HANDS-ON HELP: STUDENTS

Group, Mar/Apr 2004 by Simmonds, Beth, Hoeflinger, Tim, Kimberley, Chad

SONG SHARES

It's often uncomfortable for students to share their feelings with their peers, so each week we invite one teenager to bring a song on a CD and play it for the group.

We listen with the lights dimmed and candles lit. The song can relate to a person's feelings, struggles, or joys, as well as his or her way of looking at the world or relating to God. Most young people feel much more at ease revealing their inner thoughts in this less-threatening way.

After we're done listening, the teenager is asked why he or she picked the song. Each person receives validation because others always acknowledge that they share the same outlook or difficulties. This has become a powerful and sacred moment in our weekly meetings.

"THINGS DON'T ALWAYS TURN OUT LIKE THEY'RE PLANNED."

Youth leader TARA BULGER, whose youth group tried to do a "random act of kindness" by leaving a package of candy inside an old cannon outside the Athens, Georgia, City Hall building-the police evacuated the building and the bomb squad used a robot to remove the package, which was then blown up. Quoted in Parade Magazine.

CROSSING PATHS

A small metal cross serves as an ongoing prayer reminder and strengthens connections between high school students from our youth group.

To begin the process, we gave a cross to one youth group member at each of the local high schools in our community. These students each passed on the cross to someone else from the youth group when they crossed paths in the school hallway. The idea is that the person handing over the cross also says a short prayer for the person who's taking the cross. The cross passes from person to person as students run across each other at school. This helps teenagers realize that there are people (even people in their own school) who are praying for them every day.

TP NIGHT

Introduce sixth- or seventh-grade students to your youth ministry with this creative "invitation."

About four to six weeks before you'd promote these new students, mail each of them a roll of toilet paper. Attach a postcard to the top of the toilet paper roll, inviting the student to get "TPTotally Prepared" for the next level of ministry at your church. Include information about TP Night, and tell everyone that he or she must bring the roll in order to get into the meeting.

Wrap each roll of toilet paper in clear packing tape. On the outside of the packing tape affix a label with the student's name and address, and then deliver all the rolls to the post office for mailing.

On the given night, introduce students to the adult leaders, share plans and information about the youth ministry, and-of course-play some games with the toilet paper.

PRE-PROM PHOTO OP

Recruit church members with photographic and artistic skills to offer prom-going students special photos on their big night.

Have one or more artists create a scenic backdrop for the photo shoot. If you have lots of students, you might want to schedule specific times for their photo sessions. The night of the prom, teenagers can make the church their first stop for low-cost or no-cost photos. In addition to the photos, provide music, appetizers, and beverages.

This is adapted from an idea that was "stolen" by Mark DeVries from a brainstorming group at a recent Family-Based Youth Ministry seminar. For 309 additional FBYM ideas, visit www.familybasedym.com or www.YMarchitects.com.

BETH SIMMONDS Columbus, Ohio

TIIVI HOEFLINGER Columbus, Indiana

CHAD KIMBERLEY Janesville, Wisconsin