Youth Group Reflection and Discussion
—Imagine (45-60 minutes)

Image: Rod Bower

Imagine

John Lennon

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger
In a brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one

lyrics from: http://www.geocities.com/lyrics_archive/john_lennon/songs/Imagine.htm

Youth Group Reflection and Discussion—Imagine (45-60 minutes)
(ages 14 upward)

You will need:

1. a candle
2. pens and notepad (or whiteboard/butchers paper)
3. CD Player and John Lennon’s Imagine song
4. copies of the picture above either on paper or overhead (you will then need an overhead projector)
5. copies of the prayers.

Reflection:

• Have the youth group sit in a circle.
• Lower the lights and place a candle in the centre of group.
• Ask the group to relax and forget about the week just past and the week coming up.
• Pray the following prayer: (you may want to provide a copy for everyone to read out loud)

"On Seeing Another's Sorrow"

Lord, forgive me for becoming accustomed to looking at children who appear to be eight years old when they are already thirteen.
(brief silence)

Forgive me for becoming accustomed to sloshing through mud puddles which I can leave behind me- they cannot.
(brief silence)

Forgive me for learning to shut out the smell of open sewers which I can leave behind me- they cannot.
(brief silence)

Forgive me for turning on my lights automatically,
forgetting those who have no lights to turn on.
(brief silence)

Forgive me for telling them “Man cannot live by bread alone…” without joining them in their struggle for bread.
(brief silence)

Lord, I want to love them for who they are-
Help me;
I dream of dying for them-
Help me to live for them;
I want to be with them when the light breaks through-
Help me.
Amen.

Prayer was written by Fr. Carlos Mujica who was assassinated in May 1974 for his work against injustice. (Taken from Your Will Be Done, published by CCA Youth, 1984. Pg. 11)

After the prayer give each person a copy of the above picture, or place it on an overhead projector. Play the Imagine song, or read out loud the lyrics.

Discussion:

(You may wish to write down the answers to the questions)

• Begin with asking for general comments about the song.
• What is the song asking us to Imagine?
• Why would it be hard to Imagine what the song proposes?
• Is it harder or easier to Imagine these things at Christmas time?
• Are there people in the world who have no possessions? Who are hungry? Who experience the bad effects of greed? (you might like to read the lyrics in verse 3 out again)
• Who are those in Australia who “have not”?
• Who are the young people in Australia who “have not”?
• How can we help those who “have not”? (here is an opportunity for the youth group to take some positive action: they could do some type of fundraising for the “Christmas Bowl Appeal”, prayer, raise awareness of those who “have not” through drawing posters, or writing their own Christian lyrics to the Imagine song).
• Close by playing the song again, and then pray together the following prayer (you will have to provide a copy of this prayer to your youth):

One: This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
All: How can we rejoice? We have brothers and sisters, all over the country, who must faces issues which may affect their rejoicing.
One: This is a day of opportunity; a time to remember all those people who face oppression and exploitation of various kinds.
All: A time to be challenged to greater action and service, to improve the conditions of all who cry out for justice.
One: This is not only a day for rejoicing, but a day to seek the truth and face the truth; a day when we must not turn away into comfortable enclaves of silence.
All: It is a day of hope that the truth will set the people free.
Yes, this is the day that the Lord has made,
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Amen

Prayer was written by the NCC India sub-unit on Youth. (Taken from Your Will Be Done, published by CCA Youth, 1984. Pg. 111)

(Imagine activity prepared by Johnathan Jones, 2003 Youth Secretary, NCCA)