The Gift of the Nutcracker Leader Guide - Softcover

Rawle, Matt

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1501869442 ISBN 13: 9781501869440

Publisher: Abingdon Press, 2018

Synopsis

We recognize the challenges churches face in engaging high school teens in deeper faith formation. Made up of 10 4-week studies, Canvas will captivate your students as they experience and explore the theological beliefs and foundational concepts that ground their faith. By working together to learn from history, tradition, and the Bible, students will uncover a portrait of God that will be an inspirational foundation to their own journey. This undated resource is designed to empower students to lead the lessons themselves, thus drawing students to not only learn about their faith, but put it into practice by serving and teaching others. Flexible to use as a continuation of confirmation, a small group resource, or student leadership resource. Canvas will inspire your students to paint the picture of their faith. As humans, we understand that we are incredibly complex beings. We’re told in Genesis 2 that God formed us with God’s own hands and breathed the breath of life into our lungs, but we also know that we rebelled against God. In Canvas: A Portrait of Humanity, your students will delve into the myriad complexities of human nature and our relationship to God. Over four weeks, students will unpack what it means for humans to be made in the image of God, how that image has been distorted by our sinful nature, and why God continues to offer us a path back to redemption.

About this title

About the Author

Matt Rawle is Lead Pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church in Bossier City, Louisiana. Matt is an international speaker who loves to tell an old story in a new way, especially at the intersection of pop culture and the church. He is the author of Jesus Revealed: The I Am Statements in the Gospel of John as well as The Pop in Culture Series, which includes The Heart that Grew Three Sizes, The Faith of a Mockingbird, Hollywood Jesus, The Salvation of Doctor Who, The Redemption of Scrooge, What Makes a Hero?, and The Gift of the Nutcracker.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The Gift of the Nutcracker Leader Guide

By Matt Rawle

Abingdon Press

Copyright © 2018 Abingdon Press
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-5018-6944-0

Contents

To the Leader, 
1. Clara: Waiting for Christmas, 
2. Drosselmeir: A Godfather's Love, 
3. The Mouse King: Changing Perspective, 
4. The Nutcracker: The Greatest Gift, 
Appendix, 

CHAPTER 1

Session 1

Clara: Waiting for Christmas

Planning the Session

Session Goals

As a result of conversations and activities connected with this session, group members should explore, through the lens of Scripture, what The Nutcracker reveals about the gift of Jesus Christ by beginning to:

• consider anticipation and curiosity;

• examine the dynamics of in-between time;

• encounter surprise and suspense;

• reflect on signs of Advent.

Scriptural Foundation

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: 'The Lord is our righteousness.'

Jeremiah 33:14-16

"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

Luke 1:30–33

Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety." He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Luke 2:41-52

Special Preparation

• If participants are not familiar with one another, provide nametags.

• Have available a notebook or paper and pen or pencil for anyone who did not bring a notebook or an electronic device for journaling.

• Decide if you will use any of the optional activities. For the activity of looking through a keyhole, you will need to cut simple keyhole shapes in sheets of printing or drawing paper for each participant. To view portions of The Nutcracker ballet, download selected segments from the Internet and obtain equipment for viewing.

• Decide if you will sing an Advent carol. Choose one familiar to your group, perhaps a carol with the theme of preparation or anticipation, such as "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."

• For the closing activity in all four sessions, you will need four Advent candles, typically purple. You may want to set up an Advent wreath, or simply have four candles in a single line. Electronic candles are a good alternative if your church has restrictions about lighting conventional candles. Note: Advent candles are assigned a theme each week, although for most denominations there is no hard and fast rule about which candle bears which designation. In this study, the author has chosen to begin with the candle of peace, and then to continue with hope, love, and joy.

Getting Started

Opening Activity

As participants arrive, welcome them to the study. When most participants have arrived, invite them to form pairs and discuss together a time when they were in the audience awaiting the beginning of a performance, whether of The Nutcracker or of some other play, concert, or ballet. What do they remember feeling? What was happening around them in the audience?

After allowing a few minutes for pairs to discuss, ask each person to respond in turn to the following:

My name is _________ and here's what I remember about how I felt as I waited for the performance to begin ...

Tell the group that in this study, they will have the opportunity to explore a familiar Christmas tradition, The Nutcracker story, and what it might reveal about the gift of Jesus Christ. In this session, they will begin to explore the world of The Nutcracker through the eyes of twelve-year-old Clara.

Opening Prayer

Pray the following prayer, or one of your own choosing:

Holy God, as we prepare for the coming of your Son, Jesus, at Christmas, quiet us down. By your Spirit, open our hearts, our minds, and our wills to what you would reveal to us through your story as it is told in Scripture and in the story of The Nutcracker. Amen.

Learning Together

Video Study and Discussion

In Chapter 1, we are introduced to The Nutcracker — the ballet whose music and story are a beloved Christmas tradition for many. Matt Rawle, the author of the study, is the lead pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church in Bossier City, Louisiana, and a graduate of the LSU School of Music and Duke Divinity School. Rawle describes himself as a speaker who loves to tell an old story in a new way, especially at the intersection of pop culture and the church.

We begin by exploring the world through the eyes of twelve-year-old Clara, who peeks through a keyhole to gaze longingly on the Christmas tree that is the center of the party for adults. When Clara is allowed to join the party, she receives a nutcracker from her godfather — a gift around which the ensuing story centers. After viewing the video segment, discuss some of the following:

• Matt Rawle observes that one way to look at this story is to make a connection between Advent and Clara's experience of brokenness. What does he mean?

• He notes that there can be a disconnect between expectation and reality. How is this played out in The Nutcracker? What aspects of the Christmas story illustrate such a disconnect? Where, if at all, have you experienced this in your own life?

• We hear that Advent is a time of awaiting Christ, preparing yourself for this greatest gift of God. But it's also a time of recognizing that this work is not yet complete. What examples can you give of places in the life of your community, the nation, or the world, where the work of the hands and feet of people of faith is still needed?

Book and Bible Study and Discussion

Consider Anticipation and Curiosity

Invite a volunteer to read aloud Jeremiah 33:14-16, one of this session's focus scriptures. Discuss some of the following:

• The author observes that anticipation and curiosity go hand in hand. How does he explain this? Would you agree? Why or why not? When have you experienced anticipation before an event or an evolving situation? Were you curious about the outcome?

• Is your sense of curiosity different if you are awaiting something with dread instead of anticipation? If so, how?

• How does the author suggest that Advent anticipation is unique?

• What function does light serve in the season of Advent?

• Respond to the following questions posed by the author: "How do you use light in your Christmas decorations? How do you tell Christ's story through light?"

Examine the Dynamics of "In-Between" Time

Ask someone to read aloud Luke 2:41-52, another of this session's focus scriptures. Discuss the following:

• The author notes that the point in Luke's story of Jesus' adolescence is how "in between" isn't either/or, but both/ and. What does he mean by that? How do you respond?

• He reminds us that "being 'in between' is always where we find ourselves." In what ways, if at all, do you find yourself "in between" in the sense that Rawle suggests? What spiritual practices do you find helpful in searching, learning, and growing?

According to Matt Rawle, our Christmas traditions help ground us in our "in-between" lives. Form pairs or small groups, depending on the size of your group. In these smaller groupings, invite participants to discuss the following questions he poses:

• What are some of the traditions you most look forward to each year?

• Where do those traditions take place? Do they happen inside your home, or while you are visiting friends and family? In the sanctuary? Somewhere else?

• Do you greet the days of preparation with eager anticipation, or with some other emotions? Why? How do you feel about Christmas Eve?

After allowing several minutes for pairs or small groups to discuss, come together in the total group. Invite each pair or group to report on what came out of their discussion about the final questions that addressed anticipation and other emotions.

Ask someone to briefly describe what happens when Clara is allowed to enter the Christmas party. What special gift does she receive, and from whom? What happens to it? Ask volunteers to respond to the following:

• Describe an episode in your life when you experienced unmet expectations, or when something you'd been looking forward to went horribly wrong. Did you experience panic, fear, anger, or disappointment? Some other emotion?

• The author asks us to consider the possibility that "sometimes when things go wrong we even discover a new, more helpful perspective." What do you think? Has this ever been your experience? If so, what was the outcome?

• In speaking of traditions, he observes that the only thing constant is change. What do our Advent traditions reveal about what that constant is for people of faith?

Encounter Surprise and Suspense

Pose the following questions for the group, and invite one or more volunteers to respond:

• Have you ever endured sleepless nights? If so, what were the circumstances?

• Were you having trouble going to sleep because you were anticipating something positive and exciting, or because of nervousness and anxiety about an upcoming challenge or a difficult situation?

In the ballet, the children retire for bed after the guests leave. The author suggests that Clara has trouble falling asleep; after checking on her nutcracker one more time, Clara falls asleep under the Christmas tree. But she is awakened by a disturbing dream.

Invite one or more volunteers to read aloud Luke 1:26-38, the passage in which another of this session's focus scriptures is found. Discuss some of the following:

• The author suggests that "the story of Jesus' birth sounds like a story about sleepless nights." Why do you think he characterizes it in this way?

• He notes that "we aren't told why Mary greeted God's word with affirmation," and poses some possible reactions Mary might have had to Gabriel's surprising news. Why do you think Mary responded affirmatively? Given the circumstances in which she found herself, how do you imagine she might have been feeling?

• Matt Rawle tells us that one of his clergy friends "often says that God's middle name is Surprise, but I'm beginning to believe that God's middle name is Suspense." Where do you see evidence of surprise in the stories of Jesus' birth from Luke and Matthew? Where do you find suspense?

• The author points out that we do not hear Mary's voice in Matthew's account, nor do we hear Joseph's in Luke. What does he suggest is the reason for their silence? Do you agree with his stated reason, or can you suggest other reasons?

Reflect on Signs of Advent

We read that Clara's dream quickly turns into a nightmare, but the Nutcracker comes to her defense against the giant mice at the last moment. The author invites us to consider if she might have been "so focused on the mice closing in on her that she missed that the Nutcracker was there the whole time."

Remind the group that when the angels appeared to the shepherds, they pointed to a sign that would reveal the truth of Jesus' birth. The author suggests that when we are inspired by the Holy Spirit "to take risks, to pick up the cross, and to step out in faith, God will always supply a sign, a touchstone, or something tangible to affirm our conviction." Yet we must take care about which signs we heed. Invite participants to focus on what tools they use in seeking discernment about how to better follow Jesus.

Ask them to reflect on the following questions that relate to ideas they have considered in this session and respond in writing in their journals:

• What spiritual tools can I employ to align my life more completely to God's purpose in the world, as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ?

• How do I enhance a continuing spirit of curiosity and anticipation for God's wonderful work?

• What spiritual practices might help me further increase and become strong in wisdom in this in-between time of growth?

• How do the traditions my family cherishes contribute to a sense of preparation for the coming of Christ anew in the world? Are there traditions that drain instead of energize our lives during this time? Do we need to let go of some traditions and embrace others that are more life-giving?

Encourage participants to continue to reflect on these questions and others that arise in the coming week. Suggest that they commit to a renewed emphasis on a spiritual practice such as reading Scripture or engaging in regular prayer. For some participants who are not already setting aside time for devotions, this hectic season may not be conducive to beginning. In that case, suggest that they set aside a brief period of time daily for quiet meditation, simply praying "Come, Lord Jesus."

More Activities (Optional)

View a Segment of The Nutcracker

If there are those in your group who are less than familiar with the story of the ballet, help participants enter the story by downloading and viewing a segment of Act 1 of The Nutcracker from the Internet.

Visualize the World through a Keyhole

Remind the group that at the beginning of the story of The Nutcracker, the young girl Clara peeks through a keyhole from the family drawing room to see if she can catch sight of what's happening on the other side of the locked door. She can catch only fleeting glimpses of the festivities.

Distribute the sheets of paper prepared with keyhole cutouts. Invite group members to hold up the sheets and look through the keyhole shape. Then invite volunteers to imagine that they have not seen the space where you are meeting and are not familiar with its furnishings. Ask volunteers to tell how they would describe the space, based only on what they can see through the keyhole.

Acknowledge that most participants who have been in this learning space before can extrapolate what is in the room based on their previous experiences there. Likewise, in Advent our anticipation is not about the story of Jesus' birth, with which we are already familiar. The author observes that Advent is different in the sense that "our thankfulness is overshadowed by an anticipation born out of curiosity over how a child wrapped in swaddling clothes will save our souls and continue to transform the world." He notes that perhaps we might channel that sense of anticipation as a continuing "spirit of curiosity and anticipation for God's wonderful and amazing work."

Ask that participants consider places in their family, the community, our nation, and the world where God's healing work is needed. Ask them to reflect on those wounded places and choose one on which to place their focus. Have them write that issue or situation on the keyhole sheet, then think about what they can observe about it based on their limited present view — what they could see from simply getting a "keyhole" glimpse — and jot down phrases describing that glimpse.

Encourage them to consider opening the imaginary door to reveal more by doing some research on how God's healing hand might be needed, and to commit to taking one step toward being God's hands and feet in the world.

Give Voice to Mary and Joseph

Invite group members to take the role of either Mary or Joseph. Using the Scripture passages from Luke and Matthew, ask them to write a short entry in their journals describing how they feel about the impending birth of the Messiah. What fears and apprehensions are theirs? What hopes? How do they anticipate this news will be taken by friends and family? After allowing a few minutes for participants to write, invite one or more volunteers to read their entries.

Wrapping Up

Point out that the author tells us that "Advent rests in the tension-filled space between Jesus' birth and his continuous work that propels us into the future." In that sense, "Advent is always." Invite participants who choose to do so to respond, popcorn style, to the following:

In the tension-filled space of Advent, and in the in-between space of my life, I will remember Jesus' birth by __________.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Gift of the Nutcracker Leader Guide by Matt Rawle. Copyright © 2018 Abingdon Press. Excerpted by permission of Abingdon Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1501869442
• ISBN 13: 9781501869440
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64