Session Overview
Each of the twelve sessions takes one of the Methodist Way of Life commitments in turn, and focuses on a related aspect of what it means to be a Christian, and a member of the Methodist Church.
- Tell: Jesus shows us what God is like—his words and actions reveal God’s heart.
- Flourish: Jesus came to live among us, bringing life, light, and hope to the world.
- Live: Through his life, Jesus revealed God’s love in every encounter and relationship.
- Share: Jesus is the Light of the World, shining truth and grace for all to see.
- Challenge: Jesus calls us to turn away from evil and live in God’s new way.
- Worship: Jesus gave us Baptism and Holy Communion as sacred ways to meet with God.
- Notice: In the biblical Easter stories, we see God’s power to overcome death and bring new life.
- Care: God’s love draws us together, with grace that heals, forgives, and makes us whole.
- Learn: God transforms us by grace, shaping us to become more like Jesus each day.
- Pray: Jesus prays for us and shows us how to live a life rooted in prayer.
- Open: Jesus welcomes us into the Church, where we belong, grow, and journey together.
- Serve: Filled with the Holy Spirit, we are sent to live as God’s people in the world.
Session Structure
Each time the group meets, we recommend including these elements.
Warm welcome
(5-20 minutes)
Just as God always gives a warm welcome, we can be open and hospitable too. Begin each session with hot drinks, nice snacks, smiles and laughter.
Your story matters
(15-30 minutes)
Each session has an opportunity for everyone to tell a story of what has happened in their mini-adventure and what they’ve pondered since the last session.
Adventure celebration
(5-10 minutes)
After people have shared their stories everyone clips a hole in their booklet's back cover, like a ticket, and says a simple “Thank you” to God, silently or aloud as they choose. This shared action marks the completion the previous session and is a mini act of worship.
Noticing God in the Bible
(5 minutes)
Each session the group looks at a short section of the Bible to notice God in the ancient words, and to explore what it means to live today in the presence of the same God.
Learning
(10-30 minutes)
A time for everyone to learn through conversation with each other. This can take a variety of forms, depending on the preferences of the group:
- A conversation about the Bible passage. Each Get Talking section in this booklet has some questions to get started.
- A game of Conversations against Mundanity, using the selected cards to guide the discussion along the right tracks.
- A conversation about the ideas in this booklet – maybe from the pondering questions, or perhaps some of the Get Inspired or Get Discovering content. Let the conversation go where it goes – let God speak in the midst.
- Watch the related Question/Able film and carry on the discussion.
Next station on the journey
- Watch the next short film, where the characters introduce the next station on the way.
- Everyone has a chance to share their previous experiences of this practice.
- People are invited to choose have a mini-adventure. We’ve given you two suggestions which you’ll find on the Get Going pages for each section (the same ones as the characters mention in the film.) These have been carefully chosen because they are the kind of things that have a track record of helping people meet God and have a spiritual experience. There are never any guarantees as we can’t control God, but be ready.
- Encourage everyone to say which they are going to try before the next session. Also remind everyone to journal as they go, so that they form memories.
Pray
(5 minutes)
To finish each session, pray to thank God for being with us, and to invite God to meet everyone through their mini adventures. A prayer is given in each section of this booklet which someone can read aloud, but feel free to improvise.