What it says in the Guide to Teams of Our Lady
5.3.2 The Annual Review
The last meeting of the team year is a review meeting. It gives the team the opportunity to reflect and review its life openly and in a Christian spirit. It looks back on its progress during the past year and prepares for the following year.
Therefore, the review meeting is a time of sharing and mutual aid that the team must live in a climate of prayer, truth, and communion.
One cannot forget that the essential thing is to seek the will of God for the couple and for the team and to respond to His call to live out more authentically the agape-love that is the soul of every Christian community.
It is important that all team members evaluate their progress and establish goals to improve their spiritual life individually and as a couple.
Similarly, couples should consider their experience of the different parts of the team meeting during the year. Based on those experiences, the team should then identify improvements for the following year.
The review meeting is always a big celebration (if possible, with a Eucharistic celebration) where all team members make a joint effort to encounter Jesus Christ. Thus, it will be not only a time to speak about the wonders that the Lord has done, but also a time to consider the journey of the couple and the team and their integration into the Movement with great enthusiasm and hope.
Principles of Review
In all aspects of life, we get better at what we are trying to do if we review our progress and set our plan for the next period of time. That’s why we have the Sit Down for us as couples. It’s why the Team has its annual sit down, The Review. There are many formats that can be used. It may be very good to vary the format of the review, but there are some anchor points.
For most Teams the ‘Team Year’ runs from September to July. Much of the documentation provided by the international movement assumes this Team year.
Couples need to prepare for the review at a sit down. Sometimes this preparation may take more than one session. Of course, it is good to pray together before launching into our couple preparation for the review meeting.
We may use the scripture about ‘building a tower’ Luke 14; 28-30. And there is a video given at the 2023 international college: https://youtu.be/Ofemb1nG3i8
Perhaps main aspects are
To what extent are we able to follow the Teams method, ie, the endeavours, attend the Team meeting, participate in the Team meeting.
Our reflections can also be more evaluative eg, to what extent have we grown closer to each other, to what extent have we grown closer to God. What aspects of Teams could we focus on in the next year. Or a look at the barriers; what might have prevented us from growing in love as a couple and as children of God?
The practicalities of our Team meeting may be helpful to review and to discuss at the Team review. This may include the day and time of our meeting. How we organise it or about who organises and leads. What we do about our shared meal. How could we support each other or build our community by social or recreational contact
How did the Study Topic help us? To what extent was our Annual Retreat a refresh for us, what might we do differently.
What might we or our Team wish to do to support other couples, particularly young couples in our parish or community. What mutual support could we give to becoming intentional disciples?
What are the main things that I would like to do differently in Teams in the next year?
