STARTER
[Share a story with one other person]
Tell of of a time when you failed to recognise someone's true identity or character.

WORSHIP

READ PASSAGE ALOUD

RE-READ PASSAGE AND COMMENTARY
(Personal reflection)

PERSONAL FOCUS
(Personal reflection on the passage / commentary & questions in silence 10 minutes)

COMMENTARY
John's gospel has no direct account of the institution of the Eucharist (the Greek word for thanksgiving and one of the words used to denote the service of Holy Communion) at the Last Supper. Rather it includes this sermon on the "Bread of life" that we have been hearing for the past few weeks in our lectionary. The statement "the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world" is very close to the account in Luke's gospel of Jesus blessing bread at the Last Supper and saying "This is my body given for you". Participation in the Eucharist brings into the present our possession of eternal life and is also a pledge for the future. Here in this passage the people are murmuring. They knew Jesus since the day he was born, they knew his parents, how could he have come from heaven? Jesus does not meet their objection directly, he raises the discussion to a higher level. To understand him it is necessary to have faith. Only God can give faith. God offers this gift to all who are open to receive it. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus and this faith in Jesus (which is described as eating living bread) gives eternal life.(Baranowski)

PERSONAL FOCUS QUESTIONS

1. Which verse in this reading speaks to you?
    What is God saying to you?

2. Describe a time when you felt empty inside.
    What helped you through that time?

3. How do you "feed" on Jesus in your life?

4. How does believing effect your daily life?

5. Where does your life need "nourishing"?

When you have reflected alone, share together in threes.

LIFE FOCUS

1. How do we live out the truth that all that is important is given as a gift from God?

2. In what ways does your church need nourishing?

3. What practical outcome is there from our reflection?
    Do we need to make any plans to make things happen?

GROUP MEMORY TIME
(reveiew the actions you agreed to carry out at previous meetings)

REVIEW TIME
Has this meeting "nourished" you?
If not how might it have been more useful?

PRAYER TIME
Pray that God's spirit would open our hearts and minds to make us more aware of his presence in our worship and living.
Prayer that our worship might be truly celebratory and nourishing.
Pray for the hungry and thirsty in our world.

NEXT MEETING
Fix date and venue of next meeting.