Opportunities to
Missions Education Resource How to use this page
November 2011
The suggestions below will be helpful for using the stories on pages 18-24 of this issue in the life of your church. Small Group interaction, Study Group or Reading Group options are given, as well as suggestions for other congregational or family settings. Go online to www.thefellowship.info/affectonline for more suggestions.
Peace and Reconciliation
In Small Groups: The following is an outline for adult mission groups, Bible study classes or other small groups. Share copies of fellowship! with group members prior to the meeting and have some extra copies available. These suggestions are for a 45-minute time frame.
1. Before the session, gather pens and two slips of paper for each person in the group. Also gather poster board or a whiteboard and a Bible to use for group discussion. 2. Begin by asking the group what migrant communities are present in your city/ state (ex: African refugees, migrant workers from Latin America, etc.). As they are named, create a column for each group at the top of the whiteboard. 3. Distribute pens and paper, and ask participants to select one or more groups from the list and write down the stereotypes they’ve heard about that group, both positive and negative. Tell participants they will pass these in anonymously, so they can be honest. 4. Collect the papers and write the stereotypes named under each column on the whiteboard. 5. Discuss by asking: (1) Are these stereotypes fair? (2) Why do people feel compelled to create stereotypes about others who are different from them? (3) How can stereotypes chip away at the idea that we are all made in God’s image?
Around the Table: At Church 1. Before a Wednesday night supper or some other community meal or event, gather enough index cards and pens for each table. 2. Place the following instructions on the table: “Using the index cards provided, we are going to write a ‘recipe for peace.’ At your table discuss what is needed to bring reconciliation to a conflict. You can think of global conflicts or interpersonal conflicts between individuals. As you share, explain your answers and give examples. Write down all your answers and then decide on one or two final ingredients to contribute as a group. Toward the end of the meal, we will collect the ingredients to make our recipe for peace.” 3. Once everyone has time to participate in the discussion, give a five-minute warning and then collect the final answers. 4. Invite someone to share a story of peace and reconciliation from pages 1824 of CBF’s fellowship! magazine. Then read the collected ingredients to the whole group.
6. Give each participant a second sheet of paper and ask each person in the group to write down a stereotype someone has made about them or their racial/ethnic group. (Alternatively: You can ask them to list stereotypes foreigners might make about Americans). 7. Ask volunteers to share their answers. 8. Share at least one story of peace and reconciliation from pages 18-24 of CBF’s fellowship! magazine.
fellowship!
CBF
Cooperative baptiSt fellowShip | www.thefellowShip.info
Serving Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission
‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ Learn more about the peace and reconciliation ministries of CBF field personnel and partners on pages 18-24.
9. Ask: (1) Do you think conflict is caused by racial/ ethnic stereotypes? (2) How can eliminating stereotypes bring peace and reconciliation? (3) What specific things can we do on a daily basis to eliminate these stereotypes we’ve named? 10. Ask someone to read Galatians 3:28. End by praying for reconciliation and CBF ministries working to bring reconciliation in our world. Be sure to also pray for those mentioned in the Prayer Calendar on page 7.
In Reading Groups What is the What is the fictional autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng, a “Lost Boy” from Sudan who survives the war and immigrates to America. The book uses terrific detail to describe Deng’s life in refugee camps and then in Atlanta, Ga., after he migrates to the United States.
5. End by praying for peace and reconciliation in individual lives, in your community and in the world. 6. Optional: You can continue the conversation by publishing the “recipe for peace” and an explanation of the event in a church newsletter or bulletin.
fellowship!
October/November 2011
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