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Unit L :

Mission and Vocation

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Contents

Unit L :.................................................................................................................... L29

Mission and Vocation ............................................................................................. L29

Session one - The Mission of God ..................................................................... L31

Session two – Sharing Good News stories ......................................................... L33

Session three - What is the Good News? .......................................................... L35

Session Four: What questions do people have? ................................................. L37

Session Five: Sharing the Good News ............................................................... L39

Session Six: Growing in Discipleship ................................................................. L41

Session Seven: Responding to human need by loving service .......................... L43

Session Eight : .................................................................................................... L47

Session Nine: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation ............................. L51

Session Ten : What is our part in God’s mission? - Listening to God ................. L55

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Session one - The Mission of God

"Mission goes out from God. Mission is God's way of loving and saving theworld...”(Lambeth Conference 1998, Section II p121).

Opening worship

1. In small groups, share some of the things you have observed while preparing for this session of your own attitude to the world around you and the attitude of your church. What do they reveal about attitudes to the relation of faith and our world?

2. Tutor input: Where is God at work?

Read Romans 1: 16-23.What is Paul claiming about the human capacity to recognise God’s activity?

3. Whole Group

o Where are group members active? List all the places that group members live and work and the people they see on a regular basis. It might be helpful to use a local map.

o Identify some of the needs which exist in these places, using the Five Marks:

1. A need to hear about Christ?

2. A need for growth in Christian discipleship?

3. A need for physical, emotional or spiritual healing?

4. A need for fair treatment, or reconciliation?

5. A need for care of the environment?

Coffee

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The Five Marks of Mission

4. In small groups, share what evidence you found around your churches that people are involved in the five marks of mission.

5. The Good News for the Romans

Listen to Romans 8: 1-39 being read, preferably by several voices.

Keep silence for some time

Listen to it being read again, preferably with different voices

Go round the group, inviting people to say o ne word or phrase that has struck them

Listen a third time, and then invite people to share anything they want to say. The group should listen to each contribution and not interrupt or comment on what is said.

6. Closing reflection:

As Christians we follow Jesus who said “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” (John 20:21). We are all called to serve God's mission by living and proclaiming the Good News.

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Session two – Sharing Good News stories

Aim: To understand the call to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom through sharing our own story.

Opening worship

1. In twos and threes, share something good that has happened to you in the last week. Make sure that everyone has the opportunity to speak and is listened to without interruption.

2. Tutor input: The tutor will talk about the meaning of Gospel and Evangelist

3. In whole group, record all the words that the group can think of that describes what they think is good about being a Christian. These should be personal, not academic.

4. In twos and threes, share the story of your faith journey. Again, make sure everyone is listened to without being interrupted.

Coffee

5. Ask anyone present who is part of a ‘Fresh Expression’ to share how theirfellowship began.

6. Look again at the record of where the group members are living and working during the week.

In small groups:

o think of four or five things that you wish the people you are with knew about the Christian faith.

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o Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. Once again, read it through once, followed by silence, then again followed by one word or phrase responses and then for a third time, followed by people’s contributions.

o Take some time to think about how/why Paul says his fears about sharing his faith were an advantage?

6. As a whole group, discuss how you can support and pray for each other in this life beyond the church. If you have not already done so, think about connecting with a prayer chain, email or social media. Ensure all in the group are included.

Finish by praying for each other and the people you will meet before the next session.

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Session three - What is the Good News?

Aim: to identify some of the ways in which people express their need of God.

Opening worship

1. In small groups, share as many examples of the five theological worlds as you can. Don’t mention any real names! Choose some good examples to share with the whole group.

In whole group gather these examples together. Were there any ‘worlds’ forwhich there are no examples? Would you like to add any others to the list?

2. Read John 4:1-26. This time read the passage and then spend some time in silence, before reading it again, preferably with a different voice. Then list examples of Jesus listening to the Samaritan woman’s words and actions and examples of the questions he asks her.

3. Helping people talk about faith.

Many people find it hard to talk about any kind of faith – it is seen as personal and private and they may fear that they will look foolish if they do. (That’s probably an emotion shared by at least some of the members of this group!) So how to help people express the questions, fears and anxieties that they have?

Two processes are suggested, (both from Evangelistening, Grove books Ev96) Read them through, and then try them out yourselves, in twos and threes.

Suggestion A- Thinking about a ‘spiritual experience’

1. Invite someone to talk about a time when they felt very grateful for something, or saw something very beautiful, or experienced being forgiven for something. These should be memorable times, a bit beyond the ordinary.

2. Then ask someone what more would you like to know about how to express gratitude, or the nature of the world around us, or forgiveness – or anything that is appropriate and follows up what has been said.

Coffee

(20 mins)

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Suggestion B - Biblical questions:

These are questions which are raised in Biblical narratives. Some of them are very direct – you might want to think how you would frame them! Remember that they are to be asked out of a genuine desire to find out what someone thinks and feels about Christian faith, not so as to threaten or intimidate them.After you have read through these questions and thought how you would re-frame them, join up in pairs and ask them of each other. The tutor will arrange a way of changing partners, so that there is plenty of practice at both asking and responding.

o Where are you in relation to God and faith? (Gen 3:9),

o When you think about the possibility of God in your life, what do you see? (Amos8: 1)

o If Jesus asked you ‘Who do you say I am?’ what would you say? (Matt 16.15)

o God cares for you. How do you respond to the question, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ (Luke 18: 41)

o If you have seen something remarkable: ‘Do you believe this?’ (John 11.26)

o Now you know a bit about what Christians believe, do you think Jesus is the one you looking for, or are you waiting for something else? (Matt 11.

(40 mins)

For next week: Ask some of your friends, family and community who do not regularly attend church some of the questions you have re-framed. Make a note of the responses you receive, especially of any questions people have.

You could say you are on a course and have been asked to do this! At this stage you are not trying to answer people’s questions – though you could offer to come back to them later.

This activity will form the preparation for Session four.

Close in prayer for each other during the coming week.

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Session Four: What questions do people have?

Aim: To learn to respond to questions about the Christian faith.

Opening worship

Feedback from the week’s activity

1. In small groups, listen to each other’s experience of asking questions offriends, family, neighbours and colleagues. Don’t forget your listening skills!

Ask yourselves:o Did any of the responses surprise you?

o Were people reluctant or eager to talk?

o Were there words or phrases that were often used?

Were there any words or phrases used in church that were rarely used amongst the people you spoke to?

(15 mins)

2. Tutor Input: An example of listening – the Wedding Project.

o The video at h t tp : / / w w w . y ou rch u rchwe dd in g . o r g / p res e n t a ti o n s/ w edd in g s - p roject / i n de x . h t m l/ is a result of listening to couples talk about a wedding in church. If you are able to, watch it and deduce what questions couples were asking about being married in church.

(15 mins)

3. As a whole group:

o From the previous two activities, decide what the most common subjects were that people wanted to ask questions about.

o Why do you think these are relevant questions now?

o If you were involved in a mission activity in 2014, or subsequently – are these questions similar to or different from the ones you heard people asking then?

(30 mins)

Coffee

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Small Group discussions: In the Bible we read questions such as ‘How can I be saved?’ ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ It is not likely that these were questions heard by members of the group! In order to decide what aspect of the Good News might meet the needs of those you have spoken to:

o think of a Gospel story that would speak to the situation you have heard about, which could be a parable or a story about Jesus.

(15 mins)

Each group should share their discussions with the rest of the whole group.

Preparing to do some evangelistening Each person to consider one or two people whom they could commit to listening to in the coming week. These might be people already contacted, to continue the conversation which has begun, or to meet new people. The conversation, which could take place over several occasions, should aim to listen to the person’s questions and to give some appropriate and relevant account of the Gospel.

(10 mins)

Opening prayer: for each person in the group in the following week.

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Session Five: Sharing the Good Newsthrough baptism, weddings and funerals.

Aim: To consider how to share the Good News of Jesus with those who come to church for christenings, weddings and funerals.

Opening worship

1. Whole group: Feedback from the Preparation:

o Compare the experiences of group members’ churches. Which has the most christenings, weddings and funerals and which has the least? Can reasons for these differences be discerned?

o Discuss whether the aim of our encounters with these visitors to church should be to encourage them to be more regular in attendance or to have faith in God. Is there a difference?

2. Tutor Input The tutor will provide some information about the legal rights that people have in relation to the occasional offices and what is required of them.

3. Small Groups

Baptism/Christenings: The first question of the baptism service is addressed to a ll those who are present.

“People of God, will you welcome these children/candidates and uphold them in theirnew life in Christ?

All With the help of God, we will.

o How can church congregations be helped to keep their promises, through contact with the children, their families and their school?

o It has been found that young families often feel more at ease talking about their hopes and questions to lay members of the church than to the ordained. How can lay people prepare themselves to meet these families, both before and after the service?

Coffee

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4. Weddings:o The Wedding project showed that couples who marry in church are often

surprised that there is no further contact from the church after the service. Suggest ways of staying in touch if

a) the couples remain living in the parish,

b) they move away.

5. Funerals: The Christian Gospel is good news about the defeat of death and the gift of eternal life. Whether the service has taken place in church or at the crematorium, all those authorized to act in the name of the Church of England are obliged to use a Christian service and to talk about God’s promise of life after death.

In small groups, one person at a time, each person says how they would respond to the following questions. As with the listening exercise, do not discuss the contributions; simply hear the way each person shares the good news of Jesus. There’s a selection here, you may not have time for all!

o “I keep seeing my (late) husband at the end of the bed. What should I do to stop it?”

o “My mother hated the clergy and won’t want to spend eternity with them. I thinkshe would rather go the other place.”

o “Will my cats be in heaven?”

o “I’m just not sure I want to carry on, there seems no point to life anymore”

o “I feel good because my grandparents will come and greet me when I die, and they’ll look after me.”

Closing worship

For further thought: The last four sessions have looked at ways in which Christians can share the good news about Jesus. All of us need to be ready to bear witness to our faith, but some are specifically gifted as evangelists. What gifts of character and skills do you think someone who was called to be an evangelist might have?

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Session Six: Growing in Discipleship

Aim: to understand the ministry of helping others to grow in faith as part of God’smission.

Opening worship

In full group1. Compare your experiences of learning by making two lists – one of things and

people that help us grow as Christians and one of things and people that havehindered this growth.

2. Compare your responses to the study of 1 Cor. (Record on 3 Flip chart sheets?)

Coffee

3. Tutor input: The tutor will talk about some of the nurture courses that are available for those who are enquiring about the Christian faith and invite those who have had experience of such courses to talk about them.

4. In the past, a distinction between those who were enquiring about the Christian faith and those who had started on a faith journey was made. But there is now recognition that the distinction is a false one and that it is not possible to say when the journey begins – and it doesn’t end. So a course like Pilgrim (w w w. p i l g r i m c ou rse. o rg ) has a seamless progression from enquiring to growth, while giving people the opportunity to mark personal stages in their discipleship.

o In small groups list as many resources available to help Christians grow as possible. This can include what happens in church, books, films, retreats and so on.

o Group them according to the varieties of learning preference that people have.

o What would you like to do in order to learn more about the Christian faith?

o Who would you like to help grow in their faith?

All of us are to ‘let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another’, but some are specifically gifted as teachers. What gifts does the group think will be present in those whose ministry is primarily to be teachers in God’s church?

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Closing Prayers, including prayer for those needs which have been identified, both personal and for others.

For individual reflection. How much do you care about Christian teaching and nurture? Is this an area of ministry that you would like to be involved in?

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Session Seven: Responding to human need by loving service

Aim: To consider the ministry of responding to human need by loving service.

Opening worship

Whole Group: The preparatory reading distinguishes between a servant who is trying to respond to everyone’s needs and a servant who is giving to people what his or her Master has provided.

o Suggest some examples of the ways the difference between the two ways of being a servant would result in action. These may not have happened in real life, but should be realistic.

o How do you think Jesus decided who to meet and heal, when he was faced with the needs of many people?

Read Acts 3: 1-10. This is the story of a beggar asking for money – and receiving healing. Peter and John discerned his real need. The passage says they ‘looked intently at him’ (Acts 3:4).

o Suggest prayer and action that would help us discern people’s real need. Make suggestions both for individuals and for a church that is trying to find out how to serve others. (You may wish to review the work done on listening to God in the unit on Prayer (E)).

o The tutor may share information and experience about such activities as parish audits, and invite others to do so.

In small groups list the diverse ways in which your church is serving the needs of others. Look at four categories: and complete the grid overleaf:

o The things which are done in the church’s name – e.g. the church school, a toddler group, a food-bank,

o The things church members do together – e.g. coffee mornings, repairs, car lifts,

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o The things individual church members do as part of their work or community role– e.g. medical or social work,

o The things individual church members do informally, e.g. visiting neighbours, volunteering in hospitals or charity shops. (A recent survey found that those who attend church are twice as likely as the population at large to volunteer in the community, but when the church gathers it sometimes forgets to pray and support this activity.)

Don’t worry too much about which category a particular activity should go in, as the same activity could be organised differently in each church. But do think as widely as possible.

Church community– who is served?

Members together– who is served?

Individualmembers’ work:who is served?

Individualmembers’voluntarily – who is served?

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Closing Prayers, including prayer for those needs which have been identified, both including prayer for those in need

For reflection: All of us are to be ready to do acts of kindness, but some have a gift for healing. What gifts of character and skills do you think would be present in someone who is called to this ministry?

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Session Eight :

Aim: To understand how the church can be a transforming presence in it’s locality.

Opening worship

1. Transforming the unjust structures of society

In whole group

o Feedback your reactions to the words of Helder Camara.

o What are the issues that have been raised by your involvement in the world around you, either as an individual or as a church?

2. Discuss what is meant by ‘structures.’ Can you identify processes, institutions, etc that are not obviously the result of one person’s decision, but are the result of interlocking relationships?

What is meant by unjust structures? Are t h e y Decision making processes or institutions that treat some sections of the population unfairly.

On two large pieces of paper write out two lists consisting of:

o Structures in your church that may need to be changed

o Structures in your society that may need to be changed

o What further information do you need to begin to change these structures?

o Where might you find allies (other churches in your neighbourhood, other faith groups, community organizations, activist organizations) to begin to advocate for change?

coffee

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3. Pursuing peace and reconciliation:

In small groups: The following are often used as the introductory words to the sharing of the Peace:

‘We are the Body of Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body. Let us then pursue all that makes for peace and builds up our common life.’

Unfortunately, however, there is often conflict within church congregations. Reading the New Testament letters to the young churches shows that this is nothing new! Paul’s final words to the Romans are about how they should treat each other (Romans 12 9-13). He begins his letter to the church in Corinth with an appeal for agreement where there is division (I Corinthians: 10-17).

o Having read the passages from the letters to the Romans and the Corinthians, what do you think Paul is saying will aid peace and harmony?

Being a mediator. The space which you are meeting in will determine what is possible and the tutor will need to decide on one of the following exercises.

O p ti o n 1 , divide into threes. One person is to act as mediator between the other two. The mediator listens to one person’s story, while the third person is out of earshot. The ‘story’ should be something that is not too serious or distressing for the purposes of this exercise and should last for no more than 3 or 4 minutes. The mediator should check with the storyteller that they have understood the story.

The third person then returns and the mediator tells them the first person’s story, without interruption. The first person then tells the mediator whether they have been accurate.

This pattern can be repeated, with the role changes around.

O p ti o n 2 half of the group leave the room. The Tutor tells a story or reads a passage from a book that is not likely to be well known. This should be about 3-4 minutes long. Those who have left the room return and sit by someone who has been present. Those wo have heard the story recount it to those who have not.

This exercise can be repeated, with the other half leaving the room.

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O p ti o n 3 if m o v e m en t a ro u n d y o u v e nu e is no t p o ssibl e : The Tutor tells a story or reads a passage from a book that is not likely to be well known. Each person tries to write down as much of what they heard as possible.

In whole group

o identify what has been difficult and what was easier about this exercise.

o Identify factors that might make it easier to mishear what people are saying, because the expectation is that they will say something else. These might include their accent, the colour of their skin, their churchmanship, family background…..

Closing worship

For reflection All should speak up for what is just and right, but some are specifically called to work to tackle global poverty, hunger and disease, or the ministry of peace- making? What gifts would be apparent in someone whose ministry was in this area?

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Session Nine: To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth

Aim: To understand how Christians, individually and together, can care for the planet.

Opening worship

1.Opening exercise

Whole Group: members of the group are invited to share the extent to which they had previously considered that care for the environment was part of their Christian discipleship.

2. Tutor Input: Romans 8

St Paul presumably did not have the modern anxiety about ‘global warming’ in mind when he wrote these words to the Christians in Rome. But they strike a chord with our contemporary situation, reminding us once again of the interconnection between all living creatures, including humanity, and the natural world. And they also speak to a situation that may make us feel helpless to do anything.

This part of letter to the Romans tells us what we do when we don’t think we can doanything.

Romans 8: 12-17 We pray:

Paul’s words are notable for the way they reveal the intimacy of relationship between our Abba father and God’s human children: God’s Spirit and our spirits in deep communion

Romans 8: 18 -27 We hope:In verses 19-23 the passage does indeed speak of pain, but pain suffered in hope.

Coffee

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3. In smaller groups: Look at the following list of actions to reduce energy consumption and care for the environment.

For individuals:o Switch off lights when not in the room

o Take showers rather than baths

o Turn your thermostat down to 18 degrees

o Give your old clothes and shoes to a charity shop

o Turn off appliances rather than leave them on standby

o Buy goods which are locally produced

o Eat less meat,

o Recycle at least 40% of your household waste

o Walk or cycle short distances rather than taking the car

o Recycle plastic bags at the supermarket

o Fly less – take holidays in this country,

o Drive 10mph slower

For your church:o Replace ordinary light bulbs with energy saving ones

o Don’t floodlight the building,

o Organise car sharing,

o Reduce paper consumption,

o Use the churchyard as an environmentally friendly site,

o Take advice on how to heat the church efficiently.

o Use environmentally friendly cleaning products

On a bigger scale:o Ask your employer to carry out an environmental audit,

o Write to your MP and to your Local Council to find out what they are doing to

promote good use of the world’s resources, for example, making this a priority in

planning new buildings and facilities.

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With the help of those in the group, each person should choose one new action to as a person commitment and one action they will recommend to their church.Discuss how you will present this proposal.

A personal action

For the local church

How I will propose this

4. Write prayers for use in church concerned with care for the environment, for those who work on the land and for those who make decisions about the use of land and resources. Some of these prayers can be used at the end of this session.

Closing worship

For Reflection: All of us should live responsibly in our use and care of creation, but some are called and equipped to pursue environmental biology and do ecologically appropriate scientific research and advocacy. What gifts and characteristics would you expect to see in someone who was called to this ministry?

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Session Ten : What is our part in God’s mission? - Listening to God

Aim: To develop the gift of discernment, through learning to be still and listening toGod in Scripture

Remember the first and primary reason for listening to God is that He wants to communicate with us and that communication is love. It’s not to ask anything or gain anything, apart from knowledge that God loves us.

Opening worship : Learning to be still The opening prayer this week will be an extended exercise in being still, led by the tutor.

When sitting comfortably and breathing naturally:

o Ask God for the desire to listen to Him

o Read a passage of scripture, sing a song – invite God’s presence.

o Ask God to speak to you. You might want to be specific and, on this occasion,

ask God to direct you to people to listen to.

o Finish by thanking God for His presence and praying for the rest of the session.

(20 mins)

In small groups: Mission has been understood as God’s work in the world. It is for this reason that worship, an essential activity of the church, has not been included in this module. There is an obvious place for intercessory prayer for the world in mission, but where do other parts of a typical service – the songs of praise, the offertory, the Bible readings and sermon, fit in?

In small groups – members share with each other how they believe God has spoken to them about the path ahead.

In conclusion, the Tutor leads review of the five marks of mission, gathering together all the thoughts about what particular gifts and resources are required for those who are called to each area of mission.

The session may end with a Eucharist – and a party to celebrate all that has been done and learned together.