In the Beginning Setting the stage Read "Genesis" means beginning, and the Book of Genesis contains not one but two stories of beginning. Sacred to at least three of the world's great religions, these accounts of the beginnings of time reflect the finest traditions of storytelling. The text for this session, Genesis 1:1-2:4, is one of these accounts. the other is found in Genesis 2:4 and following. The differences between the two stories are interesting. In Genesis 1, creation takes place in six distinct days. God speaks creation into being, beginning with the creation of light in the midst of the formless void. Living creatures are made on the fifth day. Human beings (male and female) are made on the sixth day. God rests on the seventh day. In Genesis 2:4 and following, God hand-forms creation in an unspecified amount of time. Adam is made first. after creating Adam, God plants a garden and fills it with living creatures, including Eve, who is like Adam.  The two stories are very different , yet both testify that the universe had a definite starting point and that God was and is still the power behind creation. Biblical scholars believe that the first passage is not as old as the version in Genesis 2:4 and following. Genesis 1 is more thorough and dramatic probably from a time of organized worship. It is meant to be read aloud to an audience, perhaps an audience at worship. The Genesis 2 passage reflects an earlier time, when stories of God would have been repeated around a campfire rather than a formal worship setting. Both stories empower the wonder of creation---God speaking all things into being and making human beings in God's own image.     Needed: paper, pencils Form pairs or triads. Distribute paper and pencils to each team and invite them to make a list of what they believe are the most important creations of the past fifty years. Let the teams know they are free to choose any creations or inventions they wish, tangible(objects) or intangible (ideas), as long as the team is unanimous in its choices and can provide a rational for each one. Give the teams about five minutes to discuss their choices, Then call time and invite them to share their top-five with the rest of the group. Select a volunteer to make a master list of inventions as they read, place check marks next to those that are chosen multiple times. After all the choices are shared, discuss the master list. What items on the list are the most debatable? Least debatable? What other items should be on the list? What, if anything, do the youth know of the stories behind the creation of the items of the list?  Tell the Story, Story/Game Road Work and Trek: Arrange chairs in a circle, facing outwards, and invite participants to sit. Tell them that you are about to read a story and that you will need help providing dramatic effects. To select helpers, remove one chair and ask the group to walk silently around the outside of the circle while you read the passages aloud. When you stop reading, everyone must find a seat immediately. Whoever can't find a seat will make a noise or dramatic gesture that best summarizes what occurred in the Scripture that was read. After making sure that everyone understands the procedure (musical chairs without the music), remove one more chair from the circle and begin. Read Genesis 1:1-5 as the youth walk around. At the conclusion of the reading, have the person(s) who is/are standing create a dramatic effect for that day. Repeat the process for each day, remove a chair each time. After the sixth day (1:31), return all chairs to a circle facing in and read the passage while sitting down.  Journey: Needed: objects that correspond to each day of creation, a bright flashlight, a damp cloth, a plant in a pot, moon and stars, bird and fish, tigers and cows, join hands. Invite the group to sit in a circle. Make the room as dark as possible and tell the group that the story you are about to relate has been told for thousands of years. Encourage them to tune out any outside interference as they listen to the story. When everyone has settled in, read or invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1-2:4. As you read, pass the objects that correspond to each day around the circle. Start in the dark with the reader holding the flashlight to read, then pass it around the circle. At the beginning of the second passage turn on the lights. Read the passages slowly and clearly, allowing time for everyone to touch each object before hearing about the next day. At the conclusion of the reading, invite the group to rest and consider the story. Remain silent for about thirty seconds. Reacting to the Story Road Work: Need: Play-doh Ask the youth to think about the object or image from this story that most stands out in their minds. Then give each some Play-Doh and invite them to make the object or a representation of the image that they have in mind. Tell them they have only 5 minutes. After the time has passed, encourage a few volunteers to share what they made and why they made it. Trek & Journey: Needed: paper and pencils Ask the group to imagine that they have been given the opportunity to travel back in time to the very beginning of creation for one minute. They may choose any point in the process of creation described in the passage they just read, but they may make only one trip, and they may stay there only one minute. Allow a few moments for the participants to decide how they would respond to that opportunity. Then invite them to talk about which moment they would choose and why. Note: Some youth may say that they can't imagine going back to a point in time described in this passage. Some may not believe that creation happened in this way and may prefer to go back to a "big bang" or some other theorized beginning point.  Others may say that they believe that this account of creation should not be taken literally but understood as a description of how things might have happened. If yhe participants seem uncomfortable with the activitiy, use their discomfort as an opportunity to talk about the tension that exists between scientific accounts of creation and biblical accounts of creation and biblical accounts of creation.  These feelings are appropriate reactions to this story. When everyone who wants to share has had a chance to do so, distribute paper and pencils and invite the participants to write one question they would like to ask God about creation. After they have written their questions, have them fold up their papers and place them in a pile. Connecting to the Story Road Work: Game, Needed: balloons Time to explore the Big Bang theory! Divide into two equal teams. Each team member runs to a chair blows up a balloon, and then sits on it until it pops! Have fun a few of rounds. Maybe hop on one leg to it, etc&ldots;   Trek & Journey: Needed: questions from "Reacting to the Story" Place one chair in front of the rest of the group and announce that this is "God's seat." Invite one of the youth to play the part of God for a few moments, then switch with another. If no one is willing to sit in God's seat, begin the process by playing the part of God yourself. Distribute the questions from the pile, being careful that the participants receive a question other than their own.  Ask for a volunteer to read a question to the person sitting in "God's seat." Whoever is playing the part of God should try to answer the question as she or he believes God would answer it.  Encourage the participants to ask questions about this response. Does everyone believe that God would answer the question this way? What are other possible responses?  Continue playing, allow others who wish to do so to play the part of God. If time permits, try to deal with all of the questions. SUMMARY: Read the following "I used to hate going to church stuff.  Then we got this new teacher who starts every meeting differently, and we end up in a wild discussion. I learned a lot-I even hate for the meetings to be over." "I came home from youth group really upset. We had this great discussion going. Everyone was arguing about what was right or wrong. Then our sponsor cut off the discussion with everyone still disagreeing. I went home and told my parents. We spent about two hours talking about the meeting. And then it hit me-that's exactly what our sponsor wanted me to do. I have to admit it worked." Youth group is so out of control no one listens, I don't think anyone is getting the point. This is God's house. We need to be respectful of him and each other." These are the responses we hope to get for each of you.  By having different styles of activity we hope you will find what you are looking for! PRAYER: You are invited to join hands and offer a few words of prayer if you want. Your leader starts the prayer, then squeezes the hand of the person to the left to indicate their turn, if you do not wish to speak just pass the squeeze and so on until the squeeze gets back to the first person.