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SIMPLE LIVING 101
Table of Contents
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The Search to Live More Simply
(and Abundantly)
-- A Design for Cenacle Retreat --
Warrenville, IL
April 8, 2000, 9:30-4:15
Preparation
Room Preparation
- JEM display on a table in the room
- A table of resources on living more simply-abundantly
- Franciscan chart re. hunger on the wall
Sheets of paper on the wall with the mobility headings:
upward inward toward downward outward
9:30 VALUING PERSONAL EXPERIENCE -- Our Respective Searches
As people arrive, invite them
- to browse the table of materials
- to find themselves on the Franciscan chart
Create a personal timeline that tells:
What life experiences motivate me to search for simpler-abundant living? Include things you have done/tried to date.
At the end of your timeline, write key words to say
What am I still looking for?
Share timelines in groups of four
NOTE: The fours can be a base group throughout the experience. Then during the segments of the 5 directions when talking-listening are useful, 3 different pairs can be formed within the group of four. That allows for variety while still building a strong sense of koinonia. This experience of koinonia is important for direction #5 "toward" because there is the potential there for ongoing relationships encouragement for progress in living more simply.)
10:30 RITUAL of RELEASE -- The Jubilee proclamation of "release to the captives"
Take time to hear the proclamation of "release to the captives." Let it get into us. We need to internalize the gospel of release from captivity.
Ritual enactment: bricks in a wall rearranged to bricks in a circle around candle
Ritual completed, we turn now to practice. We begin to picture and plan for acting as one released from captivity.
10:50 BREAK
The 5 Movements of Living More Simply - Abundantly
11:00 DIRECTION #1 - DOWNWARD
Present (15 min)Distribute: John 15:1-3 sheet
Distribute: The Companionship of other Searchers
Model the action step downward in simpler-abundant living including resistance and nurture-empowerment
Personal work (15 min)
Each person creates an action step piece
Interaction in pairs (10 min)
Concluding ritual and transition (5 min) - Sing "Take me, take me as I am" as the action step piece is affixed to the larger "map."
11:45 DIRECTION #2 - OUTWARD
Present (15 min)Distribute: John 15:4-8, 16 (esp. 5,8,16)
Distribute: The Companionship of Other Seekers
Model the action step outward in simpler-abundant living including resistance and nurture-empowerment
Personal work (15 min)
Each person creates an action step piece
Interaction in pairs (10 min)
Concluding ritual and transition (5 min) - Sing "Take me, take me as I am" as the action step piece is affixed to the larger "map."
12:30 LUNCH
1:15 DIRECTION #3 -- INWARD
Present (15 min)Distribute: John 15:4-11
Distribute: The Companionship of Other Searchers
Model the action step inward in simpler-abundant living including resistance and nurture-empowerment
Personal work (15 min)
Each person creates an action step piece
Interaction in pairs (10 min)
Concluding ritual and transition (5 min) - Sing "Take me, take me as I am" as the action step piece is affixed to the larger "map."
2:00 WALK TOGETHER (A One-on-One Walk)
2:30 DIRECTION #4 -UPWARD
Present (15 min)
Distribute: John 15:18-21 (esp. 19-20)
Distribute: The Companionship of Other Searchers and "All Consuming
Passion"
Model the action step upward in simpler-abundant living including resistance
and nurture-empowerment
Personal work (15 min)
Each person creates an action step piece
Interaction in pairs (10 min)
Concluding ritual and transition (5 min) - Sing "Take me, take me as I am" as the action step piece is affixed to the larger "map."
3:15 DIRECTION #5 -TOWARD
Present (15 min)
Distribute: John 15:9-17 (esp. 12)
Distribute: The Companionship of Other Searchers
Model the action step toward in simpler-abundant living including resistance and nurture-empowerment
Personal work (15 min)
Each person creates an action step piece
Interaction in pairs (10 min)
4:00 CONCLUDING RITUAL
Distribute: candiesGather in a circle around the center of worship
Each person announces a next step or whatever they want to say about what they are taking with them. After each person shares, all sing the Taizé "Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia."
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