This Is Our Story
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Foundations for Ministry Unit One: This is Our Story Prepared for the Local Ministry Department by Robert Daborn and Elizabeth Jordan Published by Lichfield Diocesan Local Ministry Department First published 2003 Revised 2008 © Lichfield Diocesan Board of Finance Reproduction or storage in any retrieval system, in whole or in part, is forbidden, whether for sale or otherwise, without written permission from the Local Ministry Office, St Mary’s House, The Close, Lichfield, WS13 7LD. 2 Unit 1: This is Our Story Aims of this Unit: o To encourage and equip you to describe your own journey in faith; o To explore the place of worship and the Bible in Christian discipleship o To develop your understanding of the Old Testament. o To relate the faith story of you and your Christian community to that of believers through all ages. Contents: Session 1 Telling my story Session 2 Prayer and worship Session 3 The Bible Session 4 The Story of the Old Testament Session 5 Family histories Session 6 A new start Session 7 Messages and demands Session 8 Songs from a strange land Session 9 Poems and proverbs Introducing Foundations for Ministry This study course has been designed with two aims in mind: 1. to provide a one-year foundation course for potential candidates for Ministry in the Diocese of Lichfield 2. to offer to people involved in a wide range of ministries in and beyond their local church a basic introduction to Biblical studies and Christian theology. Students who complete Foundations for Ministry successfully should be able to demonstrate – a growing understanding of the biblical and historical tradition of the church and its implications for and reference to Christian discipleship a growing capacity for theological reflection on their own experience, including work, family, relationships etc. a growing awareness of the student’s own potential for contributing to the mission and ministry of their local church The course consists of three Study Units, each with nine sessions, 3 and is designed to be studied by groups in local churches. The level of learning is similar to that of the Bishop’s Certificate Course and the material may be adapted by the leader to suit the needs of each group. Unit 1: This is Our Story relates the faith stories of the group members to the story of the people of God as told in the Old Testament. Unit 2: Jesus and His story continues the narrative to include the witness of the New Testament. Unit 3: Past Forward explores the relationship between personal faith and theology from the Christian past into the future. Further reading: For the first unit, the following books are strongly recommended: Spirituality Handbook David Runcorn SPCK 2006 An excellent and practical introduction to many forms of Christian spirituality. What is the Bible? John Barton SPCK A guide to the Bible which describes how different parts of scripture came to be written and explores the different types of literature within the Bible. The New Lion Handbook to the Bible ed. D. & P. Alexander Lion Hudson 3rd Ed 1999 Fully revised with fresh articles and graphics, this handbook unwraps more clearly for non-experts the mysteries of ancient scriptures, providing instant access to information from a range of sources. It reveals the relevance of the context for the writings and sheds light on why there are different interpretations. How to read the Bible for all its worth G. D Fee and D. Stuart Zondervan 2003 A guide to Biblical interpretation. Introduction to the Old Testament John Drane Lion Hudson 2000 Provides an excellent and informative introduction to the Old Testament and is illustrated throughout with maps, charts and photographs. Assessment: At the end of each unit is a reflection sheet for every member of the group to complete. This is designed to enable group members to assess their own learning and its effect on their discipleship and ministry. Students may also complete a written assignment of 4 approximately 1000 words. Worship: It is expected that each group meeting will contain a time of corporate prayer. Some suggestions have been given for this, particularly in the early weeks, but groups are encouraged to decide what is most suitable for them. Some groups will like to begin with prayer, others end with it, some like to break in the middle. Some prefer formality, others informality - and so on. Not all the questions in each session have to be covered. You may select aspects that are of particular interest to your group, or especially relevant to your parish history. The questions are designed as a springboard for your thinking and group discussions, not as a straitjacket. 5 Session 1 Telling my Story Session 1 Telling my Story Aims: To grow in understanding of each person’s journey of faith To explore some of the variety of Christian experience. Preparing for the session 1. Read through “Stories” below: Stories Most of us organise our thoughts into stories most of the time. Whenever we communicate with another person, we tell stories, when we wonder about the deepest things of life; who we are or what we should do, stories of our past shape our self-understanding and our decisions. If you think that is rather too bold a statement try to observe yourself and other people. How do you describe one friend to another, except by telling a story about something they have done? How do parents talk about their children’s emerging personality? Politicians make a case for changes by choosing an example of someone affected by the Health Service, schools or transport. Newspapers and television report how an item in the news will have an impact on an individual or family. In this unit we look at our own story of faith in order to grow in our understanding of the people and events that have shaped us. We then look at the history of the people of God before the coming of Jesus. Especially in times of doubt and uncertainty they gathered their stories of the past to assure themselves of God’s faithfulness in the past and of His promises for the future. Their stories became the way that they knew their identity as God’s people. There were stories of Kings and Queens, battles and court intrigue, stories of exile and ownership, prosperity and hardship. The stories of the mighty are complemented by the stories of ordinary people, such as Ruth and Naomi. Stories are powerful because they invite participation. They encourage the listener, or reader, to identify with some characters and react against others. They engage our emotions as well as our minds. They offer possibilities rather 6 Session 1 Telling my Story than laying down absolutes; in an age like ours, when reasoned arguments and lectures have little credibility, a story can communicate far more effectively. They can be open-ended and invite the audience to think about how they would act in the circumstances described. Stories can work in someone’s unconscious, giving shape to their thoughts about themselves, others and God. This can be an influence for good or bad; these pictures that are formed in our heads by stories are very hard to shift. The relationship of stories to what actually happened is a complex one. In the Bible there are clearly some stories that are presented as history, some as parable and some as myth. All are true in their way - but argument rages over the classification of many passages. Those who disagree accuse the other of not taking the Bible seriously. There may be a belief that stories about events that really happened are more powerful than those which did not. It is rarely possible to be sure about the extent to which events of the past are recorded accurately - even news of what is happening in our world at the moment is hotly disputed - and so stories, whether claiming historical accuracy or not, cannot stand alone as our only means of knowing about God. Within the Bible, and for the following generations of believers, stories have been complemented by laws and credal statements. These may not speak as powerfully to our emotions, but they act as a reference and, perhaps, a check on our imaginations. In the Old Testament, for example, one often finds the words “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love.” (eg Psalm 103: 8, Ps 86: 15,) Jonah complains that God is like this, and shows mercy to those who have wronged Him,(Jonah 4:2), while the same words are words of blessing (Numbers 6: 25). Stories that may appear to suggest that God is not like this (and there are plenty in the Bible) have to be tested against this statement of faith. The interplay between fact and fiction, story and creed continues through the Old Testament and is still a creative dynamic today. Part of your stories that have shaped your faith will be historically true, some may be tales you heard that have come alive in your imagination. The creeds that we recite form a boundary and a framework for adventures in prayer and preaching. When we join the Christian Church we become part of a community of believers, who have shared stories about God through many generations. It is an enrichment of our understanding of God when we see that our experience is not comprehensive, that other cultures and other times have also discovered the ways of God in their lives. Sometimes their situations seem similar in some ways to ours, sometimes the distance that is between us and them demonstrates the extent of God’s love and power.