Stay Safe It's Your Move Road Work and Trek Groups Get rid of the round tables. Make one long loop with long tables. Everyone sits side by side this week. Gather in the gym. Welcome, & introductions Ask for someone to make the announcements. (See if anyone knows what's going on?) C-Van Theme Dinner, WOF   Which Way Are We Moving Work Zone & High Way Begin with a large group&ldots;  Not Another Baseball Term Do goodbye and "Be safe!" mean the same when parting company?  For some teenagers it isn't so strange - more and more of them use it as their default "see ya." It's an intensive, caring, and knowing alternate for the usual suspects: "Later," "Gotta Blow," and "Keep it real." What if kids', parents and other adults picked up the phrase, as well? I think it would be weird to end a conversation with "Be safe!" I can see myself having a hard time suppressing an ironic smile and keeping my head from tilting to the side while thinking -WHAT? Since when did "Be safe!" become our best advice? Well, since Columbine, 9/11, AIDS, STDs, drunk-driving tragedies, drug overdoses, alcohol poisonings, online predators, and teen suicide became all too common. The culture is now so loaded with youth-stalking dangers that you'll get 3.9 million Web hits when you Google "be safe teenagers." When safety becomes our filter and our passion and our best advice, we've traded our allegiance to the kingdom of heaven with overwhelming fear of our world. Jesus didn't urge his followers to "Be safe!" In fact, his parting words often conveyed just the opposite. Tonight we are going to look at being safe and living out the life that Jesus has commanded us to live.   Break into Journey Groups    Moving In Work Zone  Play The Game Knots Stay in the FLC Have everyone get in a line and grab the wrist of another person so everyone is connected. Then have the leader begin to turn in circles to tie everyone up in a huge ball. After everyone is wound up have all of them grab the wrist of someone else in the group. Then have everyone try to untangle themselves back to a straight line. No letting go to make it easier. Youth will need to go over and under using a lot of cooperation to get untied.    Moving In High Way Sticky Situations Needed: Two plungers and a small pan-o-water, bag-o-candy prizes This relay looks simple, but it can be a real struggle!  You'll need the two plungers and a nice slick floor (noncarpeted and nontextured) to play on. Try the area right at the bottem of the steps. Ask for two volunteers to be plunger-setters-preferably some one with a good set of muscles. Have them stick the plungers to the floor-a little water from the pan will help increase the seal. One plunger should be marked differently from the other. Experiment beforehand to make sure they stick. Tell the plunger-setters they'll need to quickly reset the plungers after kids pull them off. Have kids form two equal teams in the pit.  Say: The name of this game is Sticky Situations. The object is to run to your teams plunger and try to pull it off the floor. After you pull it off, leave the plunger there, then run back and tag the next person on you team. The first team to finish wins and gets first garb at the candy bag.   Moving on Work Zone  Sticky Situations Needed: Two plungers and a small pan-o-water, bag-o-candy prizes This relay looks simple, but it can be a real struggle!  You'll need the two plungers and a nice slick floor (noncarpeted and nontextured) to play on. Try the gym floor. Ask for two volunteers to be plunger-setters-preferably some one with a good set of muscles. Have them stick the plungers to the floor-a little water from the pan will help increase the seal. One plunger should be marked differently from the other. Experiment beforehand to make sure they stick. Tell the plunger-setters they'll need to quickly reset the plungers after kids pull them off. Have kids form two equal teams at opposite ends of the Gym.   Say: The name of this game is Sticky Situations. The object is to run all the way across the gym to your teams plunger and try to pull it off the floor. After you pull it off, leave the plunger there, then run back and tag the next person on you team. The first team to finish wins and gets first garb at the candy bag.   Moving on High Way The Discussion Ask:    What are some of the ways you say goodbye to you friends? Say: Jesus knew we would get ourselves in sticky situations. He knew we would not always be safe. As Jesus left his disciples and others he said the following. Ask: What do you think these sayings meant then and now?     "Do not be afraid" (Luke 5:10).    "Be a testimony to me" (Luke 5:14).    "Go in peace" (Luke 8:48).    "Take nothing for your journey" (Luke 9:3-5).    "Proclaim the kingdom of God!" (Luke 9:60).    "Go and do what I do" (Luke 10:37).    "Be awake and alert!" (Luke 21:36).   Moving up Work Zone The Discussion After you finish the "Sticky Situations" game just stay in those two groups. The group closest to Fellowship hall should go there. The other group should go to the "Great Hall of Pastors."  Ask:    What are some of the ways you say goodbye to you friends? Say: Jesus knew we would get ourselves in sticky situations. He knew we would not always be safe. As Jesus left his disciples and others he said the following. Ask: What do you think these sayings meant then and now?     "Do not be afraid" (Luke 5:10).    "Be a testimony to me" (Luke 5:14).    "Go in peace" (Luke 8:48).    "Take nothing for your journey" (Luke 9:3-5).    "Proclaim the kingdom of God!" (Luke 9:60).    "Go and do what I do" (Luke 10:37).    "Be awake and alert!" (Luke 21:36).   Moving up High Way What Do You Think Say: Lets try to come up with some Christ like alternate goodbye statements that communicate something better and truer. (Give them some time and encouragement.)   Moving out Work Zone & High Way Not Just Another Goodbye  Say: Here are some Christian suggestions for parting ways. I'll give you the message, and then you try to come up with the Christian meaning. Be dangerous! (Let them try to come up with something.) Say: In John 14 Jesus tells his disciples a staggering truth-"The person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things&ldots; Are we expecting teenagers to do greater things than Jesus? Consider the alternative, telling Christian youth their highest calling is to be nice when we should be telling them to be dangerous-for-God. Take the chances that will give your life a higher purpose. We have way more technology than Jesus; our immediate impact can be much faster.    Keep it in the light! (Wait for their thoughts.)  Say: Nothing neutralizes our impact for God's kingdom faster, broader, and deeper than shadow living. Whatever we do, we should live our lives in the light-away from the shadows that give God's enemy room to operate and leverage to sideline us. Stay awake! (What's the Christian meaning? Wait for their thoughts.) Say: Much of our culture is living life asleep at the wheel-that's one reason why we see so many roadside wrecks in families today. Jesus told us to stay alert because there's a "roaring lion" stalking us-he wasn't kidding. What is an example of a road side family wreck?  Be strong and courageous! (What's the Christian meaning? Wait for their thoughts.) Say: When God placed the mantle of leadership on Joshua after Moses' death, he charged him to be "strong and courageous" three times in four verses (Joshua 1:6-9). What was Joshua's charge? Jos 1:6  Be strong and of good courage; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Jos 1:7  Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. Jos 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. Jos 1:9  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Be true! (What's the Christian meaning? Wait for their thoughts.) Say: Rather than elevating safety as our filtering lens, how about reminding each other to speak and live the truth in every environment? Armor up! (What's the Christian meaning? Wait for their thoughts.) Say: St. Paul's parting advice for everyday living? "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm" (Ephesians 6:13). Live large! (What's the Christian meaning? Wait for their thoughts.) Say: For someone with a lot of experience and many triels behind them think of Ira Hatfield. He is a true glowing force of man who's been there and seen that. Living small to him means to live disconnected from our true nature and calling-living large means to agree with God about our place in his great creation. Dare to be as large as God wants you to be.    Come back together in Fellowship Hall   Closing Work Zone & High Way The Leader Closes: Sit in a circle, use candle light and ask for joys and any prayer concerns. Remain Seated After everyone has had a chance to share a joy or concern continue with the following. Say: There are lots of reasons to not get anything out of tonight's lesson and a lot of reasons to not have a relationship with God. Here's the list - You Say: I'm too tired.     God Says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30).  You Say: Nobody really loves me.     God Says: I love you (John 3:16). You Say: I'm not smart enough.     God Says: I give you wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). You Say: I can't do it.     God Says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13). You Say: I'm afraid.     God Says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). You Say: I feel all alone.     God Says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). You Say: I'm always worried.     God Says: Cast all your cares on me (1 Peter 5:7). We are going to close with a prayer of "feelings". I'll begin and as many of you that want to, should fill in the blanks with one or two words. Dear God, when I think of the bad things that happen in the world, such as (Youth responses), I feel (Youth respond). But I know you love us and promise a world filled with grace. I'll keep trying to "Live Large", to live as you have commanded with feelings of (Youth respond), give me patience in these difficult times. In Your name we pray. Amen.   UMYF Benediction and turn out in to the world! Don't for get the Sign-up Sheets!!!!