Health Promotion Sunday: A Lesson Plan for Adults

Materials Needed:
Chalk board and chalk or Newsprint and marker(s)
Bibles
Basin and towels (optional)

Introduction
The theme for Health Promotion Sunday is "Making Our Churches Safe Places," emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. Many people don't feel they can turn to the church in times of trouble or struggle because they have experienced the church as being judgmental and without grace. Too often something gets in the way of the church extending compassion and grace to those who are struggling, hurting or living with the consequences of their choices.

This Sunday School lesson will help participants explore the meaning and significance of creating a "safe place" within the church for all people. The lesson begins with simple scripture passages referring to the human need for safety. The following exercises develop a working understanding of the term "safe place" and discuss the role of safe places within our lives. The last section of the lesson discusses the role of safe places within our churches. You are encouraged to read the Health Promotion Sunday resource entitled "A Theology of Safe Places." As we consider how this idea of safe space fits into our church community, we will continually refer to the question of God's will for our lives. Is this a divine calling, or just another trendy idea we have taken from popular psychology?

The structure of this lesson will help us to first focus on the individual and then on the larger church community. It is based on the belief that even the broken places in our lives can provide opportunities for God to work within and among us, to bring God's healing into the church community and to bring us into deeper, more genuine relationships with God and with each other.

This resource was developed for a wide audience. With this in mind, you are encouraged to use those parts that best serve your needs.

Opening Scripture Readings
Have participants read three or four of the passages below.

1 Samuel 20:13
Psalm 4:1-8
Psalm 12:5
Matthew 10:40-42
John 4:13-15
1 Timothy 1:12-17

Discussion of Terms
After reading these passages, have the group reflect on these questions:

1. What meaning(s) of "safety" are implied by these passages?

2. What faith values are common to each of these passages?

3. What does the word "safe" mean to you? What is a safe place?

4. What words do you think describe the opposite of safety?

5. What places can you think of that are not safe, either for yourself or others?

Imagery and Reflection Exercise
Divide into groups of 2 or 3 persons. Then complete the following exercises:

Exercise One
Individually take a minute to think about a specific situation or setting that has, in the past, made you feel safe. Perhaps it was a particular place, a friend, a community, a song or the reading of a scripture verse. Try not to make any judgments about this safe place. Simply imagine it. Imagine right now that you are in that safe space, and reflect on the following questions:

1. What is it like to feel safe?
2. How does your body feel?
3. What are your thoughts in this place?
4. What memories are associated with this feeling?
5. Are you connected to God in this feeling of safety?
6. What is it that you feel safe from? In other words, if you are safe here on the inside, what is on the outside from which you are being protected?

Ask each person to share their reflections with the others in their small group.

Exercise Two
Again, individually take a minute to think about a specific situation or setting that has, in the past, made you feel unsafe. Consider what feels dangerous, painful or broken about that situation, and reflect on these questions:

1. What is it like to feel that you are not in a safe place?
2. How does your body feel?
3. What are your thoughts in this place?
4. What memories are associated with this feeling?
5. Are you connected to God in this place of danger?
6. What are you exposed to, or vulnerable to, in this place that makes you feel unsafe?

Ask each person to share what they can about these reflections on being in an unsafe place with the others in their small group.

Discussion
The exercises just completed help us define what we mean by the phrase "safe place." Now we ask, "Where and how does the church fit into this?" The purpose of Health Promotion Sunday is to look at those things which impact our health - both positively and negatively, and our health is deeply and profoundly impacted by the access to (or lack of) safe places to be ourselves and to share the painful stuff of our lives.

Unfortunately, those issues that cause us the deepest pain or impact our lives most significantly are many times the issues which we are least likely to talk about at church. The next exercise is designed to help us identify some of those issues too difficult or painful to share and to ask, "Why don't we share these things with our church family?" and "What can we (a church family) do to make our church a safer place to share?"

Exercise: Thinking More About Safe Places
You will need a chalk board or newsprint and easel for this exercise. Divide your writing space into two columns.

Title the first column "We don't share," and write down those hurts or concerns you believe seldom get shared within your church community. (Examples: divorce, addictions, sexual dysfunction, infidelity, faith struggles or doubts, losing a job, death and dying, parenting struggles, mental health disorders.)

Title the second column "Why not?", and using brief phrases, record the reasons why these issues are not shared. (Examples: family loyalty, not invited to share those things, shame/disgrace, fear, don't know how to respond, uncomfortable asking for help, fear of judgment or embarrassment, denial, impropriety.)

After having completed this part of the exercise, you will have in front of you words and phrases pertaining to the obstacles encountered in trying to create safe places for people in church. Now, consider the following three case scenarios.

Taking one at a time, imagine each situation happening in your congregation. First, discuss why it might be difficult for the person named to share about their situation. Next, discuss the obstacles your church family might face in responding lovingly to these circumstances.

Case Studies

1.	Nancy stands up during the "Joys and Concerns" portion of worship, and says that her son Jonathon is gay.
2.	Hector mentions to another board member after a meeting that his wife has been spending many evenings away from home. From his tone of voice, and the context of their conversation, the other member hears Hector saying that he fears his wife is being unfaithful to him.
3.	Renita is home for Christmas vacation during her first year at college. She attends the high school youth Sunday school class on Sunday morning, and shares with them that one of her hall mates committed suicide during finals week.

As you discussed these case studies, were there any new ideas generated for how your church might become a safer place? Add those ideas to the third column "What can we do?"

Finally, on a clean sheet of paper entitled at the top "What can we do?" Write down "What can be done to make your church a safer place to share?" (Examples: conflict resolution training, mediation services, Lafiya care groups, etc.)

Responding to someone's sharing can be as hard as doing the sharing itself. Especially at church, we may feel pressure to say the "right" thing or respond in a way that will visibly make clear our moral standards. Other times, we may not know how to respond. Why then would we want to encourage this kind of sharing? What is our responsibility, as a church community, in creating safe places? These are good questions, and ones that require a return to our focus question - what is God's will in our lives?

Closing Exercise
Turn to a clean sheet of newsprint, or move to a clean section of the chalkboard.

Read John 4: 4-42

Share with the group, "Jesus was well acquainted with his community's judgments against the Samaritan woman at the well. He should not have spoken to her. He should not have asked her for a cup of water. His disciples considered it a shameful act for him to be seen speaking with this woman whose life was less than exemplary. Yet Jesus saw her as a child of God, one whose spiritual thirst was deep. Jesus knew everything about her, yet did not judge her. Instead, he engaged her in discussion. He offered the woman an opportunity for confession and transformation, without causing her to lose any dignity.

Even after the woman confessed her brokenness, Jesus did not condemn or correct her. Instead, he offered her the life-giving water she needed. He revealed himself to her as the prophesied Messiah. He commissioned her to evangelize her own people, spreading the good news of his ministry. Notice that, while Jesus helped the woman, he also requested her help (a cup of water) and honored her ability to help him (by spreading the good news). As Jesus gave witness to the dignity and worthiness of the Samaritan woman, and called forth her gifts for ministry, his disciples were astonished (v. 27). They surely experienced a transformation of their own.

Ask the group to respond to the following questions: (Write down their responses on the chalkboard or newsprint.)

1. "What does this suggest to us about our role as individuals and as the church in creating a safe place for people to bring their sorrow and pain and find healing?"
2. "What can we (this church family/congregation) do to make our church a safer place for people to be and to find healing?"

Share this information with your church's leadership.

Closing Prayer
Gracious and loving God, you are our safe place in which we find comfort, strength and healing - a harbor calm and deep that shelters us. Grant us the wisdom to know how we might best serve as a harbor when life weathers us with storm and loss. Help us live out your example faithfully and responsibly. In Jesus' name. Amen.