Objectives

 FAITH & FINANCES: Find Your RoleIntroduction to the 12 Week Course: Facilitator ScriptObjectivesBy the end of this session, we will have:Named reasons why financial education is important;Connected these reasons to descriptions of God’s work of reconciliation and discussed any tensions or disparitiesFamiliarized ourselves with Faith & Finances and the different ways to be involved in this community;Enjoyed a meal together and prayed for the Spirit’s guidance in this next step;Selected our roles in the Faith & Finances learning communityMaterials Needed: Flipchart/stand/Tape Post-it Notes (both yellow and blue)Preparation Needed: Flipcharts (6 total): Descriptions of the roles of participant, ally, resource partner (3); Faith & Finances Course Map (2); Blank chart entitled “Why Money Matters” (1)Meal or refreshments2 signs on the walls: Colossians 1:19-20; Isaiah 65:22-23Signs & props listed in An Overview of Eva and Isaac’s Journey (instructions available under “Facilitate Your Faith & Finances Class” on the Chalmers user portal)Time1 hour, plus a mealRoom Layout: The room should be set up so that the blank chart, “Why Money Matters,” is to the participants’ left and the two signs with scripture passages to their right. The Faith & Finances Course Map and Role Descriptions will go up in between when you reach this point in the conversationChart contentA Participant is anyone who:wants to learn more about basic financeslives on a low or fixed incomehas debts or struggles with saving and spendingCommitments of a Participant:Attend all 12 sessions of Faith & Finances$_____ for course materialsCommit to honest discussionAn Ally is someone who:Desires all people to flourish spiritually and economicallyIs a mutual learner with others in the courseWill encourage those who may struggle financiallyCommitments of an Ally:Attend and participate in all 12 sessions of Faith & FinancesAvoid a financial relationship with participants unless first contacting the facilitatorCommit to being a Faith & Finances ally for one yearTo spend time in conversation with participants during and after the course, helping where needed with spending plans and savings goalsA Supporter is someone who:Desires all people to flourish spiritually and economicallyHas specific gifts or resources related to childcare, meal preparation, cleaning, networking, marketing, mitments of a Supporter:Commits to follow through with every commitmentCommunicate any challenges associated with assigned tasks and ideas to improve processes__________________________________________________________________________________________________________INTRODUCTION & AN OVERVIEW OF EVA AND ISAAC’S JOURNEY (15 MIN)Good evening, everyone! It’s great to see you all here. Tonight, we are going to introduce ourselves to the Faith & Finances Learning Community, share a meal and create space to discern how God is calling us to take part in this exciting next step. I think He has more in store for us than anyone here can guess, so let’s jump right in. [Introduce yourself and explain why this topic interests you—but don’t give away too much about the first activity!]We’re going to take a look at the story of two people we will get to know very well over the coming weeks. Eva and Isaac married young and had little support around them. They struggle in their relationship with one another day to day, especially in managing their money. But they are tired of the cycle they are in, and ready to make some changes! They start by examining their values and attitude about money. Some of their story may include things you have never experienced, and some of it may be very familiar to you. Let’s be honest. It’s not easy! I’ll need two volunteers: one to play Eva, and one to play her husband, Isaac. We’re gonna walk you through a little bit of their journey. [Eva and Isaac to pass around the room to the various signs showing the key pieces of the Faith & Finances curriculum] Values and Attitudes (sign and photo on wall for each bold heading) After thinking about God’s design for their money and relationships, they start examining what’s important to them. What is influencing their spending? They’re ready to be honest with themselves. Where is all their money going? They know they’re spending it – as they start to collect receipts, but what is it going toward? And why? PursePile of receiptsSales ads Financial Challenges In doing this, they also start to come to terms with their challenges. Eva struggles with smoking – almost a pack a day now. She knows it adds up in cost, but it’s her only ‘out’ sometimes. Isaac spends a lot time out, and with friends. Since Eva’s mother moved in with them, he finds lots of reasons to be gone. Cigarettesearphones/iPhone/beer bottlethe mother (head shawl) Savings Goals Still, they are convinced they have to work together. They start small with savings goals. One thing they notice as they begin tracking expenses is how much they spend on laundry: they couldn’t believe it when they added it all up! Eva wanted to pull her hair out! They’re tired of using the laundromat – it’s expensive, sometimes it doesn’t feel safe, so they commit to saving $80 for a used washer and dryer. laundry basket & detergentdig for quarters Spending Plan Together, they realize, okay…we’ve gotta make a budget if we’re going to get this right. And we’re all in this together, so everyone’s included, Eva’s mother, and even Michael, their teenage son. Michael, where are you? You’re in this too! Sure, there are still lots of fights and disagreements over their spending, but they’re determined. They know God has made them for something larger than this situation they’re in. CalculatorMichael, the son (hat) Living Simply Now that they’re working together, they commit to living simply. But, everyone has different ideas about what that means. When they get their taxes back, you’d think it was Christmas! Everyone wanted something new! But, instead of spending it all this, time, they commit to save it. Everyone buys one simple thing that they need. They even start to look for ways to be generous… "Big" tax refund check - pulling it in different ways Joyful Giving Now that they see how their money is part of God’s work in the world, they’re finding that generosity is becoming a natural response to God and others. So they make a plan to give to the local church, and to a neighbor in need. They even start helping each other – with laundry and other chores. Signs – church and neighbor in need (2 volunteers) Managing Debt With all this in mind, they make a plan to attack their debt and build their assets. Even though they have a budget now, there are still a lot of temptations out there that can get them into debt! There’s a lot of quick fixes and confusing messages in the community, but Eva and Isaac aren’t buying them. They are ready for some lasting change! Erase bad credit signs (volunteers) Getting Banked After learning about good financial services, Eva and Isaac get rid of some credit cards and start saving using a bank account! This way, they can say goodbye to Jessica, the payday lender, for good! Cut up fake credit cardsJessica (sign) Emergency Fund Finally, they’re learning to protect the assets they do have by building a family emergency fund—everyone in the household has learned how important it is to build up that fund! Things aren’t perfect, but they’re working together. With the help of God and their community, they are on the way to becoming financially healthy! Let’s have some applause for Eva and Isaac! NAMING REASONS WHY BEING AWARE OF HOW WE HANDLE OUR MONEY IS IMPORTANT (25 MIN)So, now that you have had a taste of the kind of things we’ll explore together in Faith & Finances, grab a stack of post-it notes and write one reason why the way we handle our money matters. This can come from the skit we just watched and from your personal experiences. After you’ve written one, stick it to the chart that says, “Why Money Matters.”[Sit down and write your own thoughts to give participants time to think and write their responses]Now that we’ve thought a little about the importance of managing our money, take another post-it note and write a challenge to doing this in a way that is honoring to God and healthy for us and our community, and stick that on the chart as well.[Keep an eye on the notes going up on the wall—be sure that ideas such as economic inequality, materialism, a difficult job market, exploitative lending practices, the way financial troubles can harm marriages and other relationships, etc. appear on the chart]Thank you, everyone. Now, let’s take a look over on the other side of the room at a couple verses from scripture about how God intends money to play into our lives and relationships. Could I get a volunteer to read Colossians 1:19-20?For in him [Jesus], God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.Thank you for reading. God’s work in the world does not stop with our hearts and minds. As Jesus says in Revelation, “I am making all things new”—this includes our broken relationships with money and other people. Can I have another volunteer read Isaiah 65:22-23?They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their descendants with them.What a beautiful picture of God’s peace and justice! It sounds like a lot of the challenges you posted on the wall are not part of the way God designed life to be, and yet they are what we seem to encounter day-in and day-out. But how can we begin to bridge this gap between all of these broken things [move to the signs with scripture] and God’s work of reconciling all things? That’s exactly what we’re going to try in this Faith & Finances community. We believe God is making all things new; all of the broken things are being repaired, and he invites to work with Him. Yet, this world we live in is complicated and confusing, just like what we saw Eva and Isaac encountering. What exactly is Faith & Finances? It starts with 12 sessions. We’ll eat dinner together and discuss one of the the key issues that are posted around the room [Direct attention to the signs used in the Eva and Isaac intro—the titles to the weekly lessons]. Each 90-minute gathering is a safe place to work on necessary skills and attitudes. We’ll discuss everything from the connection between our money and our relationships to saving and spending plans; from living simply to taking out loans and planning for long-term changes. What about you? What kind of an impact do you think Faith & Finances could have on people in this community? How can we start to bridge this gap between the way God designed things to be, and the way we experience financial challenges? [Allow a brief time of discussion]WAYS TO BE INVOLVED (20 MIN)[Put up charts with Role Descriptions]It sounds like Faith & Finances could have some interesting impacts on people’s lives—but not everyone would participate in the same way. There a few different roles to be played in this community. [Go through the descriptions and commitments of each role]Questions!If you feel like being a Participant is the right step for you, and there is someone in your life you feel would be a good Ally for you to have in the course, bring them! My contact information is available. Feel free to connect me to people you think may be interested in being involved. Alright, before we enjoy this meal, I’d like to tell you how things are going to wrap up tonight. If you feel that Faith & Finances is something God is calling you toward, write your name and a way to get in touch with you on a sticky note on your way out, and stick it to one of the three roles up on the wall. A MEAL AND FELLOWSHIPPrayer for the meal and for wisdom as we begin this journey together [Show this video of Faith & Finances in action, available at ]Thank you all for coming! Don’t forget to write your name and contact information on a sticky note and place it on one of the three roles. We’ll have our first get-together on ________________. We look forward to seeing you! ................
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