Throughout the month of June we are exploring what it means to be a people of play. A people who explore their bodies, minds, spirits and the wider world with a sense of curiosity. A people who sing, move, laugh, and learn together. Soul Matters describes the practice of play as remembering we can write our own rules, using escape to restore our freedom, and returning to joy. Join us as we play and deepen our faith together!

Reflections on Play:

You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.
anonymous

If I get to pick what I want to do, then it’s play…  if someone else tells me that I have to do it, then it’s work.
Patricia Nourot

In rare moments of deep play, we can lay aside our sense of self, shed time’s continuum, ignore pain, and sit quietly in the absolute present, watching the world’s ordinary miracles. No mind or heart hobbles. No analyzing or explaining. No questing for logic. No promises. No goals. No relationships. No worry. One is completely open to whatever drama may unfold.
Diane Ackerman

Focus: 

The practice of remembering we can write our own rules.
The practice of using escape to restore our freedom.
The practice of returning to joy.

Spiritual Practice:

Go On a Playdate

This is another way to actually play rather than just talk about it all month: Ask your partner or friend to go on a “play date.” What makes up that play date is up to you. That’s half the fun! And half the exploration. By deciding together what to do, you might discover something entirely new about how your partner or friend defines play and fun.

While you need to figure it out for yourself, here are some ideas to spark your imagination: Get lost on purpose, axe throwing, a mini road trip, giving paddle boarding a try, hit the golf driving range, fly a kite, play cornhole, mini golf or better yet frisbee golf. Or maybe make it a double or triple play date and invite over other couples to play The Newlywed or Best Friend Game.

Taking It Home:  Ideas for All Ages

Mystery Person Game

Mystery Person Game is a “Who Are You?” game, that is, your answers reveal who you are, and who others think you are. For PRIDE month, we celebrate everyone’s uniquenesses.

Players answer each question by writing their answers PRIVATELY on strips of paper, including the question number. Players give their paper strips to the leader. Then, the leader reads the answers, “This person feels that blue reveals their personality. Who is it? Then the group guesses who it might be. Keep the correct answer a secret until all of the questions are answered. Next, the leader says, “This person believes that a spotted leopard is the way they see themselves. Who is it?” and so on.

1. Write down the color that reveals your personality.
2. Write down an animal that portrays the way you see yourself.
3. Write down a song that illustrates your philosophy of life.
4. Write down a car that symbolizes you.
5. Write down a comic strip or TV character that you identify with.

Chat About It Prompts/Questions:

• Who fooled most of the people?
• Who was hardest to guess?
• Were there answers which fit several people? Why?
• Was it hard to decide on one color, animal, song, car or character?
• Who was easiest to guess? Why was that?
• Invite the group to tell why they chose the answers they did.

Embodiments of Play:

Playfully Singing on the Way to Work

Musical Connection:

We create two different playlists for each of our monthly themes: one in Spotify and another in YouTube. We organize these lists as a journey of sorts. So consider listening from beginning to end and using the lists as musical meditations. Follow the links below to connect with this month’s “Play Songs.”
Click here for the Spotify playlist on Play.
Click here for the YouTube playlist on Play.

Join us to deepen our faith together:

• Explore resources related to the monthly theme (links above)
• Attend Sunday worship
• Request a copy of Soulful Home (thematic resources for families)
• Join our Parent Group (to discuss the themes in relation to parenting)