MY NAME. my story. God s story. Draw a symbol or a picture that describes you! My Story Journal

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3 MY NAME my story God s story Draw a symbol or a picture that describes you! My Story Journal 1

4 MY LIFELINE my story matters Highs: Lows: 2 #RiseUpELCA

5 MY BIRTH Where: When: My Story Journal 3

6 JESUS = GOOD NEWS The Gospel of Mark proclaims that the Good News is Jesus Christ, who is with us all along our way, a way that leads to the cross. Mark teaches us that we can t get to the resurrection without going through the cross. When the author of Mark s Gospel said this is the good news, he is pointing to Jesus who has shown up on the scene. This crucified Jesus, who bore the brokenness of the world on the cross, who knows what it feels like to be abandoned, shows up in every action done in Jesus name. That is the beginning of the Good News! Every retelling of God s story, every new hearer, every hungry person fed, every thirst quenched, every person healed, every stranger welcomed, every prisoner visited, every food pantry or Bible school or outreach to a neighbor is the Good News being proclaimed. It is the cross being planted precisely in the broken places of our lives and the world. Jesus Christ is with us and able to work through us to enter into the suffering of the world and hold it under the resurrection promise. 4 #RiseUpELCA

7 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1.1) The Jesus who showed up in first century Palestine is the same Jesus who shows up now, still determined to be available, accessible through us for the sake of the world. We are called and claimed as characters in and witnesses to God s divine story, a story that always moves through the cross to the resurrection. Touched by God s story unfolding in Detroit, we return home more aware of our place in God s story, a story enhanced by the stories of others, especially those who are different from us. YOU are an essential witness to God s story in the world as you proclaim the beginning of the Good News in and through a life of discipleship, a discipleship marked by your baptismal promises to: Live among God s faithful people, Hear the word of God and share in the Lord s supper, Proclaim the good news of God in Christ through words and deed, Serve all people, following the example of Jesus, Strive for justice and peace in all the earth. (ELW, p. 236) My Story Journal 5

8 MARK 2:1 12 God s story 1 When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. 3 Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Son, your sins are forgiven. 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone? 8 At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Stand up and take your mat and walk? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins he said to the paralytic 11 I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home. 12 And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of Circle all the characters in the story. them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, We have never seen anything like this! 6 #RiseUpELCA

9 What is one thing that stood out for you when you heard this story? Where do you see God at work in this story? What might have happened if the four men had not taken the paralyzed man to Jesus? Where is the good news in this story? My Story Journal 7

10 WHO ARE YOU IN THE STORY? Where do you find yourself in the story? Whom do you relate to in the story and why? When have you been paralyzed by anger, fear or hurt? What has been a barrier between you and knowing good news? When have others helped you? When have you been on the mat and decided to be carried? 8 #RiseUpELCA

11 When have you seen yourself as a helper, like those who assisted the man on the mat? When have you witnessed someone helping others that made an impact on you? Think about a time that you have proclaimed good news to someone with confidence. My Story Journal 9

12 GOOD NEWS In the story from Mark 2:1 12, the people brought the paralyzed man to Jesus so he could experience the love of Jesus. Think of the people in your life that have been friends like that for you. These are the people who have carried you in some way to Jesus and showed you Jesus love. Write their names and how they have made a difference in your life. 10 #RiseUpELCA

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15 Through baptism, we are called... to live among God s faithful people. to hear the word of God and share in the Lord s Supper. to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed. to serve all people, following the example of Jesus. to strive for justice and peace in all the earth. My Story Journal 13

16 MY LIFELINE Now: How can I LIVE among God s faithful people? Worship Pray Read and study God s word 14 How can I HEAR the word of God and share in the Lord s Supper? Participate in worship Volunteer to read Scripture Sing in a choir How can I PROCLAIM the good news of God in Christ through word and deed? Talk about faith topics with friends and family Invite a friend to worship and/or youth group Offer encouragement to a friend in need #RiseUpELCA

17 Where is God calling you? my story matters How can I SERVE all people following the example of Jesus? Participate in a local feeding ministry for the hungry Visit the sick, the lonely, the imprisoned Listen to a friend more carefully How can I STRIVE for justice and peace in all the earth? Begin a Go Green initiative in your church Speak to government officials about ways to make a difference for those who are in need My Story Journal 15

18 story AFICIONADOS a fi ci o na do noun 1 a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime. Aficionado is a quirky word! Maybe neglected? But, it is an amazing word if it can be about becoming knowledgeable and enthusiastic about another person s story! There are connoisseurs of fine wines, sports enthusiast, TV addicts, architectural admirers, nature lovers, and now there are story aficionados! YOU can be a story aficionado! As a story aficionado, you love to hear of people s passions, their joys and their sorrows. You are willing to ask the questions that uninterested people never care enough to ask. You are unique, willing to listen and appreciate the qualities of the person who emerges. Listening shows your interest and curiosity; you have a desire to let another share and discover who they are. Your art for asking good questions comes from your genuine enjoyment of others, being honored with their trust, delighted in their honesty, and handling their stories in careful, respectful ways. And when you ask questions that reflect your fascination, people say I m glad you asked. Or, as one young man responded, with delight and surprise after being asked a deep, well-focused question, Dude! LIVING WATER Read John 4:1 29 The story never really says what living water is. But for the woman at the well, on that day, I think part of the living water, was that Jesus was willing to sit beside the well and know her story. That s it! That s part of our ministry: to sit and listen, to be willing to receive the gift of another person s story. When you listen to another person s story, you offer living water. People who listen give life, heal hurts, demonstrate good news, bring blessing, proclaim grace, prevent suicides, bridge divides and make new friends! By listening to each other s story, we are equipped to build bridges, bear burdens, break chains and bring hope. 16 #RiseUpELCA

19 JOHN 4: Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard, Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 although it was not Jesus himself but his disciples who baptized 3 he left Judea and started back to Galilee. 4 But he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. 7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, Give me a drink. 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria? (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. 11 The woman said to him, Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it? 13 Jesus said to her, Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. 15 The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water. 16 Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband, and come back. 17 The woman answered him, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You are right in saying, I have no husband ; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true! 19 The woman said to him, Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem. 21 Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. 25 The woman said to him, I know that Messiah is coming (who is called Christ). When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us. 26 Jesus said to her, I am he, the one who is speaking to you. 27 Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, What do you want? or, Why are you speaking with her? 28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, 29 Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he? My Story Journal 17

20 TIPS: HOW TO LISTEN TO ANOTHER PERSON S STORY Find your own wells to sit beside and listen to other s story, bringing living water! Enjoy the similarities. Enjoy the differences. Don t learn about topics, do learn about a person. Listen, don t fix, change or argue. Never should on people! Not only hear, but understand. Avoid rushing in with your own story. Your experiences, points of view and beliefs can wait. ACTION: TELL YOUR STORY. LISTEN TO ANOTHER S STORY Pick one person in your family or youth group or any group you are part of. We provide the ready go you provide the stories. Pick a number between 1 and 100. Ready... go! Your stories? Deep? Deeper? Deepest? You choose. Right to pass! Listen! No debating! Respect differences! Interesting people are interested people. STUDENTS equipped with SKILLS for caring, welcoming and affirming. LIVED every day, everywhere and in every relationship. LOVING because Christ first loved us. From Peer Ministry Leadership s national director, Lyle Griner For a list of 500 READY GOs, go to peerministry.org FREE for the next two weeks for one key adult leader from your congregation with code <FREECOPY>. 18 #RiseUpELCA

21 READY GOs: 1. Hotel story 2. Bad haircut story 3. Life s baggage story 4. Trusting another story 5. Life observation story 6. Wondering story 7. God s story 8. Unique quality story 9. Tasteless story 10. Meaningless story 11. Favorite story 12. Icky story 13. Unfair story 14. Tested story 15. My story 16. Cliques story 17. Anxiety story 18. Phobia story 19. Oops story 20. Loosen-up story 21. Facing tough issue story 22. Overcoming story 23. God s presence story 24. Our commonalities story 25. I see, in you story 26. Found story 27. My God story 28. Prayer experience story 29. Touching experience story 30. Beginning / ending story 31. Thankful story 32. Separated from story 33. Make peace with story 34. Deep listening story 35. Cared for story 36. Crazy about story 37. Campfire experience story 38. Meat / vegetable story 39. Consumer story 40. Heroic story 41. Where I live story 42. Life improvement story 43. Earliest faith memory story 44. Mercy story 45. Vomit story 46. Family uniqueness story 47. Fake / real story 48. Obsession story 49. Jesus and me story 50. Profound life story 51. Wholehearted story 52. Betrayed story 53. Favorite cuisine story 54. Super hero story 55. Making a difference story 56. Influential person story 57. One in Christ story 58. Baptism story 59. Reason to celebrate story 60. Free to be me story 61. Healed story 62. What I like about you story 63. Spiritual journey story 64. Winner / loser story 65. Parenting advice story 66. Extreme story 67. Authentic story 68. Needy story 69. Supported story 70. Fun-loving story 71. Pessimistic / optimistic story 72. Worry / carefree story 73. Open-minded story 74. Overcome story 75. Quirky teacher story 76. Arrogant story 77. Controversial story 78. Creating justice story 79. Fulfilled story 80. Dream car story 81. Storm story 82. Wish for a do-over story 83. Best / worst church story 84. Future hope story 85. Political issue story 86. Random act of kindness story 87. Making peace story 88. Travel story 89. Rise up together story 90. Strange story 91. Accepted / unaccepted story 92. Accident story 93. Frightened story 94. Achievement story 95. Helped another story 96. Animal / pet story 97. Childhood toy story 98. Life lesson learned story 99. Youth gathering story 100. Lover of life story My Story Journal 19

22 living my story THROUGH SEVEN FAITH PRACTICES A practice is something we do as a way of life. Faith practices are tools that help us grow in faith and follow Jesus in our daily lives. There are many faith practices. Practice Discipleship focuses on the seven listed over the next few pages. Use these activities and discussion questions with your group or by yourself, in Detroit or at home, to begin to make faith practices part of your faith story. LEARN MORE ABOUT PRACTICE DISCIPLESHIP Practice Discipleship is leadership development for the sake of faith formation. This dynamic partnership between the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, the ELCA and its Youth Gathering, seminaries and colleges provides leadership development resources for children, youth and family ministry leaders in the church. practicediscipleship.org 20 #RiseUpELCA

23 * PRAY Make an O with your hand and hold the open hole over an eye. What do you see? What story is told in that small view of the world? 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 says to pray without ceasing, giving thanks in all circumstances. How might you pray for that story in your view? From what you see, what can you give thanks for? * INVITE Find an invitation. Maybe it s an advertising sign on a post. Maybe it s a billboard. Maybe it s a restaurant sign inviting you to enter. What story does that invitation tell? How does it feel to be invited, even if it s just an ad? How is sharing your story about Jesus an invitation to others? What makes that easy or hard to do? What are ways you might share your story to invite others to follow Jesus? My Story Journal 21

24 * GIVE Pull out the spare change you have in your pocket. Imagine those coins or bills telling their stories of how they were spent before they got to you. What stories would they share? Now imagine the stories those coins and bills will share on how you spend them. What do you hope those stories will be? What difference can your spare change make? What story could be told if your group puts together all their spare change? * SERVE Hungry? Go to a restaurant for a meal. As you are being served by your waiter or waitress, share a story of a time you have been served and a time you have served others. What have been your experiences, good and bad? How can serving be a way to share your faith story without words? Whom do you see around you that needs to be served? What are simple ways we can serve others in Detroit and at home? * STUDY Pull out your Gathering Bible and autograph each other s Bibles, writing your name next to your favorite Bible story. As you do so, share your story on why this story is important to you. 22 #RiseUpELCA

25 * WORSHIP Open your calendar to look at your schedule, or make a list of activities you do on a regular basis. What story does your calendar tell about your life? About our faith? Worship is the practice of stepping away from the pattern and press of daily life to intentionally love God. How do you make time to step away from your life so you can worship God? * ENCOURAGE Find water. It might be a fountain, your hotel pool, or a water bottle. What is a story of a time you were encouraged in your faith? Who encouraged you? What did they do? Sometimes it might feel like we are all alone. But God promises to be with us always and forever, no matter what. As a reminder of this promise, give each other a blessing. Dip your finger in the water, and make a sign of the cross on each other s foreheads or hands. Use these words as you do so, Remember, Jesus is Good News! You are a Child of God, loved by God, forever! My Story Journal 23

26 living in MY STORY Once upon a time... you were born! What have your parents, grandparents, siblings said about your arrival to the planet? What stories are told again and again about waiting for you, welcoming you, and wondering about your first actions and words? Use the framework below to think about how you fit into your story. YOUR PEOPLE What is the history of your people? What happened before you? YOUR FAMILY What is the story of the family you live with? What was their life like before you arrived? YOUR ARRIVAL What is the story of YOU?! 24 #RiseUpELCA

27 You are living a story, and it is so much more than a fairy tale. You arrive in the middle of a story. You depend on others to fill you in on what has gone on before and you will depend on others to carry forward what you think most important. While you re living you ll be on the journey of figuring that out: Who am I? To whom do I belong? Why do we do the things we do? What is most important to us? What is our moment in history and how do we contribute to it? YOUR GIFTS What unique gifts do you bring to the planet? YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS How do you contribute to the world? To your family, your church, your school, other places in community? My Story Journal 25

28 In a place far, far away Read Jeremiah 29: Verse 11 is often used in graduation cards: For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. What is often forgotten, though, is that these words were directed to a people in exile. God s people had been taken from their land and plopped down in the land of their neighbors. Have you ever felt like you are in a place of exile, living in a place that feels foreign to you? (Maybe it s dealing with the illness of someone you love. Maybe it s not knowing what to do after high school. Maybe it s a bully who won t leave you alone?) When? Why? Where is the plan? Where is the hope? Leaving Israel was definitely not part of the plan for these exiles. Israel was home for them where they were born and raised, where their families had jobs and histories. It was the place they worshipped God in the temple and all through the land. It was practically impossible for them to see God in this strange place of exile called Babylon. Are there situations in your life and community right now where it is hard to see God? Jeremiah s advice to these exiles living in a foreign land was to build houses plant gardens (v. 5-6). In other words, to live your lives and invest in the future! These are not activities with short term results they take time. And this is what the exiles are encouraged to do. Invest their lives in this foreign place, even though things had not gone according to plan. How are you investing in the future with your neighbors as individuals and as a group? 26 #RiseUpELCA

29 God gave you shalom for today But why should we invest ourselves in places that are foreign to us, are unfamiliar or may not be where we want to be? Read verse 7. Some translations say welfare while others say peace. Both words in English are attempts to translate the Hebrew word shalom, which is a whole package kind of well-being: health, livelihood, just relationships, good neighbors. The advice in verse 7 is to seek shalom the well-being, the wholeness, the best - for the city and the neighbors where the exiles find themselves because in its shalom you will find your shalom. Think about those places where you feel like you are in exile or living in a foreign land. How can you seek shalom (well-being) in those places? How might seeking shalom in those places bring you shalom? Verse 9 reminds us that exile can last a long time. God rarely gives us an easy way out of the foreign places in our lives. But God does give us a future with hope and it comes by investing in the places we find ourselves and people who surround us. God uses YOU your story, to bring hope to the world and to others who feel like they are in exile! How can the gifts and contributions you listed at the beginning give a sign of hope and offer shalom to those around you? (Adapted from the Practice Discipleship 2015 Session, Living in Stories ) My Story Journal 27

30 Justice: God s Story and your Story Justice is part of God s story. How can and do you make it part of your story? People face injustices for many reasons. It can be because of their gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, age or class. WHAT DOES INJUSTICE LOOK LIKE? Justice is what love looks like in public. Cornell West Classroom that is overcrowded. Being teased for looking different. Not having access to fresh affordable fruits and vegetables. Being teased for what you wear. Being denied opportunities because of your gender. Being profiled because of your race and gender. Not having access to clean drinking water. REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. During the Gathering, where did 2. What are the stories of injustice you see, hear and/or experience stories in your community? of injustice? 28 #RiseUpELCA

31 Justice means... Every person can be respected and live with dignity in the image that God created. Every community can have fair and equitable access to resources and opportunities that give and sustain life (e.g. education, housing, food, employment). Jesus talked about and worked for justice. For Jesus, justice was about including the excluded, challenging cultural practices that put one group of people less than others, confronting the powerful and advocating for those who were unfairly kept down by others in power. Take time to read and reflect on these Scripture passages to see how Jesus included (Luke 18:15-17), challenged (Matthew 9:9-13), confronted (Matthew 23:1-3, 23-28) and advocated (Matthew 25:31-46). As Christians we are expected to be God s hands and feet in the world as we love and serve our neighbors, especially those who are experiencing hardship or being oppressed or marginalized. How have you experienced God s work. Our hands. in action? Agents of Justice 3 Great listenings Listen to God through Scripture and prayer. Listen to each other. Listen to the community and voices that are not always heard. They can provide guidance and direction on how you can be an agent for change. Spend money and/or resources on causes that promote equity and access for all. Use social media and technology like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, texts and to inform your networks on how to take action on issues of justice. Speak up when you witness acts of injustice. Pray for individuals, families and communities impacted by acts of violence, discriminations and injustice. Have an open heart and open mind when being introduced to ideas or people who may be different than you. Read and reflect on Scripture to see what God may be calling you to do. My Story Journal 29

32 ACTION CHALLENGE Create your own icon to remind you to do justice in your community and world. Now that you have thought about ways to work for justice, write here or go around the group and share specific ways you can be agents of justice for examples of injustice that you see in your community listed on the previous page. BONUS ACTIVITY Print the icons for each way you can be an agent of justice and hang them around the room. The next time you gather handout sticky notes and have everyone write how they have been an agent of justice in the last week or month. While they stick their note on the appropriate icon have them share their stories. 30 #RiseUpELCA

33 BLESSING As you prepare to leave this space and continue your journey as Christ s disciple, an agent of justice, remember these words from our Baptismal Covenant: We are to... live among God s faithful people; hear the word of God and share in the Lord s Supper; proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed; serve all people following the example of Jesus; and strive for justice and peace in all the earth. For yourself or another member of your group, say these words of blessing and make the sign of the cross on each body part listed. I/You are God s beloved Child, called and sent to be an agent of justice in the world. Go now with a mind (forehead) open to new encounters, a mouth willing to speak against injustice, hands ready to pray for any who are in need, ears eager to hear the stories of those often left unheard and feet to take you where God needs you to serve. Amen. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES One Body, Many Members A downloadable pdf resource designed to equip congregations to reach out and fully welcome people whose race, culture and class is different from their own. (Available online at elca.org) Lazarus at the Gate This resource offers a critical exploration of the intersection of poverty, race and justice with a chapter focusing on the particular experience of women at this intersection. (Order online at elca.org ELCACS Lazarus at the Gate, $12.00) Talking Together as Christians Cross Culturally: a Field Guide This downloadable pdf resource is intended to help the church act for and live into a more flourishing multicultural future. (Available online at elca.org) My Story Journal 31

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