Year in Review

Introduction & Welcome (1 min.)

I. Opening Prayer (5 min.)

Grace: To identify the graces of the year and come up with a response in living out those graces.

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:

Almighty God, we thank you for gathering us here tonight. As the year comes to an end, our hearts are full of emotions...excitement about summer break, anxiety about final exams, looking forward to going home….We pray for the grace of being open and honest as we reflect upon our year together. Help us to identify some of the consolation moments that helped us walk on water toward you and some of the desolation moments that made us drown under the water. Amen.

II. Check-In (5 min.)

• What were some of your high and low points of the week? Or
• What was the last time you experienced God (whatever it means to you)?

III. Focus Exercise (40 min.)

Materials Needed: CLC supply box (CLC journal booklets, papers, pens, etc.).

Introduction

This meeting offers time for the group to identify the significant graces that have been received in this year. Paying attention to God’s movements and operations in our life is the key to our spiritual growth. The Ignatian Examen can be applied to daily or yearly reflection. The meeting has two parts: reflect our journey and affirmation.

Exercise: The Year in Review

Invite members to spend time praying with the "Year-End Awareness Examen"

Sharing and Feedback

1. Explain the procedure: Tonight we are going to do something different. After each person has shared, we are going to write to him or her our prayer notes, which include both affirmations and challenges. Our group only grows if we can be honest with each other, assuming it’s okay with everyone (check to see if it’s okay with everyone).
2. Invite members to share: After each member has shared, allow time for all members to write a prayer note to him or her. Then each member will share her/his note either by reading it out loud or summarizing its main thoughts to the person.

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? Any common experiences and images of God?
• 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.)

• Evaluation: Have members to fill out the “Year-End Evaluation” and discuss it.
• Action:
  • Is there any unfinished business (such as apologies, peacemaking, thank-you’s…) of the past year we need to address?
  • Remind members of God’s invitation and their responses to live out the graces received.
  • How can we as a group grow and support each other over the summer? (e.g., prayer partner, group sharing on Facebook every week, etc.)
• Announcements:
  • Upcoming CLC events
  • *Try to set a meeting day and time for next year.*

V. Closing Prayer (5 min.)

Encourage everyone to pray in thanksgiving for each other by praying for the person to their left. (Coordinator should begin first) I would like to pray in thanksgiving for…