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| Pastoral
Counseling Therapy Services |
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A SUGGESTION FOR CONGREGATIONS IN THE NATIONAL CRISIS |
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Rev.
Mel Jacob
Lutheran Counseling Services
Winter Park, FL |
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Purpose: |
To
allow the community of faith to support, strengthen, and empower one
another in our national crisis and uncertainty. |
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Objectives: |
- To
create a safe environment to share thoughts and emotions from 9/11.
- To
provide a simple setting that fosters a sense of community.
- To
structure a format and facilitate a process for genuine human
interaction and reflection.
- To
draw on the resources of our faith as a container to carry our fears
and uncertainties.
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Preliminaries: |
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INVITE Interested Worshipers and/or Bible Class - Sunday School
Participants to Gather for a Definite Time Period (i.e., 1 hr.)
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Provide a comfortable setting (i.e., good chairs, coffee, etc.)
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group numbers more than 10, divide into smaller groups of 5 to 7.
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Provide appropriate area where group can interact—i.e., circle of
chairs
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Suggested
List of Four Questions for the Group(s): |
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What were your a) thoughts and b) emotions since you learned of the
attacks? (Distinguish what the early ones were from those of today.)
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What are the behaviors you have done that have helped/not helped in
the management of your thoughts and emotions? (i.e., watched/not
watched television, talked/not talked around water cooler, exercised
more/less, increased quietness/activity, personal devotion/corporate
worship, etc.)
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What resources of faith have been most helpful (or, you believe,
will be most helpful) for your emotional and spiritual state of
mind?
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What Scriptures or Biblical stories speak most meaningfully to the
crisis and your/your family’s response? (I.E., Psalms-23, 24, 46,
93, 103, 121; Romans 8:31 ff.; 2 Cor. 4: 5-12; Eph. 1: 15-23)(I.E.,
God’s promises to Israel, Jesus in the Storm, Acts of the apostles
in adversity, etc.)
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Encouragements: |
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Each
group member participates (no one or two dominate the conversation).
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Each
group member’s contributions are recognized and valued.
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Allow
for sufficient expression of the “thoughts and emotions”
prior to going to “behaviors,” “resources,” or “Scriptures.”
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Gathering leader monitors and encourages the process.
(…we’re not looking for “right” answers….it’s okay not to
cover all four questions…)
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Ask the
smaller groups to briefly report back what was
discovered in their group.
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Closure: |
PRAYER.
Encourage the drawing on what was discovered in the group(s). Ask for
sentence prayers. |
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