Belonging NEVER ALONE: LIFE in the HOLY SPIRIT SESSION 1 Overview
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Belonging NEVER ALONE: LIFE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT SESSION 1 Overview: Teenagers are in a period of trying to develop their own identity. They naturally do so through their HIGH SCHOOL LEADER GUIDE sense of belonging with different groups and people. As we begin this series on the Holy Spirit, we want to frame our approach to the third Person of the Trinity as the one who illuminates our identity and belonging as God’s sons and daughters. In this opening session we will be introduced to the series’ two presenters, Nic and Sarah. As you discuss belonging and identity, keep in mind the power of belonging in your small group itself. Bonding and building trust are essential to a thriving small group. Theme Scripture JOHN 16:7 “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” User Agreement NET Ministries gladly grants permission to parishes, schools, and other licensees to tailor YDisciple resources to fit their unique leadership requirements, locale, and format preferences, including duplication and electronic transfer to multiple leaders in the same subscribing entity. However, no changes may be made to the substantive content of the material. These resources are intended to be downloaded, printed for use, and duplicated by the subscribing entity only, and may not be electronically transferred or duplicated to a non-subscribing entity. Any unauthorized reproduction of this material or incorporation into a new work is a direct violation of US copyright laws. YDisciple and the YDisciple logo are trademarks of NET Ministries, Inc.. Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Writers: Annie Grandell; Nic Gutierrez; Sarah Kaczmarek | Theological/Catechetical Advisors: Fr. Brian Park; Mark Berchem, MTS, MSW; David Rinaldi, MTS; Sr. Mary Juliana Cox, OP | Youth Ministry Advisors: Manuel Huerta; Molly Gallagher; Jared Cunio; Gwen Bartlett; Jennifer Boran; Becca O’Hara; Jake DeBolt; James Forina Copyright © 2020 NET Ministries 1 A Key to Using this Guide: • ANYTHING IN ITALICS: Important information for leaders. Not necessary to share with the group. • REGULAR FONT: To be shared aloud with the group. • LEADER TIPS: Check out the “Leader Tip” boxes in the margins for helpful hints. Connect 1. Check-In It is always good to check-in and ask, “How was your week?” demonstrating that you care about what is going on beyond your small group. You can ask generally or have them share “Highs and Lows.” (High - best part of your week; Low - worst part) 2. Accountability In the last session of The Invitation, your group was introduced to the concept of “The 5 S’s of Accountability.” These are 5 things that a disciple should be striving toward. LEADER TIP Check-in each time you meet to see how everyone is progressing. Accountability is meant to help motivate, not The 5 S’s of Accountability: Service, Praying with Scripture, Sacraments, Overcoming shame. To review this Sin, Sharing Jesus with Others concept, rewatch The Invitation, Session 4 Which of the S’s have you been working on? What have been your ‘wins’? Have “You are Not Alone”, you struggled with any? scene 4. 3. Optional Activity TRIBES Supplies: Paper, pen LEADER TIP On a piece of paper, write down all of the groups you are a part of - big and small, The provided activities significant and seemingly insignificant, formal groups like teams and informal ones are always optional. Try like who you sit with at lunch. Some ideas are: your family, teams, clubs, activities, simply playing a sport or classmates, groups you game with online. Try to list as many as you can think of. sharing a meal together. Ask them to share aloud what groups they wrote down. Ask: What group are you most yourself with? They may identify that they feel most comfortable with groups of people they don’t interact with in “real life”. It is often a temptation of adults to criticize this. Don’t. If you lead with criticizing their tribe, you can damage your ability to build trust with the group. Instead, get curious. Prompt them further with statements like: “Tell me about these people.” Ask questions like “What do you like about them?” “What about this group makes it easier to connect?” and “Why is it sometimes easier to connect with people virtually?” HS LEADER GUIDE Copyright © 2020 NET Ministries 2 4. Opening Prayer LEADER TIP Read the theme verse, John 16:7 (found on the first page of this guide) and then lead Always bring a real them in a prayer thanking God for the opportunity to be together and the opportunity to Bible and read verses grow in faith. Invite the Holy Spirit to open everyone up to hear Jesus’ invitation to follow from it directly instead him. Conclude with a prayer together such as the Our Father, Glory Be, or Hail Mary. of from this guide. You will demonstrate the Discuss importance of scripture. Watch Video Segment #1: Nic’s Story In this first segment, we are introduced to our first presenter, Nic Gutierrez. He will tell LEADER TIP us his personal testimony, his story of how he came to follow Jesus. All YDisciple videos start with a story. Stories are powerful. Jesus told • HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION AT THE END OF 30 unique parables, THE VIDEO: WHAT THINGS IN YOUR LIFE DO YOU USE TO stories, in the gospels. IDENTIFY YOURSELF? Answers will range from athletics to school to family. Stories build empathy Allow them to answer freely. This is not the time to correct them to thinking they and open us up to the should take their identity in Christ. truth that will be later shared. • WHAT IS ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO YOU IN NIC’S STORY? In this next scene we will be taking a closer look at a scripture verse, John 16:7. Let’s take some time to read it now so we can understand what Nic is LEADER TIP talking about. Encourage your students to bring a real Bible every Ask one person to read John 16:5-7 out loud. time you meet and read scripture directly from it. • WHO IS SAYING THESE WORDS? Jesus • FLIP THROUGH THE PAGES LEADING UP TO THIS VERSE AND THE PAGES AFTER. WHAT IS THE CONTEXT IN WHICH JESUS IS TALKING? After the Last Supper, before he is arrested. LEADER TIP The questions that follow • WHO IS HE TALKING TO? His 12 disciples may seem simplistic, but they are designed to help • HAVE THEY BEEN FOLLOWING JESUS FOR A SHORT TIME OR A students understand the LONG TIME AT THIS POINT? A long time. Biblical scholars suggest it has context of this scripture. been three years since Jesus’ public ministry began. When they understand the context, they can • WHAT WORD DOES YOUR BIBLE USE FOR THE ONE HE IS better grasp the content. SENDING? DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS WILL USE DIFFERENT WORDS. [Advocate, Paraclete, Comforter, Helper] • WHY DOES JESUS SAY IT IS GOOD THAT HE IS GOING? So he can send his Holy Spirit to them. • WHAT DOES JESUS TELLING HIS FRIENDS HE IS LEAVING MAKE THEM FEEL?Sad (verse 6) • WHY DO YOU THINK THEY FEEL SAD? Answers will vary. HS LEADER GUIDE Copyright © 2020 NET Ministries 3 Watch Video Segment #2 • WHAT IS ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO YOU IN THE VIDEO? • AT THE BEGINNING, HE REFERENCED A QUOTE FROM THE ACTOR ROBIN WILLIAMS, “I USED TO THINK THE WORST THING IN LIFE WAS BEING ALONE. IT ISN’T. THE WORST THING IN LIFE IS BEING WITH PEOPLE WHO MAKE YOU FEEL ALL ALONE.” HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS? IS ANYONE WILLING TO SHARE? • TO BEST UNDERSTAND THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AN ESSENTIAL WORD IN OUR FAITH, TRINITY. CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT THE TRINITY IS? God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. • DOES THIS MEAN WE BELIEVE IN THREE GODS? No, the Holy Trinity is three persons in one God. A simple way to describe it is: WHAT the Father is is the same as WHAT the Son is and WHAT the Spirit is. That WHAT is God. But WHO the Father is is not the same LEADER TIP as WHO the Holy Spirit is nor the same as WHO the Son is. The WHO is the distinct persons. You can bring a Catechism along and The Catechism describes the Trinity as: teach them to look up these paragraphs. • The Trinity is One (CCC #253) • The divine persons are really distinct from one another (#254) • The divine persons are relative to one another (#255) The Trinity is a great mystery, difficult to wrap our human minds around. When we LEADER TIP use the word “mystery” in Christianity we don’t mean that it’s a puzzle to be solved Consider looking up nor do we mean that it is something completely unknowable that you are expected to and share the story of St. blindly believe. Instead, think of it this way, you can understand the Trinity on a scale Augustine contemplating of 0 to infinity. You may have some basic understanding from your family or a class the Trinity on the seashore! you took, so give yourself a 2.