Summer Review

Introduction & Welcome (1 min.)

Welcome members back after the break and thank them for coming. If you have new members, welcome them and briefly go through introductions. Then, explain the purpose of the meeting: to review the summer.

I. Opening Prayer (5 min.)

Grace: To find God in summer break.

Use the grace or a suggested scriptural passage above to create your own prayer. You may also use the prayer below. After reading the scripture, say:

Lord, we thank You for gathering us here. We believe You are here with us, for You promised to be present wherever two or three are gathered in Your name. We ask You to open our hearts to Your love and blessings. Help us to reflect upon our breaks and to find you in places we have been. Just as you told Moses to remove the sandals from his feet, for the place where he stands is holy ground, so help us to recognize that the places we have been were holy. Amen.

Note: Encourage each member to take a turn in leading an opening prayer from now on. Assign a member to lead the next meeting.

II. Check-In (5 min.)

Invite members to share some of the high and low points of the week. This check-in is meant to ease the group into reconnecting and reflecting on their life experiences and they should be brief.

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

III. Focus Exercise (40 min.)

Materials Needed: CLC supply box (CLC journal booklets, papers, pens, etc.). All handouts are in the CLC journal booklets.

Introduction

• If using a song to set the tone, invite members to listen to the words of a song, such as Jones’ “The Places You find Love.” Ask members to pay attention to the words they hear. Encourage them to mark key words or phrases for discussion. After the song, invite them to reflect on significant events, people, or places where they have found love.
• Refer Jones’ and Moses’ experiences of holy places, where they encountered God and lead to the activity below

Exercise: Feet-Tracing Activity

1. Have members trace their feet (either left or right) on the provided pieces of paper.
2. On the soles of their feet, have them write the names of all the places they have been during the summer and circle 2 or 3 places that they consider as significant.
3. On the toes, have them write adjective words to describe their feelings about those places.
4. On the other side of the sheet, have them write what messages God wants to tell them through those places. (Give them about 5-7 minutes to pray and reflect)

Sharing

Encourage everyone to share what they wrote on both sides.

Listening Deeper

Suggested questions to deepen awareness of inner movements and further conversation

• 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. Emphasize that one hallmark of our CLC spirituality is to find God in all things: places, people, events, etc.
• Action: Notice where you tend to experience God on campus. Go back to the place and pray for the grace you need for this year. Here are two suggested questions to pray:
  1. What do you want to get out of CLC this year?
  2. Ask God, “What do you hope for me this year?”
• Announcements:
  • Topic for next meeting and upcoming CLC events
  • Confirm that the group is still in agreement on the meeting day, time, and location for this year.

V. Closing Prayer (5 min.)

Encourage each members to lift up their petitions and prayers out loud and conclude with the prayer from St. Teresa of Avila: