WIND & FLAME: Our God of the Prophets & Kings
Objective / Stage 5: Show them how to listen to God.God says, “Here I am” when He calls Samuel. This judge serves the kings of Israel because he is able to listen, take command and bravely deliver God’s word. The story of Samuel and the Lord is call and response: this is discipleship.
Supplies Needed / Assign a portion of Samuel 1-15 to each of your chaperones as homework before this session.
Projecter for praise and worship songs (optional)
I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them, My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide, Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them, Whom shall I send?
Review the packing list and delegate any duties of materials that need to be brought.
If you haven’t already, discuss prayer card distribution and/or blessing with your parish.
REVIEW NEXT SESSION WITH TEENS
FOCUS / NCYC is the next “session” with teens.
Review “Imagine” (BASIC) or “Empty” (NEXT LEVEL)
Discuss how the leaders feel called to continue meeting with their small groups after NCYC, which is much more important than pre-meetings.
Begin the session with group discussion on the stanza from “Here I am, Lord.”
I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them, My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide, Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them, Whom shall I send?
How are these lyrics like the Sacraments of Initiation (Confirmation and Eucharist)?
How do we call teens out of their comfort zone? What does that conversation look like? What different responses can you expect?
TEACHING / Optional: Listen to Fr. Barron’s Reflection on the Call of Samuel
http://www.wordonfire.org/resources/homily/speak-lord-im-listening/569/
Stage 5: Show Them how to Listen to God’s Voice
Returning from NCYC will be a call to discipleship. You’ve worked hard to build these relationships with them. As you journey to NCYC, you will witness their growth, a rollercoaster of emotion (or disappointment). You will be able to see a trajectory. Look for a way to challenge them to grow in service of their faith and in contemplation. Perhaps this means daily mass (the feast God has set for us) or simply reading the Book of Esther because you think it could speak to them. Pray, pray, pray about how to lead them at NCYC. Work hard not to hover but still direct.
God Shows us how to Listen to His Voice: The Kings
Samuel is given to Israel as a prophet, who demanded a king. First and foremost, Samuel was given to His mother.
So we give these teens to God to see them become prophets to kings. They will become leaders in ministry that will go beyond their own reach. In many ways, you are like Samuel to Israel as a chaperone.
We’ve begged God for their conversion, for this to be a meaningful experience for them, to be “born.” This is the beginning but we don’t know where God will lead them and that is very exciting.
SOLITUDE / 15 Minutes of Solitude with 1 Samuel 1-3.
Provide 1/3 of your chaperones with 1 Samuel 1-5, 1/3 with 1 Samuel 6-10 and 1/3 of your chaperones with 1 Samuel 11-15.
Discuss the role of Samuel in each of these chapters as a group before closing in prayer.
How does God say “Here I am” in these chapters?
How does Samuel respond to God? To Israel?
What does Samuel teach us about discipleship? How can we share this message with our teens at NCYC?
Why is it going to be so important for the teens to go “beyond NCYC”?
Consider the call of Samuel in the temple in 1 Samuel 3. What if NCYC is like the Lord calling your teens? Why will it be so important for you, like Eli, to connect them to their lived calling? Their emotions will abandon them after NCYC – why does that make it even more important that you, as their leader, do not?
PRAYER / For prayer, sing together hymns that are popular among your group or the 3 listed below before concluding worship in the refrain from Here I am, Lord (Schutte.) Finally, close your prayer and session with intercessions for the teens attending NCYC – spontaneous intentions provided by your leaders:
Oceans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m_sWJQm2fs
Because He Lives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBvU7arNhQs
Set a Fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs6bdFzgQfY
Sing quietly, three times:
I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them, My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide, Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them, Whom shall I send?
Intercessory prayer for teens.