Open question to anyone reading this:
Have you ever wished that if you were in charge, you'd just once wish that the conversation of a lesson would be on "fill-in-the-blank" subject?
If you were in a position to teach the 5th Sunday lesson of the combined Priesthood and Relief Society, and the Bishop was scheduled to be out of town, and he's turned it over to you, leaving the subject matter completely open and unstructured, entrusting you with that task, what would you teach?
With the amount of lessons recently centered on "chastity", "family values" and "marriage", reaching a saturation point (to the point of driving faithful single sisters away from church literally in tears, there must be something that is more of worth for the adult population of a very large and established (read mainstream Utah) ward to discuss.
This is your chance! No chains of sanitized curriculum! No mandated subject matter from higher authorities! Fling the door wide open and throw away the key! It should, however, be faith-based and faith-reinforcing...
Any suggestions?
14 comments:
unconditional love
Judge Righteous Judgement
Charity: The Pure Love of Christ
True Christ-like love... One that has no bounds. Christ loved everyone, no matter who they were or what their life situation.
Grace
So, unconditional love, righteous judgment, charity, true Christ-like love, grace... are all related and can be combined into a nice topic...
but, a few follow up questions: Why Christlike love? What is it that makes this the topic? Is there a reason why this should be discussed when of course it has been a topic before? What is triggering you to say this? And how would you suggest teaching such a topic with a different twist that would mean something different and meaningful to you?
I'm guessing these suggestions have come from people who have felt judged [unrighteously], or who have felt a distinct lack of love at some point or another in their lives.
I'd suggest that everyone can relate to that feeling to at least some degree.
I'd further suggest that all of us have felt judged and/or unloved by people who are supposed to be better than that, based on their professed religious beliefs.
...and unfortunately, I suspect that most/all of us have been on the other end--judging or withholding love when we should have been better than that.
... Perhaps that's the "twist" you're looking for? Or maybe not. Good luck with the lesson!
Discuss the following hypothetical:
President Monson and Pope Benedict have both had visions of Jesus Christ telling them that they should merge the Mormon and Roman Catholic churches and waste no time in doing so. They agree to meet face-to-face. Where will they meet and what will the agenda be for their first discussion together?
The discussion about this hypothetical should faith-based and faith-reinforcing while emphasizing unconditional love toward all of God's children.
Here's a topic: the difference between the Church and the Gospel. In a nutshell: the Church is a means to an end; it is not an end in itself. Here's a link to Elder Poelman's 1984 conference talk that explains this: part 1 and part 2.
SCOTT: I like the "twist" you suggest, and to that end, we all (not just MOHOs) have judged or been judged with a distinct lack of love...gives pause for thought on what I can offer in such a universal subject...
NED: Not sure about that hypothetical vision as a subject for this setting, but an interesting suggestion nonetheless.
MOHOH: I remember that talk, and remember it was edited from the way it was delivered because it somehow made the church secondary and superfluous to the Gospel - fundamentally the truth, yet moreso than the Brethren were comfortable to admit. I definitely need to reread.
The links I posted are to the original, unedited version. The point is that the Gospel is more important than the Church. Who could possibly argue against this point?
This was my favorite conference talk, ever. (Before they changed it to keep the authoritarians happy.)
i'd teach the story of the good samaritan. it teaches to love and serve like no other. he noticed a need, his heart was moved, he was prepared to serve (had the oil and wine with him), made time even though he was busy (since he could not stay the whole time), delegated some of the care (showing it's ok that you can't do it all) and didn't judge. he did it all not because he was assigned since no one would know but because he felt compassion. he didn't have to let others know that he, too, was persecuted, he merely did the right thing because his motive was pure...he loved
ANON: WOW! I really think you should teach the lesson!
Thanks.
I hadn't read your post or the comments until after I wrote my post and read your comment. What a conicidence. I like MohoHawaii's suggestion. I'm going to read that talk.
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