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OVERVIEW The Discovery Weekend is a spiritual retreat given to SFC members. This weekend event is taken a few months after the Covenant Orientation course. This retreat, now known as Singles Weekend One, is open to all SFC members. This course is part of the formation program in CFC Singles for Christ starting on their first year in SFC.
GOALS The Discovery Weekends main goal is to allow single men and women to discover HOW to live PASSIONATE lives. Each session objective leads the single person to understand, reflect on, and fully embrace the life that God has given him/her. Further, the participant is empowered to make decisive, God-directed plans for his/her life. With a retreat-style format brotherhood and sisterhood are further strengthened, especially for those who recently joined the ministry. i. ii. At the end of the retreat, the singles must know and believe that they are called for something more, and that they have the potential to lead a great life. At the end of the retreat, the singles must take the steps necessary to live the passionate life they are meant to live.
TOPICS Each topic is geared towards achieving a specific objective leading up to the main goal of the retreat: a. Discover Your Purpose b. Discover Your Passion c. Discover Your Pain d. Discover Your Pleasure e. Discover Your Power
CONTENT This manual serves as a guidebook and contains the following: 1. Overview & Goals 2. Schedule 3. Checklist 4. Talk Outlines 5. Handouts
Set Up, Arrival and Registration Dinner Worship Orientation Fellowship Lights Out!
Wake Up Call / Personal Prayer Time Breakfast Worship Talk 1: Discover Your Purpose Talk 2: Discover Your Passion Break Lunch Afternoon Praise Talk 3: Discover Your Pain Prepare for Mass Holy Mass Dinner Talk 4: Discover Your Pleasure Fellowship Lights Out!
Wake Up Call / Personal Prayer Time Breakfast Worship Talk 5: Discover Your Power Open Sharing Lunch Clean & Pack Up!
WEEKEND CHECKLIST
Registration & Orientation
Money bag or cash box (with ample change) USB Printer (with printer drivers) Weekend Kit (handouts, paper, pens) Individual Ziploc bags per participant to put their valuables (watches, cellphones, etc.) and Holding Box Office supplies (paper, stapler, tape, paper clips, CDRs, etc.) First Aid Kit
Talk 1
Creative: _______________________________ Reflection song: __________________________
Talk 2
Creative: _______________________________ Reflection song: __________________________
Talk 3
Closing activity items (candle, metal container) Background music
Talk 4
Closing activity items, and background music
Talk 5
Creative: _______________________________ Reflection & Closing songs: __________________________________
Misc: ________________________________________________________________________________________
EXPANDED OUTLINES
II.
Preparing Our Personal Mission Statement A. B. As single men and women, it is important that we discover early on our true purpose in life so that we can chart our goals in life along this path. A personal mission statement is like a map that will guide us to the real treasure in life. It includes three important elements: 1. Identify your goals 2. Identify your core values 3. Prepare a concrete plan of action
III.
Identifying Your Key Goals And Core Values To be happy and content in life, these are our key goals, and core values to achieve these goals: A. Key Goal: We want to be successful in our career so that we can live a good live, and provide a good life for the people we care about. Also, we want to support our service to God. Core Values: 1. As a man or woman of God, I will strive for excellence in my work. 2. I will not compromise my integrity to get ahead in my career. 3. I will not commit anything sinful or unrighteous to achieve success. 4. I will not neglect my family or my service to God for my work.
IV.
Concrete Plan of Action A. In our career: 1. Identify areas of improvement, growth and development for career promotion and advancement. 2. Identity areas of relationships with subordinates and superiors that we need to improve. 3. Identify habits, attitudes and behavior that are obstacles for growth in our career. B. In our love life: 1. Actively discern our state of life whether we are for marriage, the single life or religious life. 2. Identify areas that we need to work on to make us ready to move on in our state of life. 3. For committed/serious relationships, here are some concrete steps to take: a. For the brothers:
List down the qualities you are looking for in a suitable partner. On the basis of these qualities that are important to you, make a list of prospects starting with sisters in SFC (beginning with your chapter). Consider women outside of SFC only after you have fully considered the sisters around you. Those you are interested in who are not with SFC you must evangelize first. Seek the advice of your elders in your process of discernment. 7
In our service in SFC, we will do our best as household heads or unit heads, as members of the music ministry, or whatever tasks are given to us. We will not refuse any service that is given to us without any valid reason. There are still a lot of minor points that we can include in our mission statement, which is also our statement of purpose and direction.
V.
Conclusion A. We live a life of power if we have a clear purpose in life. It will spare us the confusion, the diversions, and the mistakes that we will make that might have serious consequences. We will avoid the fate of the Israelites who wandered for 40 years in the desert because they were not true to their purpose. B. We do not have to drift through life like many of our friends are doing because they have no clear purpose, and they continue to compromise with sin and evil. C. Brothers and sisters, the good is here it is available to us it is there just for the taking and it is available not just now but for the rest of our lives.
VI.
Activity: Reflection A. Allow the participants to reflect on their lives. Ask them their purpose in life, and to ask God to put purpose and meaning in their life. While the group is in reflection, background music may be played. B. Distribute the session handouts. Give 10-15 minutes for everyone to finish drafting their personal mission statements. C. Close with a prayer for VISION.
2. Discover Your Passion for SFC and Service. This is the community where faith, hope and love can be found. This is the place where passion is cultivated. This is where we see a clear vision of the beautiful plan God has for each one of us. a. SFC is Community. And community is a visible sign of Gods presence in the world. b. Service is the ultimate response to Gods undying Love for us. It is how we love Him back. Love and passion together is compassion. In community we develop more skills and more wisdom in becoming better people.
III.
Mini-Activity: Distribute the session handouts. Give 10-15 minutes for participants to answer the questions. Then, briefly guide them in a short prayer to the Holy Spirit. Conclusion A. Passion is a great gift from God. We need passion to move our love beyond our borders. The Passion of Jesus was Love even unto death. People are naturally drawn to passionate and charismatic individuals. Passion is all about leadership, and leadership is all about (providing a good) example. B. Whatever vocation we are called for (married, single blessedness, or religious), passion will be (and is) a defining factor. When we love who we are, we will love what we will do. And where we are headed will be a future full of promise and hope indeed. C. Let us be bold, let us be excellent LIVE and LOVE with PASSION. D. Close with Glory Be (or be led by the Spirit.)
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IV.
II.
We Are Called To Discover And Overcome Pain A. We are here to discover our pain. We will discover joy only when we acknowledge our pain, and learn to deal with it. Our mission here is not just to be victorious over our personal pain, but to share our victory with others so that they may learn to deal with their pain victoriously. B. What are common sources of pain? 1. Pain we are born with. a. Being born poor, or less fortunate than most b. Being raised in a broken or troubled family c. Feeling ugly or feeling not good enough in anything 2. The things people do that cause us pain. 3. The things that we do the consequences of the bad choices and decisions we make.
III.
How To Deal With Pain A. Know that pain is real and that we need to deal with it. Denial is a dangerous place to be in. B. Decide to be victorious over the pain. Let go. 1. Decide to heal, to forgive, and to forget the pain inflicted on us by people. 2. Do not hold onto the guilt over the pain caused by our mistakes. 3. Release the fear over circumstances and situations over which we have no control. Trust God instead. He is always in control. C. God allows us to go through the pain to help us learn and grow. 1. Realize that the pain we go through can be sweet for us if we trust in God, who is in control. Through all the pain we go through, He is shaping us to be a source of strength and joy for others. 2. By allowing yourself to hurt and to heal, you will be better equipped in dealing with others.
IV.
Activity Instructions: 1. Write down the three (3) events or situations in your life that have been the source of your deepest pain. Then, write down the three (3) persons who have caused you your deepest pain. 2. All that is written will not be shown to anyone: only you and God know. 3. Pain can only go away if you offer it up, and the experiences it has brought you to God; allow Him to take the pain away. 4. Take 10 minutes to pray and to write down your experiences. [Background music may be played.] 5. Instruct them to hold what they have written and join everyone praying over the pain(s): a. Pray for the release from pain. Offer the pain and to ask God to take it away. b. Minister to the pain of others. Find others around you and pray over their pain. 6. (Instruct them to burn their papers and dump into a trash bin. Close with a prayer.)
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II.
Discovering Our Pleasure: What Are Our Pleasures? A. Our highest source of pleasure is God. He loves us. He wants to bless us. He wants us to be happy in everything that happens to us: in everything that we do, through the people that we meet, and in the places that we go to. 1. Everything is beautiful if we see through the eyes of God. Each person is worth loving if we relate to them with a heart that wants to love; because we have God as our source of love. 2. Happiness is a state of the heart, and it is a decision. a. Happiness is a state of the heart. (1) I am happy because I am loved by God. (2) I am at peace because my heart rests in God. (3) I love because I was made by God to love. (4) I love because no one is undeserving of my love. b. Happiness is a decision. (1) I will not allow anyone to steal my joy away from me. (2) I will love even the most difficult and undeserving person. (3) I will be a source of joy to the people around me. B. Achievement is a source of pleasure. 1. All our achievements are an offering of our talents and skills to God. 2. All our achievements are used to serve God, and to contribute and add to the value of life for other people. C. Our possessions, wealth, and all other resources are a source of pleasure. 1. If we have hearts that are grateful and content with what we have, then we are not envious of what others have. 2. We should realize that we are only stewards of our possessions, and that they are to be shared especially with those who are in need and/or have less in life.
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III.
Conclusion A. Every moment of our life is a celebration because there are so many perfect moments, and so many genuine sources of pleasure. B. We can convert our workplace into a place of joy by the spirit of joy and love we bring with us. Our homes will become an oasis, and a source of pleasure because of the joy that we generate in all our relationships. SFC will be a cause of excitement because we are happy with our brothers and sisters, with our service, and with our God whose presence is very real in our community. C. We celebrate because we are a community that knows how to enjoy life to the fullest.
IV.
Activities A. Reflection: 1. List down the three (3) events in your life that have been a major source of joy. 2. List down the three (3) persons in your life right now who are major sources of joy. 3. List down three (3) places that you associate with pleasure and joy. (i.e., my home, my workplace, New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, etc.) B. Open Sharing: Ask some brothers and sisters to share their experiences of joy. C. Honoring: 1. Tell the participants, Right now your brothers and sisters around you are your immediate source of joy. Lets go around the whole conference hall/area and say to as many brothers and sisters we meet, Youre my source of joy. I really appreciate your friendship. 2. Tell them that as they greet one another with joy, they must hold hands, embrace, or hug each other. 3. While this is going on, an appropriate background song may be played.
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II.
Without God We Are Weak And Powerless Here are common sources of weakness for those who have not found God: A. Hurts and suffering B. Guilt and fear C. Anger and hatred D. Pride, selfishness and vanity E. Vices F. Laziness and apathy
III.
The Sources Of Power And How To Cultivate Them A. Prayer 1. Start your day with prayer. Begin the day with joyful expectation of Gods surprises. 2. Spend your day in prayer by being conscious of Gods presence in everything you do and everyone you meet. Convert the boredom of daily routine (traffic) with a special time of joy by being in a prayerful stance and always asking yourself: What is the loving thing to do? or What would make God happy with the choices I face? Pray as you work or play. 3. At night, recollect and thank God for His goodness and the privilege of living a productive day. B. Passion for Service 1. The more I serve, the more I learn and the more I grow. 2. The more I serve, the more I love and the more I am loved. 3. The more I serve, the more I heal and the more I am healed. 4. The more I serve, the more I bring joy and the more I find joy. C. Zeal for Righteousness 1. Power is having the moral authority to lead, and the moral authority that comes from being right with God. 2. Power doesnt just come from what I say or do, but how I witness to Gods righteousness in my life.
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TALK HANDOUTS
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2.
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5.
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II. How passionate are you in these areas? Rate yourself (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) on each point below: A. Passion for God (25/25) I prioritize time for prayer and meditation. I read Scripture often. I witness my faith to my peers. I strive to live a sin-free life. I see Christ in every person. B. Passion for Family (25/25) I am proud of my family and my heritage. My brothers and sisters can count on me anytime. My parents are proud of what Ive become. I am a source of joy and healing to my family. I care about the welfare of my family. C. Passion for Life (25/25) I wake up every morning excited about the day. I dont oversleep. I carry a joyful spirit within me. I can adjust to change. I dont complain. I am hopeful in hopeless situations. I am eager to learn. I dont let mistakes drag me down. Instead, I learn from them. D. Passion for Relationships (25/25) I value my relationships. I invest in strengthening my relationships. I keep in touch with my friends and loved ones. I make friends easily. I do not hesitate to help a friend in need.
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II. Rescue Jeremiah 33:3 God says Call to me and I will answer you. (Jer 33:3) God is more than willing to heal us of our hurts because He already bore our sufferings for free. By His stripes we are healed. (Is. 53:6) Recall 3 occasions wherein you were hurt, and 3 people you were by the most. Write them below and offer them to God. Allow God to minister to you at this time.
FOR YOUR (AND GODS) EYES ONLY 3 most hurtful experiences: a. b. c. 3 persons who have hurt me the most: a. b. c. God I give you my hurts. You are more than willing to take these and restore me. Grant me the grace to surrender these to you and forgive the people who have hurt me. I now receive your healing, pardon, and peace. Thank you Jesus for releasing me today from the pain and helping me to move on in my life. Amen.
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II. With Pleasure! Our friends are our source of joy. Take time to go around and let them know you appreciate them. You might want to use
these little note P.A.D.s (Personal Appreciation Documents) to the job.
To: From: Re: I Appreciate You! To: From: Re: I Appreciate You! To: From: Re: I Appreciate You! To: From: Re: I Appreciate You!
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II. Ive Got The Power How do we cultivate our sources of power in these areas?
Spiritually
Mentally
Physically
Emotionally
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