In Journey Zero we orient ourselves for the Journeys ahead by practicing storytelling together using improv techniques.

Prior to the Journey

• Read through at least the first few sections of the explainer about the X-Card to better understand the X-Card.
• Familiarize yourself with the overall explanation of this curriculum in the facilitators guide.
• Read about Pre-Emptive Radical Inclusion.
• With your facilitator team, decide if you would like to include the “Step Away” option for your group. If so, plan to describe them in this session.

Supplies

• Notecard and permanent marker orprinted version of X-Card
• Printed version of story prompts if participants will be choosing from them

Check In

(Suggested Time: 10 Minutes)

A brief time for Joys and Concerns or any other regular practices of your community for sharing from the participants about their lives.

Since this is your first session together, have the participants share their names, pronouns, and for a random question, ask if they have a lucky or favorite number.

Share any other relevant beginning of your time together onboarding information, group or classroom expectations, familiarizing with your space, etc.

Chalice Lighting

By Jennica Davis-Hockett and Ember Oak Kelley

We set out not knowing what journeys may come,
With dice in hand and wonder near.
We craft our way ourselves and explore who we are.

We name our promises and choose how to return.
We share ourselves, offering and receiving vulnerability.
We may drift when purpose fades,
but we grow through the journeys we face.

We are witnessed with gratitude,
and we widen our circle with care.
We practice loving ourselves whole,
as our truths are revealed.

Welcome, journeyers,
to the Beloved Community we’re building,
room for laughter, change, and connection.
Whatever you carry, bring it here.
Whatever you fear, name it here.
We go forward,
toward the deeper joy we create together.

(For a shorter chalice lighting, you can start at “Welcome journeyers.”)

Introducing the X Card (before activity)

(Suggested time: 5 minutes)

• Take out notecard and marker.
• Share: I’d like your help to make sure this game is fun and inclusive for everyone, using a simple way to signal to say “ouch” or remove consent.
• Ask: Can anyone explain what you understand consent to mean?
• Listen to responses and offer: 

Consent is giving permission for something to happen. This could be something like someone asking to give you a hug, and your choosing to decline or agree to it.
Consent is also about agreement to do something: an activity, a lesson, or in this case an activity in a roleplaying game.

• Share:

If anything in the game—a theme, a specific thing happening, actions by a facilitator or other participant—makes anyone uncomfortable…[draw an X on an index card or indicate your preprinted X-Card] …just lift this card up, tap it, or verbally say “X-Card.” While you have to signal what you’d like to avoid going forth, you don’t have to explain why. When someone uses the X-Card, we will edit out anything X-Carded.(Online option: Type an X in the chat.)

If necessary based on that behavior, we will have a discussion about inappropriate behavior and how to practice radical inclusion. This curriculum is designed to be non-violent,* so our hope is that that will proactively provide a more welcoming space as we begin. If there is ever an issue, anyone can call for a break and you can share privately with the facilitators.

This will help us better enjoy this roleplaying game journey together because the people playing here, and their comfort and full inclusion are important.

Does everyone understand the X-Card and how to use it?

*Use of the word “non-violence” here refers to principles of non-violence and non-violent communication exemplified by Gandhi and others.

• If including the “Step Away” tool: 

I want you to know that during our game, anyone can step away from the table or screen at any time to take care of themselves. You don’t need to give a reason—just take the break you need. If you do step away, I’ll work your absence into the story so things stay smooth, and you’re always welcome to rejoin when you’re ready. Just let me know when you’re back, and we’ll bring your character right back in with us. For today, here’s where you can go if you need a break: [point out appropriate space, or explain virtual step away process].

• Share: Thank you for helping make this game fun for everyone! In a coming session we will also be designing our covenant to help us create a safe container for journeying together.

Improv Activity

(Suggested time: 20 minutes) 

• Share: As we begin our roleplaying game journey together, we would like to offer the chance to practice being able to respond creatively, improvise, and tell stories together.
• Ask: Has anyone participated in improv before? Can anyone say what improv means?
• Define: Improv is short for improvisation and refers to a type of acting where one has no script and is “making things up as they go.”
• Explain: Today we are going to do a very simple practice of improv, telling a story together one sentence at a time. We will go around in a set order [decide an order together]. As we go around in that order, we each will simply add another sentence to the story we are telling together. Does everyone understand the activity?
• Remind: We have the X-Card available if anything doesn’t feel comfortable.
• Share: We have a few prompts available for choosing. (Alternatively the facilitators can choose a few beforehand.)

Prompts: (first sentences to start a story)

• The squirrel was climbing the tree quickly, too quickly.
• The delivery driver was faced with an impossible task, to deliver the food in the midst of a zombie apocalypse.
• The boat was gliding across the water.
• You are stranded alone on an island.
• The robot delivered you an important message.
• I can’t tell, am I awake or dreaming?
• What is this mysterious glowing portal?
• I’ve been on this train for 3 months.
• Well, I invented a time machine.
• Is it just me, or is the last hour repeating over and over?
• That is not a monster. That is my pet.
• Today I discovered that I could fly.

• Improv Activity Time! Try to keep one story going or change to new prompts as needed.
• Share: Having practiced group storytelling, let’s learn a little about the world we will be visiting.

Welcome to Covenantia

• (Suggested time: 10 minutes)

• Read: We’ve received a letter welcoming us for our journeys. It’s from someone named Teapot.(Online and if possible in person: Screen share the reading so others can follow along as you read. Optional: Show a picture of Teapot if you have one.) 

Greetings weary journeyers, you must be tired after journeying such a long way.

I am Teapot, I use they/them pronouns, and I work to greet newcomers to the land of Covenantia (which can be pronounced “kuh-vuh-NAN-chee-uh”). It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

The captain told me you’ve all come from a distant land, past even the 6 islands of the Love Archipelago (“ark-i-PEL-i-go”) and the lands of Mosaica (which can be pronounced “moe-ZAY-i-kuh”). I hope you find Covenantia to be a welcoming place.

It says here that you’ve come to study at the Beloved Community Collective?

They sure have quite the reputation here.

I’d wager it is mostly a positive reputation, but still, folks talk about the group who lives aboard an airship and travels the lands in search of new learnings. And they sure seem capable of ending up in occasional trouble.

Well, it’s time that I let you go. Before we get to know each other better, I must discuss a few things with the Lorekeeper your group arrived with. Soon we can fill out some forms about ourselves and get a lay of the land.
I look forward to journeying together with you,
Teapot (they/them)

• Inform participants that we will be creating characters in the next session and a group covenant in a later session.
• Discuss: Take time to discuss any expectations set for your specific group, congregation, or classroom.

Closing Reflection

(Use the remaining time)

Ask: How did you feel about the improv activity?

If you’re available, tell participants that you will be around afterwards if anyone needs to talk about anything from the session.

Chalice Extinguishing

By Jennica Davis-Hockett and Ember Oak Kelley

We played. We pondered.
We noticed. We named.
Stories spun,
We held a sacred, shifting space,
not perfect, but real.
Now we depart, no longer the same as when we arrived.
We carry stories and names, hopes and dreams.

Theirs. Ours. Yours.
A tale to relay
that joy is deeper
When we create it together.

(For a shorter chalice extinguishing, begin at “Theirs. Ours. Yours.”)