WEEK ONE: BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW
Insights on the Seasons of Life – Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4 (NIV)
Note to Group Leader and Participants: In this passage in Ecclesiastes, the writer reflects on the joys and difficulties of life. He writes: “There is a season for every activity under heaven.” As the group leader, you will take your group on a personal journey. You will be inviting them to talk about themselves – their successes, their joys, their pains. For some, it may be too painful to share. Do not insist that they talk. Let them pass. For some, they will want to take the whole time for their stories. Ask them to limit their experiences to two or three sentences and remind them that they can share more in small groups after the activity is over. If you noticed that an individual is deeply saddened by what he/she is saying, you may want to offer him/her the opportunity to share more with a social worker, a family member or friend. This is not a time for therapy. It is a time to experience spiritual wellness by recognizing the positive and painful moments in life, and affirming the individual’s memories.
Week 1: You will review terms used in the passage, listen to the passage and follow your guide’s suggestions as you view the art associated with it. At the end, you may want to share your thoughts based on the guide’s questions.
Week 2: You will read the passage together and discuss the questions which follow the reading.
Week 3: You will read the closing reflection, listen to the song associated with it and together answer the final discussion question.
WEEK ONE – ART FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION
Insights on the Seasons of Life – Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4 (NIV)
NOTE FOR GROUP LEADER: While allowing the group to view the images of The Voyage of Life by Thomas Cole, the group leader will read or have the audio recording of the passage Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4 (NIV). In preparation for this reading, the group will discuss and reflect on the terms and historical information provided under “Terms to Understand and Discuss.” After discussing the terms, the group will silently reflect on the photo and then the passage will be read while they view it. The artwork will either be projected on a screen or printed out for easier viewing. The passage is printed below for further review, if desired. Follow the steps below:
Step One: Terms to Understand and Discuss:
Ecclesiasties: one of the Old Testament books of Wisdom. Some claim that King Solomon was the author, because of one of the phrases which identifies him as “the son of David, king in Jerusalem.” The book, in general, reflects on the author’s observations on life and fate, that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.” (9:11). Man’s fate, the author maintains, does not depend on righteous or wicked conduct but is an inscrutable mystery that remains hidden in God (9:1).
The Voyage of Life: is a series of four paintings created by Thomas Cole in 1842, representing an allegory of the four stages of human life. The paintings, Childhood, Youth, Manhood, and Old Age, depict a voyager who travels in a boat on a river through the mid-19th-century American wilderness. In each painting the voyager rides the boat on the River of Life accompanied by a guardian angel. The landscape, each reflecting one of the four seasons of the year, plays a major role in conveying the story. With each installment the boat’s direction of travel is reversed from the previous picture. In childhood, the infant glides from a dark cave into a rich, green landscape. As a youth, the boy takes control of the boat and aims for a shining castle in the sky. In manhood, the adult relies on prayer and religious faith to sustain him through rough waters and a threatening landscape. Finally, the man becomes old and the angel guides him to heaven across the waters of eternity. (Wikipedia.com)
Guardian angel: an angel, that, according to Christian tradition, helps to support and guide a person. This spirit follows and protects every human being throughout life – from birth to death.
Season: a period of the year characterized by particular conditions of weather, temperature, etc.: the rainy season.; a period of the year when something is best or available (dictionary.com)
Time: A duration or relation of events expressed in terms of past, present, and future, and measured in units such as minutes, hours, days, months, or years; a period with reference to personal experience of a specified kind; a period considered with reference to its events or prevailing conditions, tendencies, ideas, etc. (dictionary.com)
Step Two: Art for Reflection (Items needed: Artwork)
Group leader begins by saying: “This exercise is a little different from the others we have done. This week we have four paintings on which to reflect. They are called “The voyage of life”. It’s a series of paintings created by Thomas Cole in 1842. I’d like you to take a few minutes with each image. Consider where we are, what is happening, try to put yourself into the image. Reflect on the journey. Does the artist accurately reflect how a person may be feeling during that period in the life of a human being? Compare your journey at that time of your life to the one represented in the image. I will give you ten minutes to review all four images. (Group Leader gives the group about ten minutes of silence for the group to consider and meditate on the visual impact of the art.) At the end of the silence, go to Step Three.
The Voyage of Life: Childhood, Thomas Cole, Public Domain (nga.gov)
The Voyage of Life: Youth, Thomas Cole, Public Domain (nga.gov)
The Voyage of Life: Manhood, Thomas Cole, Public Domain (nga.gov)
The Voyage of Life: Old Age, Thomas Cole, Public Domain (nga.gov)
Step Three: (Items needed: Artwork, Passage from Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4 (NIV) printed below and questions for discussion and reflection.)
Group leader now says: I will read (or play) the passage from Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4 (NIV). While you listen to the passage continue to reflect on the artwork.” After the reading, the group can discuss and reflect on any or all of the following questions.
- Discuss “The Voyage of Life: Childhood.” Describe the scene. What do you think is Thomas Cole’s perception of childhood? Why?
- From your perspective, does the artist accurately reflect how a person may be feeling during that period in the life of a human being?
- What is your perception of childhood? Does this image reflect your thoughts? How are they similar? How are they different?
- Discuss “The Voyage of Life: Youth.” Describe the scene. What do you think is Thomas Cole’s perception of youth? Why?
- From your perspective, does the artist accurately reflect how a person may be feeling during that period in the life of a human being?
- What is your perception of youth? Does this image reflect your thoughts? How are they similar? How are they different?
- Discuss “The Voyage of Life: Manhood.” Describe the scene. What do you think is Thomas Cole’s perception of manhood? Why?
- From your perspective, does the artist accurately reflect how a person may be feeling during that period in the life of a human being?
- What is your perception of manhood? Does this image reflect your thoughts? How are they similar? How are they different?
- Discuss “The Voyage of Life: Old Age.” Describe the scene. What do you think is Thomas Cole’s perception of old age? Why?
- From your perspective, does the artist accurately reflect how a person may be feeling during that period in the life of a human being?
- What is your perception of old age? Does this image reflect your thoughts? How are they similar? How are they different?
- Thomas Cole uses a male to represent the voyage of life. How might a woman’s voyage be different? The same?
- If you had to describe your voyage of life in one or two words, how would you represent each of your stages: childhood, youth, manhood (womanhood), old age. Why?
NOTE TO GROUP LEADER: At the end of the session, you may want to allow the group to have a few moments for open commentary and thoughts about the session and what it may have meant for them.
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4 (NIV)
A Time for Everything
3 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance…