of himself for us. AMEN
Read: Micah 5: 2-5a Luke 1: 39-45
Micah lived about two centuries before the exile, during a time when the Jews were not doing what God wanted. His little book warns them of impending doom, but also offers redemption for those who will listen. In these famous verses, often read at Advent, his words could be taken as a prophecy of where the Christ would be born. These words also predict a peaceful shepherd-like king who offers security.
1. In what ways would you like our present day government to offer you and your families more security.
2. Peace (verse 5) is sometimes interpreted in scripture as a kind of internal personal and individual feeling of peacefulness. Why hasn't God been more active in procuring and maintaining actual peace (as in freedom from conflict) in our world ?
Luke describes Mary, early in her pregnancy going to visit her older cousin Elizabeth obviously someone in whom she thought she could confide. Elizabeth recognises the importance of the child Mary will have.
3. What people have you known who you can confide in because they recognise the importance of the spiritual stirrings going on inside you - people who could be or have been spiritual mentors for you ?
4. What qualities make a good mentor ? whether spiritually or for any life events?
5. What people look up to you as a mentor ?
6. How can the church train and equip its members to be mentors to those they work and live and play with ?
7. Think of the following groups of young women ( and young men) going through life transitions. How is your church helping them to cope with these changes ?
(a) young men and women already associated with your church
(b) young men and women not associated with your church but in your community.
Part of mentoring is affirming those whom you mentor.
Write the names of the people in your group on small pieces of paper. Put the papers in a basket and offer them round the circle, Each takes out a piece of paper. Make sure it has a different name from yours, otherwise draw again. Now write on the piece of paper something you have appreciated about that person during the course of these studies. When you have finished put the pieces of paper back into the basket. The leader draws out the papers and reads aloud the messages on them.
Leave a silence for this to sink in !
Use this prayer or something else which suits your group better to close your group
Loving God,
We give thanks that Elizabeth could be there for Mary when she needed a mentor. We given thanks for those who have been mentors to us, for their belief in us, their affirmation of us and their carefully chosen words of advice and guidance. We thank you for the way they modelled how it was to be searching, questioning, loving and adult men and women of faith. We pray for the strength and insight to be mentors ourselves for those who follow us. We ask it in the name of the best mentor, Jesus the Christ, AMEN
Now you might like to offer each other the peace of Christ ("The peace of Christ be with you .....") as you disband and go forth into Christmastide.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS !
THE BLESSING OF GOD
GOES WITH YOU ALL