1) Telling the Story
Drawing out the story of the Prodigal Son from memory. It
can be as detailed or as stick figurey as you want.
After the young people have drawn the story you can ask the
following questions.
i) Which part of the story did
you choose to draw and why?
ii) If you were one of the
characters who you drew what would you say about the picture (you cannot
criticise it artistically)
iii) Who does not appear in your
drawing and why?
iv) Is there anyone who does not
star in any of the group’s drawings or any scenes not drawn? (Is the mother
shown, the servants, the friends? Were they mentioned in the original story?
2) Reading the picture.
You might have heard of Lectio Divina, the technique of Holy
Reading, where you prayerfully read the Bible and ask God to speak to you
through the text. It does have a visual counterpart, Visio Divina. Both of
these are things which can be used for individual but Visio especially is
something which can also be done as a group.
What follows is the group approach. You can use this image which was painted by Deacon Jon and you can use this across Zoom or in printed form as you need.
In Visio Divina we look on the image and use it as a channel
through which we ask God to speak to us. God speaks in many different ways, and
we each hear God differently. Some receive words in full sentences, some passages
of scripture, verses of song, images and for some it is feelings. As such we
need to be quiet and attentive, make time and space and silence for God to
speak into, at least until we are familiar with the “sound” of God’s voice and
how we are spoken to by God.
PRAY TOGETHER
Begin with a brief word of
prayer.
Be still, be silent.
“Please guide our thinking and guide our seeing. Speak with us we pray. AMEN.”
FIRST IMPRESSION
Look on the image.
Let your eyes wander over the
painting. To what do you feel most drawn? Is it the colours or details which
stand out to you? A particular brush stroke? Is there anything which surprises?
For a moment, think of the very first detail of the painting which stood out to
you. Slow your breathing and ask God to speak through that detail.
After this take the picture
down, stop screenshare etc.
Share as a group your first
impressions.
VIEW (put the picture up again)
Try not to focus on any one part,
let your eyes drift around the image.
Focus on what the painting is
making you feel. Uncomfortable? Hopeful? Sad? Happy? Does the image provoke
questions in you, does it connect with any memories? Does the painting make you
think of anything in particular, Bible stories, other artists, times or
seasons?
Again take the image down and
invite the group to share responses.
TRAVEL (put the image up a final time)
In your third viewing of the
painting, begin by looking at the top left corner, look upon the faces as you
pass. Now slowly let your vision track left to right to the right-hand corner,
then down, then to the left, then up. Travel through the image in a loose
spiral until you reach the point you feel is the centre. Rest there for a
moment but then ask yourself “Where paint myself into this scene?”
Now, ask yourself What emotions does this image evoke in you?
What can you hear as you are “in” this picture?
What does the image stir up in you, bring forth in you?
Does this image lead you into an attitude of prayer? If so, let these prayers
take form in you.
This time leave the image up
and ask the young people what their responses are
LISTEN
In silence mentally take a step
back from the image and once again view the whole. How are you being spoken to
through the practice of looking at the painting. What thoughts are beginning to
solidify for you. Is God trying to tell you something?
RESPOND
What are you going to do based on
your experience? Print the image and pin it to your fridge? Save the image to
your computer? Find other works in the series? Go and read up on something?
Pray for someone? Are you going to go through the steps again later to see if
something different comes to you?
Ask the group what action they
are going to take.
The Methodist Church collection of Modern Art and the Jesus
Mafa image library are excellent sources of images for this exercise.
(just check that the above images are labelled as Jesus Mafa under the artist)
3) Everyone an artist
i) Create an image of you as you see yourself, a collage, a cartoon, a drawing or painting or even a word picture. Then do the same for how God sees you.
ii) Using whatever you can find in your home create a cross and photograph it. After you have done so, ask yourself “Why did you use the objects you used?” and “What does looking at a cross made from the items of your world make you think and feel?”
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