4.07.2004
Youth group was so great today! The middle schoolers listened and talked and prayed and asked awesome questions.
The theme for the afternoon was a passion/play/holy week/station/journey thing that I concocted from my desire for experiential church activities, research of postmodern youth ministry, the book of uncommon prayer, verses from the bible gateway and music I have downloaded/mixed and burned. Due to Student Achievement Day at BSU, I was rather rushed to set up, but I threw everything together, set CD players to the right songs, lit candles, etc. And put myself in the attitude of happy/uncool/silly/thinks she's funny/youth worker. I chatted briefly with Kari as to what I had planned for the night. We did a little "it will work out" pep talk and gathered the now roaming middle schoolers. I decided I was going to have a good time, whether the meeting worked or not (basically, I kept my expectations low).
I had broken down the days during this (holy) week into ways I thought they could understand and would be fun and interesting. I had some prepared prayers, responsive readings, and a few questions, but mostly I just "winged it". I used my own knowledge of the history of each event and my way of adding "dude" to what Jesus says to explain. I try to help put things in their world view - the cars/computers/school/america view as opposed to some guy 2000 years ago who looks nothing like them (although it is hard to find a picture of Jesus that doesn't look like a WASP). After a little ditsy excited explaination of how much I enjoy holy week and making fun of myself a little bit - this really seems to help me break through my utter seriousness and allow me to connect with them and then they actually, listen, our activities are meaningful and they even learn something, which usually leads to critical thinking and very deep and valid questions. These kids can really amaze sometimes.
We began in (what we at our church call) the upper room. I had "Hosanna" from Jesus Christ Superstar playing as they entered. They didn't like it too much. So, I didn't make them listen for too long, just long enough to hear the chorus. It is really much more effective with the visuals in the movie, which is what I had originally wanted to have playing, but the church doesn't have the video. We sat in a circle on the floor under the huge skylight. They did their best not to bounce off the walls. We talked about what they were saying in the song. The history of Palm Sunday and other rituals that our church does for the day. We looked at a verse that talked about the "Triumphal Entry" and then one girl prayed a prayer I had typed out from uncommon prayer....Give us the courage to open our eyes and see it all – the beauty and the pain. After all, the same crowd that cheered your son’s arrival screamed for his execution a few days later. Father, help us be the disciples and not the crowd. Give us just the smallest hint of who you are and what we can become through you, and we will follow you to the end of it.
Our church has a chapel with a stained glass window of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsethme, so we moved there next. The room was dim, but the light from outside illuminated the window and cast a green glow on us. The mood of Maundy Thursday is far more solemn than Palm Sunday and so we left the lights off for atmosphere. We sat cozily in the first pew and on the floor in front of it. This time it was mostly just questions. Me asking them about passover, communion, betrayal, gethsethme. Basically, I know they want to talk - so I'll let them tell me the story. And by now they were asking thoughtful and honest questions: "How do you know that's what Jesus was thinking when he was praying," etc. Kari and I did our best to answer. And we said another prayer....The words of Christ are posted on flashing neon signs, so bright we can’t ignore them. Then we turn around, and our actions put us to shame...Forgive us God for all the stupid things we’ve done and all the stupid things we’re going to do. Amen.
Our "Good Friday" location was the fellowship hall in the basement of the church. No lights, a make shift altar on a folding chair with my (first nations interpretation) picture of Jesus, candles and red stained glass window projected on the wall and picture. On the tile floor I had candles in the shape of a cross and a CD player with some caustic music (which I had decided not to use). I set the tone as depressing, sad. They participated in a responsive reading which cast them as the crowd telling Pilate to crusify Jesus. They seemed to like this (I think mostly because they were saying the same thing over and over and they knew what to say and they could say it louder and louder). We read verses and prayed. At different times we blew out some of the candles until they were all out and Jesus had died in our story/journey. One guy noticed that the last words Jesus says are in a System of a Down song. Amazingly, I had my system/david crowder* mix queued up in the CD player next to me. And so after our prayer I played it while they were playing with the wax from the candles. We were in the moment, there was nice conversation. I talked to Kari about how I like the juxtaposition of the cultural and xian song together and how it resolves into something positive and uplifting.
*Last year when I was mad at God, I mixed the intro from System's Sweep Pea, a part from Chop Suey and a David Crowder Band song called God of Wrath into one song that I called wrath music. I love the juxtaposition of the extremely cultural and angry sound of System next to a Xian band. The xian song goes from rather uneasy, questioning, frustrated lyrics to that of (possible) understanding, peace, joy, love - dancing music.
Finally, we moved to the choir loft of the sanctuary for "Easter Sunday". We had a bird's eye view of the altar and pews below. But, then faced the huge gorgeous stained glass window of 3 crosses on the back wall for final prayer.Come into our hearts like a storm inside a closed room. Change everything. Pick us up and spin us around and make everything new. Give us that one moment when all things are possible, and we feel like we can do anything in your name. Give us a chance and let us show you that we can change your world. We can be the creations who honor their Creator. Turn our lives upside down, God. Make us new. Amen.
Then, when they were free to go and play the two tough girls of the group opted out in favor of being with God while, dancing, and listening to my crazy, xian, seldom heard, music. They went back down to the basement and reveled in God's presence! This is simply amazing to me - it brings me so much joy and makes all work ever done to plan worth it. The ones with attitudes, who often interrupt and have problems at school - they wanted to go deeper. They even took the CD player up to the chapel, so as not to be disturbed by those running through the basement. (This shouldn't surprise me, it is those in need that God reaches out to.)
Crazy questions - I'm so glad Kari was there to help with answers. Its much better to have two perspectives on something. The meeting totally worked AND they had time to play. We all had fun, learned, were moved and had community. This is what church is about!
Some of my biggest hurdles is trying to make youth group NOT like school, NOT just me talking the whole time, NOT just playing[watching a movie, running around the church] the whole time. I'm constantly trying to figure out how to keep them engaged and not distracted. It is also challenging to contain their hyperness. After school it seems like they are on a million volts. So, I try to find ways to chanel that into positive outlets and facilitate their coming down from those highs. Today, it was easy for me to modify each part - if they seemed more interested at times or had lots of questions that facillitated discussion we stayed in different areas longer. I also ended my problem of overplanning or having far too many activities, dicussions, crafts, etc. where they are left with no time to socialize, commune with each other. I find they love to talk - this is very conducive to guided questions or discussion. I simply ask them a bunch of questions and our discussion is shaped by their answers. I used to make them write stuff down - it worked at one time, but now they really don't want to do that, so we don't. I find when I explain exactly what I want them to do I am much more successful in getting them to do things (like sit in a certain spot). If they know the expectation, it is easier to enforce. I also find I have a much better time and the afternoon is better for everyone if I just give up ownership of the little meeting I created. So what if they are so hyper it is obvious that a quiet prayer won't work, so what if time runs out and you can't finish, let go of your baby and let it grow. Let it become what each youth needs for the night.
The theme for the afternoon was a passion/play/holy week/station/journey thing that I concocted from my desire for experiential church activities, research of postmodern youth ministry, the book of uncommon prayer, verses from the bible gateway and music I have downloaded/mixed and burned. Due to Student Achievement Day at BSU, I was rather rushed to set up, but I threw everything together, set CD players to the right songs, lit candles, etc. And put myself in the attitude of happy/uncool/silly/thinks she's funny/youth worker. I chatted briefly with Kari as to what I had planned for the night. We did a little "it will work out" pep talk and gathered the now roaming middle schoolers. I decided I was going to have a good time, whether the meeting worked or not (basically, I kept my expectations low).
I had broken down the days during this (holy) week into ways I thought they could understand and would be fun and interesting. I had some prepared prayers, responsive readings, and a few questions, but mostly I just "winged it". I used my own knowledge of the history of each event and my way of adding "dude" to what Jesus says to explain. I try to help put things in their world view - the cars/computers/school/america view as opposed to some guy 2000 years ago who looks nothing like them (although it is hard to find a picture of Jesus that doesn't look like a WASP). After a little ditsy excited explaination of how much I enjoy holy week and making fun of myself a little bit - this really seems to help me break through my utter seriousness and allow me to connect with them and then they actually, listen, our activities are meaningful and they even learn something, which usually leads to critical thinking and very deep and valid questions. These kids can really amaze sometimes.
We began in (what we at our church call) the upper room. I had "Hosanna" from Jesus Christ Superstar playing as they entered. They didn't like it too much. So, I didn't make them listen for too long, just long enough to hear the chorus. It is really much more effective with the visuals in the movie, which is what I had originally wanted to have playing, but the church doesn't have the video. We sat in a circle on the floor under the huge skylight. They did their best not to bounce off the walls. We talked about what they were saying in the song. The history of Palm Sunday and other rituals that our church does for the day. We looked at a verse that talked about the "Triumphal Entry" and then one girl prayed a prayer I had typed out from uncommon prayer.
Our church has a chapel with a stained glass window of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsethme, so we moved there next. The room was dim, but the light from outside illuminated the window and cast a green glow on us. The mood of Maundy Thursday is far more solemn than Palm Sunday and so we left the lights off for atmosphere. We sat cozily in the first pew and on the floor in front of it. This time it was mostly just questions. Me asking them about passover, communion, betrayal, gethsethme. Basically, I know they want to talk - so I'll let them tell me the story. And by now they were asking thoughtful and honest questions: "How do you know that's what Jesus was thinking when he was praying," etc. Kari and I did our best to answer. And we said another prayer.
Our "Good Friday" location was the fellowship hall in the basement of the church. No lights, a make shift altar on a folding chair with my (first nations interpretation) picture of Jesus, candles and red stained glass window projected on the wall and picture. On the tile floor I had candles in the shape of a cross and a CD player with some caustic music (which I had decided not to use). I set the tone as depressing, sad. They participated in a responsive reading which cast them as the crowd telling Pilate to crusify Jesus. They seemed to like this (I think mostly because they were saying the same thing over and over and they knew what to say and they could say it louder and louder). We read verses and prayed. At different times we blew out some of the candles until they were all out and Jesus had died in our story/journey. One guy noticed that the last words Jesus says are in a System of a Down song. Amazingly, I had my system/david crowder* mix queued up in the CD player next to me. And so after our prayer I played it while they were playing with the wax from the candles. We were in the moment, there was nice conversation. I talked to Kari about how I like the juxtaposition of the cultural and xian song together and how it resolves into something positive and uplifting.
*Last year when I was mad at God, I mixed the intro from System's Sweep Pea, a part from Chop Suey and a David Crowder Band song called God of Wrath into one song that I called wrath music. I love the juxtaposition of the extremely cultural and angry sound of System next to a Xian band. The xian song goes from rather uneasy, questioning, frustrated lyrics to that of (possible) understanding, peace, joy, love - dancing music.
Finally, we moved to the choir loft of the sanctuary for "Easter Sunday". We had a bird's eye view of the altar and pews below. But, then faced the huge gorgeous stained glass window of 3 crosses on the back wall for final prayer.
Then, when they were free to go and play the two tough girls of the group opted out in favor of being with God while, dancing, and listening to my crazy, xian, seldom heard, music. They went back down to the basement and reveled in God's presence! This is simply amazing to me - it brings me so much joy and makes all work ever done to plan worth it. The ones with attitudes, who often interrupt and have problems at school - they wanted to go deeper. They even took the CD player up to the chapel, so as not to be disturbed by those running through the basement. (This shouldn't surprise me, it is those in need that God reaches out to.)
Crazy questions - I'm so glad Kari was there to help with answers. Its much better to have two perspectives on something. The meeting totally worked AND they had time to play. We all had fun, learned, were moved and had community. This is what church is about!
Some of my biggest hurdles is trying to make youth group NOT like school, NOT just me talking the whole time, NOT just playing[watching a movie, running around the church] the whole time. I'm constantly trying to figure out how to keep them engaged and not distracted. It is also challenging to contain their hyperness. After school it seems like they are on a million volts. So, I try to find ways to chanel that into positive outlets and facilitate their coming down from those highs. Today, it was easy for me to modify each part - if they seemed more interested at times or had lots of questions that facillitated discussion we stayed in different areas longer. I also ended my problem of overplanning or having far too many activities, dicussions, crafts, etc. where they are left with no time to socialize, commune with each other. I find they love to talk - this is very conducive to guided questions or discussion. I simply ask them a bunch of questions and our discussion is shaped by their answers. I used to make them write stuff down - it worked at one time, but now they really don't want to do that, so we don't. I find when I explain exactly what I want them to do I am much more successful in getting them to do things (like sit in a certain spot). If they know the expectation, it is easier to enforce. I also find I have a much better time and the afternoon is better for everyone if I just give up ownership of the little meeting I created. So what if they are so hyper it is obvious that a quiet prayer won't work, so what if time runs out and you can't finish, let go of your baby and let it grow. Let it become what each youth needs for the night.