Kathleen Norris - Embracing a Life of Meaning: Kathleen Norris on Discovering What Matters

EMBRACING A LIFE OF MEANING

This Participant Workbook is part of the Embracing Series of small group studies. Each Embracing Study has two separate components, a Participant Workbook, and a Small Group Study DVD. Both items are sold separately. To purchase the DVD for this study, click here .

EMBRACING A LIFE OF

MEANING

Kathleen Norris

on Discovering What Matters

A 5-S ESSION S TUDY BY K ATHLEEN N ORRIS WITH T IM S CORER

Copyright 2012 Tim Scorer.

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Embracing a Life of Meaning is copyrighted material. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

A Place on Grand River and Gold of Ophir from Journey: New and Selected Poems, 1969-1999, by Kathleen Norris, 2001. Reprinted by permission of the University of Pittsburgh Press.

The scripture quotations used within (unless otherwise noted) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible. 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

Libraries and Resource Centers may purchase for review only. Churches wishing to use the program must purchase their own copies, which provides unlimited use of the program within the purchasing congregation.

DVD filmed at St. Johns Episcopal Cathedral in Denver, CO. Special thanks to the cathedral staff for their gracious hosting.

Closing prayers by Tim Scorer.

Morehouse Education Resources,
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Editorial Offices: 600 Grant Street, Suite 630, Denver, CO 80203

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Photos on pages 10, 26, 42, 56, 70 Copyright 2012 by Jeremy Rau. All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60674-143-6

TEN things to know as you begin to work with this resource:

1. HANDBOOK + WORKBOOK

This handbook is a guide to the group process as well as a workbook for everyone in the group.

2. A FIVE-SESSION RESOURCE

Each of the six sessions presents a distinct topic for focused group study and conversation.

3. DVD-BASED RESOURCE

The teaching content in each session comes in the form of input by Kathleen Norris and response by members of a small group; just over 30 minutes in length. A DVD Table of Contents is included to enable you to go directly to the beginning of each session.

4. EVERYONE GETS EVERYTHING

The handbook addresses everyone in the group, not one group leader. There is no separate Leaders Guide.

5. GROUP FACILITATION

We based this resource on the understanding that someone will be designated as group facilitator for each session. You may choose the same person or a different person for each of the five sessions.

6. TIME FLEXIBILITY

Each of the five sessions is flexible and can be between one hour and two or more hours in length.

7. BUILD YOUR OWN SESSION

Each of the five sessions offers you four to five OPTIONS for building your own session.

8. WITHIN EACH OPTION

Most of the options feature a mixture of quotations from Kathleen Norris and the video participants, plus questions for discussion. Some options also offer additional creative activities.

9. BEFORE THE SESSION

Each session opens with five questions for participants to consider as preparation for the session or to consider after the session.

10. CLOSING AS IF IT MATTERS

Each session concludes with a prayer written by Tim Scorer specifically for the session.

Helpful information and guidance for anyone using this resource:

1. HANDBOOK + WORKBOOK

This handbook is a guide to the group process as well as a workbook for everyone in the group.

• We hope the handbook gives you all the information you need to feel confident in shaping the program to work for you and your fellow group members.
• The work space provided in the handbook encourages you...

to respond to leading questions.

to write or draw your own reflections.

to note the helpful responses of other group members.

2. SIX-SESSION RESOURCE

This resource presents Kathleen Norriss insights on meaningful living framed as five distinct topics of study:

1. Belief Matters
2. The Bible Matters
3. Community Matters
4. Place Matters
5. We Matter

3. DVD-BASED RESOURCE

The teaching content in each session comes in the form of input by Kathleen Norris and response by members of a small group; just over 30 minutes in length.

Kathleen Norriss warmth, insight and humor stimulate thoughtful and heartfelt conversation among her listeners.

The edited conversations present group sharing that builds on Norriss initial teaching. They are intended to present to you a model of small group interaction that is personal, respectful and engaged.

You will notice that the participants in the DVD group also become our teachers. In many cases, quotes from the group members enrich the teaching component of this resource. This will also happen in your groupyou will become teachers for one another.

We hope that the DVD presentations spark conversations about those things that matter most to those who struggle to discover what matters most in the 21st century culture and in their personal lives.

4. EVERYONE GETS EVERYTHING

The handbook addresses everyone in the group, not one group leader. There is no separate Leaders Guide.

• Unlike many small group resources, this one makes no distinction between material for the group facilitator and for the participants. Everyone has it all!
• We believe this empowers you and your fellow group members to share creatively in the leadership.

5. GROUP FACILITATION

We designed this for you to designate a group facilitator for each session. It does not have to be the same person for all five sessions, because everyone has all the material. It is, however, essential that you and the other group members are clear about who is facilitating each session. One or two people still have to be responsible for these kind of things:

• making arrangements for the meeting space (see notes on Meeting Space, p. 8)
• setting up the space to be conducive to conversations about the things that matter most
• creating and leading an opening to the session (see notes on Opening, p. 8)
• helping the group decide on which options to focus on in that session
• facilitating the group conversation for that session
• keeping track of the time
• calling the group members to attend to the standards established for the group life (see notes on Group Standards, p. 8)
• creating space in the conversation for all to participate
• keeping the conversation moving along so that the group covers all that it set out to do
• ensuring that time is taken for a satisfying closing to the session
• making sure that everyone is clear about date, location and focus for the next session
• following up with people who missed the session

6. TIME FLEXIBILITY

Each of the five sessions is flexible and can be between one hour and two or more hours in length.

We designed this resource for your group to tailor it to fit the space available in the life of the congregation or community using it. That might be Sunday morning for an hour before or after worship, two hours on a weekday evening, or 90 minutes on a weekday morning.