26/03/2023
St. Thomas Green Hub
Message: Ms Rose Shearer
This format is a guide to you for your small group meeting. Feel free to change and adapt it according to the needs of your group. The objective is for you to build authentic relationships within the group, relationships that enable you to learn to love others who are different to you, and to discover as a reality the treasure of relationships that are built on the foundation of a relationship with Jesus, his life, and his teaching.
Fellowship
Begin with general conversation and sharing about how the past week has gone. Try not to go over time.
Worship and Prayer
Click on the link below on your smartphone, Smart TV, or computer, to select songs to sing; and then spend a few minutes in song and prayer.
STMC WEBSITE: WORSHIP SONGS | St Thomas Methodist (plettmethodist.co.za)
PLETT METHODIST YOU TUBE CHANNEL SONG’S PLAYLIST: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbsAkwbV_S1vXdZVPkZ0_tQW5n9RqeZX0
And if you need to check on the Message for the week again, then click on:
PLETT METHODIST YOU TUBE CHANNEL (MESSAGE): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU1X4YYw1KLpda1yGnqKgfw/videos
This time of worship and prayer will encourage you to move your thoughts from daily worries and pressures to our time of Bible study and prayer.
Read: Genesis 1
Warm up for the discussion time:
Rev John Wessels in his book “Missing Jesus” posited four relationships essential for the well-rounded human being to thrive. They are: relationship with God, relationship with self, relationship with others and relationship with our environment.
- If the above is true, why don’t we hear much about churches being involved with environmental issues?
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think about the creation story in Gen 1?
- Why do you think the author states “God saw it was good” at the end of each stage of creation?
- What does vs 26 mean?
- What does vs 27 mean? A clue, think about God’s relationship with all of creation…. then think about human beings’ relationship with creation; then – how does the human relationship with creation mirror the intention of the Creator?
- Read Isaiah 24: 3-6. What is the consequence of the judgement passed by God on the disobedience of the people? Have humans plundered the earth?
- Read Psalm 8: 4-9. What does the Psalmist say about the place of humans in the ranking order of creation?
- Do you think discipleship (following the life example and teaching of Jesus) requires us to take better care of the environment?
- If not why not?
- If yes, what does this challenge mean for you as a Christ follower?
Faith building:
- Pray this simple daily prayer, as you commit the day to the Lord, and as you pray for our country; “Come Holy Spirit Come”.
Prayer: Share prayer requests and then pray together.
Closing Prayer: And now may the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and forever more. Amen
Have a wonderful week. God bless. Tim.