** UPDATE ** Need some ideas/help :)

[newbeliever02072005]

Hello Everyone,

I was hoping to get some ideas/help. Have you ever been in a position that you opened up your mouth before you really thought it through properly? Well, that is what I did yesterday. Now I am not able to turn back.

It was actually neat in a way. Yesterday I was with the youth leader of my church. We were talking about different things we could do with the youth of our church. Some ways to intice them in and build the group up. I am not involved with the youth group, however I am concerned about them. I believe that the youth is the future of the church and without them , the church will die. Plus, I have 3 young boys that will be benefiting from it real soon. So, I'd like for them to have something to go to.

Ok....getting to the point here

Yesterday, I expressed to the youth leader that for some time now I've had bouncing in my head the idea of a ice cream party/social. Enlisted 4/5 volunteers to host the kids at their home. At each home bring the kids in for a short 5-10 mini devotion centered around a topping you put on an ice cream sundae. Each house does this and at the end go back to the church w/toppings in hand and go for the builk of the devotion. Afterwards, then the kids could build their sundaes and have a social time together.

I had not told anyone about this idea of mine, however when i spoke to the youth leader her mouth dropped. Because someone else had just told her a couple of days ago they were wanting to do an ice cream party w/the kids. She just knew right then and there that this was what the youth group needed to do. Her excitement was really high and enlisted me to help her.

So....I guess what I am trying to find out from you guys is. Has anyone done any devotions centered around ice cream? What scriptures could we use with this ice cream themed devotion?

 

[ZiSunka]

Taste and see the Lord is good! Psalm 34:8

 

[Matthan]

You do not have to center around the ice cream.
Why not instead center around the many blessings of God, especially those things we most often take for granted such as friendships. Each of your toppings could represent one or more blessings remembered. Then when you get back to the church, reinforce the thought of blessings with the toppings, and how thankful we should be for both.

Just a thought...

Matthan

 

[TheUltimateWarrior]

While I like the idea of using tangible things to teach youth, This seems somewhat childish. I think the youth will respond in such.

BTW you need to get a Male to lead the youth Group.

 

[newbeliever02072005]

You do not have to center around the ice cream.
Why not instead center around the many blessings of God, especially those things we most often take for granted such as friendships. Each of your toppings could represent one or more blessings remembered. Then when you get back to the church, reinforce the thought of blessings with the toppings, and how thankful we should be for both.

Just a thought...

Matthan

I like that idea. I think kids tend to forget about being thankful. I'm not saying all of them do this, but majority seem to forget about how God blesses them everyday.

[bible]Psalm 100:4[/bible]

[bible]Colossians 3:15[/bible]


We have set a date for August 26th, so i still have time to come gather ideas. So, keep them coming!

Thank you,

 

[newbeliever02072005]

While I like the idea of using tangible things to teach youth, This seems somewhat childish. I think the youth will respond in such.

BTW you need to get a Male to lead the youth Group.

The youth is made up from ages of 7 to 16. I don't think they will think this to be childish but rather fun.

The youth group is lead by a married couple.....MALE and female. Like I said in my first post, I am not involved with the group, was just offering ideas. I'm bringing the ideas to them and they are constructing the teaching part of the program.

 

[53Isaiah]

Consider what the bible teaches about a "sweet savour" in the book of Leviticus.

 

[IisJustMe]

BTW you need to get a Male to lead the youth Group.

Paul's prohibition on women having authority over men doesn't exclude them from heading or co-directing a youth group. Also, nothing in the OP suggested the woman is the only leader. Finally, like I said in the banner, this ain't the thread for that discussion.

TO THE OP: The colors of the toppings could be linked to the things those colors represent. Red, of course, the blood of Christ. Blue is often representative of the Holy Spirit, Who draws us to Him. Green (the color of creation) can refer to the Father. Nuts, fruits, berries, etc. can be anything the kids want their imaginations to let them be. I think it will be fun for them. Go for it!

 

[RED that's ME]

That's a good idea and anytime even if fun things with our group there must be some type of devotion but I do go to a church with a large teen ministry.

One of the items you can do is mini M&Ms on the ice cream and tell them to get as many as they would like to put on their ice cream BUT hold it till you can say they can eat them or put them on their ice cream. Don't tell them till after they all got their M & Ms and then for every M & M they got, they must tell a blessing that God has done for them.

You could also do that on another night just with a snack have small candies and for EACH candy they have to either tell something about themselves or tell what God has done for them.

Some of my favorite blessings verses is Psalms 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily LOADETH us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

When my dad was in the hospital with heart problems God showed my mom this verse to help keep things in perspective......health, insurance, medical technology, friends etc...

Also Psalm 103 is verses to use for the blessings we sometimes forget.

Sometimes we don't see the things that makes our lives easier as blessings like when we have to load the dishes in the dishwasher or washing clothes. My mom would teach me instead of griping about it ...while you're loading thank God for the diswasher/dishes and the food you had to eat. When you're loading the washing machine to thank God we don't have to go to a river with a scrub board and that we have nice clothes to wear. Basic clean air to breathe, whether we see it or not is a blessing.

 

[InHisSpirit]

You can have each topping reprent a part of Christian life. Each devotion to cover that aspect, such as your sprinkles can represnt words, syrup their relationships, etc... When you get back to the church you can build the sundae as an example of living a full Christian life:

Ice cream- foundation: a relationship with Christ (Salvation)
Topping one - prayer: we pray for guidence in our lives. God DOES answer prayer.
Topping two- studing the Word of God
Topping three - being proud to be a Christian
Topping four - actions speak louder than words
etc., etc.

I have found visuals to work great with children and youth. Hope it goes well!

 

[ZiSunka]

Object lessons like that are always a good way to teach children, and most adults get a lot out of them, too.

 

[53Isaiah]

Object lessons like that are always a good way to teach children, and most adults get a lot out of them, too.

In this case a few extra unwanted calaries

 

[newbeliever02072005]

Hello Everyone


Well we had the ice cream social yesterday. It was great! We had 25 kids and 3 adults show up. The kids were eager to find out how the day was going to go. This is how it went.

The leader made up a scavenger hunt, setting the clues in the community. There were 5 stops. I think the leader made the clues way to easy, because they guessed them rather quickly. Next time we'll have to make them a bit harder. After we finished getting the clues and packages (they were filled with a topping for the ice cream) we went back to the church for a devotion.

Each topping represented a fruit of the spirit. With "Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him" being the foundation bible verse.

cone ~~ represented the core of our heart , Jesus
nuts ~~ faith
sprinkles ~~ joy
whip cream ~~ peace
cherries ~~ comfort

I unfortunately didn't get to listen to the whole devotion because I was in the kitchen setting up the assembly line for the ice cream sundaes. But the kids were attentive and participated from what I could see and tell. That is what we were hoping for. That we could hold their attentions to teach them about the word of God. Building their foundation in the truth a little at a time.

The kids were great and I was thrilled to be a part of the program on Saturday. I just have faith that the kids learned something while enjoying themselves.


Thank you everyone for your ideas and help. It was appreciated!!!


God bless,
Newbeliever