Modelled on the highly successful Little Rock Diocese (Arkansas, USA) Scripture Study Programme, ‘Unfolding the Word’ attempts to provide a short, simple and accessible approach that helps people come together in their own parishes and faith communities to explore the Word of God and to gradually become more familiar with the life and values of Christ.

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There are two components to the programme:

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Personal Study and Reflection

Each week the participants are invited to prayerfully reflect on a selected passage of the Bible and to consider short questions provided beforehand for each passage.

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The Small Group Meeting

Participants come together weekly  to share and discuss the results of their reflections. The goal of the discussion is to help participants become more familiar with the life and values of Christ, to learn from one another, to strengthen/nourish their faith and to apply what they have learned to their own lives. A short presentation after the discussion is designed to help clarify and draw together the main themes that emerge and to connect them to the overall themes of that particular book of the Bible.

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Each Session consists of the following:

• An Opening Prayer

• An Introduction to the chosen reading/passage

• A Reading of the Bible passage (chosen beforehand, usually around a gospel/theme)

• Group Discussion on the Reading/Passage (focused on pre-chosen questions)

 

The Discussion is usually in a few parts, e.g.

a) what is happening in the reading,

b) what does this particular passage say about Jesus, about God and about life and,

c) what is the message for me, now?

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• Closing Comments (a group member, or facilitator, summarises the main points and adds some further points for the members’ consideration).

• Some time for prayer (quiet or spoken: whatever the group wants)

• The group are given background notes for further consideration and the reading for the next session. 

• Cup of tea and chat

 

Cork Scripture Group will regularly publish ‘Unfolding the Word’ Sessions on this website.This will include text and notes for each session, which you may copy and distribute to your group and/or use for your own private study and prayer.We will also, if needed, provide an informal training session for group leaders.   

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Please click on the links below to download the series focusing on texts from the Infancy Narratives in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke

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Unfolding the Word during Advent