Be Still…and Listen

I. Opening Prayer (5 min.)

Grace: To open our hearts to listen attentively to God within and through those around us.

Use the grace or suggested scripture passage above to develop an opening prayer.

Loving God, we ask for a listening heart and open ears. Help us to be a healing and supportive presence to one another. Help us also to experience listening as a form of prayer, a way of loving, a means of growing closer to You and one another. Amen.

Reflect on the quote:

“Friends united in prayer know no separation.” St. Francis de Sales

II. Check-In (5 min.)

• What were some of your high and low points of the week?

III. Focus Exercise (40 min.)

Materials Needed: CLC Journal booklet, "Active Listening Praxis" handout (also in booklet)

Introduction

Emphasize the importance of listening in our daily conversation.

Demonstration of Active listening

1. Role-play to demonstrate good and bad listening habits. (You need to prepare with your co-leader or a member beforehand).
2. Ask members to identify the good and the bad listening habits.

Exercise: Active Listening Praxis

1. Invite members to find the “Active Listening Praxis” handout in their journal booklets and briefly go over it.
2. Have members break into pairs and find a quiet space in the room or nearby.

Sharing

After members come back to the group, invite members to share their experiences with the group.

1. How would you describe your experiences as a listener?
2. What was it like to share, given how your partner was listening?
3. What has been your experience of CLC so far?
4. Would you like to make a commitment to stay in CLC for the rest of the year?

Listening Deeper

• What has struck you as you have been listening to others share? Do you notice any patterns or commonalities?
• How have you been feeling throughout the meeting? Comfortable? Anxious? Curious?
• Is there anything you would like to share after listening to another person share?

IV. Moving Forward (5 min.)

• Wrap-Up: Thank members for their openness and participation. Mention that the way in which we listen to others gives us clues about the way we listen to God in prayer.
• Action: Switch prayer partners.
  • One concrete way to listen and support one another is to have a prayer partner. We will pair off and do two things: (1) pray for one another at least once during the week, and (2) get together for lunch, dinner, or coffee, etc.
• Announcements: Topic for next meeting and upcoming CLC events*.

*(CLC Initiation)

V. Closing Prayer (5 min.)

Encourage members to lift up petitions for their prayer partners, then close with this:

Loving God,

Let us cherish your mysterious presence in

others And delight in them as You do.

Let us look with Your eyes, to see as You see.

Let us feel with Your heart, to love as You love.

Grant us patient listening,

With tenderness and compassion,

With deep affirmation and gentle challenge.

We thank You for the opportunity to listen to Your Word

Spoken through our voices as we shared,

Through our partner as we listened.

Please help us to take the risk to give of ourselves

In honest conversations with one another.

Amen.