Spirituality Tables

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Prep Required

• Ability to plan quiet contemplative music for the duration of the session(approx 35 mins) and then change the mood with something a little livelier
• 8 bibles
• copies of the 4 small cards (downloadable as the second page of the printed instructions)
• Plain paper, pencils, crayons, other drawing/picture making materials
• Selection of assorted threadable beads
• Thin wool/thread/ribbon to thread beads onto
• Scissors
• Small cards with each of the following bible readings written on it;
  • James 1:2-4
  • Romans 15:7
  • Colossians 1:9-14
  • Colossians 2:6-7
  • Psalm 95 (or some other psalm of praise)
• A large lighted candle (which needs to be able to be placed in the centre of a table and lit safely)
• Enough tealights for everyone to light

• Set out the four tables to be designated Praise, Letters, Quotations and Identity.
• Have at least two chairs by each table (and more than enough chairs out for all participant to be able to sit and still have a choice of activity area)
• On each table place 2 bibles, paper and pens, the appropriate instruction card
• The following tables will also require aditional items;
  • Praise - The beads, wool, scissors, Card marking a Psalm in the bibles
  • Letters - 4 small cards containing references to Paul's letters
  • Questions - The large lighted candle, collection of tea lights
  • Identity - any extra drawing/picture making materials you have prepare

Concept

• Everyone is invited into the space with 4 tables and are invited to spend time visiting as many of the tables as they wish.
• Some may comple all 4 whilst others may wish to do only one or two for longer.
• Each person takes their own journey around the stations moving from one table to the next.
• As a personal journey the time is spent without communicating with one-another.
• Towards the end of the time the music changes to something more lively to draw people gently out of their quiet time to a time together where they may talk together about their experiences.
• It can be helpful to bring the Questions to the centre of any discussion group or communal worship that follows.
• As you talk about the effect the session had on one-another as individuals be careful to take into account the fact that some people may have had deep feelings brought to the surface and may not be preparted to talk much about them.

Rules

The main rule with this - especially if you have a younger group - is that it is a special quiet place. It may help to use an unusual room or set this up somewhere away from your group and lead them to the space once it is already set up.

If you have more time consider how you make this space a comfortable one for your group to really immerse themselves in what they are doing.

Playing

Don't be tempted to be too structured or to move participants on, this activity has to have the element of freedom to achieve its aims.

Example

This activity has been run not only with the participants of Youth Space but also with a group of Volunteers from the Cardiff Circuit who also found it a great way to connect with their spirituality, find something new for themselves and wrestle with the challenges of the bile in this semi-structured way.