Showing posts with label youth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label youth. Show all posts
Youth: LifeHouse Everything Skit by Glendale Presbyterian Church Youth Group
A couple of months ago, our youth group saw this skit on youtube video.
Many were deeply moved by the presentation and some decided, let's do it for our church.
Well, a couple of Sunday's ago, the drama team after much dedicated practice shared the skit with the congregation.
See it below on Youtube ...
Bravo to the team that put such time, effort and heart into it!
And may all who saw it in person and via you tube be moved to consider what great love Jesus has shown us!
Many were deeply moved by the presentation and some decided, let's do it for our church.
Well, a couple of Sunday's ago, the drama team after much dedicated practice shared the skit with the congregation.
See it below on Youtube ...
Bravo to the team that put such time, effort and heart into it!
And may all who saw it in person and via you tube be moved to consider what great love Jesus has shown us!
Youth: What we don't know ... maybe I don't really want to know?
Came across this item the other day at YS Marko, a blog about working with youth in a church.
I'm not up on the phenomena, but apparently, some web pages allow people to post their secrets anonymously.
In the blog post, YS Marko points to such a web page and clipped a few excerpts of what some teen girls wrote about.
I was with the youth group on Tuesday night and they all seem to be happy well adjusted kids.
What would they post if given that opportunity?
Would they share such things with anyone?
And I have to ask myself this question: would I really want to hear it?
What would I do if I heard such a secret?
Its one thing to read about such things in the abstract, its quite another to connect such gut kicking secrets with a person you know.
I want to believe that I would be able to respond with love and acceptance and not shock and rejection.
I want to believe I would have the wisdom to know what to say if something needed to be said or to say nothing but just give a hug or a pat on the back.
At a YS conference I went to a couple of years ago, I remember one speaker said, there is no such thing as a "typical youth volunteer" because we get all kinds of kids in a youth program so we need all kinds of youth volunteers.
I'm probably as far from a "typical youth volunteer" as there is and so that statement comes back to my recall periodically when I think it is time to call it quits.
I can engage in a little navel gazing here but I have to remember it is about Jesus and helping our students connect with Jesus.
I'm not up on the phenomena, but apparently, some web pages allow people to post their secrets anonymously.
In the blog post, YS Marko points to such a web page and clipped a few excerpts of what some teen girls wrote about.
I was with the youth group on Tuesday night and they all seem to be happy well adjusted kids.
What would they post if given that opportunity?
Would they share such things with anyone?
And I have to ask myself this question: would I really want to hear it?
What would I do if I heard such a secret?
Its one thing to read about such things in the abstract, its quite another to connect such gut kicking secrets with a person you know.
I want to believe that I would be able to respond with love and acceptance and not shock and rejection.
I want to believe I would have the wisdom to know what to say if something needed to be said or to say nothing but just give a hug or a pat on the back.
At a YS conference I went to a couple of years ago, I remember one speaker said, there is no such thing as a "typical youth volunteer" because we get all kinds of kids in a youth program so we need all kinds of youth volunteers.
I'm probably as far from a "typical youth volunteer" as there is and so that statement comes back to my recall periodically when I think it is time to call it quits.
I can engage in a little navel gazing here but I have to remember it is about Jesus and helping our students connect with Jesus.
Youth: Clip of Lifehouse's Everything Skit
Saw this at youth group on Sunday!
Very moving musical skit illustrating how we can be drawn away from God by what the world has to offer and then in our despair we can reach for Jesus and he will reach for us.
Youth: How much more ... episode 3
Our youth group is currently going through a series of teachings based on Bible passages in the New Testament that uses the "How much more ..." formulation to hit home an important point. The first talk was on prayer and how we can be "shamelessly audacious" in coming before God. The second was on the gift of the Holy Spirit and what the Spirit can do in our lives.
I'm pinch hitting the third talk in the series. Am working on a talk around Matthew 12:9-14.
(1) What are some of your identities?
Do you embrace it?
Is it put upon you?
Incorrect?
ASK for reactions from the group
(2) Matthew 12:9-14
Film clip from Pasolini’s “The Gospel According to Saint Matthew”
Read the text
ASK for reactions from the group
(3) Connection to identity - in this case Jewish Identity
Oppressed people
Distinctiveness of the Jews (5 Books of Moses - the Torah, the Temple, circumcision, purity, sabbath keeping.
What was their mistake here?
How does Jesus pop their bubble?
(4) Jesus set them and us straight
Jesus calls them out:
They were placing the rules > doing good.
They missed the point that human being >> a sheep
Do we ever blunder in a similar way?
(5) Sabbath 101
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy"(the 4th Commandment)
What?
Ceasing labor (negative)
Making it holy (positive)
Why?
God is the Creator
God liberated his people from slavery
How to do today?
Eugene Peterson, a Presbyterian minister, describes the "sabbaths" he and his wife observed every Monday, after their busiest day was over: a drive to the country, a psalm, a silent hike for several hours, a quiet evening at home.
Lauren Winner writes, "I've found it helpful to mark the beginning of the Sabbath. On Saturday evenings, I gather with friends for an unhurried time of food, fellowship, and prayer."
David Loughran writes, "we go for a walk in the country, visit friends, study, sing etc. But no energetic sports: swimming, golf, football etc."
Mark Early observes, "Rest reminds us that there is Someone we can rest in. And our need for rest is a daily reminder that we are finite creatures and must trust in an infinite God."
Quote sources:
http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=318
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2004/janfeb/14.16.html
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/sbs777/saccal/sabbkeep.html
http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7440
(6) Doing Good
Examples of doing good (if there is time have group share some)
Perspectives:
The Good Samaritan Parable (Luke 10): doing good on the spur of the moment for someone in need.
David’s kindness to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9): doing good as a determined choice
(7) How much more ...
How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep (or fill-in the blank) ...
Music video
Break out into discussion groups.
Here are some small group discussion starters for consideration:
(1) What are some of the identities you have in your life?
(2) What are things that you do that foster those identities?
(3) How might some of these identities keep us from obedience to God?
(4) How might they be helpful?
(5) What do you think of the Sabbath?
(6) In what ways would it be good to keep it today?
(7) Share stories of someone who did good for another.
Jesus said, "How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
Pray audaciously that we would be ready to do good whenever a need arises like the Good Samaritan did in the famous parable.
Pray about doing good as a choice like King David did toward Mephibosheth.
I'm pinch hitting the third talk in the series. Am working on a talk around Matthew 12:9-14.
(1) What are some of your identities?
Do you embrace it?
Is it put upon you?
Incorrect?
ASK for reactions from the group
(2) Matthew 12:9-14
Film clip from Pasolini’s “The Gospel According to Saint Matthew”
Read the text
ASK for reactions from the group
(3) Connection to identity - in this case Jewish Identity
Oppressed people
Distinctiveness of the Jews (5 Books of Moses - the Torah, the Temple, circumcision, purity, sabbath keeping.
What was their mistake here?
How does Jesus pop their bubble?
(4) Jesus set them and us straight
Jesus calls them out:
They were placing the rules > doing good.
They missed the point that human being >> a sheep
Do we ever blunder in a similar way?
(5) Sabbath 101
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy"(the 4th Commandment)
What?
Ceasing labor (negative)
Making it holy (positive)
Why?
God is the Creator
God liberated his people from slavery
How to do today?
Eugene Peterson, a Presbyterian minister, describes the "sabbaths" he and his wife observed every Monday, after their busiest day was over: a drive to the country, a psalm, a silent hike for several hours, a quiet evening at home.
Lauren Winner writes, "I've found it helpful to mark the beginning of the Sabbath. On Saturday evenings, I gather with friends for an unhurried time of food, fellowship, and prayer."
David Loughran writes, "we go for a walk in the country, visit friends, study, sing etc. But no energetic sports: swimming, golf, football etc."
Mark Early observes, "Rest reminds us that there is Someone we can rest in. And our need for rest is a daily reminder that we are finite creatures and must trust in an infinite God."
Quote sources:
http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=318
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2004/janfeb/14.16.html
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/sbs777/saccal/sabbkeep.html
http://www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7440
(6) Doing Good
Examples of doing good (if there is time have group share some)
Perspectives:
The Good Samaritan Parable (Luke 10): doing good on the spur of the moment for someone in need.
David’s kindness to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9): doing good as a determined choice
(7) How much more ...
How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep (or fill-in the blank) ...
Music video
Break out into discussion groups.
Here are some small group discussion starters for consideration:
(1) What are some of the identities you have in your life?
(2) What are things that you do that foster those identities?
(3) How might some of these identities keep us from obedience to God?
(4) How might they be helpful?
(5) What do you think of the Sabbath?
(6) In what ways would it be good to keep it today?
(7) Share stories of someone who did good for another.
Jesus said, "How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."
Pray audaciously that we would be ready to do good whenever a need arises like the Good Samaritan did in the famous parable.
Pray about doing good as a choice like King David did toward Mephibosheth.
Youth: One of the favorite lyrics from Wicked
Many of the students in the youth group I'm a part of can break out in song from Wicked at the drop of a hat.
One of their favorite parts ...
"So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a hand print on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend ... "
-- from "For Good" from the musical Wicked
One of their favorite parts ...
"So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a hand print on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend ... "
-- from "For Good" from the musical Wicked
Youth: World Premier!
Can you name that movie in one image?
The Artime home was decked out for a world premier viewing party!
You know something huge was going on when sports talk radio hosts are talking about a movie that has nothing to do with sports.
Friday night, August 17, was the world premier of this movie the eagerly awaited sequel to this surprising sensation.
Here were some of the Route re-watching one of the memorable scenes from the film.
Hooray East High Wildcats!
The Artime home was decked out for a world premier viewing party!
You know something huge was going on when sports talk radio hosts are talking about a movie that has nothing to do with sports.
Friday night, August 17, was the world premier of this movie the eagerly awaited sequel to this surprising sensation.
Here were some of the Route re-watching one of the memorable scenes from the film.
Hooray East High Wildcats!
Youth: a recent evening together
Tonight, our time of praise and prayer was guided in part by these two passages:
"After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet ... " -- John 13:5
"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me ... " -- Isaiah 61:1
Lord, remind and challenge our young friends to be servants to one another and to people You bring into their lives. Help them know and have confidence that they belong to You and are enabled by You in unique ways for the people and places You have put them. Amen!
Youth: Parable of the Mustard Seed
In youth group this morning, we discussed Matthew 13:31-32:
He put another parable before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.
To help spur the discussion, we also saw this music video ...
Many of us were quite moved by the video.
What do you think?
He put another parable before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.
To help spur the discussion, we also saw this music video ...
Many of us were quite moved by the video.
What do you think?
Youth: Entertainment Choices and Other Tough Decisions
Am leading the Bible discussion tonight for middle school on this topic.
The Bible part is fairly straightforward. Here is the "three-point" outline I've come up with ...
(1) Life's little instruction book
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Principle: What does the Bible say?
(2) Are you going to eat that?
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Principle: Do not cause others to stumble
(3) Bonum, Veritas, Pulcher = Goodness, Truth, Beauty
Philippians 4:8
Principle: Monitor what we put into our minds
Now, I need to work on the discussion points to lead them into these concepts!
UPDATE: Had three poster boards (red light, yellow light, green light) and had the group jot down things they thought fit into each category. We tied those items to the 3 Biblical principles above.
If so inclined, prayers appreciated!
The Bible part is fairly straightforward. Here is the "three-point" outline I've come up with ...
(1) Life's little instruction book
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Principle: What does the Bible say?
(2) Are you going to eat that?
1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Principle: Do not cause others to stumble
(3) Bonum, Veritas, Pulcher = Goodness, Truth, Beauty
Philippians 4:8
Principle: Monitor what we put into our minds
Now, I need to work on the discussion points to lead them into these concepts!
UPDATE: Had three poster boards (red light, yellow light, green light) and had the group jot down things they thought fit into each category. We tied those items to the 3 Biblical principles above.
If so inclined, prayers appreciated!
Youth: Lee Eshleman Aug. 28, 1963 - May 17, 2007
I saw the comedy team of Ted and Lee, at the Youth Specialties Conference in Anaheim last year.
Their humorous and thoughtful skit showed how drama can communicate spiritual truth. I saw them at their booth and went to say hello and thanks for their work and engaged in some small talk. I wound up talking to Lee Eshleman for several minutes and found him to be a gentle and somewhat shy soul which I'm told is not uncommon for people who perform on stage.
It was with great sadness that I read over at YSMarko that he took his own life after a life long struggle with depression.
Their humorous and thoughtful skit showed how drama can communicate spiritual truth. I saw them at their booth and went to say hello and thanks for their work and engaged in some small talk. I wound up talking to Lee Eshleman for several minutes and found him to be a gentle and somewhat shy soul which I'm told is not uncommon for people who perform on stage.
It was with great sadness that I read over at YSMarko that he took his own life after a life long struggle with depression.
Ted & Lee first performed at a ys convention in the mid-1990s, and have been part of our extended family ever since. I don’t use the word “family” lightly here: they’ve been part of who we are, and we part of who they are, for over ten years. we’ve laughed and cried together, shared questions and doubts and encouragement and spiritual journeys.May God's peace and blessing be upon his wife, Reagan, and their children, Nicolas, Sarah and Gabe and all the friends who now grieve the loss of Lee Eshelman.
Youth: Some cool videos
I'm a molecular biologist by training and that is my day job.
I'm also a volunteer at my church's youth group.
Here are some videos for you to enjoy...
Here is one to share with your youth ministry team mates. Perhaps, it will give a chuckle and some encouragement.
HT: YsMarko.
Here is another video. The idea is that the youth group in one evening comes up with a short film based on a Bible story. The script and shooting is done in one evening. Editing and music is added later. Here are the first results ... has some laugh out loud funny moments and gets the point across.
HT: [reflecting]
Perhaps, the team will try out for the 168 hour film festival next year!
Enjoy!
UPDATE: the other film the youth group shot is up!
The blogspot home for these and future films is here!!
I'm also a volunteer at my church's youth group.
Here are some videos for you to enjoy...
Here is one to share with your youth ministry team mates. Perhaps, it will give a chuckle and some encouragement.
HT: YsMarko.
Here is another video. The idea is that the youth group in one evening comes up with a short film based on a Bible story. The script and shooting is done in one evening. Editing and music is added later. Here are the first results ... has some laugh out loud funny moments and gets the point across.
HT: [reflecting]
Perhaps, the team will try out for the 168 hour film festival next year!
Enjoy!
UPDATE: the other film the youth group shot is up!
The blogspot home for these and future films is here!!
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