Sunday, 21 February 2016

Over-sharing with the Person Next to You

Bit of a change of tactic this morning for the start of the service.

Normally we have "turn to the person next to you, say hello and share something nice that's happened this week". But it got a bit samey - so we thought we'd mix it up a bit

So instead everybody got a card to draw out, on precisely what to over-share with the people next to them. These included:

  1. Something God has blessed you with this week.
  2. Something that has left you thinking God really hates you this week.
  3. The last infectious disease you don't really like discussing.
  4. Who's your secret "Moot House" crush?
  5. What was the cruellest nickname you had at school?
  6. Explain the doctrine of communicatio idiomatum through the medium of dance.
  7. A quick round of "snog, marry, kill".
  8. What is your most persistently terrifying dream?
  9. Twister.
  10. Say something nice about the person next to you's appearance.
  11. Your nastiest habit.
  12. Discuss your favourite humming sound.
  13. Scream "Get away from me. You are secretly a lizard!
So we tried it out, at any rate. There was a fair amount of sobbing, a certain amount of embarrassment and a number of people mutually agreed to discuss absolutely nothing, and simply pretend to be praying / tweeting / crying.

And four people just walked out, and came back during the second song. Which, it has to be said, is an improvement on the usual situation. I think we'll do it every week.

4 comments :

  1. Well, this is opportune. Today our visiting preacher gave us a 5 minute slot to turn to our neighbour and share the findings from our Lent discussion groups.
    Somewhat of an unwarranted assumption there, I fear.

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  2. After a decade outside evangelical Anglicanism, I'd forgotten about the whole concept of "turn to the person next to you and say hello/share something spiritual".

    Current status: rocking back and forth, sobbing, shaking like a leaf.

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  3. Makes a nice change from 'prayers on post-it notes'. Anyway whoever said you had to share something real? Oh. Oops. Ah. Was this before or after confession?

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  4. Sounds like one of those godawful ice-breaking exercises they have,or anyway used to have, at the start of every course I've been on since about 1980.

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