Embodied Believing

Note to the Teacher

The key idea in the scripture for this lesson is using our bodies and senses as part of belief. The icebreaker invites youth to be calm and in their bodies. The discussion encourages students to discuss the diversity of bodies and brains among God’s people. The activity helps youth understand how people of various abilities interact with the church building and nature around it. Times are based on a fifty-five-minute lesson period but may be adjusted.

*If you have students with any kind of mobility or other accessibility challenges, try to talk to them ahead of time about today’s lesson. Let them lead on how much or how little they want to contribute about their experience and ask if there are any subjects they prefer you avoid during this discussion and activity. Make sure they are comfortable with the subjects of the day and change to another plan if they are not.

Icebreaker (15 minutes)

Youth groups can often be high -energy. With today’s scriptures and the foci of this series, the target of the icebreaker is for the students to take a minute to be in their bodies. This might be hard. They may have a hard time calming down, but they will get there. If the breath work suggestion seems too challenging for the energy of the room, adjust to the chair yoga option.

Get all the students seated comfortably, preferably with some space around each of them. The following script is a suggested exercise. It should be read with many pauses, calmly, allowing for relaxation and connection within themselves.

Lead them through the following script (or something like it):

If it feels okay to you, close your eyes. If you want to keep them open, find a spot on the floor just a bit in front of you to be your focus.

Take a deep breath. (pause) And breathe out.

One more time, in……… and out.

As you continue to breathe at your own pace, focus on your body. What does the air feel like on its way into your body? Does it feel different as you exhale? How much of your body is involved when you breathe in? How much when you breathe out?

Look/see, touch, eat.

If they are calm and seem comfortable in the quiet, offer the scripture while they are still in this position.

If the group energy is too high, get them to do a couple of big breaths, but move to seated meditative movement instead. You can find examples at this link. Try as many or as few as the group and time will allow.

Read Scripture (5 minutes)

Today’s scripture reading involves the idea of “embodiment.” Read John 20-19-29 (CEB preferred, but multiple translations welcome).

Discussion (15 minutes)

Do you easily believe things you can’t see or touch? If “sometimes yes,” what kinds of things are easier to believe? What sources do you trust without needing to see for yourself?

In today’s scripture, Jesus encourages Thomas to touch his wounded hands in order to believe. Do you feel confident when you ask for something to be proven. or do you shy away from conflict? How would you have acted if you were in Thomas’s shoes?

God sent us Jesus so that humans could experience God in a body. At Christmas-time, we use the word Emmanuel, God with us. What difference does it make to you that our God knows what it’s like to live in a body and experience the world in a body?

Jesus’ experience of the world in a body is likely different from ours. But all our bodies are different from one another. What role does your body play in how you experience the world? What would change if you had a different body?

Activity and Discussion (20 minutes)

Take this lesson to the next level by evaluating the church for accessibility and (time allowing) to start creating a plan of how to help the church and grounds be more accessible.

For five or fewer students, stick together and choose one area to evaluate. With more students, split into groups and have each group evaluate a different area. Remember, if doing this activity while other people are using the church building, communicate this plan ahead of time to other leaders and avoid intruding on other classes/meetings.

Suggested areas: Sanctuary, chancel, nature spaces, education rooms, kitchen/fellowship area.

Ask the following questions about the space:

• If we all used wheelchairs (or other mobility devices), could we access this space?
• If we were all blind, could we use this space fully?
• If we were all hearing-impaired to any degree, could we still participate in activities here?
• If we were all neurodivergent to any extent, would we still feel fully included in activities that happen in this space?
• In any body, can we experience nature in any way in this space? (For inside spaces: Are there windows? Are there sounds of nature if it’s quiet? How is the room decorated?)

Points for discussion:

• What did you find out? What grade would you give our church for accessibility to all people?
• Are there any easy things we/the church could do to make things more accessible?
• Why do you think the church hasn’t moved forward with some of those changes? Think logistically and practically; or has it not been assessed?
• Do you think we, as a group, could help the church make those things happen? Who would we need to talk to here at church? Consider inviting a trustee for this conversation, or to invite youth passionate about sharing their discoveries at a future trustees meeting.

(Think about the abilities of the group - have you created wheelchair ramps on a mission trip? Could you help with that here? Could you do something to raise money for it? Which adults of the church would you need to talk to about these items?)

TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes

NEEDED RESOURCES:

• Clipboards/notebooks, traveling paper easily written on
• Pens/pencils/markers to write assessments/brainstorm