Our goal is to connect, to remember, to share and, perhaps, to act. To help us discern how and if we want to “be Marist”. These meetings are a first attempt to see “who’s out there”, who may be interested in one of several options:
1) To be part of a group that meets periodically – to listen to Marist stories and Gospel stories and then share our own stories on how we live out this call. To nourish one another on the journey.
2) To be part of a group that wants a little more – meeting on a regular basis, sharing prayer, scripture, Marist life, and service.
3) To take part in the Come Home to the Hermitage retreat program, making a commitment to 12 weeks together.
4) To seek a more formal association – making a commitment to each other and to a Marist formation process.
Invites: Try to reach out to the various constituencies in your community – Brothers, faculty and staff of the school, board members, alumni, parents, supporters. There might be mixed groups or groups of all one category. See what works best re: schedules and timing. People may come to one or more meetings.
As people arrive: Make sure folks who may not know anyone get introduced to at least one or two others. Probably a good idea to do food and socializing first, so people can relax and chat. However, meeting first is also an option.
As meeting begins: Gather in a circle. Do your best to make sure it’s one big circle. Space may dictate two or three concentric circles, but do your best to make sure no one is stuck out in left field (especially those who don’t know a lot of people). Go around and have everyone introduce themselves – name and how they are connected to Marist (or some other identifying fact you’d like to use). Explain briefly that we will begin with prayer and then go into our discussion.
FEEL FREE TO EDIT AND/OR REPLACE PRAYERS, TO USE WHATEVER MUSIC YOU WOULD LIKE, ETC.
If possible, have available copies of Water From the Rock, Gathered Around the Same Table, In the Footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat.
