Backyard to the Universe
Small Group Ministries
GOING HOME WITH A NEW STORY
Opening Words:
"The future has to be an intentional building upon past strengths and forthright owning of present opportunities. Only in the presence of this alternate story can we consider what to carry forward and what to leave behind as we construct a new story for our religious leadership." Larry Peers, adapted from Re-creating Congregational Stories: Insights from Narrative Therapy.
Check in: As we near the end of the presentations, how are you feeling?
Topic/Activity:
You have just written a new story for your religious leadership.
Were there surprises for you as you wrote the story?
What are you leaving behind in the old story?
What strengths and opportunities are you building on?
How does the story make you feel?
What needs to be in place in order to make the story become a reality?
What steps are you planning on taking?
Who is in the story with you? How will you “bring them along” in the story?
What support are you anticipating? What challenges?
What risks are you willing to take for your new story?
Closing words:
"In the biblical traditions, God works within and through the interactions between the local and the cosmic stories. Sometimes our tasks as religious leaders is to beckon forth other possibilities from the stories that we and our congregations tell—so that we might see how the Spirit is working on the sidelines, in the murmurs and the yet-to-be-discovered aspects of our congregational story…….miraculous new beginnings can emerge." Larry Peers, from Re-creating Congregational Stories: Insights from Narrative Therapy.
Likes and Wishes: How was this session for you?