Journey This Week: 2002 Setting the Stage Road Work and Trek Journey Groups Gather at the stage area (use the portable P.A.), welcome, introduction of guests, make announcements. Introduce the session: When we divide up into "Journey" groups they will be based on grade. The groups will be Road Work 6-8 and Trek 9-12. We will concentrate on "Fellowship", Sunday nights, using a four week rotation. Week One: Fellowship with light Scripture study. Week Two: Fellowship with current events. Week Three: Fellowship with service focus. Week Four: A special extended two hour fellowship focus.     "Journey Teams" will meet on Wednesday night from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. We will focus on Bible study, planning, publicity, photography, history and web page management. The Scripture Road Work & Trek "The Fellowship Factor" (I John 1:1-4) Read I John 1:1-4, verse by verse, if needed. 1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-&ldots; 3. that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. Reacting to the Scripture Road Work & Trek  Study Questions: Who is John referencing in 1:1? List the various senses John mentions in 1:1. What is the point of mentioning these different "proofs?" Why do you think John was stressing the point that Jesus was a real person they had seen, heard, and touched? According to 1:3 . . .  . . . what is the basis for fellowship with others? . . .  what word is used to emphasize John's point that his fellowship with them was founded upon his fellowship with the Father and the Son? Why does he add such emphasis? In a nutshell, 1:1-3 can be summed up by saying fellowship with Jesus is where it all begins. . . . evaluate your fellowship with Jesus. Is a relationship with Christ the priority of your life? How does this truth show up in your relationships, time, friends, etc? . . . examine your friendships. John says that his outward relationships were based on his upward fellowship. Are yours? What does that statement mean? After John makes a clear case for starting and maintaining fellowship with Jesus, he explains one of the benefits of that lifestyle in 1:4. What is one result of fellowship? John doesn't use the word happiness. Instead. He uses joy. How do these differ from one another? Which characterizes your life mostly? Since inner joy is deepened by upward fellowship (1:4), what are some ways you can tell your fellowship with God is "on target?" Connecting to the Scripture Road Work & Trek Essentially . . . Fellowshipping with Jesus is the one factor in life that gives us deeper joy and confidence and a stronger ability to get along with others. Are you making fellowship with Jesus a major factor in your daily life? Living the Scripture  Road Work & Trek  Activity:  Challenge: Human Ladder Needed: Set up the obstacle course, six-six foot 2x4s Some of you will remember this activity from a month ago. Its message is important today and it was fun! To make it a stiffer challenge we now have an obstacle course to work around. Sponsors must be spotters, ready to assist and keep everyone from danger. Make two small groups. Have members of the group hold three boards in ascending order (like a ladder). Have a volunteer climb the ladder up, over and down obstacles. The board holders may only move when the climber is not on the board. By moving from the back of the line the board holders can create a new step in front of the climber. The climber must go up then down. The steps can be close or far apart, and the ladder steps can be as long or short as the group desires. Repeat the challenge with all of the members who want to climb.  When successful ask the following questions: What was it like when you were the one giving the support? Which role was more difficult for you? What did you learn about yourself in doing this exercise? Game:   Needed: Three flags and clips, a whistle. Divide into three teams of equal size.  Each team lines up one behind the other placing their hand on the persons hips in front of them.  This should make three chains.  The person in the front is the "Seeker."  The person in the rear is the "Point To Remember."  Each team tries to get a PTR of the other team by pulling the colored flag from the last person in the chain.  Each time a flag is pulled play stops and the one that lost the flag is now the "Seeker" on the team that grabbed the flag.  Play continues for a certain period of time or until one of the original "seekers" returns to the front of the other team.  If a time limit is used the team with the most PTR's (longest chain) is the winner. Summing it all up Road Work & Trek As we gather together we grow in fellowship and faith, each bit of knowledge becomes important in our lives. As we meet others, we pass on our own information, even that which we have gathered from others.  We each will have a turn to be the ones sharing or the ones receiving. The whole idea is to be open to change and continue to learn while having fun. We gather information good and bad then live our lives following Christ's example. Prayer  Road Work & Trek  Invite the youth to join hands in a circle and offer a few words of prayer if they want. The leader starts the prayer, then squeezes the hand of the person to the left to indicate their turn, if they do not wish to speak just pass the squeeze and so on, until the squeeze gets back to the first person. Dismissal Sanctuary UMYF Benediction