My Hands, God's Hands

Introduction & Welcome (1 min.)

I. Opening Prayer (5 min.)

Grace: to discover our truest selves through service.

Use the grace or a suggested scripture above to create your own prayer, or use CLC Opening Prayer.

Note: Ask for a volunteer to lead opening and closing prayers for 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 experiences and it should be brief.

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

III. Focus Exercise (40 min.)*

*Note: This meeting is best done after the group has done some form of service recently, either as a group or as individuals.

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

Introduction

This meeting will help us get more in-touch with our truest selves by reflecting on our service with and for others, as well as our other actions and activities. It is often said that, in serving, those who are offering some form of service find themselves having likewise, been served (possibly even more than those they originally sought to help).

In serving, we may grow in unexpected ways or learn something about ourselves and how we love or interact with others. Or we may find, for example, that we could lead simpler lives and even be happier and freer as a result of working with the materially poor. We can be reminded that we are part of one human family, interdependent upon each other and responsible for one another.

Exercise: "Our Hands, God's Hands" Meditation

Invite everyone to find a comfortable position (sitting-up), as you will be leading them through a guided meditation. Encourage them to be aware of their reactions—how they are feeling—throughout the meditation. Slowly and prayerfully read the meditation, pausing at ellipses (“…” or longer pauses for longer ellipses “……”) to allow members to imagine and enter into what is being read. Softly play instrumental music in the background.

Sharing

After guided meditation, invite everyone to open their eyes and reflect on their experience of the meditation in their journal booklets using the following questions.

After sufficient time, encourage the group to share.

Part 1:

1. How did you feel during the meditation? What in the meditation prompted these feelings?
2. What phrases/words stood out to you? Sit with these words or phrases. Listen to what stirs within you as you meditate upon them.
3. What is God speaking to you at this moment? What is God revealing to you about who you are, how you have been shaped, how you relate to others, or ways you want to grow through service?

Part 2:

1. What experiences of service or other activities are life-giving and leading you to God right now in your life? Which experiences of service and other activities are not?
2. How might you more fully integrate service into your life?
3. How is your serving related to your relationship with God right now? Are they flowing from each other (connected and encouraging each other)? Unrelated? Something in-between?

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.
• Action: Have an immersion experience with the poor or marginalized as a group or individually. Pay particular attention to how that experience is helping you to get more in-touch with how you view and relate to yourself, God, and others.
• Announcements: Topic for next meeting and upcoming CLC events

V. Closing Prayer (5 min.)

Encourage members to pray for each other by name, specifically for a deeper awareness of themselves as they continue to go out and serve. To close, perhaps pray that the group can continue to serve each other in their journeys to discover and live out who they most truly are.