Week 6 File Downloads

• Opening Prayer (3 to 5 mins)
• Welcome (2 mins)
• Reminder and recommit to the Group Covenant (2 mins)
• Lectio Divina (10 mins to do lectio)
• Biblical Reflection Video No. 6 - Revelation 22.1-7 (about 5 mins)
• Moment of Silence  Reactions to Biblical Reflection Video (5 mins)
• PCC Good Example Video (about 4 mins) 
• Small group discussion (5 - 8 mins) 
• Jenkins Video No. 3 ‘Representation & What’s Next’ (about 7 mins)
• Small group discussion followed by plenary (about 15 mins)
• Share member’s final reflections
• What’s next? Using the Racial Diversity Audit, list 5 concrete steps
• Final Liturgy (2 mins)

What you will need:

• A Candle (and matches) Bibles (or biblical verses printed to give participants) for Revelation 22.1-7
• The Collect for this week (the one from last Sunday) ‘The Prayer for Courage’ from the Corrymeela Community
• Biblical Reflection Video No. 6 - Revelation 22.1-7 (Download from website) 
• Jenkins Video No.3 ‘Representation and What’s next’ (Download from website) 
• PCC Good Example Video (Download from website) 
• Copies of ‘Final Session Liturgy’ for the group
• A copy of the ‘Final Session Leader’s Prayers’ 

Feel free to use this short liturgy or open with extemporary prayer - or a combination of both.

(Whatever works best for you and your tradition).

Light a candle in the centre of the group

Keep a moment of silence

Leader: Let us start by bringing our focus onto God and recognise God’s presence among us.

May the love and desire for justice of Jesus Christ be with you.

All: And also with you.

Leader: We put aside of stresses and preoccupations of the day, we acknowledge our hopes, fears,

and anxieties as we start this session.

We ask you to be with us, Lord.

Help us to be open and vulnerable to your presence and the learning you have for us today.

We pray in Jesus’ name.

All: Amen.

Leader may read the collect for this week

Leader: We gather together our thoughts and prayers using the prayer that Jesus taught us:

All: Our Father…

All: All pray ‘The Prayer for Courage’ from the Corrymeela Community by Pádraig Ó Tuama to close.

Review the Principles of Learning Community:

• We’re here to learn

• No experts

• Be challenged by the gospel

• Be challenged by the stories and experiences of others

• Will prioritise the voices of UKME / Global Majority Christians

• We acknowledge the leading of the Holy Spirit

 A reminder to: 

•  Be Present 

•  Be Open 

•  Be Truthful 

•  Be Gracious 

•  Be Kind   

Explain the flow of this session (it would help to put this on PowerPoint or a White Board or A3 paper as well).

•  Review your group covenant 

•  Ask that everyone agrees to those principles again for this session by raising their hands. 

May we suggest people get into groups of 3 or 4 with those near them. Make sure everyone has a bible or a copy of the passage.  There are many variations on how to do Lectio Divina.  Here’s a variation that we will use today:   

Listening for God in the Word:

1. One person reads aloud the passage of scripture. Listen for a word or short phrase that strikes you.
2. Keep silence for a moment. Then, another person reads the same piece of scripture aloud (preferably a different gender or age or accent with a different translation of the bible).
3. Keep silence for 2 minutes. Each person silently repeats the word or phrase that attracts them during that time.
4. When given the cue to share, share aloud that one word or phrase that has attracted each person. Please be sure to keep it a simple statement of one or a few words with no elaboration.

How God speaks to ME and what I am invited to DO:

1. Now, a third reading of the same passage by another person (again, preferably with a different gender or age or accent or translation of the bible).
2. Keep silence for 2 minutes. Each person reflects on: ‘God invites me to do/be/become . . . today/this week.’
3. When given the cue that the 2 minutes are up, share aloud the results of each person’s reflection. Something brief like: ‘I hear, I see, or God invites me to...’

Please note that anyone may “pass” at any time. If a person prefers to pray silently instead of sharing with the group, then simply state this aloud and conclude your silent prayer with Amen.

We are blessed to have the Revd Canon Dr Rosalyn Murphy’s biblical reflections every week. These have been a core feature of both the online courses which ran in Coventry and Derby. 

She is a biblical scholar, with masters and doctoral degrees from Durham. She is currently a vicar and Chair of the Racial Equality Action Group in the Diocese of Coventry.

Take a moment of silence to consider the Bible reflection

An opportunity to share observations or reflections in partners. If time, bring some of that back to the larger group.

Watch PCC Good Example Video. 

Our thanks to Mr Ron Ruddock, Church Warden at St Paul’s Fosehill and Mr Jayden Ruddock, PCC member at St Paul’s Fosehil 

In groups of 3 or 4, here are some questions to consider:

• What is your reaction to the videos you just watched?

Watch Jen Jenkins ‘Representation and What’s Next’ video  

•  What is your reaction to the videos you just watched?
• Which systems and institutions most intersects with the life of your church or community? Agree on no more than two.
• What efforts can you identify, as a group that contribute to healing and transforming the systems you have named?  Research options on the web in real time. 
• How could your church actively participate in repairing one of the systems the group identified? Together, set one concrete, achievable goal for engagement in the year ahead. 

Either have each person share individually, or perhaps give their reflection to you as the leader to share on their behalf, or quickly build into a PowerPoint to show.  Completely up to you – but this reflection and then discussion afterwards is very important!  

We encourage you to use the prepared Final Session Liturgy and Leader’s Prayers or say a short prayer to close, committing our actions to God, inviting the Holy Spirit to enable our continued learning with courage throughout the week, months and years to come.  

Say a short prayer to close, committing our actions to God, inviting the Holy Spirit to enable our continued learning with courage throughout the week. 

Thank the group for journeying with you in this Amazing Grace racial equality learning community. 

Include: The next steps and actions you decided upon at the last meeting Copies of the reflections for everyone Race equality books and resources page Responding to Racism DBE Resource from the Diocese of Coventry.

Also include a link to Jen Jenkins’ ‘For Such a Time as This’ PowerPoint and Full Video.