Tapestry of Faith: Spirit in Practice: An Adult Program for Developing A Regular Practice of the Spirit

Alternate Activity 1: Where Are We Now?

Activity time: 30 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Questions listed on newsprint or a digital slide (see Preparation)
  • Clock, watch, or timer
  • Bell
  • Optional: Computer, digital projector, and screen
  • Optional: Microphone (preferably cordless)

Preparation for Activity

  • List the following questions on newsprint or a digital slide: In what way(s) have you experienced any of these stages in your own life? Where do you see yourself now? How has education, thought, or fascination helped you move between stages?

Description of Activity

This activity extends the discussion begun in Activity 4: The Mind and the Religious Journey.

Display the newsprint or digital slide with the questions for reflection:

  • In what way(s) have you experienced any of these stages in your own life?
  • Where do you see yourself now?
  • How has education, thought, or fascination helped you move between stages?

Invite participants to spend ten minutes reflecting individually on these questions.

After ten minutes, ring the bell. Invite the group to form pairs. Explain that each person will have up to five minutes to share his/her responses to the three questions while the other partner listens.

After five minutes, ring the bell to invite the pairs to switch speakers.

After an additional five minutes, ring the bell to conclude the pairs' discussions.

Invite the group back together for full-group discussion. Ask:

  • What was it like to reflect on and discuss your spiritual development in this way?
  • What has the role of education and thought been in your spiritual development?
  • What has the role of fascination been? What things fascinated you at earlier ages that fascinate you less now, and vice versa?
  • Do you think our congregation could be described as operating from one of these stages of faith? If so, which one?

Including All Participants

If you notice participants struggling to hear one another in their pairs, allow some pairs to leave the room and find a quieter space. If two participants require American Sign Language interpretation and you have only one interpreter, pair up those participants. If you have more than two participants needing ASL interpretation, find a second interpreter to help.

You may wish to pass a cordless microphone during the full-group discussion so that participants can hear one another better.