Another Selah Packet

8/8/2019 Another Selah Packet

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Selah A holy pause in the grand orchestra of our lives

for St. Pauls youth and friends.


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3/12

Our Liturgy, Our work, Our offering:We are led through our liturgy with a bell when the bell rings we finish what were doing and answer

the call to our next gathering.

4:30pm Leader Huddle4:50pm Porters On Duty

5:00 invitatory: the invitation to step out of the traffic.

5:05 communion1Snappetizers

Informal Play (15mins)

Intentional Play (5mins)

5:40 Porch Check-InsGo ahead and grab books.

6:00 GatheringGathered through song

A short litany

Image and conversation surrounding Gods story

Listening for our connection to Gods story (books)

6:30 Response in porches through either1. Conversation

2. Doorway

3. Poustinia

7:00: Offering and Blessing Individually or in porches we offer back to God our response through either

a word, phrase, image, posture, drawing, action or anything else.

We receive the blessing of God and are sent forth Every is able to be out the door by 7:15pm.

A few things to lead us in creating this sacred space and holy pause on a Sunday evening.

1. St. Paul when he wrote to the Galatians of there being neither Jew nor Greek; slave nor free, neither malenor female for we are all one in Jesus when I say that at Selah there is neither young or old; youth or

adult; cool or geek; child or parent. For these couple hours, during this holy pause we are all onecommunity trying to follow Jesus and to listen for His voice. Were all in the same boat. Were all

seekers. We all need a holy pause. We all need each other, no matter how old you are. This must be as

much for you as it is for those who are younger.

2. A great habit: rereading what were trying to be about as a community and what Se*lah is about Letskeep it fresh this year!! Fresh all year long.

3. How do be the church when we gather for Se*lah? How does Se*lah become a place of pilgrimage.


4/12

The Porches: Translating the Way of God into the details of our lives

Porchs Pow Wow: (10mins) - imagine a football teaming huddling before the play. -

This is a moment to check in with everyone whats being going on where was life good this week?Where was life hard? (dont go around the circle)

Ask a question for the week (that calls for a brief answer but acknowledges everyones presence)

Pray if you can about folks weeks (brief using names and things mentioned is awesome) Head to the gathering at the bell.

Porches as a Response to Gods voice and Gods story: (youve got until 7pm)

Ritual: (involve your group)o light candleo Reread a line or two from some part of our liturgy whether it be one of the prayers, verses or

from the passage of the scripture we conversed around.

o take a holy pause a little quiet Response: we want to be intentional about practicing all three responses to God.

o Conversation and/or What word or phrase stuck out to you from our liturgy today? How does your life (your story) connect with Gods story and liturgy this evening. What do you think God might saying to us as a community through this part of His story? What do you think God might be saying to you (God speaks personally) What is God like right now to you? (God is like )

This works well with having people respond using crayons/paper or clay Whats your prayer now? Whats your assurance from God? Whats your conviction to

change? What questions are you living with?

o Doors and/or doors are those Interactive, creative things we do to help us engage with God to help

us enter deeper into a life with God to help us enter into the living presence of God here

with us now.

They might be a station, a prayer exercise, a walk oranything else

Some weeks I might give you one, other weeks youmight come up with one get creative.

o Poustinia BeingAlone with Godis an essential practice to

living a life with God in this world.

Most folks need some sort of guidance How might you create a Poustinia in your porch?

Tying it together: If youve responded with doors or Poustinia, be sure to

gather everyone together and check in with them? What

was good? What was hard? What did you find?

What is your offering(very simple, very short could beindividual or a group) what do you give back to God?

And then how is God calling you to pray as a porch? .

Alone with God, or solitude is referredby the heros of the WAY as the furnace

transformation, because its here we lea

and remember that our worth, our being

our purpose is not found in this world bu

found alone in God. Practicing being alo

with God is how we manage to be in the

world but not of it.

Poustinia is the Russian word for desertSolitude is seen in the Orthodox stream

the church as entering the desert with GA Poustinia is often a windowless shed w

only a table, chair and a door that shuts

world out and you in. On the table is

usually a candle, a cross, an icon and a

Bible. Some Orthodox families create

poustinias in their homes in a corner,

closet, a small room.


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Will you open the door?Thats the million dollar questionor at least the question of

the school year: Will you open the door? What door? Glad you

asked How about the door to each other? The door to

ourselves? The door to Jesus (who waits very patiently for usto hear his knock)? The door to better life than we could

possibly imagine (thats what Jesus promises)? We find that

there are doors everywhere that open to life with God and each

other. Its crazy really because every time I think Ive opened

the door already, I hear another knock behind a door I hadnt

noticed before.

Recently Ive caught on to something else really cool that

happens when we openthisdoor: S.E.I. I have some funny

stories about S.E.I.but Ill save that for another day. S.E.I. : You see the native Americansalways leave a blemish in the corner of every blanket they weave because they believe that its

in the blemishes that the Spirit Enters In (S.E.I.). Blemishes, mistakes, faults, wounds, tears,

rips, holes, cracks, edges, thresholds: those are the places that the Spirit enters in. Is this just

Native American creedos? I dont think so, because its in our Creed: we believe that the Spirit

entered more fully and more freely into this world, when we killed God on a crossthats one

pretty big blemish. So to me its completely logical to say that when we actually have the

courage to open this door, S.E.I. baby! When the door is open, the Spirit can enter in. So at

this crossroads where some of us set off on a new journey and as others join the journey for

the first time, Will You Open the Door?


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Prayer Exercices

Naming FruitGalatians 5: The Fruits of the Spirit (from a letter written to encourage those trying to live

life with God in the way of Jesus)

Life by the Spirit: (from the NIV)

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness

and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified

the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the

Spirit.

From The Message

22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that

fruit appears in an orchardthings like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop

a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic

holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to

force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. 23-24Legalism is helpless in

bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected

with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off

for goodcrucified. 25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make

sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its

implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if

one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each

of us is an original.

Remember where God is, His spirit is. And where the Spirit has been, usually He has left His mark, His

fruit. So if all else fails, look for the Fruit of the Spirit. Or look for where the fruit of the spirit clearly

isnt. And then listen for God.

You could ask/write down on posters moments they found love. Moments they found peace.

Moments they found self-control. Moments they found patience. Moments they found kindness.

Moments they found goodness. Moments they found faithfulness. Moments they found gentleness.

And the opposite. To write this down and keep it week to week you start to notice trends and begin

to discern burning bushes.

Another Way:

Using part of the letter to the Colossians (next page) use the image of clothes we wear. To write this

down and keep it week to week you start to notice trends and begin to discern burning bushes.


7/12

What has clothed us:Colossians Chapter 3: (another letter written to encourage those trying to l ive life with God in the way of Jesus)

NIV:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ isseated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you

died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then

you also will appear with him in glory. 5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthlynature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of

these, the wrath of God is coming.[b]7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But

now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthylanguage from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with itspractices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its

Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slaveor free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each

other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord

forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called topeace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one

another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in yourhearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the LordJesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him

The Message:1-2 So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the thingsover which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in

front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christthat's where the action is. Seethings from his perspective. 3-4Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real lifeeven

though invisible to spectatorsis with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life,remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, toothe real you, the glorious you.

Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ. 5-8And that means killing off everything connected

with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like wheneveryou feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and

feelings instead of by God. It's because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. Itwasn't long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better

now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk.9-11Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes

you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your

new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are nowobsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized

and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone isincluded in Christ. 12-14So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked

out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, contentwith second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Masterforgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purposegarment. Never be without it. 15-17Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step

with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the

Word of Christthe Messagehave the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives.Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God!

Let every detail in your liveswords, actions, whateverbe done in the name of the Master, Jesus,

thanking God the Father every step of the way.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%203&version=NIV#fen-NIV-29506ahttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%203&version=NIV#fen-NIV-29506ahttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%203&version=NIV#fen-NIV-29506ahttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%203&version=NIV#fen-NIV-29508bhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%203&version=NIV#fen-NIV-29508bhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%203&version=NIV#fen-NIV-29508bhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%203&version=NIV#fen-NIV-29508bhttp://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=colossians%203&version=NIV#fen-NIV-29506a


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Lectio Divina (can take 10 mins 20 mins).

So youre stuck. Conversation isnt happening. Take the Scripture passage from earlier and try this. This

is a way of praying with scripture (versus studying scripture). You will want to explain the way the prayer

exercise works before you begin. You will also gently need to lead them through it.

Begin with quiet. Invite everyone to get comfortable (not so much so that youll fall asleep) andoffer this time to God in their own way.

Readthe passage slowly 3 times outloud. Have the group pay attention for the word or phrase that stands out to them. The word or

phrase that shimmers or seems to be in bold print. Offer a period of quiet to hear the wor.

Reflect: then invite folks to repeat the word or phrase to themselves over and over again, payingattention to what other things come to mind (meditate on the word). Keep turning the word or

phrase over in your mind, listening for what God is saying to you through the word. Offer a

period of quiet for them to reflect.

Respond:o then have folks respond to what God is saying you might have them write down their

response, they might draw their response but in some way have them respond to theWord of God. This could be done collectively as wellhaving a banner you work on week

to week.

o Then invite people to share out loud their word or phrase and even what God is saying.Again you could do this through conversation or in a more tactile way.

o You could also ask the question: How do we carry this word from God into our world.How do we work Gods words to us into the details of our everyday life.

Rest:finally end with quiet again, inviting everyone to thank God for his words to them. Allow alittle time to rest in God to rest in the quiet.

Ignatian Contemplation (can take 10 mins 20 mins).This is way of prayer that places us in the story, read from scripture. Take the Scripture passage from

earlier and try this. You will want to explain the way the prayer exercise works before you begin. You

will also gently need to lead them through it.


Readthe passage slowly outloud. Stopping and asking questions that bring the story alive intheir minds: What do you see? What is around you? What colors? Who are you? What do you

smell? What do you touch?

Reflect: then invite them in the quiet to let the story continue to play out in their minds to allowthemselves to be someone or something in the story. What happens next now that they are in

the story. What does God say to them? What does being in this story stir up in them?

Respond: then have folks respond to being in the story you might have them write down theirresponse, they might draw their response but in some way have them respond to the Word of

God. This could be done collectively as wellhaving a banner you work on week to week.

o Then invite people to share out loud who or what they were and maybe what happened orwhat God said. Again you could do this through conversation or in a more tactile way.


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o You could also ask the question: How do we carry this word from God into our world.

How do we work Gods words to us into the details of our everyday life.

Rest:finally end with quiet again, inviting everyone to thank God for his words to them. Allow alittle time to rest in God to rest in the quiet.

The Awareness Examen (can take 10 mins 20 mins).Cant get them to go there in regards to talking about their weeks? Try the questions in the prayerexercise that they originally came from.


In the quiet, invite folks to ask God to walk back with them through their weeks. Invite folks to ask God to bring to our awareness the moment this week for which you are most

grateful? (or the moment that you felt most alive? The moment you were able to receive and

give love)

Invite them to ask Godwhat was so goodabout that moment. After apause, invite them to take a deep breath and receive the life from that moment again. Have folks share the moment that came to mind. Then invite them to enter the quiet again, connecting to the presence of the Almighty. In the quiet, invite folks to ask God to walk back with them through their weeks. Invite folks to ask God to bring to our awareness the moment this week for which you are least

grateful? (or the moment that you felt drained? The moment you were U to receive and give

love)

Invite them to ask Godwhat was so difficultabout that moment. After apause, invite them to take a deep breath and allow Gods love to fill you and hold you in

the difficult.

Have folks share the moment that came to mind. Ask the group, isGod saying anything here? Enter the quiet one last time, invite folks to give thanks to God for this time and to rest in his

presence.

Close in spoken prayer, specifically interceding for those difficult moments shared and givingthanks for the good moments.

Based on SLEEPING WITH BREAD: Holding What Gives You Life by Dennis Linn, Sheila Fabricant Linn, Matthew Linn, copyright

1995.


10/12

Written Prayers for Porches.Lord, help us to relax.

*Take from us the tension

That makes peace impossible

*Take from us the fears

That do not allow us to venture

*Take from us the worries

That blind our sight

*Take from us the distress

That hides our joy.

*Help us to know that we are with you

*That we are in your care

*That we are in your love

*That you and us are one.

*Open our eyes, Lord, enlarge our vision

*Open our hearts, Lord increase our faith

*Open our minds, Lord deepen our knowing.

Awaken us to your presence, Alert us to your love

Affirm us in your peace Open to us your way

Reveal to us your joy Enfold us in your light

For our hearts are ready Lord. Our hearts are ready.

You Lord are in this placeYour presence fills it

Your presence is peace

You Lord are in our hearts

Your presence fills it

Your presence is peace.

You Lord are in our minds



You Lord are in our lives



For the beginnings:

Most powerful Holy Spirit, come down upon us from

heaven, where the ordinary is made glorious and glory

seems but ordinary. Surround us and bathe us with the

brilliance of your light.

In the mighty name of God, in the saving name of Jesus, in

the strong name of the Spirit, we come, we cry, we watch,

we wait, we look, we long for you O Lord.

O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and

rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidenceshall be our strength: By the might ofyourSpirit lift us, we

pray, to yourpresence, where we may be still and know

that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so

guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our

wills, that we may be wholly your, utterly dedicated unto

you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always

to yourglory and the welfare ofyourpeople; through our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Amen.

Almighty God, give us wisdom to perceive you,

intelligence to understand you, diligence to seek you,

patience to wait for you, vision to behold you, a heart to

meditate upon you, a life to proclaim you; through Jesus

Christ our Lord who lives with you and the Holy Spirit, one

God now and forever.

Lord, enfold us in the depths of your love and there hold

us. Renew our being. Refine, refresh and restore us. Raise

us up and remold us, until our whole being is aglow with

your glory and goodness, gracious and generous God.

For the Ends:

Prayer of St. Patrick

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ

in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in

every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

Christ in my heart this day and every day. Amen

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or

weep this night, and give your angels charge over those

who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the

weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the

afflicted, shield thejoyous; and all for your loves sake.

Amen.

O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your

unending day upon us who watch for you, that our lips

may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship

give you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

O God, full of compassion, I commit and commend myself

unto you, in whom I am and live and know. Be the goal ofmy pilgrimage, and my rest by the way. Let my soul take

refuge from the crowding turmoil of worldly thoughts

beneath the shadow of your wings; let my heart, this sea

of restless waves, find peace in you, O God.

Teresa of Avilas Bookmark Prayer

Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you

For all things are passing & God never changes.

Patience endurance attains all things. Alone God suffices.

Amen.


11/12

Sample Random Questions

If you could meet someone famouswho would you meet?

If you could do only 1 thing the rest of your life, what would you do?

If you could visit any place, real or imaginary, where would you go?

If you could know when you were going to die, would you want to know?

If you could live in any time period, past or present, which period would you pick?

Where is your favorite place to go when you want to get away to think?

What is the best gift youve ever received and who was it from?

What season best represents your personality?

If someone gave you a million dollars, but you had to give it away, who would you give it to?

What possessions do you consider necessities in your life? What possessions are luxuries?

What are some ways to give besides giving money?

If you were on a date and you had 2 hours, half a tank of gas, and $5, what would you do?

Who are you most like, your mom or your dad?

What is one thing your parents say that bugs you the most?

If Jesus wanted to hang out with you this Friday night, where would you take him?

Sample Would You Rathers (in lieu of Random Question) ???

Have the power to disappear, or the power to fly?

Dress casually or fancy?

Be ugly and have 10 good friends or attractive and have only 1 good friend?

Live in the city or in the country?

Be in jail and allowed visitors, or be on a deserted island in total isolation?

Laugh really hard one day a week, or laugh a little bit every day?

Be in 120 degree weather or -20 degree weather?

Play sports or be a spectator?

Travel the stars or live under the sea?

Try everything and succeed at nothing, or try one thing and be successful?

Laugh or make others laugh?

Be known as someone who gives generously, or as someone who is full of joy?

Be convicted of something you didnt do, or see someone else convicted for something you did?

Have a wedgie or wet armpits?


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Creative Ideas: (Pinch Hitting Help)You can use their blank books at any point during Conversations.

1. Webbing. This is a way to brainstorm and get them thinking. Simply put the key word in themiddle and circle it. Then have youth brainstorm everything that they can think of having to do

with the key word. Put their ideas on lines coming out from the circle

2.

Draw a cartoon representing the verse at hand3. The Graffitti Wall. Tape up long stretch of butcher paper (or banner paper) on the wall. At theend of each Small Group have youth draw, write or paste something on it. It could be anything

what theyve learnt, what they are going to do this week to live out the verse, a symbol

representing these things. You might have youth draw in big letter I am in the middle of it

and then each week decorate around it .. or add to it.

4. Take the keyword(s) out of the verse and replace it with synonyms it helps understand orillustrate what the verse means. You could also write in the negative and replace keyword with

antonym.

5. Personalize the verse. Have the youth rewrite it as if it was a personal message from God.6. Magazines --- make collages or cut out visual representations of how Gods story is being played

out.7. Make advertisements for the image or message.. .or make advertisements for God8. Make Road Signs that that help them remember to keep living a life with God. Or caution signs

for the opposite

9. Skits: living out the story. (You can do Prop-bag skits as well where you bring two bags withrandom stuff from youth room or home and tell each group to make a skit using the props that

illustrates the verses). Id divide into two groups for this.

10.Divide into subgroups and have each group make a symbol using their physical bodies as areminder and representation of the image and message of the day.

11.You could make an acronym with the first letter of each of the keyword of each verse. You canmake the acronym a prayer or a riddle .

12.Use clay --- have them pray with it making a symbol.13.One method to writing a prayer or song or poem or something is to start at one side of the room

and have the first person give the first word, the second person, the second and so on.

Building on the prior words to form a sentence, a reminder, a song, a prayer using everyones

ideas. This can be very humorous too.

14.paper bags. Have them decorate on the outside draw or write words that describe who theworld says they arehow others outside of them see them and then on the inside each

week put little cards with the words God is speaking to them .

15.Decide on a symbol for the image or message of the day and cut it our of construction paper16.Have them write their commitment for the week17.Have them write how they enacted that verse last week on one side & on other side a time that

they didnt enact it.

18.Have them put symbol in wallet or purse or Bible as a reminder to take with them.19.Could have them write on them even just with their names and have them paste them on the

Graffitti Wall

20.At some point reflect back and remember all the words God has been speaking all theimages and messages and look for some bigger concept God is going for.

Another Selah Packet

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