Exploring God’s Justice in the Bible, our lives and in the world enables groups to explore, through 7 sessions, the six Principles for Justice adopted by the Methodist Conference in 2023.
How Living Justly works
Introductory text explaining how to use the resource
Session 1
To follow
Session 2: God made humans in the image of God, each worthy of equal value and dignity
In this session we’ll explore what it means for seeking justice that God made humans in God’s image
- how human diversity is a gift to be celebrated
- how discrimination happens and why it is unjust
- and the importance of hospitality, affirmation and removal of stigma for all God’s people in the pursuit of justice
Download the handout for Session 2
WELCOME
- Check in question
- Prayer to read together
- Prayer activity using Psalm 139
See Slides 1-4 of the Session 2 PowerPoint
SETTING THE CONTEXT
- What does being made in the image of God mean for justice?
- Getting started activity – look at yourself, a bearer of God’s image
- Film and questions
See Slides 5-7 of the Session 2 PowerPoint
EXPLORING THE BIBLE
You can choose one or more Bible passages depending on time
- Let’s look at Genesis 1: 26-27 – “God created humans in his image”
- Discussion on the Genesis passage
- Activity on the Genesis passage using newspapers
See Slides 8-10 of the Session 2 PowerPoint
- Let’s look at James 2: 1-9 – “If you show partiality, you commit sin..”
- Discussion on the James passage
- Activity on the James passage – how do we welcome people?
See Slides 11-14 of the Session 2 PowerPoint
- Let’s look at Matthew 25: 1-36 – “I was a stranger and you welcomed me”
- Discussion on the Matthew passage
- Activity on the Matthew passage – looking at our own context
See Slides 15-19 of the Session 2 PowerPoint
RESPONDING TOGETHER THROUGH...
- Discussing - some questions to go deeper into justice issues
- Listening - Learning from the Additional Needs Blogfather
- Praying – using hymns
- Looking – learning from the Haitian Hunger Cloth
- Doing – painting an image of diversity undivided together
- Acting – take action to welcome the stranger
See Slides 20-25 of the Session 2 PowerPoint
ASKING 'WHAT'S NEXT'?
- Ask what will people take away from the session to do next?
- Closing prayer
- Closing prayer activity – seeing our reflections in a bowl of water
Session 3
To follow
Session 4
To follow
Session 5
To follow
Session 6
To follow
Session 7
To follow