Group activities for individual and community spiritual growth?

[Longfellow]

What kinds of group activities have you seen or beard of for spiritual growth of individuals and communities? If you don’t like the word “spiritual,” think of something like personal and community development that helps make the community life in a neighborhood healthier, happier and more loving for every person in the community.

 

[Longfellow]

One activity that I’ve read about is people studying and practicing together, using materials designed for developing qualities and capacities for community service.

 

[TheLightWithin]

Some churches do a lot of outreach, community involvement, and charity work.

 

[Longfellow]

Some churches do a lot of outreach, community involvement, and charity work.

Thank you. Those are some examples of service. I'm looking for examples of growth, improving qualities and capacities for service, in individuals and in a community.

 

[Thomas]

Thank you. Those are some examples of service. I'm looking for examples of growth,

I'd say those are both service and growth ...

If I were to re-interpret the Covenant in Christ, in the light of the Gospels, it would be:
"You look after your neighbour, and I'll look after you."

 

[wil]

I'd say those are both service and growth ...

If I were to re-interpret the Covenant in Christ, in the light of the Gospels, it would be:
"You look after your neighbour, and I'll look after you."

Wouldn't that be wonderful! Let us be glad a nd rejoice in it...Hey! That's my parking place and when are you gonna mow that lawn!

Dances of Univeral Peace.

A few musicians siting in the center and a bunch of people in a ring dance. The songs or chants are prayers or mantras from various religions, the movements or choreography are designed to stretch your body some, your mind more.

Originally ny sufi Inyat Kahn there are many from various religions who have created hundreds of repetitive pieces to be learned 8 to 80...

Group yoga or TaiChi I would also consider community spirituality without ever naming a religion or G!d

 

[wil]

What i love about the dances is it specifically does not leave out or isolate any religion as "the religion of or accepted by our community" it honors them all, and if you want to make up a tune, a poem, a cripture reading and add a choreography to display one of your favorite contemplation you are welcome.

It also does expose those who have issues with developing a relationship with a belief that is not their own...expands and ficuses the community and neighbor understanding of community building as not just my religion

 

[TheLightWithin]

using materials designed for developing qualities and capacities for community service.

What materials?

improving qualities and capacities for service, in individuals and in a community.

What do you mean "improving qualities and capacities for service"

Some churches do a lot of outreach, community involvement, and charity work.

Doing things makes you better at them

Thank you. Those are some examples of service.

Yes, they are

Doing things makes you better at them.

I almost get the impression you are looking for something like a high school curriculum with extra curricular activities that specifically gears students for community service or something. Or like 4H or something.

Really a good number of activities you do in a regular high school could make you better for community service. Doing 4H could make you better at community service. Doing community service could make you better at community service.

What kind of answer are you looking for?

 

[Longfellow]

If improving yourself in ways that help improve the world for others, or helping to train children in ways that will help make the world better for others, is part of your life, I’m interested in your ideas about it.

 

[Thomas]

I think your question carries the answer: Just about any communal activity that has a recognisable beneficial aspect serves ... as regards children, I think the knack is to involve and engage them, do it with them, not at them or for them.

Generally, all beneficial communal action is to some degree 'spiritual' without necessarily wearing that badge.

Once you qualify 'spiritual', you'd have to determine what qualifies as 'spiritual' activity – how broad or how narrow ...

 

[EricPH]

I have been a Street Pastor since 2008, we are volunteers from different churches. We walk around the streets until 3 - 4 in the morning to care, listen and help when we can. Before we go out, we pray, Lord, place in our path the people you need us to see. Lord, if you place challenging situations in our path, Lord, help us to do your will through our words and actions. Now I don’t have to depend on my own strengths, or the teams’ strengths. We go out in our weakness and place the night into God’s hands.

We have walked in the middle of many angry, violent, drunken fights. Sometimes with 20 plus drunks. Broken bottles and tools have been used as weapons. We have asked people to hand over knives. We don’t do self defence or carry any protective gear. The solution I seek, is that everyone is first loved by God. If God loves everyone, then I should also love everyone. I am in my seventies; we have volunteers in their eighties.

We meet the homeless, some are ex – offenders who come out of prison with nowhere to live. We meet people battling with suicidal ideation, depression. We help lone females and drunks, and meet lots of wonderful people too.

Every time we go out, people thank us and they say we respect what we do. We have been told many times that we have helped change people’s lives. People know we are volunteers and don’t get paid a penny.

I can only say, that every time we have gone out, I experience the peace of God that surpasses all my understanding.