Let Your Light So Shine
Opening Sequence

The activities in the opening sequence are very important for building the foundation of the retreat. In this session your goal is to accomplish a number of objectives (see below). This will lead the group naturally into the first talk introducing the retreat theme.

Objectives: By the end of the opening sequence participants should be able to

• List the rules of the retreat and the behavior expected of them.
• Recall each other's names and a little bit about each participant.
• Belong to a small group, which will be for discussion throughout the retreat.

Activity #1: Prayer Service (5-10 Minutes)
Begin the retreat in prayer with the participants. The shape of this prayer depends on the resources available such as time, clergy, location, and so on. Ideally this will take place in the Church with clergy who will bless the proceedings. The minimum should be no less than singing "O Heavenly King" (or similar, depending on the season).

Activity #2: Breaking the Ice (20 Minutes)
This is a series of activities to help participants overcome the fears and anxieties they are experiencing at the beginning of the retreat and to bring them closer together. These are typically games, songs, and other potentially uncomfortable situations for the shy and self-conscious adolescent or adult. The idea of the "ice-breaker" is to engage that discomfort and shyness and use its energy to get beyond it, to break through it. These warm-ups should take one half-hour. One idea is the following Name Game.
See 20-Something Ice Breakers and 20-Something More Ice Breakers available on The Hub for Youth and Young Adult Ministries available online at http://yya.oca.org/TheHub/index.htm in the Activities section.

Activity #3: Rules Talk (10 Minutes)
This is the time to establish the rules of the retreat clearly and concisely so as to avoid any problems down the road. Each situation will dictate its own specifics, such as what areas are off-limits, what times for lights out, what is expected for behavior and dress and so on. In addition, for a successful retreat, there are a few basic principles to follow:

• Honesty: This retreat involves a lot of talking with each other, especially about each other's life and personal choices. While participants are not expected to share every detail of their lives, nor should they feel compelled to, what they do share should be honest and truthful.
• Respect: In order for honesty to work, other participants must show courtesy and respect by allowing each participant to speak freely, without fear of criticism or judgment. Participants must agree to be able to disagree. Also, what is shared in the retreat is not for public consumption but is to be respected as private. It is not to be discussed outside the discussion group setting without the consent of the relevant participants.
• The Golden Rule: Lastly, as with all of Christian life, our actions are to be governed by Christ's teaching to "Do to others what you would have them do to you." Participants should treat each other with the same care and kindness that they want for themselves.

Another way to make it clear is to complete a “Ten Commandments for the Retreat.” If your group has some retreat veterans, you may consider this option: Instead of just laying the rules out in a dictatorial fashion, ask the group to start coming up with them. You may get rules you never considered! These “Commandments may include the following (in no particular order):

1. When lights out/ bedtime will be
2. What are the physical boundaries of the space and what is off-limits
3. Who is in charge and who can answer questions
4. What is Church etiquette and liturgical requirements
5. What items or behaviors are prohibited
6. Where to keep their things/ where to change
7. Where to go to the bathroom
8. Where food is allowed and when
9. What jobs/ chores each person will have at clean-up (best to define early)
10. The need for honesty, respect, and the golden rule

The Rules Talk is also a time to officially recognize the retreat coordinator and staff and answer any questions about food, first aid, phones, scheduling, transportation, etc.

Activity #4: Scripture Affirmations
This activity is designed to create a sense of connection among participants, provide them with a concrete experience of praying for another person, and will serve as the closing activity of the retreat. This activity works best with 15-30 participants who stay for the entire retreat.

• Have the participants take a page out of their journal, write down their name on the page, fold it and put the page into a bowl/hat, etc. Then have the participants take out a name from the bowl/hat, etc. and tell them NOT to tell anyone the name on their page. Instruct them that if they draw their own name they are to put it back and take another name.
• Once everyone has a name, remind participants not to tell anyone whom they have, and that if they do not know who the person is, they can ask one of the adults discreetly.
• Instruct participants that during the course of retreat they are to make sure they get to know the person whose name they have, pray for them, and find a scripture passage that affirms that person in some way. Tell them that a great way to start is to think of positive characteristics about that person and to utilize a Bible concordance to find scriptures about those characteristics. For example:
• Once the participants choose the scripture, they are to write down the scripture passage or the reference for the passage on the page with the person’s name on it and then write the reason they chose that scripture for that person.
• Tell participants they have till the closing session to do this and to hold on to the page until then. You will probably want to remind participants of their assignment during the course of the retreat. Depending on the group, you may even choose to set aside special time.
• During the retreat the leader(s) should choose a scripture affirmation for the group as a whole. You can write it on note cards for the participant, utilize the “Let Your Light So Shine” note card available on line from OCA Youth and Young Adult Department web site at http://yya.oca.org/ocay.
• For the conclusion of this activity refer to the Closing Session.

• Selection Process: To begin this talk, you need to arrange participants into groups of 5-7. Groups should be selected at random on the spot or previously. These groups will remain the same throughout the retreat. If there is a serious personality conflict in a group or too much distraction for whatever reason, feel free to reassign members as needed. You will also need to keep track of who is in which group.
• Leaders: Each group will need its own leader(s). You should find out who some of the most mature participants are ahead of time and approach them about taking on this responsibility. The task of the group leader is simple:

  1. Initiate the group discussions and keep the group focused enough to accomplish each assignment. The team leader should have a sheet with the discussion questions and helps already printed.
  2. Record the results of each discussion and prepare for report to the rest of the groups. They may elect another person to do this for the group.
  3. Facilitate conversation by promoting every member of the group to speak openly so that no one dominates the talk, including him or herself.
  4. Discussion Leader: In some cases, you may want a team leader to lead a discussion for the whole retreat group, if their experience and maturity are appropriate.

• Discussions: Each small group discussion lasts about 15 minutes. Following each talk by the retreat coordinator(s), the small groups will be given a number of discussion questions. The first few questions are designed to spark dialogue about the issues raised in the talk/session and the last is a reflection question in which the group as a whole is called upon to apply the ideas to a specific problem or challenge.
• Location: These small group discussions should take place in different rooms/spaces private and far enough away from the other groups to avoid eavesdropping and distraction. Each group will likely stake out its own territory on the retreat grounds nearby where it will go to carry out its discussions.
• Report: After the private discussions, each group must choose a spokesperson to report their conclusions to the general retreat. This spokesperson should be different for each session so that every member takes a turn. The group leader should take this job no more than once.
• Assembly Format: When all groups arrive back from small group discussions, each will take a turn to respond to the reflection questions given by the retreat leader. Groups remain seated together in a semicircle facing the retreat master.
• Group Name: Each group should develop an identity, often symbolized in a name. You may decide to let each group choose its own name or assign one. A nice option would to have each group select a patron saint for its name. This conveniently limits the options yet allows for creative expression, and of course, returns the focus to the Holy.

• Start-off: Once groups are formed and together they are ready to immediately go into the first discussion. For each talk the group leader have a copy of the talk's instructions. Groups should split off to separate locations and follow those guidelines, returning after about 15-20 minutes. All participants should also have a notebook/ journal book and pencil/pen. They will need to use these throughout the retreat. Announce this so that they make sure they do not misplace them.
• Progress checks: You may want to wander from group to group during this time to note progress as well as get to know them. Make this regular but not intrusive. If they seem stuck or have finished too quickly, prompt them to further discussion with more questions, sharing examples from your own life as necessary. You'll need to be familiar with the group leader instructions yourself, of course. If they have completed the questions sufficiently, feel free to allow them the remaining few minutes to get to know one another better; this will increase openness later on.
• Arranging the Space: While the groups are away the first time, this is a good time to arrange the space for the large group discussion. Depending on your situation, the space and the furniture, you should arrange the room such that each group stays together and is facing towards the retreat master. No one should be seated with his or her back turned to the central speaker. A semicircle of table works this way. It is important to establish a focused space with minimal potential for distraction. Finding the right space is often a challenge, and you will have to make do with whatever God grants. Do what you can.
• Debrief: Whenever the groups return to the main meeting area (you may have to gather the flock with some effort), begin by restating the reflection question. Ask each group to put forward its spokesperson to give the main group its reflections. Then discuss as a whole the ideas and issues raised, using example from your life to illustrate them whenever possible or practical. This period of "debriefing" the small groups is essential to the group talks.
  

		Department of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry Orthodox Church in America PO Box 675 Syosset, NY 11791 http://yya.oca.org yyacm@oca.org The Hub | Back to top