Deep and Profound Mongo Cosmic Questions : Group generated SGM session topics.

Peter Bowden, UU Small Group Ministry Network www.smallgroupministry.net

During the 1990's I served as Youth Advisor at the First Unitarian Church of Providence. Over those years the we developed an emergent curricula. When asked what they do in their group, the youth would answer that they discuss Deep and Profound Mongo Cosmic Questions. The following is a quick overview of how this functioned. We started each year with a some get to know you activities to build trust, cohesion, etc... See Deep Fun Game Book from the UUA Youth Office and the FIVE STEPS TO BUILDING COMMUNITY on that site. Each session involved some activity from Deep Fun. Before jumping into the Mongo Cosmic Question process, it is important to note that over the first two years of my time with this group we developed a structure for meetings that included opening ritual, check-in, discussion/exploration of a topic, and closing ritual. Though we didnt know what small group ministry was at that time, the group was in fact a weekly Sunday morning small group ministry for youth. Most of our youth groups are a single small ministry group. The very first session of the year, after some deep fun, we discussed what the purpose of a faith based youth group is, what are some of the questions - besides general social/support discussion that the group might talk about as part of its regular discussion time. This conversation established the range of topics/areas that our group might explore. What is appropriate for a faith based group - a VERY liberal faith based group -- to discuss? Following the discussion 3x5 index cards were dumped on a table. The group -- advisors too -- listed questions that fall into the realm of appropriate topics for group discussion, exploration and hard core contemplation. After about 20 minutes the cards were collected & duplicates removed. All cards were then put on a cork board wall. Then members of the group remove cards that did not seem appropriate (this was done by consensus). In our group a voting member of the youth group on any single Sunday was any one who signed in (attendance) for that day in our Youth Group Journal (a big black sketch book with sign in page & notes for each meeting). This always raises a question with a group - why do we have to sign in to vote? Because as an adult you only get to vote in church meetings if you are a member who has pledged and signed the membership book! This one day signing in is a good way to raise awareness of membership. With the final set of cards on the wall each person (youth & adult) were given 5 sticker dots to place on cards that were of interest. Note that dots had to be placed on 5 separate cards. Once all dots were placed, the highest DOT cards were the starting point for the years discussion... Youth & advisors brought materials (music, articles, readings) to fuel discussion. At the end of each discussion hanging questions were noted in book (Youth Group Journal). Based on dot frequency and hanging questions, conversation topics evolved & new cards were brought into discussio n. Overall, this allowed for a free flowing, interesting "curricula" dealing with more weird and interesting topics than any standard curricula could produce. Each year the process repeated. This polled the interests of new and returning youth guaranteeing that their four years in the group were always based on their new interests, questions & dot priorities. Did every session work well? No. Some mornings conversations didnt catch their interest. When a topic died, a new card would be chosen. This could be a related topic or something fresh. Cards can be picked by shuffling, pin the chalice on the question, or new dot application. It is great to take notes on the back of cards, list related questions, and save cards year after year generating a Mongo Cosmic Question Archive, possible saving in a nice metal or wood card file.

UU Small Group Ministry Network

Below is a list of the questions generated at the beginning of our second year. Are we just fungus on a cracker? Intellect vs. Instinct? What is more important? Which is a better guide? Why do we need to think so much? Why do we love? Do we even know what love is? Why dont people have power over themselves? What would the world be like without time? Is complexity or simplicity supreme? What if there was a third sex? Do we have SOULS or is the self just a complex chemical reaction? What if people saw colors differently? Do we all perceive things differently? Does language mean anything? What role does it play in our lives? Are animals capable of intraspecies communication? Is anything we are told by outside sources true? WHY ARE WE HERE? Is there a Heaven and Hell? Is the world going to end? Can anyone say they are free of prejudice? Do DREAMS mean anything? Why do we wear clothes? Why do we have men and women if there is asexual reproduction in nature? Why didn't humans evolve to reproduce asexually and have just one sex? Why did ancient civilizations all come up with the same ideas? What is the difference between MYTH and HISTORY? INDEPENDENCE? Is there SIN and is it different for different people? What is SPIRITUALITY? What is REALITY? What is knowledge? What purpose does it play in life? Fate, Destiny and COINCIDENCE? The difference between fact and truth? Is the world just one persons dream or is it a collective dream? Is it a dream? What is it anyway? Are SPACE & TIME characteristics of the physical world or are they just how we perceive things? In ancient times how did people know which things, like plants, were good and what they did? Why did we make up religion? Is it just to give life meaning? What meaning does it give? NATURE vs. NURTURE How is personality created? Is it genetic or environment? Is Time relative or fixed? How does society form its ideas? On what basis? At what point is society out of control? Is it? Can we survive without FAITH? What is faith? Can we really believe in anything?
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Are COWS the supreme beings? Why can't we crack our knuckles right after we crack them? Do animals have eternal souls? Are we animals? Should we eat animals? Is there a parallel Universe? Is it really parallel or just skew? What is our purpose in life? Who/What are the beneficiaries of this life? Where do all our forgotten memories go? What role do memories play in our lives? Why does time speed up when you get older? What is DEATH? What happens when you die? How did EVERYTHING start? IS there a God? What is GOD? Is there only one Supreme Being? Is FATE chosen for us? Do we have any control over what happens in our lives? Can we change the course of fate What is the purpose of emotio ns? Why do we have/need them? Does anything exist outside the human brain? Do ALIENS exist? Is there life on other planets? How would our lives be changed by making contact with an alien species? Are people animals? What makes Humans different than other animals? Why do people assume we are smarter than all animals? Do ghosts exist? If so, what are they? Why haunt? Don't they have anything better to do? Infinity?

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