Backyard to the Universe
Small Group Ministries
The Interdependent Web of all Existence
AFFIRMATION: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part
We help take care of our world.
Opening words/Lighting the candle/chalice
It’s all about connections. Once upon a time, scientists visited a village in Borneo. They used a powerful spray to get rid of the flies and mosquitoes. It also killed the wasps that ate the caterpillars that lived in the grass roofs. With the wasps gone, the caterpillars just ate and are and ate. They ate so much grass that the roofs became weak and fell down.
Remember the flies that the DDT killed? They were eaten by geckos, little lizards that lived in the huts. The geckos ate and ate, and soon they had lots of DDT in them. They got sick, but before they died, the cats ate them. The cats died, and the rats moved in. How did the scientists solve this problem? Would you believe that they brought airplanes full of cats and used parachutes to drop those cats over the village! Soon the cats were catching the rats again, and the people were safe from disease. Of course, they still had problems with their roofs.
(Variations of this story are found in We Believe from the Church of the Larger Fellowship, and The Kids’ Book of Awesome Stuff, by Charlene Brotman, 2004)
Check-in: How are things going for you today?
Topic/Activity
This may be one of our most dynamic affirmations – the understanding of connections and the complexity of existence.
Guided imagery:
Find a comfortable position. Close your eyes if you wish.
Visualize a situation or discussion that you have had recently around an issue, preferably with a child.
Recall the issue and try to relate it to one of the affirmations.
What was the dialog around the issue? What action was occurring in the situation?
What factors came into the situation or dialog? Do they reflect any other affirmations?
As the situation or dialog progressed, did it become clearer or more complex?
Move toward the ending of the situation or dialog.
What was your feeling at the end about the situation or dialog itself, and about how it ended?
Leave the situation and gradually return to this space and time. Show that you have returned by opening your eyes or changing position.
You are invited to share your situations and complexities.
This affirmation also includes the interdependent influences on parenting.
How do you balance the needs of children and your own needs? Where does this become complex? How do you deal with the complexities?
How do you balance the activities of the family at home, outside activities of all family members, other obligations and spiritual well-being?
Do you find any of the affirmations to be helpful in the complexity of life?
Closing Words:
If you are holding a black and white photo and a colored photo of a sunset, which would you prefer? Or having a photo and experiencing the sunset, which would you prefer? We go for the experience, for the color, for the complexity. True, there are times when black and white photos are preferred for clarity, but our worlds are mixtures of grays and colors. So why should we want ‘black and white’ spirituality? And why should we offer our children ‘black and white’ spirituality? When we fully engage the ‘interdependent web of all existence,’ every aspect of our lives is enriched. Let us encourage our children to engage the complexities and let us walk with them through these complexities. Helen Zidowecki
Likes and Wishes: Comment on the session, including content and group process. What went well and what would you like to have changed?
Zidowecki, January 2006