Collectedness - On Letting Guilt Collect (Focus 5 of 5)

Consider this ice breaker as you gather for the Spotlight:
Has there ever been a time when you felt you felt "guilty by association?" What did you do about it, if anything?

See what this Spotlight—and series—is focused on.
Tap on the words "Focus 5" in the image below to read this Spotlight's summary.

Pray this short prayer as you get rolling into this final Spotlight of the series.

Lord, 
When we feel small and polluted by the imperfections all around
remind us that you reach out to us with your pure presence 
cleansing us, strengthening us, and leading us.
Amen.

Respond with praise to the God who is faithful.
After Solomon prayed over the people (with great humility), he turned to them and blessed them with words of hope and praise.

(Read these words aloud together with the same hope and confidence that the people of God, standing before his temple and in his presence, could pray—if you’re doing this in a group, that is.)
 

What’s your favorite part of the blessing you just read?

Now, celebrate this forgiving God with this song.

Share the Work of the Chief Seattle Club

Help spread awareness of the Chief Seattle Club's mission by sharing information with someone in your network.

Instructions:

1. Reflect (5 minutes):
   • Take a moment to reflect on what you've learned about the Chief Seattle Club and its impact on the community, particularly its efforts to support urban Native peoples. Share with the group so everyone can reflect together. 
2. Identify a Friend (2 minutes):
   • Think of someone in your life who would appreciate learning about the important work of the Chief Seattle Club. This could be a friend, family member, or colleague.
3. Craft Your Message (8 minutes):
   • Write a brief message to share with your friend about the Chief Seattle Club. Consider including:
     • A brief overview of the Club’s mission and impact.
     • Why you find their work inspiring or important.
     • An invitation for your friend to learn more or support the Club.
   • You can choose to send this message via text, email, or social media.
4. Send Your Message (3 minutes):
   • Send your message to your chosen friend, encouraging them to learn more about the Chief Seattle Club and its mission.
5. Reflection:
   • Consider these questions for reflection:
     • How did it feel to share this information with someone else?
     • What impact do you think sharing awareness can have on community support for organizations like the Chief Seattle Club?

Remember, you can follow the Chief Seattle Club on social media using the buttons below:
+ LIKE ON FACEBOOK
+ FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM
+ FOLLOW ON TWITTER

Feel free to submit a prayer request by filling out the below form.
(If you choose to make your request public, you'll see it display in the Current at the end of the Spotlight along with anyone else who did the same.)

Pray through your requests—together—as a group.
After submitting your requests in the above form, take some time to share with your group whatever requests the group might have for this week.

Review this series.
Thank you for being a part of the On Letting Guilt Collect series. Hopefully, you and your group have learned through it and you see the way God’s incredible love meets our incredible (and multifaceted) guilt—perfectly.

The goal of this series has been to embrace the realities of collective guilt and sin so that you can experience what Paul was celebrating in the book of Romans:

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:20–21

May you be courageous in acknowledging collective sin along with individual sin because you are bolstered by the life-giving reality of a God who has grace to spare.

By way of review, take a quick read through the perspectives from this series:
(Which of these are you particularly glad to be taking with you?)

1. When something’s precious, everything that touches it goes up in value.
2. God crafts, applies, and restores you to make you a true collectible.
3. You’re one-of-a-kind, but not the only one. There’s no value in a vacuum.
4. What makes you unique connects you to other things and helps you belong.
5. You are something else, and while God loves you for it, he loves the rest, too.
6. While you are unique, you are also designed to fit in God's family. 
7. We share what we share, and God makes the most of it - the good and the bad.
8. God gives you a place in a universe of parts all designed to love.
9. Finding where you fit allows you to contribute as only you can.
10. What's the point of a collectible that's not in a collection? 
11. You are who you are, but you are not simply you. You’re complicated.
12. When collective sin brings personal guilt, God comes down with solutions.
13. Our failures can become ways you’re proud of the God you have.
14. Even if our collective has faults, it’s better to belong than to be alone.
15. We can be honest about guilt because we trust in God, not ourselves. 
16. We can't hide from God, and thanks to his love and grace, we never need to.
17. Collected people will also be guilty - and can bask in forgiveness. 
18. Acknowledging guilt opens doors to living with more integrity. 
19. In God's kingdom, collective guilt is nothing to be ashamed of.
20. As long as there are sinful people to collect, there will be collective guilt.
21. The confessing heart beats in a way that can sync up with other hearts.
22. Walking together and walking in the light means being visible.
23. Humble confession perfectly positions us for acts of service. 
24. God’s abundant grace leads you and me to embrace letting guilt collect.

(If you were going to tell a friend why this series was worth it to you, what would you tell them?)

Close with peace by listening to this song about the good will of God.
God is the one who can “work all things for good”—even our collective failures. Allow this song to give you a deeper appreciation for God’s ability to mold us to his good will.

Sing along with (or listen to) this song to close out this Spotlight.
Feel free to sing along or simply listen. Do what makes you comfortable—but do whatever helps you focus on the song's meaning best.

Let's wrap things up by taking a look at what's Current at Illume.

Tap on the buttons in the frame below to see what’s currently happening at Illume—information on everything from current and upcoming online content to live events and opportunities to serve in the community can all be found here.