Drama Deeper: Retreat for Creative Christians

Organizer: Kimberly Creasman

Other Trainers: Nicodemus, Victor, Peter, Edna, Alvin, Deniece, Dick, Peter, Diana, Dee, Lionel, and Mark Eaton

Table of Contents

July 4, 2009

Drama Basics & Warming Up page 3-4

Physical Worship & Warm Up Exercise: Diamond Ensemble.................Deniece Foo

Charis Christian Church

Devotional & Writing Exercise

Lectio Divina: Psalm 23........... .......................................................Kimberly Creasman

Church Resource Ministries, Theatre Practitioner

Welcome from Host Church............................................................................ Victor Yen

Grace Assembly of God

Exercise:The Machine(in groups of 6-8)..............................................Serena Ho, Alvin Tan

Church of Our Saviour, Theatre Practitioner

DEMO:Psalm 23 Antithesis……………………………………………………..…Company

Pictionary Intros in Small Groups:

“What makes Your Cup Run Over about Drama?”……………………….…... Edna Zhang

Church of Our Saviour

Readers Theatre page 5-7

Practiced in groups (then share all together if time permits):

DEMO:The Fog of a Broken Heart (3) …,……………….………………………….Dick Su

Every Nation Church, Theatre Practitioner

Deanna Poon

Church of Our Saviour, Drama Ministry Leader

Mark Eaton

Visiting from CITA North America, Theatre Practitioner, Portland, Oregon

Gahhhssssip! (6) ………………………………………………………….. Nicodemus Chan

Grace Assembly of God

Deniece Foo, Michelle Lim, Charis Christian Church

Have you Tried Nicotene Watchers? (2)..….…..…..…..…..…..................…..Serena Ho

Church of Our Saviour, Theatre Practitioner

Epic: The Story God is Telling and the Role That is Yours to Play (2x3)

(If needed, 2 groups)...….…..…..…..…..…............................................................…..Alvin Tan

Church of Our Saviour, Theatre Practitioner

Kimberly Creasman

STRETCH BREAK

Playback page 11-14               

Warm up: Chair Change …………………....................................................... Mark Eaton

Forms(First 2 demonstrated, then participants offered a chance to try)

Narrative V…………………………………..…………….. Nicodemus Chan

Pairs……………….……………………………………………………Dick Su

Conventional Scenes (with Improvised Artistic Response)

THEME: A significant event in your life that reflects a phrase from Psalm 23

Collection of your Generous Donations (free will offering)

& Evaluation …….....…..…………...…….....................................…..Diana Loke

Church of Our Saviour

If time permits

The Ledger People ...………..………….…………………...…………..Peter & Diana Loke

Selectscripts: Marriage(Spiral-bound)                                                                             Church of Our Saviour

By Paul Johnson Nicole Johnson

Broadman & Holman Publishers, February 1999. 

Post Workshop Discussion Over (yummy) Lunch

Lectio Divina

The principles of lectio divina were expressed around the year A.D. 220 and practiced by Catholic monks, especially the monastic rules of Sts. Pachomius, Augustine, Basil, and Benedict.

Time

Selecting a time for lectio divina is important. Typical methods are to pray for one hour in the morning, or to divide it into two half-hour periods, one in the morning and one in the evening. The key is to pre-select the time that will be devoted to the prayer and to keep it. Using the same time every day leads to a daily habit of prayer that becomes highly effective.

Place

The place for prayer is to be free from distractions. This means it should be isolated from other people, telephones, visual distractions, etc. Some find an iconto be helpful. The same place should be used for lectio if possible, especially as one first begins to practice it. Familiarity with a location reduces the possibility of distraction away from the prayer. Or, one may wish to pray in an unaccustomed place, for the express purpose of finding a place that will be dedicated to prayer alone and not other daily activities. Some practitioners conduct other devotions, such as praying before the Blessed Sacrament(Catholic Eucharist), as a preparation for Lectio Divina.

Preparation

Prior to reading, it is important to engage in a transitional activity that takes one from the normal state of mind to a more contemplative and prayerful state. A few moments of deep, regular breathing and a short prayer inviting the Holy Spiritto guide the prayer time helps to set the tone and improve the effectiveness of the lectio.

Once the stage is set it is time to begin the prayer. There are four phases of the prayer, which do not necessarily progress in an ordered fashion. One may move between different phases of the prayer very freely as the Holy Spirit guides.

The Four Moments

Lectio Divina has been likened to "Feasting on the Word." The four parts are first taking a bite (Lectio), then chewing on it (Meditatio). Next is the opportunity to savor the essence of it (Oratio). Finally, the Word is digested and made a part of the body (Contemplatio).

Lectio

This first moment consists in reading the scriptural passage slowly, attentively several times. Many write down words in the scripture that stick out to them or grasp their attention during this moment.

Meditatio

The Christian, gravitating around the passage or one of its words, takes it and ruminates on it, thinking in God’s presence about the text. He or she benefits from the Holy Spirit’s ministry of illumination, i.e. the work of the Holy Spirit that imparts spiritual understanding of the sacred text. It is not a special revelation from God, but the inward working of the Holy Spirit, which enables the Christian to grasp the revelation contained in the Scripture.

Oratio

This is a response to the passage by opening the heart to God. It is not an intellectual exercise, but an intuitive conversation or dialoguewith God.

Contemplatio

This moment is characterized by a simple, loving focus on God. In other words, it is a beautiful, wordless contemplation of God, a joyful rest in his presence.