Violence It's Your Move Road Work and Trek Groups Pass out cards for prayers and concerns during common meal. These will be read at the end of the session. Gather in the center of the gym, welcome, introduction of guests, make announcements. For Sponsors: Which way are we moving? 1. Understand how God feels about violence 2. Recognize the presence of violence in everyday life 3. Respond in a Christian manor Which Way Are We Moving Road Work & Trek Large Group Game: Armageddon Needed: 20 - 11x17 sheets of paper, enough aluminum foil to cover them, several strobe lights. Set up a playing field divided in the center. Divide into two well-mixed teams. Divide the paper and foil evenly between the two teams. On the signal each team will have 30 seconds to prepare for "Armageddon," they will make "meteors" by crumpling the paper into a ball and wrapping it in foil. Only foil covered "meteors" count. Tell each team the object of the game is for teams to throw the "meteors" at each other. If a ball hits a person, that person is out of the game and should sit on the floor at the back of his or her team's zone. The team with the last person standing wins. Turn off the lights, turn on the strobes, and begin "Armageddon."  After the game, leave the strobes on, bring everyone into a close bunch. Ask: Q: Does this game seem violent? A: Yes, it's crazy, you don't know what will hit you next. Q: How would the game be different if you were shooting rubber bands at each other? A: Meteors we can't control, people shooting people we can. Q: In real life, what are the results of violence? A: Suffering, injury, death, more violence, etc. Sum up: As we'll see tonight, we can withstand and concor violence no matter what form it takes. Divide in to Journey Groups Moving in Road Work  A Big Splash Needed: A shallow pan (a cookie sheet) that will hold water. A glass with water in it Gather the group around one round table. Place the shallow pan in the center. Say: "This pan represents the world we live in." Poure the water into the pan and continue by saying,  "This is us." "Now as you will see, we work in harmony with our world. By rubbing the edges of this pan you will hear a faint tone. Everyone be real quiet, lean in close and listen." Begin to rub the edge of the pan with one hand, then with the other smash your hand flat into the center of the pan making as big a splash as bossible. Explain: Violence hurts people and like this example, it can come when we least expect it. Violence doesn't hurt just it's victum, it hurts the one doing the violence as well as other people. Read: Jonah 3:1-4 Jon 3:1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, Jon 3:2 "Arise, go to Nin'eveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." Jon 3:3 So Jonah arose and went to Nin'eveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nin'eveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. Jon 3:4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he cried, "Yet forty days, and Nin'eveh shall be overthrown!" Continue: God displeased by the wickedness He saw in Nineveh. But, He also loved the people, so He sent Jonah to warn them to turn away from violence. God sent Jonah to warn them of the coming judgement upon their city. Trek Needed: Tape, pens and note cards. Have the youth divide into two groups, one at each side of the room. Each group will choose a person to be the group's modle. Have the modle stand in the middle and move one mody part. The rest of the group must now decide how that part can be used in a violent way. Some examples are; eyes can be used to glare, the head can be used to think of hatred, and the behind can be used for sitting and watching violent movies. Have the group decide on one description of violence, write the description on a note card and tape it to the model. Continue until at least 10 body parts have been labeled. When both groups have 10 or so, have the models switch groups. Each group should now discuss any similarities or differences. Moving up Road Work & Trek (Stay in Journey Groups) Divide into as many groups as there are sponsors. Read: This is a letter from a seventh grade student on the east coast. Dear Mom and Dad, When I was a sixth grader, I wasn't afraid to go to school, even when I heard about all these school shootings all over the country. Now in seventh grade, the world seems to have gone crazy. It's not just school anymore. Some grown-up is out there just shooting people. Every time a plane flies over I wonder if terrorists are on board and are going to crash it. Kids my age and some even younger, bring guns to school. They say it's to protect themselves, but I think it will make it that much easier for them to shoot someone if they get mad. Now my school doesn't just have fire drills, we have bomb drills and gun-in-the-school drills. I heard that next month we're getting a metal detector at the school entrance. When my big brother went to school he didn't have to go through all this. When he was my age, it was rare for a kid to bring a knife to school. Now I know tons of kids who bring not just knives but guns to school, sometimes keeping them in their lockers. I don't want to go to school today. It's too scary, but I will. I just wanted you to know how I feel just in case we don't get to talk tonight. Love Always,&ldots; Discuss: Are you experiencing anything like this student? How is the experience on the east coast different from Kansas? Do you think school is scarier and more violent than it was 10 years ago? What is your school doing to respond to school violence? Ask: Q: How do you think God wants us to respond to school violence? A: By working to avoid it or prevent it from happening. Q: If you know someone who brings a gun to school, should you let someone know, or should you keep silent? Would it be different if you lived in the Washington D.C. area? Moving on Road Work  Needed: A copy of the hand out "When I Get Angry." Get in any group of no more than 4. Distribute "When I Get Angry" and pens then continue. Explain:  There's a strong connection between violence and anger, so I want us to finish this lesson by thinking about what we tend to do when we get angry. Take a few minutes to write down what your group tends to do when you get angry with the people listed. Then write down what your group thinks God wants them to do when they get angry at these people. After a minute or two ask the students to write down something they can work on for the next week    Trek Needed: A copy of the hand out "Last Month." Distribute "Last Month" and pens then continue.  Explain:  Circle any of the following that you've seen, said, or done and make sure to add your own if you can think of other violent things you should add. Give students a few minutes to do this, and then ask them the following: Q: Is violence in the movies or TV different that violence in music? A: We are trying to make them think about the content in movies, TV and music. Q: Is there anything wrong with violence in our music, movies, or video games? A: If you don't provoke a fight here, you asked the question wrong. Q: If you anger quickly, why do you think that is? A: Looking for influences&ldots;. Q: Why do you think the world is a more violent place now than 20 years ago? A: Just looking for them to find a cause and effect. Q: Does violence have anything to do with technology? A: With greater knowledge comes greater responsibility.    Return to Family Life Center with 15min. to go. Moving out Road Work & Trek Come back together in a large group.  Needed: A copy of the Truly Trivial Trivia Questions, 20 "meteor" balls (from the first game). Divide into four groups, first by blue eyes and with out blue eyes. Then divide by boys and girls to form four groups. Explain: We are going to play Truly Trivial Trivia. Each team gets five "meteors."  The host will read a trivia question. The first team to come up with the answer sends one teammate to race with their "meteor" to the host table. The first racer to set his or her "meteor" on the table with out it falling off gets the chance to answer first. The first team to get rid of their five meteors is the winner. Play the game, and then conclude. Ask: How did your group know the answers to these questions? How do you feel about how much time you spend watching TV or listening to music? Would you say that all of these movies, shows, and music are pleasing to God? How can we make sure we're living a balanced life and spending our time on things that are important? Prayer and Concerns  Road Work & Trek  Needed: prayer cards, candle and matches. Sit in a big circle. Dim the lights. The leader begins an affirmation by holding the candle and saying "No Violence " then passing the candle to the right. Continue around until all have participated. Then place the candle in the center of the circle. Have two youth read the prayer and concern cards from common meal by candlelight.  End with "Let us keep these and others in our hearts and minds, Amen" Have everyone join in singing "Sanctuary" Stand join hands, right over left, and say the UMYF benediction.