Fellowship – Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer, obviously, if there is a meal)

Gathering and Opening (10 minutes). In groups of two or three, have each participant complete the following sentence, “When I think of the God as Trinity, I feel . . . because . . .”

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). Read: John 16:12-15 and Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Read the Nicene Creed as a group:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through Him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
He came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered death and was buried.
On the third day He rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father. [1]
With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic (meaning “universal”) and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. AMEN.

What questions or curiosities arise from the Nicene Creed? If you could ask God one question about the affirmations within the Nicene Creed, what would it be?
One of the core truths of believing in the Trinity is that God, by nature, is relational. What does it mean to you that God’s nature is relational? [God is not a solitary being. As those created in God’s image, we are created to be relational.]
What might that mean for how we understand the nature of humanity? For the Christian community? For our growth as disciples of Jesus Christ? [We are relational beings who need community that is sacrificial and other-oriented.]
What might that mean for our relationship with God? [God desires a relationship with us, reaches out to us, and desires a connection with us.]
How does the relational nature of God give us a model for how Christians engage in witness? [Not merely giving of our money but giving of our time and in building relationships.]
How would our society shift if we took the relational dynamic of humanity seriously (as opposed to prioritizing individuality and autonomy)? How would our church community look if we were serious about embodying the relational understanding of God and one another? [We would acknowledge and value mutuality and interdependence. We would see our identities rooted in our communities.]
(R) How does it make you feel that no matter how much you believe you’ve failed or messed up, God still desires to gather you up for your protection and care?

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End by praying the following or a similar prayer:

Father, Son, and Spirit, we give you thanks that comprehending you is not required. If it were, none would qualify. Your vastness, enormity, and love are more than we could attempt to comprehend. Yet, we can also trust that you are a God of wisdom, truth, and love that has been displayed in the person of Christ and that enlivens us today through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

[1] Roman Catholics and Protestants add ‘and the Son’ at this point.