Home » 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering » Resources » Getting Ready Materials » The 60 Minute Getting Ready Devotions

Introduction
While we prepared an in-depth six-month Getting Ready curriculum, sometimes the time you have with your group is very limited. With this in mind, we have created a series of resources that you can use for just 15 minutes a session. It will come to a total of 60 minutes of curriculum time over four sessions and you can use it within a meeting on the details of your trip or fundraising efforts. Even if you do these four sessions, we still recommend using at least the Bible study portions of Sessions 1 and 6 from the full Getting Ready curriculum in the remaining two months. This will give your group background on the theme for their Gathering experience.

It is important for your group to get in the habit of touching base and hearing God's word together regularly. It can be a refreshing break from the rigorous schedule of planning and fundraising. It can be an opportunity for your young people or adult leaders to take a planning role in group reflection. This curriculum will also prepare your group for the experience of the Final 15 at the Gathering, where you will close the day together using a similar devotional pattern.

This curriculum focuses on the spiritual discipline of "lectio divina." "Lectio divina" is a devotional way of reading Scripture that originated in monastic communities. Contemplatives living in the Middle Ages wrote about the pattern that we use in this modern practice of sacred Scripture reading.

"Lectio divina" encompasses four movements of reflection over a piece of Scripture. The first movement is "lectio," or reading, in which the selected Scripture is read or heard. The second movement is "meditatio," or meditation, in which one reflects quietly on the selected Scripture in order to hear what the Holy Spirit chooses to reveal. The third movement is "oratio," or speech, in which one responds or names what in the selected Scripture one resonated with in meditation. The fourth and final movement is "contemplatio," or contemplation, in which one rests in prayer before God in order to listen even more deeply and gratefully.

There are many forms of "lectio divina" practice for groups and individuals. This model was created to help Gathering participants slow their minds and experience the moments in which they are living, trusting that God loves them even in moments of inactivity. In order for the group to dwell in Scripture during this short period, groups of more than six people should break into smaller groups for the "oratio" movement.

More information on "lectio divina" can be found at What is Lectio Divina and The Process of Lectio Divina. One can also find more information about this practice in the book, "Opening the Book of Faith," from the ELCA Book of Faith Initiative. You can find a copy of Opening the Book of Faith: Lutheran Insights for Bible Study at Augsburg Fortress or your closest ELCA resource center.

Session 1

GATHER

Leader: I welcome you in the name of Jesus Christ. We gather around the word of God that lights our way. In the water of baptism, Jesus makes us all one people. Jesus makes people from different nations, different cultures, and different ways of life into citizens and saints through his death on the cross.

LECTIO (Hear the word) and MEDITATIO (Listen for the word) 7 minutes

Leader: Listen to today's reading from the book of Ephesians, chapter 2. Listen for a word or phrase that captures your mind as it is read. It can be something that you agree with or something that troubles you. It can be something that makes you stop listening. Consider this word or phrase during the silence that follows the reading.

Have a group member read Ephesians 2:14-20 slowly out loud. It will help to have selected all readers in advance so they have an opportunity to practice reading. After the reading is finished, remain silent for 1 or 2 minutes.

Leader: Listen to today's reading again. Listen for a word or phrase that reflects where you see Jesus in your life right now. Consider this word or phrase during the silence that follows the reading.

Have another group member of the opposite gender or vocal tone read the passage again out loud. After the reading is finished, remain silent for 1 or 2 minutes.

ORATIO (Speaking the word) 5 minutes

Leader: Trust that God has claimed you and you are God's child. Share with your small group in one or two sentences what you heard the Holy Spirit saying to you through this Scripture.

Allow groups no more than 5 minutes to complete this.

CONTEMPLATIO (Resting in the word) 3 minutes

Leader: Our Lord Jesus Christ made us one community of saints together. You did not earn the right to be a citizen in the kingdom of God. We all were chosen by God. Rest in Jesus, because he loves all of us just as we are.

Sit in silence for the remaining 1 to 2 minutes. You may close this time together with this optional prayer:

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving us as we are and choosing us to live in your kingdom forever. Help us to rest in you and love others as you love us. Amen.

Session 2

GATHER

Leader: I welcome you in the name of Jesus Christ. We gather around the word of God that lights our way. In the water of baptism, Jesus makes us all one people. Jesus makes people from different nations, different cultures, and different ways of life into citizens and saints through his death on the cross.

LECTIO (Hear the word) and MEDITATIO (Listen for the word) 7 minutes

Leader: Listen to today's reading from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 28. Listen for a word or phrase that captures your mind as it is read. It can be something that you agree with or something that troubles you. It can be something that makes you stop listening. Consider this word or phrase during the silence that follows the reading.

Have a group member read Matthew 28:19-20 slowly out loud. It will help to have selected all readers in advance so they have an opportunity to practice reading. After the reading is finished, remain silent for 1 or 2 minutes.

Leader: Listen to the Gathering theme Scripture from the book of Ephesians, chapter 2. Listen for a word or phrase that reflects who Jesus is calling you to serve today. Consider this word or phrase during the silence that follows the reading.

Have another group member of the opposite gender or vocal tone read Ephesians 2:14-20 out loud. After the reading is finished, remain silent for 1 or 2 minutes.

ORATIO (Speaking the word) 5 minutes

Leader: Trust that God has claimed you and you are God's child. Share with your small group in one or two sentences who you heard Jesus calling you to serve today.

Allow groups no more than 5 minutes to complete this.

CONTEMPLATIO (Resting in the word) 3 minutes

Leader: Our Lord Jesus Christ made us one community of saints together. Jesus calls us to tell us that they too were chosen for no other reason than that Jesus loves us. Give thanks that Jesus trusts us to spread the good news of God's love.

Sit in silence for the remaining 1 to 2 minutes. You may close this time together with this optional prayer:

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving us as we are and choosing us to live in your kingdom forever. Help us to trust that you are with us and give us the courage to share your peace with the world. Amen.

Session 3

GATHER

Leader: I welcome you in the name of Jesus Christ. We gather around the word of God that lights our way. In the water of baptism, Jesus makes us all one people. Jesus makes people from different nations, different cultures, and different ways of life into citizens and saints through his death on the cross.

LECTIO (Hear the word) and MEDITATIO (Listen for the word) 7 minutes

Leader: Listen to today's reading from the book of Exodus, chapter 4. Listen for a word or phrase that captures your mind as it is read. It can be something that you agree with or something that troubles you. It can be something that makes you stop listening. Consider this word or phrase during the silence that follows the reading.

Have a group member read Exodus 4:10-15 slowly out loud. It will help to have selected all readers in advance so they have an opportunity to practice reading. After the reading is finished, remain silent for 1 or 2 minutes.

Leader: Listen to the Gathering theme Scripture from the book of Ephesians, chapter 2. Listen for a word or phrase that reflects how Jesus sees you today. Consider this word or phrase during the silence that follows the reading.

Have another group member of the opposite gender or vocal tone read Ephesians 2:15-16 out loud. After the reading is finished, remain silent for 1 or 2 minutes.

ORATIO (Speaking the word) 5 minutes

Leader: Trust that God has claimed you and you are God's child. Share with your small group in one or two sentences what you heard the Holy Spirit saying to you through this Scripture.

Allow groups no more than 5 minutes to complete this.

CONTEMPLATIO (Resting in the word) 3 minutes

Leader: Our Lord Jesus Christ made us one community of saints together. You did not earn the right to be a citizen in the kingdom of God. We were all chosen by God. Rest knowing nothing can separate us from Jesus or from God's love.

Sit in silence for the remaining 1 to 2 minutes. You may close this time together with this optional prayer:

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving us as we are and choosing us to live in your kingdom forever. Help us to trust that you love us and forgive us no matter what. Amen.

Session 4

GATHER

Leader: I welcome you in the name of Jesus Christ. We gather around the word of God that lights our way. In the water of baptism, Jesus makes us all one people. Jesus makes people from different nations, different cultures, and different ways of life into citizens and saints through his death on the cross.

LECTIO (Hear the word) and MEDITATIO (Listen for the word) 7 minutes

Leader: Listen to today's reading from the book of Ephesians, chapter 2. Listen for a word or phrase that captures your mind as it is read. It can be something that you agree with or something that troubles you. It can be something that makes you stop listening. Consider this word or phrase during the silence that follows the reading.

Have a group member read Ephesians 2:14-20 slowly out loud. It will help to have selected all readers in advance so they have an opportunity to practice reading. After the reading is finished, remain silent for 1 or 2 minutes.

Leader: Listen to today's reading again, but written in a different way. Listen for a word or phrase that reminds you of a person in your life right now. Consider this word or phrase during the silence that follows the reading and what God might want you to know about this person.

Have another group member of the opposite gender or vocal tone read the official Gathering paraphrase of the theme text (see below) out loud. After the reading is finished, remain silent for 1 or 2 minutes.

Official Gathering paraphrase of Ephesians 2:14-20: "Jesus is our peace. In his life and death on the cross, Jesus broke down the dividing walls so that we are no longer strangers and outsiders, but we are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God. The foundation of God's house was built of apostles and prophets, and Jesus, the cornerstone, holds it all together."

ORATIO (Speaking the word) 5 minutes

Leader: Trust that God has claimed you and you are God's child. Share with your small group in one or two sentences who the Scripture brought to your mind and want God might want you know about this person.

Allow groups no more than 5 minutes to complete this.

CONTEMPLATIO (Resting in the word) 3 minutes

Leader: Our Lord Jesus Christ made us one community of saints together. All of us were chosen because Jesus loves us, just as we are. Rest and hear God speaking.

Sit in silence for the remaining 1 to 2 minutes. You may close this time together with this optional prayer:

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving us as we are and speaking your word to us. Help us trust that you chose us to do your will. Amen.