Title: Our Dream for the Church Study Guide (Session 2)

<p align="left"><strong>By 
  the end of this session participants should be able to . . . </strong></p>
<ul>
  <li>Draft a &ldquo;dream 
    statement&rdquo; for their parish. </li>
  <li>List two or three 
    of the best aspects of being part of their parish community. </li>
  <li>List two or three 
    of the worst aspects of being part of thier parish community. </li>
  <li>List concrete 
    ways they can help make their parish community better. </li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Materials: 
  </strong></p>
<ul>
  <li>Copies of &ldquo;Our 
    Dream for the Church&rdquo; </li>
  <li>Pads and pens 
    </li>
  <li>A large open space 
    where everyone can move around comfortably </li>
</ul>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>5 min. Introduction:</strong> 
  Review some of the conclusions/concerns from the last session. </p>
<p> <strong>15 min.</strong> 
  Finish the following sentences as a group. </p>
<p>Brainstorm as many 
  possibilities as you can. Write them down on a conference pad or overhead projector 
  and then discuss your results. </p>
<p> &ldquo;I want the Church 
  to be a group which . . . </p>
<p>I want the Church 
  to be a place where . . . </p>
<p>I want my parish 
  to . . . </p>
<p>I wish that the parishes 
  in my diocese would . . . </p>
<p>I dream that our 
  Orthodox Church in America would . . .etc.&quot; </p>
<p> <strong>10 min.</strong> 
  Read &ldquo;Our Dream for the Church&rdquo; as a group. Discuss how it compares to the statements 
  you came up with earlier. </p>
<p><strong>30 min.</strong> 
  Where do you stand? </p>
<p>Clear a large space 
  in the room. Identify one side of the space as &ldquo;definately agree,&rdquo; a part as 
  &ldquo;somewhat agree&rdquo;, a part as &ldquo;somewhat disagree&rdquo; and another part of the space 
  as &ldquo;defintely disaggree.&rdquo; Inform the participants that they are to arrange themselves 
  in that space based upon how much they agree to the statement you read. Once 
  they arrange themselves, instruct them to discuss why they are there with the 
  people around them in that area. Based upon the conversation they may wish to 
  move. Once everyone is settled, take one person from each area and ask why they 
  are there. If they disagree, ask them what they think they can do to help the 
  parish/diocese be better at it. </p>
<p>Do this for each 
  phrase in the statement. &ldquo;Our parish/diocese is . . .&rdquo; </p>
<p>Example: </p>
<p> &ldquo;Our parish is growing 
  where all are welcome.&rdquo; </p>
<p>&ldquo;Our diocesan parishes 
  have love for each other.&rdquo; </p>
<p>When you have finished 
  with the whole statement, pick one or two areas you want to concentrate on improving 
  and begin planning a concrete way you could help do that. </p>