Passages Retreat
First Talk

10:30 A.M. First Talk: The Same, Yet Different!

The candidates will reassemble for this talk, which is designed to “break the ice” in a larger setting while emphasizing everyone’s uniqueness.

Opening Song

One of the really awesome things about this camp is the great variety of trees which surround us. In many ways, each tree is like every other tree.

Ask the candidates for a few examples of how each tree is like every other tree.

At the same time, each tree is different. Some are tall, some are short. Some have fat trunks, some are slender. There are trees with large leaves, trees with small leaves, and even a few trees with no leaves. While each tree at this camp is similar to every other tree, each is unique and different.

We’re a lot like the trees. In many ways, all of us are very much alike.

Ask the candidates for a few examples of how each of us is alike. When they are finished, mention ways in which you are very much like some of your friends. Note common interests, needs, goals, etc.

Although we’re all alike in many ways, each of us is unique and different. In fact, there is no one else exactly like me.

Mention ways in which you are different from the friends you mentioned earlier. Give a specific example of how you are unique and different.

One of the things that makes us different from others is our values. A value is a standard or rue by which I try to live my life. For example, I think it is important to treat others the way I want them to treat me. That is a value. Honesty is another value. Respecting others is also a value. All of us have values by which we try to live our lives. Many of our values are the same; many are different. Our values help us to be unique and different individuals.

Let’s spend a few moments thinking about our values. The papers that we’re passing out to you right now list twenty or so different values.

Pause until everyone has a worksheet.

Read silently through each of the values listed on the sheet. In the lank spaces rank each value in order of importance. For example, if you feel that self-respect is the most important value in your life, place a 1 next to it. If you believe that happiness is the next most important value, pace a two next to it. Continue through the list until you have ranked each value in order from 1, the most important, to 20, the least important.

Give candidates an opportunity to complete the worksheet – probably about ten minutes. When it is obvious that the candidates have a completed the worksheet, continue:

On the was you’ll notice pieces of paper numbered from 1 to 20. I’m going to mention several of the values on the worksheet you’ve just completed. As I mention each value please go and stand in front of then number you assigned to that value.

Select a value. Give candidates an opportunity to stand by the appropriate number. Select a few candidates randomly and ask them why they ranked the value the way they did. Then select another value and do the same. Repeat this process few more times. There will be a lot of commotion as the candidates go from number to number. Ask the candidates to select a value they’d like to have ranked. Repeat the process, with questions, for the values they’ve asked you to select. Close by asking the candidates to return to their seats.

Did you notice how none of us ranked the values on the worksheet the same way? There were values that some of us ranked in first place, while others ranked the same values in last place. Did you notice how each time I mentioned a new value everyone changed places? Finally, did you notice how the reasons some of you mentioned for ranking values the way they were ranked were all different? All of us probably feel that the values on the worksheet are all important in everyone’s lives,. That’s what makes us alike. But the way we rank these values differently shows us how different each of us is. There is no “right” and “wrong” way to rank our values; there are only “different” ways, because each of us is unique and different.

Closing song

11:15 A. M. After the talk, candidates will break up into their individual groups with team leaders for Small Group Session 1.

Small Group Session 1

There are many people who believe that all teens think and act alike.

1. Were you surprised to see that everyone ranked the values on the worksheet differently? Why or why not?

2. Were you surprised to learn that others felt very differently about things than you did?

3. Why do you think everyone had a unique and different set of values? Where do you think we learn our values? (family, television, peers, friends, etc.)

One of the things that makes each of us unique and different is the set of values by which we live our lives. What makes us even more unique are the ways by which we’ve acquired our values.

Give an example of an important value which you try to live in your life. Where did you acquire this value? Give an example of how you apply it to your every day life.

In your notebooks, write the three values which are most important in your life. Try to think of where you got each value and write that in your notebooks as well. The values you write down do not necessarily have to be on the worksheet.

The leader should do this exercise along with the candidates. Give everyone sufficient time to finish writing before moving on. When everyone is finished, the leader should begin by sharing what he/she has written. Ask each candidate to do the same. When finished select one candidate who will share his/her values with everyone else when reassembled.

11:45 A.M. Reactions

Everyone regroups. One of the Rectors settles everyone into place and asks for one candidate from each group to offer responses.

12:15 P.M. Lunch

12:45 P.M. Team meeting

		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