For use with
R13, J2A & YAC
groups
Shared Provisions
© 1997-2009
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church
Durham, NC
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2 Table of Contents
Journey to Adulthood Non-Negotiables ........................................................... 5 Regarding Sunday Mornings ............................................................................ 6 How to Lead Journey to Adulthood Sessions ............................................................... 7 Questions to Ask Frequently ...................................................................................... 9 How to Structure a Regular Group Meeting .............................................................. 10 Scripture Reflection Methods ................................................................................... 11 Establishing and Maintaining Group Norms ................................................... 12 Walk in Love: Creating a Community Covenant ........................................................ 15 Leading a Young Person to Christ .................................................................. 18 Talking About Violence .................................................................................. 25 Talking with Children .............................................................................................. 26 Talking with Youth ................................................................................................. 27 How to Help When It’s Hard to Know How to Help .................................................... 28 Prayers at Times of Tragedy ................................................................................... 29 Pilgrimage in the Face of Terrorism ......................................................................... 30 In the Days Ahead.................................................................................................. 33 Learning About the Bible................................................................................ 36 Facts About the Bible .............................................................................................. 39 Handout—Biblical Scavenger Hunt #1 ...................................................................... 41 Answers—Biblical Scavenger Hunt #1 ...................................................................... 42 Handout—Biblical Scavenger Hunt #2 ...................................................................... 43 Answers—Biblical Scavenger Hunt #2 ...................................................................... 44 The Great Stories of The Bible ................................................................................. 45 Selected Stories in the Old Testament ...................................................................... 46 Selected Stories in the New Testament .................................................................... 48 The Parables of Jesus ............................................................................................. 49 The Miracles of Jesus.............................................................................................. 50 A User-friendly Guide to The Book of Common Prayer .................................. 51 Structure of the Book of Common Prayer ................................................................. 53 Handout—The Prayer Book Trivia Quiz ..................................................................... 56 Answers—The Prayer Book Trivia Quiz ..................................................................... 57 Planning the Order of Service from the BCP ............................................................. 58 Order of Service – Chart of Responsibilities .............................................................. 59 Order of Service – Blank Chart ................................................................................ 63 Resources for Games ..................................................................................... 65 Movies ............................................................................................................ 67 Star Wars Trilogy ................................................................................................... 69 Now and Then ....................................................................................................... 70 The Chronicles of Narnia ......................................................................................... 71 The Mighty ............................................................................................................ 72 Breaking Away ....................................................................................................... 73 Stand and Deliver ................................................................................................... 74 Dead Poets’ Society ................................................................................................ 75 Boyz ‘n the Hood .................................................................................................... 76 Do the Right Thing ................................................................................................. 77 Just One of the Guys .............................................................................................. 78 Double Feature: Romeo & Juliet and West Side Story .......................................... 79 3 Consenting Adult .................................................................................................... 80 Amistad ................................................................................................................. 82 The Breakfast Club ................................................................................................. 83 October Sky ........................................................................................................... 84 Additional Movies ................................................................................................... 85 Annotated Resource Guide............................................................................. 91 Books -- Self .......................................................................................................... 97 Books -- Spirituality ................................................................................................ 99 Books -- Society ....................................................................................................102 Books -- Sexuality .................................................................................................103 Books -- Pilgrimage ...............................................................................................104 Children’s Books ....................................................................................................105 Organizations ........................................................................................................106 Denominational Centers .........................................................................................110 Hotlines/Helplines..................................................................................................111 Youth Ministry Certification Programs ......................................................................112 Episcopal Publishers and Distributors ......................................................................113 Other Publishers and Distributors ...........................................................................114 4 Journey to Adulthood Non-Negotiables
You can change many things, but if you don’t have these elements in your program, you aren’t doing the
Journey to Adulthood. This list was generated by the participants at the 2000 J2A Institute.
What makes J2A J2A?
• The major rites of passage – liturgies
• Involvement of the whole congregation (not a program run by one “youth guru”)
• The fact that it is OK to question
• The process of Christian formation and relational ministry (vs. information
transfer); the end goal of forming disciples of Jesus—learning to see your life in
light of the gospel
• The process of spiritual formation; the emphasis on and practice of prayer
An expanded discussion of these included the following items:
The ceremonies and liturgies
• All the included rites of passage liturgies
• Confirmation at 16 or older
• Pilgrimage
Support from the church
• High level of commitment from whole congregation
• Clergy support is essential!
• Protect, support leaders; time off after 2 years
• Coordinators that support, encourage self-care
Structure
• The two year blocks of time for each group
• The four recurring themes: self, sexuality, spirituality and society
• Having male and female leaders—modeling healthy male/female relationships
• Not having parents as leaders; having parent meetings
• Flexibility with ourselves, with youth and with what happens when we gather
• Doing the prayer, check-in and scripture reflection process regularly
• Fun and fellowship
Spiritual formation
• Scripture reflection—How does this story intersect with my story?
• Prayer as a regular part of the group and of life
• Pilgrimage
• Leaders that “journey with” youth and grow themselves
• Creating a safe place—confidentiality and honesty
5 Regarding Sunday Mornings
Most Journey to Adulthood groups meet on Sunday mornings, during regular Sunday School.
Unfortunately, many congregations only allow about 45 minutes of Christian Education time,
and some or all of that time may take place during the worship service. Our lesson plans
assume a meeting of an hour or more: if it is at all possible, start the group meetings 75 or 90
minutes before the main Sunday service. If your main service is early, then perhaps you can sit
and worship together and then have lunch or your meeting time after the service is over. This
may require consultation with church leadership and other groups, to make sure doors are open
and the meeting room is available, and to give people a chance to understand the very
important reasons that compel you to change “the way things have always been.”
Since families tend to be reluctant to shuttle from home to church several times in a morning,
consult with parents about how to get the youth to their groups week after week. It may be
possible to arrange car pools driven by parents, or by volunteers from the congregation. The
youth could then go home with their parents after the worship service.
Worship service participation
Group meetings should not be at the same time as the congregation’s main worship service.
Participating in worship as a full member of the Christian community is a key component of the
program. Since one of the goals of Journey to Adulthood is to help group members become
active participants and even leaders in the congregation, many groups sit together during the
service so the leaders can mentor members’ participation and so that the group can, by their
active participation and good behavior, be a model to others in the congregation.
Encourage the youth (by word and your own example) to take an active part in the service,
giving the responses strongly, singing with enthusiasm, helping newcomers who have become
lost in the order of service, and so on. If they know the shape of the service, and what is likely
to happen next—and why!—the young people will be less likely to be bored and more able to
help others participate. Sometime during the two years of Rite-13 you will want to make sure
each young person knows the basics (what, when, where, how, and why) of your worship
service well enough to participate and to help others.
Worship can be boring and monotonous if everyone is just going through the motions. In your
meeting, ask teens how they can help the congregation pray and praise with depth and feeling.
This can be a good focus to build into discussions as they prepare to lead worship on a Youth
Sunday morning or at a special seasonal service. Help them see that one of the gifts they bring
to the congregation is their energy and enthusiasm. Give them opportunities to lead in ways
they feel called to lead. Make sure you have them practice reading at the lectern, exchanging
the Peace, taking of the offering, or whatever happens in your congregation’s worship that the
youth might be asked to do. Make excellence important without making youth feel like they
have to be perfect. Urge them to offer God their very best.
Encourage and specifically invite YAC group members to take on full adult roles — ushering,
reading the lessons, administering the chalice, serving on the worship committee, singing in the
choir, playing instruments, and so on. It is also important for them to make a pledge of time,
talent, and treasure if they have not done so before now. YAC group members can also serve
as the Acolyte Director or can help be responsible for guiding and training acolytes, lay readers,
and others who perform duties during the service. This sort of service is, of course, with the
consent of and close collaboration with the clergy and worship leaders of your congregation.
6 How to Lead Journey to Adulthood Sessions
Formation vs. Information
The Journey to Adulthood program is different from curriculums you may have taught before.
Most curriculums operate from the premise that you, the teacher, have knowledge and
expertise which you will give to the students in your class. The emphasis is on transferring
information from the teacher to the student and the teacher decides what information to give,
when and how to give it and, in some contexts, tests students to see if they have “gotten it.”
The Journey to Adulthood program is formational. It focuses on identifying what the members
of your group already know, what they want or need to learn, and then helps them acquire that
knowledge or skill. The leader’s job is to move the group along a path that takes them in a
direction they help to determine. It focuses on the young people’s development and formation,
rather than on information transfer. It assumes that each young person has gifts, skills and
information that will contribute to the development of the group as a whole. And it assumes
they have what it takes for the group and the individuals in it to grow in faith, wisdom and
knowledge. The leader’s job is to help them do that— but not to do it for them.
This requires a significant shift. Your job, then, is not to learn information to just pass along.
Your job is to do everything you can to help young people discover what they need to develop
in regards to their knowledge, skills and faith. You lead the process that helps them find the
answers, rather than giving them the answers.
Leading the Process
There are several key elements to remember when you are leading the process. They are not
difficult or complex—you just need to remember to do them over and over again.
IDENTIFY --- PLAN --- DO --- ASSESS --- APPLY
Identify what we know – What do our young people already know or know how to do? How
did they learn that information or acquire that skill?
Identify what we want to or need to know or do – What do you want to know or learn
how to do? What do we want our young people to know or learn how to do?
Identify how we can acquire this knowledge, skill, ability, experience, etc. – How can
youth learn to do that? What experience will help them acquire that knowledge, skill or ability?
How do our young people learn best? What did we learn from our previous experiences with
them or from asking them? What learning situations could we create for them? Who in our
congregation/community can help us with that?
Plan it – What steps do we need to take? (e.g., use a lesson plan, modify one or create one.)
What supplies do we need? Who will do what?
Do it.
Assess what we learned and how we learned it – What worked and what didn’t—why or
why not? Did the group and the individual members of the group gain knowledge or learn a
7 skill?
Apply what we learned in this situation/experience to other situations/contexts –
Ask the youth: What did you learn that you can apply to other situations in your life. Ask
yourself: What did we learn about our young people that we can use when we plan the next
learning experience?
The best tool you have in leading the Journey to Adulthood program is asking questions. If you,
as a youth leader, do nothing else, focus on asking the right questions. We have provided a list
of questions that you can use, over and over again, for every Scripture passage, movie night,
game, situational discussion, activity, worship service, experience, etc.
What you want to do is to develop your young people’s capacity to think and, in particular, to
think theologically. You develop this skill by asking them questions.
We recommend that you keep a copy of the Questions to Ask Frequently (see next page of this
handout) in a place where you can constantly refer to them whenever you suddenly run out of
things to say or do!
Eventually they will become part of your group’s tradition and you will no longer have to ask
them—the group members will start asking them or just responding to them automatically. The
basic process that underlies this program is to introduce the activity or material in the lesson
plans, do the activities, ask LOTS of questions (and listen respectfully to their answers—always
challenging them to think and think theologically) and love the young people in your group.
Do this and the rest is likely to fall into place.
8 Questions to Ask Frequently
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Where do you see God in this......(passage, movie, event, experience, game, etc.)?
Where do you experience Jesus in this......(passage, movie, event, experience,
game...)?
What story or scripture relates to this situation? What does that story or passage tell
us about our.....(movie, event, experience, game...)?
What does this relate to in your life? Have you ever experienced something like this in
your life? Have you ever seen/experienced people in your life who acted like the characters
in this story? What does this passage tell us about God/Jesus? What does it tell us about
people? What does it tell us about the relationship between God/Jesus and people?
What did you learn today? When reflecting on an event, experience, game, movie,
group session, etc. that is finished
What is the Reader’s Digest Version – use the Reader’s Digest Condensed Version at
the end of every class. Come up with 1-3 short sentences to summarize the day’s lesson or
experience without including any confidential information. It serves two purposes: 1) we
remember what we learn better if we reflect on it and have a short summary of it, and 2) it
gives young people something to communicate when their parents/guardians ask: What did
you do or learn at class today? Encourage the young people to take note of this Reader’s
Digest Version and practice it with their parents and other adults.
What did we learn from this experience? What did we learn about God/Jesus? What
did we learn about ourselves? What did we learn about how people relate to God/Jesus?
What is important to you? What do you value? What is important to the people in this
(situation, passage, movie)? How are their values the same as or different from yours? How
are they the same as or different from what Christ values? The Church values? Your parents
value? Your peers value? How do you decide what is important to you?
What does this tell us about the Christian life? What does this.....(passage, movie,
event, experience, game, discussion, etc.) tell us about what it means to be a Christian?
What does this....tell us about being a disciple of Christ? What does this....tell us about
living in a Christian community? What does this....tell us about society/the world?
What did Jesus do or teach that relates to this.....? How was Jesus different from the
rest of his society? If we are disciples of Jesus, how are we called to be different from the
rest of our society?
How does this......enrich our spiritual life? How does it bring us closer to God/Jesus?
How can we bring this......(issue, concern, problem) to God/Jesus? What can we do
to invite God into our conversation/lives? How can we seek God’s guidance for us? What
helps you feel God’s presence? Would you like to pray about that? Can you pray about that?
Would you like us to pray for you about that? Is there a regular ritual we can do (at the end
of our sessions, whenever this happens, etc.) to invite God’s/Jesus’ presence? Is there a
ritual that would encourage us to continue praying for a concern over and over again?
(When stumped for an answer, don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know, but I bet we can find
out.” And when you think the process of discovery is important, ask these questions even
when you do know the answer!)
• Where do you think we might find information about that question?
• Who do you think can help us?
• How do you think we can learn about that?
• What do you think we could do to learn how to do that?
• Who is willing to find the answer and bring it back to the group?
9 How to Structure a Regular Group Meeting
On Sunday mornings all our groups follow the same basic pattern. The structure is fairly simple:
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The leaders greet each young person by name and with an appropriate touch or hug.
Young people need adults to recognize them as individuals, and calling them by name is
a significant way to do that. Touch is also important, but leaders need to be alert to the
possibility of causing discomfort or implying inappropriate contact. Leaders who can find
the right balance of contact without inappropriate intimacy have a wonderful opportunity
to model appropriate adult non-sexual touching.
! If there are newcomers to your group, whether they are new to the parish,
visiting with a friend, or even just current parishioners who are trying out the
group for the first time, be sure to greet them and then also ask one of your
active group members to show them around, explain the community covenant
(which is hopefully posted) and maybe also explain the basic structure of how
the group operates. You might also encourage one or more group members to
sit with the newcomer and introducing them to others. Remember that we are
trying to teach radical hospitality as a hallmark of Christian behavior!
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The group does an opening ritual—light a candle, sing a song, say a prayer, recite
Psalm 139 (especially in Rite-13). Do a consistent ritual that says “we are gathered and
ready, and aware of God’s presence in our midst.” (2 minutes)
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Group check in - How are you? Does someone have a reflection to share on anything
that happened during the past week? Are there concerns or joys or fears? (5-10
minutes)
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The group examines and reflects on the word of God—the day’s Gospel or a passage
from today’s lesson plan. There are reflection method ideas on the next page. (This
should take about 10 minutes unless the activity in the next step will be done in another
session; on those weeks, Scripture reflection time can take 30-40 minutes.)
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The group does the week’s activity (20-30 minutes; omit this if you will be doing the
activity during another session this week.)
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The group joins in a closing prayer. Use printed prayers at the end of lessons for the
beginning of Rite-13; gradually use other prayer methods as you learn them. Eventually
you will settle on a couple of favorite ways to close with prayer. It is best to have one
closing ritual that is consistent—something you always say or sing just before leaving.
There are many benefits to establishing a pattern for the meetings and sticking to it. For the
leaders, it eases planning worries and focuses energy by demonstrating how little time they
have to fill. For the youth, it relieves a certain amount of anxiety about what will happen next,
and helps the youth concentrate on the content, rather than the shape, of what the group is
doing. The leaders model the concept that a thing doesn’t have to be radically different every
time in order to be interesting. The pattern helps protect the group meetings from outside
pressures: clergy and parents learn that not only is something important going on that they
should not whisk kids away from, but that it will end at a predictable time and deliver the youth
to the next thing in their day in a predictable state of mind and spirit.
10 Scripture Reflection Methods
Whether we are using scripture from a particular lesson plan or any scripture in general, our
hope is always to help young people learn to connect the ancient words in the Bible with their
own lives today. There are many ways to do this, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
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Journal – Read the Scripture and then write quietly in a journal for a few minutes.
When you re-gather, ask volunteers to share whatever they are comfortable sharing
with the group.
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Artistic Response – draw, paint, write poetry, compose songs, etc.
•
Different Voices – Read the passage aloud 2-3 times, using different people each
time. Do different voices, inflections, etc. influence the way you hear or understand the
words?
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Meditative – Have someone read the passage quietly. Allow 3-4 minutes of silence;
listen for what God might be saying to us through these words.
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Contemplative – Hear the scripture read aloud slowly and prayerfully. Picture where
the story takes place. Imagine yourself as one of the people in the story, using all your
senses – what do you hear, smell, touch, taste, see? Rest silently in God’s presence.
Stay in the story without doing anything else… just be in that place. What thoughts
and/or feelings arise for you?
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Roleplay – have every person in the room choose some part to be in the selected
story. Once the characters are all chosen, people can choose to be a rock, or an
onlooker or a bird in a nearby tree… what does your vantage point show you?
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Say it in your own words – Read the passage aloud, emphasizing the nouns. Read it
again, this time emphasizing the verbs. Now ask everyone to write the passage again in
their own words. What can we learn from our different paraphrases?
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Different Versions – look up the same scripture in as many different Bibles as you can
find. What is different? What is the same? Which version speaks most to you?
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Theological Approach – Read the passage. Discuss what it tells us about God. Read
the passage again. Discuss what it tells us about people. Read the passage one more
time. What does it tell us about the relationship between God and people?
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Connect it to your Experience – Read the passage. Identify one or two emotions or
issues identified in the passage. Ask everyone to think of a time in their life when they
faced that same issue or felt that same emotion, even if the circumstances were quite
different. Volunteers can briefly share their experiences, but allow participants to pass if
they wish. Ask questions like, “What is it like to feel _______?” “What kinds of thoughts
go through your head when you are in a situation where _____________?”
11 Establishing and Maintaining Group Norms
It is important at the outset to develop norms for behavior in the group. It is vitally important
that the group participants help develop, and thus establish ownership of, these norms. The
process of setting norms needs to be done at the start of Rite-13, J2A and YAC and revisited in
the fall of the second year of each group. You will also need to revisit norms whenever issues
about them arise.
At the very first group meeting, ask the participants for their input. Put their suggestions on
newsprint and work to achieve consensus on each one. If consensus cannot be reached, that
norm is not adopted. Post the agreed-upon norms and go back to review them at the end of
each of the first two or three sessions. As the group members get to know each other better
and begin to see what the group will be doing, new items will emerge.
After a few sessions, you can just leave the norms posted in your meeting room so you can
refer to them when they are violated. This is not to use them as a list of rules to punish
someone who doesn’t obey, but rather is a resource to help the group remember what norms it
agreed on. Ask them if they still agree on the norm that was violated, and, if so, ask them to
decide how they will respond to the violation. If you have a group that doesn’t want any norms,
or wants norms that you feel are inappropriate, engage them in a discussion about the likely
impact of their norms on the group members or on the group’s life. If encouraged, most groups
of young people will come up with very appropriate norms and will find ways to help each other
live and work within those norms.
Group Norms—Model #1
The following are the norms which were developed and adopted by the participants (with some
prodding by the leaders) at one such group:
• Only one person talks at any one time.
• Group members will respect the opinions of other group members—even if they
don’t agree with them.
• Group members will not use words that hurt other group members.
• There is no subject that is off-limits in the group; anything is up for discussion.1
• Things that are said in the group are confidential.2
• It’s OK to go to the water fountain or to the rest room; just tell one of the group
leaders you’re going.
• It’s OK to have some quiet background music playing if the group agrees on the
station.
1
This exercise proved an eye-opener for some participants when we first tried it. When we raised the question,
“Is there anything we cannot talk about in the group?” one participant raised his hand, then put it down and repeated the
process twice more before he suddenly realized that nothing was off-limits. Another participant then said, “I wouldn’t
want to talk about anything in the group that I wouldn’t discuss at the dinner table with my parents,” to which yet another
participant responded, “Why not?”
2
This issue of confidentiality is critical. The participants must realize that this group is a safe place and must
develop a trust level with each other and with the group leaders. The only way of doing this is by insisting on complete
confidentiality. The only time that this confidentiality can (and should) be breached is if the leader believes that the
participant is sharing something which indicates that he or she is in imminent physical or spiritual danger. It then becomes
the obligation of the leader to treat this as a pastoral matter and to seek the primary clergyperson’s — or other clergy’s —
guidance.
12 Group Norms—Model #2
PRESENCE WILLINGNESS COMPASSION
Another group decided to limit their group norms to a just three words. Discussion allowed
them to define the words as follows, and to memorize them, almost without trying!
Presence:
We will do our best to be present at every Rite-13 function and meeting. When
we are together, we will be together!
Willingness:
We are willing to try. Even when we don't understand what we are doing, or why
we are to do it, we are willing to try.
Compassion:
We will show compassion to all God's creation. We agree to a non-violent
approach: no name calling, no physical abuse. We agree to affirm each and
every member of the group as a child of the living God.
These three norms, in their way, are a model or an image of the Trinity. Presence is a
commitment to "hang in there" with one another, just as God the Creator remains eternally
present to the Creation. As God promises to hear our prayers, so we promise to listen to one
another. Willingness to try, to love one another, to grow into our relationships reminds us of
our Lord Jesus, who, though fully God, was willing to become fully human for our sake. Finally,
a compassionate response to one another and all creation reminds us of the Holy Spirit, our
companion and comforter along the way.
When we fail to live into this set of norms, and we surely will sometimes, then we ask God—
Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer—to strengthen us by God's Spirit and Grace.
This group went on to acknowledge that these norms had built-in assurances regarding
Confidentiality. Since members agreed to always show compassion and presence, it was not
difficult to understand why we must respect one another’s stories and protect one another from
exposure.
Your group may need to clarify that confidentiality means that members will not gossip about
other members, or make use outside the group of what other members have said; but that
confidentiality does not mean keeping inappropriate secrets. Even in a confidential
environment, someone relating stories of abuse or harassment should be told that assistance
needs to be sought, and be invited to go with the leader or other group members seeking that
assistance.
It is also important to tell the group that a leader or any other adult involved n the program
who acts inappropriately is not protected by this confidentiality rule. When young people feel
frightened by, uncomfortable or unsafe around an adult, they should immediately tell their
parent and the congregation’s clergyperson. If there is a relational problem, then that needs to
be worked out so the young person feels safe and comfortable around the adults in the group.
If an adult’s behavior is inappropriate, that person needs to be removed from working with
youth. Read the article on Establishing and Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries in the
Coordinator’s Manual to identify what kinds of behaviors are inappropriate. It may be helpful to
review some of this material with the youth to be clear about what is and is not acceptable.
13 This will make it easier for youth to speak up should an adult violate these boundaries.
Finally, a key time to revisit norms is before leaving on any trip and especially before leaving on
pilgrimage. Invite the group to think of any and all problems, issues and concerns they can
imagine might come up or that they imagine their parents are worried about. Ask them to
decide, in advance, what behaviors are and are not acceptable and the consequence for
violating the norms. You may want to confer with the clergy and/or parents ahead of time so
you can fully participate in this process. Will those who violate the norms be sent home? If so,
at whose expense? Will they go alone or escorted by an adult? Or will the entire group return
home? You can almost count on at least one fairly serious problem on a trip away from home
so you need a strategy for how to deal with it before it happens. Several J2A pilgrimages have
sent one or two young people back home. That’s difficult, but it is an important learning
experience for all. It’s especially important to act when the well-being and safety of youth are at
risk.
14 Walk in Love: Creating a Community Covenant
** This is a J2A lesson plan, but can be used with any of the groups. We suggest you try this lesson plan
at the beginning of the first year. Additionally, you will also probably need to revisit it at the beginning
of the second year and possibly at times in between, as your group grows and changes.**
Goal
To work as a group and develop a code of behavior that will govern all activities and interactions of
the group when they are together.
Areas Covered
Society, Spirituality
Objectives
To examine the nature of Christian Community
To agree on how we will treat each other in this Christian community
To set norms of agreed-upon behavior
Equipment Required
Newsprint
Markers
CD or cassette player (optional)
Recording of Aretha Franklin’s song “Respect” (optional)
Bibles
Guiding Scriptures
Acts 2:42-47 (Description of the early Church)
I John 3:18 – “Let us love not in word, but in deed and in truth”
I Thessalonians 5:12-22 – Be at peace among yourselves; rejoice always; pray without ceasing…”
Background
If your group was together previously in the “Rite 13” section of the program, the concept of
developing norms on how we treat each other will probably have been something they have done
before. In any case, it is always a good idea to start out each new year by looking at how this
particular community wants to be defined and what behavior is appropriate or inappropriate.
In the Journey to Adulthood program, we are trying to help the young people grow into their
responsibilities, and creating a community covenant is one way to do that. Instead of “class rules”
that a teacher hands down, this is truly a group effort where the teen voices count equally with the
adult voices. This means that if a teacher puts forth a suggestion of “The class should always remain
completely silent while I am pontificating. Bowing is optional” the young people are free to say, “Um,
we can’t live with that.” But then to be fair, if the teens think that having Sunday School in the dark
or hanging from the rafters would make for a unique learning experience, the leaders can say, “Um,
we can’t live with that.” The point is to communicate and negotiate to define your community.
15 Action
One way you could begin this session is to play “Respect” by Aretha Franklin. We found this music
virtually impossible to ignore and a surefire way to get some kind of a response from your teens. If
you choose to use this song, let it play in its entirety and then ask the group what the song is
about… at the very least, they should be able to come up with “respect” ☺
While it is true that some relationships are better at inspiring respect than others, this is an
important topic of conversation to have with your group. If you choose not to play the song, simply
begin the discussion by talking about what it means to respect someone and what it means to be
respected.
Pass out Bibles and have volunteers read the above scriptures. Ask what these passages indicate
about the early church or about Christian community in general. See if the young people can think of
other scriptures that give advice on how we are to treat each other.
With all of this as background, enter into a discussion about how this particular group is going to live
together. Try to get your group to dream a little bit… how should a Christian community look
different from a school or other kind of community? Here are some questions to help your
discussion:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
In school, what are the things that determine if you are accepted or not?
In church, what are the things that determine if you are part of the group?
What are some of the pressures you find in your life – being cool enough? Smart enough?
Rich enough? Athletic enough? Driving the right car? Having the right friends?
What would it feel like to have a place where you could escape all that – to a place where
you belong, as soon as you walk in the door?
Does anyone remember that old TV show Cheers? Their theme song was “Sometimes you
want to go where everybody knows your name…” What would that feel like?
How can our group be an oasis? How can we mark this time as different, special, sacred?
Are there rituals that might help us – such a lighting a candle, starting with a song or closing
with a special prayer? What else can you think of?
Take any and all suggestions from your group. Write everything up on newsprint – tell them they
can evaluate everything later – for now, we are just brainstorming and we want to hear every idea.
Some groups have long Community Covenants and some groups have very short covenants. At the
very least, here are a few things that need to be included in your discussions:
1. GUIDELINES ABOUT RESPECT
a. Respect for each other: listen to each other; treat each other kindly; welcome the
stranger, honor boundaries and personal space, respect different opinions, this is a place
where everyone belongs and is welcomed.
b. Respect for yourself: say what you need to say – this is safe space; you are no longer
children, so ask for what you need; don’t be afraid to disagree with the rest of the group;
be true to who you are – this is a safe place to find and use your voice!
c. Respect for God and for this holy place: how can we make our time together a
priority (remember the Sabbath); remember who you are and WHOSE you are; honor our
space; be honest with God; “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians
2:12)
16 2. GUIDELINES ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY
a. If this is going to be “safe space” for this group, we need to honor what is said here.
Groups used to say “What’s said in this room, stays in this room”, but that can lead to a
secretive atmosphere that isn’t necessary. What I usually used with my group was the
phrase “You are free to tell your story (what you contributed, what your reactions were,
what you learned, etc.) – you are not free to tell someone else’s story without their
permission.” This seemed to be easily understood and worked well for my group.
b. As a sidebar – it is always important for adult leaders to maintain appropriate boundaries
and a certain transparency. I told my group right from the beginning that I was giving
them permission to repeat anything I said in the group to anyone they chose. That made
me stay very aware of what I was saying and also gave them an easy way to talk to
parents about the class, without revealing specific stories of their classmates.
Whatever your group decides on, take the newsprint notes home and transfer them neatly onto a poster
board that will hang in your room. (If you do not have dedicated space, find a safe place to store your
covenant and bring it out each time your group meets.)
Bring back the poster the following week and have the group look it over to make sure it accurately
reflects the group’s decisions. Ask each member to sign their name on the covenant, pledging their
willingness to live by these guidelines. Having this in the room helps the group monitor itself and keeps
the leaders from having to act so much like “behavior police”. When visitors come, ask someone to give
a short synopsis of the covenant and ask the visitors to abide by the guidelines. If a new group member
is added, they should be asked to add their signature to the covenant.
Covenants vs. Contracts
You also may wish to discuss with your group the difference between a Covenant and a Contract. A
contract is between two people – if one person fails to live up to their part of the agreement, the
contract is broken. A Covenant is between one or more person and God – which means that even if one
person breaks their covenant on a certain day, the rest of the group is still obligated to live up to their
covenants. Also, it means that even if you broke the terms of the covenant on one day, you get another
chance to try again. (“God’s mercies are new every morning” – Lamentations 3:23)
It is also important to realize that a covenant is a living, breathing thing that can be changed as your
group changes. If you find that it’s not working, go back and revisit it. This is part of how we learn to be
an authentic Christian community – even when we have to negotiate! ☺
Closing Prayer
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with
compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred with infect our hearts;
break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that in your good time, all nations and races may serve
you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for the Human Family, BCP, p. 815
New lesson plan added August 2004 by Tracey E. Herze
17 Leading a Young Person to Christ
The Rev. Linda L. Grenz
The Journey to Adulthood promise is, “If you seek the Christ, together we will find him.” One of
the premises of the program is that participation in it will create an environment in which young
people will encounter the Risen Christ and be transformed. However, much of this depends on
the youth leaders and others in the congregation. While the program provides guidance on how
to structure environments in which such an encounter can happen, the role of the adults in
those situations is crucial.
Saying this is likely to make a number of youth leaders nervous. Episcopalians and some
members of other mainline denominations are uneasy with about the idea of “leading a young
person to Christ.” Many people immediately think of highly emotional and even coercive
services with multiple altar calls (“give your life to Jesus now or you will go to hell”) or camp
bonfires (“write your sins on a slip of paper and throw it into the fire and you will be saved”).
While altar calls and bonfires can be effective environments to encounter Christ, they are not
useful or even comfortable for all Christians. So, this is written for Episcopalians and others who
are looking for new ways to help people find Christ.
What it means to lead someone to Christ is to intentionally initiate a discussion with that person
in which one can learn whether the person has made a personal commitment to Christ and, if
he or she has not, to invite them to do so. This invitation must be a true invitation—gentle,
open, and non-coercive. An invitation may be direct (from one person to another) or indirect
(addressed to a group). It can emerge out of an experience—e.g. be set in the context of a
liturgy or suggested as a reflection question in a time of meditation. The crucial elements are
intentionality, invitation, and an atmosphere of openness that allows the person to accept or
decline without any pressure.
What is my role?
The first question an adult working with youth needs to ask is: “What is my role in leading a
young person to Christ?” Many Christians assume that there is no real need to talk much about
making a commitment to Christ, much less learn how to lead others. A child is baptized and,
when he or she comes of age, makes an adult commitment at confirmation. The Episcopal way
has always been centered in the liturgy. This is a perfectly fine way for people to affirm their
commitment to Christ. Some people, youth included, find their confirmation service a
transforming experience in which they do encounter the Risen Lord. However, for many people
this does not occur during the liturgy. The service may be an adequate “rite of passage” in that
it signifies an acceptance of adult roles and responsibilities with the Christian community. But it
may not create an environment in which youth encounter Christ or are transformed.
Yet, this is what needs to happen. It is not enough for our young people to merely be made
members of the Church. They need to encounter the Risen Christ and be transformed. The
process of becoming a mature Christian includes conversion. For some that experience may be
highly emotional; for others it may be intellectual. For some it may be brief and very focused on
one moment in life; for others it may be more gradual and over a longer period of time. But at
some point, each Christian needs to move from knowing about God, Jesus, the Bible, and the
Church to encountering the Risen Christ. As the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, said
in his 1995 Easter sermon, “We do well to remember that Christianity is not essentially about
18 believing a series of doctrinal beliefs or adhering to the tenants of a particular Church. It means
encountering a person who has overcome death and who is the Resurrection and the Life.” Or,
as Thomas Merton put it in Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, “A Christian is not simply one
who believes certain reports about Christ, but one who lives in a conscious confrontation with
Christ in himself and in other men.”
The role of youth leaders is to help young people move from merely believing what the Church
tells them about Christ to knowing Christ in themselves, being transformed by Christ, and
intentionally choosing to follow Christ. This is different from the role many youth leaders have
traditionally assumed—either to inform youth about God, Christ, the Church, and the Bible; or
to entertain youth, support them, keep them out of trouble, or help them when they get into
trouble. This change in roles requires youth leaders to spend some time talking together about
what this leadership role entails and how they will implement it in their group.
How do we do this?
Begin by bringing all the youth leaders and the clergy of the congregation to meet together.
The purpose of these meetings is to talk about what it means to encounter the Risen Lord, to
be transformed, to be converted, to accept Christ as your personal Savior, to follow him as
Lord.
• Write on newsprint all of these phrases and any others that you have heard or use to talk
about this experience.
• Take some time to talk about what each phrase means to each of you.
• Identify which each of you finds comfortable or uncomfortable.
The idea is not to use the same language but rather to find ways to talk about the conversion
experience in a way that is comfortable to each leader.
Next, take time to talk about how each of you has encountered the Risen Lord in your life. For
some this will be easy and comfortable—for others it will be more difficult. Remember there is
no set way this must happen and that no one way is superior to any other way. Each person
has his or her own experience. Each person’s individual experience is uniquely suited to him or
her. The goal is not to look for anything specific but merely to give each person a chance to talk
about what he or she has experienced.
It is possible, even probable, that some youth leaders will not have any experience to talk
about. Some may, in fact, have real questions about whether they even believe in Jesus, much
less want to follow him. This is perfectly fine—adults as well as youth can be seekers. It does,
however, pose some difficulties when they are trying to lead youth. It is not possible to lead
someone when you haven’t been there, don’t know where you are going, or don’t even believe
that the trip is worth taking! It is important that youth leaders with real doubts about their faith
not be the ones to provide leadership in this area.
If some of your youth leaders are still seekers, unable to speak clearly about their relationship
with Christ, you may want to recruit other members of your congregation who can talk about
their faith experience to be part of the youth leadership team. Or, you may decide that the
member of the team who is comfortable talking about his or her own journey will be the one to
provide leadership in situations where this is important.
If many of your youth leaders are early-stage seekers with more doubts and questions than
experiences of faith, the group will need to make a commitment to work on faith issues
19 separately from the youth work. What that may mean is that the youth leaders meet regularly
with the congregation’s clergy and intentionally seek Christ in their lives. You can use an
established faith development program, or just meet to study the scriptures, pray, and talk. You
might go on a weekend retreat together and/or invite speakers to meet with you. Whatever
your group feels will help the group members develop a deeper faith is appropriate. What is
important is that you recognize that you cannot lead young people to Christ unless you are
already on a faith journey that has enabled you to encounter the Risen Lord. If you are not
there—now is the time to embark on an intentional journey to deepen your own faith. Then you
can lead.
While there is nothing wrong with adults expressing doubts, it is important that their doubts do
not become the focus of the youth group, and it is essential that adults who can speak openly
and comfortably about their own faith and faith journey are regularly present with the youth.
Young people need to see that the journey leads somewhere—they need to know that it is a
journey, that the adults around them were once seekers too but that they found Christ, and
that finding Christ made a real difference in their lives.
This does not mean that the adults aren’t still on a journey—they are. But the adults providing
leadership to youth need to be far enough along on that journey that they can confidently say
that they know Christ in their lives. This is why it is crucial that the adults involved in the youth
program meet and talk with each other about their faith experience. Many adults need this
practice as they may have never talked about their relationship with Christ to another person.
Listen carefully and respectfully to each other. Start by breaking into pairs and telling just one
other person. Then tell the whole group. Invite each other to ask questions and, if you want
help, ask the group to suggest ways you might tell your story. But make sure that the way to
talk about your experience is really your way—young people will spot a phony story a mile
away!
What do we do with the young people?
There are two different arenas to think about: planning environments in which young people
might encounter the Risen Christ, and responding to situations that arise. The latter of these
two is what you will be dealing with week by week—listening to the group, trying to assess
where they are, and looking for ways to guide the discussion in a direction that helps young
people think about their commitment to Christ. You may also find it appropriate to talk with a
young person alone—again, when the situation presents itself. We will begin with how to
respond to situations that arise.
1)
Respond to the situation at hand
Youth leaders need to be aware of the mood and discussion of the group as well as of
the individual members. When the conversation turns to matters of faith, youth leaders
can listen for an opportunity to ask questions or offer comments that encourage youth
to be aware of the need for conversion. For example, a discussion about current events,
personal experiences, or a movie leads to talking about a situation that is disturbing,
painful, or difficult. A youth leader might ask:
• Where do you think Christ is in this situation?
• If you were in this situation how would you know Christ was with you?
• What is the difference between knowing about the stories of Jesus and knowing
Christ within you?
• What difference does it make when times are difficult?
• If the group has already discussed these types of questions before and if your group
20 has several young people who can openly talk about their faith, you might also ask:
o Have any of you had an experience in which you felt Christ was with you?
o What happened? What did it feel like?
o Who did you share it with?
•
If the group has discussed these questions a few times, you can then ask some of
these questions:
o Do you know Christ or do you just know about Christ?
o Have you decided to follow Christ? If so, when and how did you do that?
What are some ways people can make that decision? Does it have to be a big
deal, or can it just be a quiet talk with Christ?
o Is Christ your personal Savior? What does that mean? How does Christ
become your personal Savior? Why is that important?
These questions can lead you into some deeply personal and deeply holy places. Be careful
and proceed slowly, always watching and listening for God’s spirit in your group. Notice all the
“if’s” interspersing the questions above. As the questions get more personal, the group needs
more experience with talking about personal faith issues to build trust and a comfort level with
the discussion. If you ask questions that are too personal, you’ll get silence… and that’s okay.
Don’t be afraid of a little bit of silent time, but if the conversation dies there, that’s okay too…
leave it for another time.
Also, be aware of who are the influential members in your group. If you have a subgroup of
young people who are comfortable with religious language but they are not the popular leaders,
encouraging them to speak before the others are ready is likely to create an environment where
they may become the target of jokes and/or the topic may be dismissed by the other youth.
Leading this type of discussion requires a great deal of sensitivity. Listen to the young people.
Always ask general, non-threatening questions first:
• How do you think people might…?
• What are some of the things people might (do) (say) (think) (feel)…?
• If you were in this situation, how do you think you might…?
Asking them to say what they think others might think or do is less threatening than asking
what they thought or did. Only move to the more personal questions if the group gets “on a
roll” and you can see that most of them are actively engaged in the discussion.
Obviously this is not a discussion you will have every week or even every month—especially not
in the beginning of the program. However, it is important to watch for when the moment arises
and when it feels right to gently initiate the conversation. You will probably have to start it
many times before it moves to the personal level. The key is to avoid making a big deal out of
it. Don’t pressure young people to reveal more than they are comfortable with. Be prepared to
tell your own story if they ask or if you are moved to do so. But don’t be the first to do so or
you will make it difficult for any young person to match your story. When you do tell your own
faith story, keep it brief and honest—and without a lot of heavy religious language. The more
you sound like the person they’ve gotten to know, the more they will respect and listen to your
story.
Finally, watch for times when you may want to initiate this discussion with individual young
21 people. This will usually be when they have approached you or when you notice that there is
something serious bothering them. Invite them to talk about whatever is disturbing them. Be
supportive. Assure them that they are loved—by Christ and by you—and that Christ loves them
and accepts them just as they are—no matter what happened. If the young person is
remorseful about something he or she did wrong, you can gently lead them to an informal
confession; or you can use a form like The Reconciliation of a Penitent from Book of Common
Prayer (page 447ff.). If the problem is very serious it may require a referral to a professional—
talk with your clergy person about how to handle this. If it seems right and is comfortable with
you, pray with the young person, asking Christ to be present in his or her life. This does not
need to be dramatic or fancy—just a simple prayer, thanking God for creating this young person
and for loving him or her; then asking Christ to be with him or her this day and always.
A couple of cautionary notes:
•
You need to give young people privacy to have this kind of conversation, yet need to
make sure that you are not totally alone with him or her—even though your discussion
may be serious, remember that even the appearance of impropriety can be problematic.
A good way to solve this is to go for a walk or to talk with the young person in a park or
other place where you can be alone and yet in a public space.
•
You need to maintain confidentiality about what you hear, yet need to be ready to take
appropriate steps if you sense the young person needs an intervention. If you believe
the young person is seriously depressed or angry and may do harm to self or others,
you have a responsibility to act. Explain why you are going to ask for help. Ask the
young person if he or she wants to go with you to talk with the clergy or if he or she
wants you to tell the clergy person. Explain that you and the clergy will help them get
the help they need. Do not ignore your instincts. Remember that many young people
are suicidal over their self- perception, (especially true for homosexual youth struggling
to deal with their sexuality), their relationships with each other, their future, etc.
Establishing and Maintaining Boundaries (another article in the Coordinator’s Manual) covers
personal interactions with young people, confidentiality, confession and referrals.
2)
Create environments
Besides listening for and responding to the immediate situation, youth leaders also need
to make conscious plans. This is especially important if it seems like no situations are
arising naturally or if the youth leaders are not comfortable identifying them as they are
occurring. At least a couple of times a year in Rite-13 and several times a year in J2A,
the youth leaders should plan events that provide appropriate environments for youth to
encounter Christ.
The reality is that youth (as well as adults) are most likely to be open to experience the
presence of Christ when they are impacted emotionally. This is both an advantage and a
danger. The advantage is that it gives us a direction to go in planning. The danger is
that we can emotionally manipulate youth without intending to do so. The key is to be
aware of the dangers, respect the young people you work with, and be authentic and
reverent in what you do.
Plan events that use music, silence, candlelight, or bonfires. For example:
• Select powerful movies and show them at a lock-in so that discussion can occur late
22 •
at night when everyone is sitting around a single flickering candle, talking about the
movie and how it relates to our life in Christ.
Take the group to participate in a situation in which people are helping people—
serve meals at a homeless shelter, sand bag to stem flooding waters, help build a
Habitat for Humanity house, visit a nursing home, do a show for children in hospitals
or other institutions. When the experience is over, have dinner, settle down in a
comfortable space, turn down the lights, and invite them to reflect on their
experience.
•
Do a fantasy weekend using Aslan is on the Move!—based on C.S. Lewis’s book, The
Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Watch the complete video after the weekend
experience, during an overnight with just youth present (you can do the fantasy
weekend with the entire congregation), and then have a discussion about their
experience and the parallels between Aslan and Christ.
•
Go on a mini-pilgrimage—visit a monastery or convent chapel, a sacred site
outdoors, or a large Cathedral-like church (Episcopal, Roman Catholic, or
Orthodox)—preferably with a crypt or some other space that feels distinctly “holy”.
Go see the place, talk with people, have dinner. Then return after dark to do a quiet,
meditative worship service. During the service, ask participants about their life in
Christ—leave silence for reflection time and/or play music. Read powerful stories.
Sing moving songs.
•
Build a labyrinth and walk it prayerfully.
•
Encourage young people to create a worship service that will help people “see and
meet Christ.” Give them story books, song books, etc. and see what they create.
•
Bring in an experienced and effective speaker, actor, or storyteller to share their
gifts
•
Do a lesson on confession and forgiveness (e.g. using the Rite-13 lesson plan in the
Prayer Section “Talking to God—Listening to God”); talk about the Reconciliation of a
Penitent service (BCP, p. 446-452) and what it means to make a formal confession.
Set up a time when each young person can make their private confession to the
clergy or to a trained lay person (note the directions allow laity to hear a confession
and then use “we” language in the prayers instead of “I”). Or structure a service
where the young people write their confessions and present them at the altar during
the prayer of confession. In all cases, make the absolution clear and certain.
•
Plan a summer youth camping week in cooperation with your camp staff—they often
have established programs or experience in developing programs, and certainly have
experience in creating environments that have an impact on youth.
•
Join forces with other youth programs in your denomination or area—Happening,
Alpha, etc., which are designed to offer youth an opportunity to make a decision for
Christ. Screen all programs you are not familiar with to make sure they fit your
theology, denominational beliefs, and your congregation’s way of being.
These are just a few suggestions—you can probably think of many other ideas. There are many
23 lesson plans in the Journey to Adulthood program which lend themselves to a discussion about
one’s commitment to Christ. Primary among these is, of course, the pilgrimage. Start these
conversations at least a year prior to the pilgrimage and then deepen the conversations during
the pilgrimage. Being away from home, spending time in holy places, taking time to walk or sit
in silence and reflecting on new and different experiences all provide fertile ground for this kind
of conversation. All youth leaders should intentionally plan for how they will initiate and lead
these conversations during their pilgrimage. Remember, this is not a tourist trip—it is a journey
to seek the holy. What better time to invite young people to experience the holy and in that
experience to ask Christ to be their Savior?
The job of youth leaders is to love, support, and nurture the young people with whom they
work. But their primary job is to ensure that those young people have ample opportunities to
experience Christ in their lives, to reflect on that experience, and to make a conscious, adult
decision to choose a path of life that follows wherever Christ leads. In all the fun and games, in
the midst of deep and meaningful conversation, in the chaos of organizing the program, and in
the excitement of what is going well it is crucial that we remember that leading young people to
Christ is our first and most important responsibility.
©1998, Linda L. Grenz; used with permission.
24 Talking About Violence
The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have left us all shocked, saddened
and confused. This tragedy is hard to comprehend, but many feel comforted just by talking
about the events. It is important to talk with our children and teens about these kinds of
events, but it is difficult to know what to say. Following are some guidelines about talking with
children, which we include here because many leaders have children as well as youth in their
lives. Also, many teens have younger sibling and it may be helpful to review these items with
them so they can understand and support their siblings. Additional suggestions for youth follow
this section.
What has happened is a terrible tragedy and our feelings may be intense and varied. Give your
children and yourself some time to adjust. There are no magic words, no “right answers”—just
be with your children and talk with them. Remember that there are people available to help
you—many schools have additional counselors on hand to help; there are many community
agencies and professional counselors who are specially trained to deal with situations like this;
and there are many clergy and lay people who can be of tremendous help and comfort in a
time of tragedy.
Consider spending some family time praying for the people who have been hurt or have died.
Talk to God about not understanding why this happened. Pray for President Bush and other
leaders who have many decisions to make in the days and weeks ahead. Pray for the policemen
and firemen, doctors and nurses and all who are trying to help.
Read prayers together from The Book of Common Prayer or other books. Pray collects such as:
For Doctors and Nurses, p. 460, For the Nation or For Peace on p. 258, For Travelers on p. 831,
the Prayer attributed to St. Francis on p. 833 or the Prayer for the Human Family on p. 815.
Read scripture together (Especially appropriate are Psalm 23, Psalm 121, Romans 8:34-35, 3739, Revelation 21:2-7).
Brainstorm ways for your child and/or teenager to offer help. Finding a concrete way to help
the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon may help children and
youth regain their sense of personal power and security. Collecting donations, participating in a
fund-raising event, giving part of their allowance or being in on family decisions about what to
do may help your teenager regain his or her equilibrium. Check with your denomination to
identify relief agencies that are responding. Remind youth that this will be a long-term effort, so
whatever they do can be planned and implemented when they are ready rather than having to
be done instantly.
Besides reading the scriptures or prayers listed above, The Journey to Adulthood program offers
a wonderful lesson plan for youth called “What I Know, What I Don’t Know, and What I Believe”
(see Rite-13 Lessons, Faith and Trust Section, Lesson Four).This is a great way to process what
has happened, to give voice to all that we can’t understand or control and to reaffirm our basic
beliefs.
September 12, 2001
Tracey E. Herzer, Senior J2A Trainer, LeaderResources and
Director of Children’s Formation, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia
25 Talking with Children
First and foremost, children need to be reassured that they are safe. They often experience
anxiety, fear and a personal sense of risk. You may want to limit television viewing for younger
children, especially those of preschool age. It is very difficult for young children to process images
and messages in news reports. Let children know that tragic events are not common and that their
parents will always try to take care of them. (i.e. “I know you are scared. I am too. It’s a scary
thing that happened, but I love you and will always do my very best to make sure you are safe.”)
Just like adults, children will have varied reactions to the events. They may ask lots of
questions, cling to parents or exhibit the behavior of younger children, have stomachaches or
headaches, or may have difficulty sleeping or have nightmares. Older children and adolescents may
make inappropriate jokes or glib comments and may direct their anger and frustration at other
seemingly unconnected situations. All of these are various ways of dealing with such an
incomprehensible act. Expect and give permission for a wide range of reactions. It is important to
validate your child’s feelings and not try to explain to them why they should feel another way. Many
children will need more physical affection and one-on-one time with parents.
The best plan for discussion is to talk honestly, but without a lot of graphic detail. Be
gently concrete and truthful when answering questions. Be careful of using euphemisms for death
such as the people “passed” or “went to sleep” or “went away.” These can send scary messages to
younger children who wonder if they too might go to sleep and not wake up or if their parents will
go away forever.
Be aware of where your child is developmentally. Preschool children often see death as
reversible, temporary or impersonal. Children between the ages of 5-9 are beginning to realize that
death is permanent but they may still harbor the idea that they can escape through their own
ingenuity or efforts. From 9 or 10 through adolescence, children begin comprehending fully that
death is irreversible, that all living things die and that they too will die someday.
Reinforce your family’s values. This is a good time to talk about your family beliefs regarding
the sanctity of life and violence toward others. Reiterate your position as a person of faith and don’t
be afraid to say, “I don’t know why this happened” or “I don’t know how to answer that.” Also be
aware that some religious explanations that may comfort adults can unsettle a child. For example,
“It is God’s will” or “Those people are with God now” could be frightening rather than reassuring to
the young child who may worry that God might decide to come get them. Assure them that God
loves us all and is present with each of us as we struggle to understand.
If they don’t want to talk, give them other options. If you suspect your child may be worrying
about things they can’t articulate, you could ask them to draw pictures or create something. Art
projects are a great expressive medium—this is a good time to stock up on art supplies and make
them readily available to children. Another approach would be to talk about what feelings they think
other people might be having. This gives the child an opportunity to gain some distance from what
they are feeling. If your child doesn’t want to talk about the events at all, they may not need to talk.
You might just take a walk, read them a book or give them a hug to let them know you care.
Remind children of safety procedures. Talk about measures that are already in place, such as
police, fireman, policies at school for dealing with danger, etc. Talk about safety plans that might
make them feel more comfortable. Keep talking with them even after the media coverage subsides.
Keep a normal schedule. As much as possible, try to continue with family routines such as
dinnertime or bedtime rituals. Children (and adults) can often find some comfort by connecting with
some sense of normalcy, even in the midst of chaos and fear.
26 Talking with Youth
Much of what has been written about talking with children applies to talking with teenagers as
well, but some additional suggestions follow:
Teen reactions may be more intense. Teenagers are already living with more emotional
ups-and-downs than younger children and a tragic event may exacerbate the situation. Watch
for displaced anger/aggression and be aware that routine disagreements can quickly escalate
while teens are processing their feelings and reactions. Be gentle with your teen. If you observe
behavior changes (anger, depression, withdrawing, overly quiet, anxiety, sleeplessness, etc.)
that are sustained beyond a couple of weeks, you may want to seek professional help.
Reassure your teens that these kinds of events are unusual. Many teens will have
increased anger and cynicism about people in general. Pointing out all the ways people have
helped the victims and their families may help balance out some of the anger teens feel about
people or the state of the world.
Teens may be fascinated with many of the graphic details. Teens who are inundated
with media images may become mesmerized by gory news reports, etc. This is one way of
dealing with their feelings. They may be overly interested in body counts, stories of how and
where people died, etc.
Teens are in a different developmental stage. Teenagers now view death as inevitable,
universal and irreversible, but they may still feel as if “This could never happen to me.” Teens
are much more likely to ask questions about the meaning of life and get involved in sorting out
their own philosophy/theology. They may need adult guidance for processing their grief or
developing appropriate coping skills, but don’t be surprised if they first turn to friends and peers
to talk about what’s happening and how they feel. Teens are not sure how to handle their
emotions, either publicly or privately, and often process things as they discuss them with peers.
27 How to Help When It’s Hard to Know How to Help
Responding to the Events of September 11, 2001
Pray --- Prayer does make a difference. Take time daily or even several times a day to pray. Join
with others to pray. Stop at a church or sit on a park bench and pray. Consciously placing yourself
and the whole nation into God’s hands helps us heal and gives us strength.
of God’s healing power, acting as rescuers &
• Pray for our nation, the world, our
healers.
President, Governor, Mayor and other
leaders
• Pray for all those who work for justice and
peace
• Pray for those who have been injured
• Pray for those who have died
• Pray for our enemies
• Pray for those who mourn
• Pray for those who seek to be instruments
Turn to the Bible --- We invite you to reflect on the Psalms – especially Psalm 23, 46 & 121.
Reach out --- Call people you know who were or may have been present at or impacted by
these events, just to check in. Write a note to someone who has experienced loss. Write a word of
encouragement to a leader or a word of thanks to your local police, fire or medical staff. As you see
people who are feeling the loss, offer a kind word or a prayer. And in time of tension, sorrow and
fatigue, be patient. Remember that people, far removed from ground zero, can be depressed,
anxious and tense as well.
Donate blood --- Call your local hospital, Red Cross or other blood donation center to make an
appointment. Plan to give blood regularly in the future. Check www.BeADonor.com for online info.
Donate money --- Your local congregation, regional and national church, church-affiliated
organizations and other not-for-profit organizations can make sure your contribution reaches those
who need help.
Volunteer ---In the days ahead more volunteer opportunities will emerge in NYC and
Washington. There also may be a need for volunteers in your local area. Contact your local church
or not-for-profit organizations to see what help is needed. If you live at a distance, be aware that
children, youth and adults in all walks of life may need counseling or other kinds of support. Now is
a good time to reach out through your church or local not-for-profit organizations. Some examples:
• Support a child through Big Brothers/Big Sisters
• Offer to be present in a school classroom to help teachers and be available to students
• Become a Foster or Adoptive Parent—abandoned children may be especially alone at this time
• Join the team of Sunday School Teachers so there are more adults available to children
• Join the youth leaders or start a youth program if your church doesn’t have one
• Join, lead and/or start small group programs for adults that build relationships
Brainstorm --- Talk with family, friends and co-workers and brainstorm a list of ideas. Don’t
evaluate each idea, just list them, even if they sound crazy. Some of the best ideas emerge out of a
series of ideas that sounded crazy but opened the way for people to “think out of the box.”
Ask for help --- Call on clergy or other members of your community to help, to pray with you, to
offer support in whatever way they can. This is a time to reach out to each other. Asking for help or
just a listening ear builds bridges between people and helps all of us heal.
This list was adapted from a similar list compiled by
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, New York City, NY
28 Prayers at Times of Tragedy
A Prayer for the Human Family
O God, you made us in your image and redeemed us through Jesus
your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away
the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls
that separate use; unite us in bonds of love, and work through our
struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth. Amen.
A Prayer for the Nation
Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your
glory, to serve you in freedom and peace: Give to the people of our
country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may
use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus
Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, forever and ever. Amen
A Prayer for Our Enemies
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our
enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us
from hatred, cruelty and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to
stand reconciled before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us
sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union;
where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is
darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so
much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to
understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it
is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born
to eternal life. Amen.
These prayers are from the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church
which is available in many religious bookstores or by calling 800-223-6602
29 Pilgrimage in the Face of Terrorism
The Rev. Linda L. Grenz
Many of you have called to talk about pilgrimage planning in the light of the attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon. While none of us can predict what will happen, I
thought it would be helpful to share some of my thoughts in hopes that it might be helpful to
you.
We are afraid
It is important to acknowledge that most of us are at least a bit fearful. So let’s say that aloud
and affirm that it is logical and reasonable to be fearful about traveling. Many people have
cancelled trips abroad, in the USA or even to nearby cities. Even those of us who travel do so
with a different perspective and often with mixed feelings. So the first thing we need to do is to
acknowledge that the idea of sending our youth away from home—even a year or two from
now—feels scary. The worst thing we can do is to discount the fears of parents, youth or
congregational leaders. We are all entitled to whatever feelings we have and fear is certainly a
natural and normal reaction.
We must be realistic
The second reality is that our youth may not be able to travel to certain parts of the world or
even in this country this coming summer. If we are still at war or if there are widespread and
persistent terrorist attacks in the USA, none of us are likely to be traveling much. So, despite
the fact that the chances of all travel being shut down probably is remote, it now is, or at least
seems to be, real in a way none of us had anticipated before. Again, we need to acknowledge
the possibility of travel disruptions and be realistic about contingency planning. Pilgrimages
planned for this coming summer need to have a “Plan B” in place and it might be wise to check
into trip cancellation policies (read the fine print), work with an agency that can re-route you if
necessary without forfeiting your ticket fees and delay purchasing tickets until some clarity
emerges.
We also need to recognize that our worst fears are strongest now and life may be very different
by next summer and certainly two years from now. Many people are saying that this will change
us forever—and to some extent it will. However, Americans (and probably people in general)
have a phenomenal ability to re-establish life as usual after life-altering events. The one thing
that may, in fact, have changed is our ability to live with the illusion of invulnerability. Because
Americans, as a people, have not experienced the kind of danger that many people in the rest
of the world live with daily, we could maintain the illusion of safety. In some senses, this event
is a “coming of age” event—a time when we, as a nation, become more “adult,” more in touch
with reality as it really is. Before we were like teenagers who assume that they are
invulnerable—that death, AIDS or pregnancy only happens to other people, not to us. Now we
can no longer escape the reality of death in our lives. So, like a teenager who confronts the
reality of death and his or her mortality for the first time, we are facing the fact that Americans
can be injured and killed in large numbers on our own land.
We are different and changing
This is likely to create a range of emotions in each of us and elicit different responses from
different people or even from ourselves at different times. Some people will seek safety and
choose to restrict travel. Others will take risks they haven’t before—almost as a way to defy
30 those who brought fear to our land. Some will be anxious for a few weeks or months; others
have already traveled and overcome their fears.
What is important is to honor each individual person’s reaction and response. We are all
different and our responses will differ. As events unfold and perspectives shift, we also are
likely to find our reaction and responses changing. So, we need to give ourselves time. If your
pilgrimage is two years from now, this is a good time to begin working on the concept of
pilgrimage and not the time to focus on destinations. You have plenty of time to do that after
everyone’s emotions have had time to evolve and you see what life brings in the months ahead.
If your pilgrimage is this coming summer, you still need to give yourselves time to process
things. Plane reservations don’t need to be made today and you don’t need to nail down
specifics immediately. Wait awhile before you decide exactly what you will do. Watch and pray
first; decide later.
We are a people of faith
For Christians, this event is a call to faith. Now is the time for youth, parents and the
congregation to think, talk and pray about what it means to live out one’s faith. For most of us,
this is the first time we have seen ourselves as targets of hatred because of our faith. While
there are other issues involved, the fact that the perpetrators name this as a religious battle
presents us with a challenge that is unique for most of us. It challenges us to ask: What does it
mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to step out “in faith” in the face of danger? What
does it mean to stand up for your faith, to proclaim your faith in a world where Christians are
seen by some as infidels?
Again, this can be a “coming of age” experience for us. It can be a time when the illusion that
being a Christian is easy and a normal part of life is broken. We can no longer take our faith for
granted. We need to choose to follow and bear witness to Christ daily. Before we could assume
that all of us were ready and willing and, in fact, doing that. But now it is a choice. Do I wear a
cross and travel, perhaps making myself a target? Do I have the faith that God is with me and
the commitment to be a Christ-bearer in the world—no matter what that costs? Am I prepared
to die for my faith?
Those questions may be a bit extreme—things haven’t come to that yet. But, for the first time
in most of our lives, being a Christian is no longer a cost-free option. We now know that there
are people in the world who will kill us simply because we are Christian and/or American. And
they are not half-way around the world—they are here and they are willing to die for their faith
as they understand it.
This event is a call to faith. I encourage you to go beyond the practical questions of safety and
explore questions of faith. What does it mean to be a Christian today? How has that changed
from a couple of months ago? Look at Christians in different times and places—how did they
respond to similar challenges to their faith? This reflection and prayerful discernment may lead
you to entirely new pilgrimage possibilities. Choose a theme and begin reflecting on it rather
than choosing a destination (or arguing about a destination). Use the events of this time as an
opportunity for learning and spiritual growth—for the youth and for the adults in your
congregation.
We are a community
This is an opportunity to reach out beyond the youth group itself. Engage parents and the
congregation as a whole in your reflection and discernment process. Listen to the youth and
their perspective on what has happened and on what it means to be a faithful Christian in the
31 midst of these times. Many of our youth have far deeper faith lives than adults in our
congregations—create opportunities for the generations to interact so they can learn from each
other.
Turn to your elders. This might be a good time to invite the older adults in the congregation to
share their experiences with times of threat and uncertainty. Ask them to talk about World War
II or growing up with the threat of nuclear war. Ask them to talk about how their faith was
challenged in difficult times and how they lived through those times. If you have people in your
community who have lived in war zones or experienced terrorism, invite them share their
experience.
Older adults also might be willing to “companion” families that have a young person planning
for pilgrimage—meeting with them, talking with the parents, praying for the family and staying
close to the parents while their children are gone. This can be a great way for the generations
to support each other. Pair families and older adults now and ask them to stay in relationship
through the pilgrimage. This is especially important for pilgrimages scheduled for this summer.
There are some youth groups that may, in fact, choose to go to New York City or to
Washington this coming summer to stand in solidarity with the youth who live there. Remember
that those of you who live far away from those places can choose whether to confront the
reality of what has happened. Youth who live in or near those cities have no choice. They may
have seen the collapse or walked in the debris; they may have lost a parent or know a friend
who lost a parent; they have seen the impact on their community, their parents and their
teachers; they live in an altered world. Some youth groups may choose to stand with them.
They may choose to exercise their faith with their feet.
We are a people of prayer
Finally, remember to pray. It is easy in difficult times to rush about making plans, changing
plans, arguing about plans and generally trying to do something. Try to build in some times of
silence—spaces to reflect or simply to “be”. Give yourself time to sit with the ambiguities of our
complex society. And most importantly, pray. The J2A lessons on prayer can help youth,
parents and other members of the congregation discover new ways to pray. Create new and
multiple opportunities for prayer. Don’t worry about having lots of people joining in each one
because each person may respond differently. Think about starting prayer groups or
establishing 15 minutes before the service when people are given specific prayers or a list
people and issues to pray for. Consider adding at least a couple of minutes of silent prayer in
your worship services or before starting group sessions—invite people to pray. Give people
appropriate printed prayers—different ones distributed at different times over the next few
months. Establish prayer vigils.
In all of these prayer opportunities, encourage people to pray for those impacted by what
happened, for the world’s leaders and their decisions, for peace, for faith and for guidance.
Encourage them to pray for the youth and their pilgrimage. Encourage them to pray that God
will deepen and strengthen our faith in these times. This is my prayer for all of you in the days
and weeks ahead. May God bless you and keep you—and may God’s face smile on you!
The Rev. Linda L. Grenz, September 21, 2001
32 In the Days Ahead
by The Rev. Linda L. Grenz
The first shock of the September 11th event has washed over us and the bombing of
Afghanistan has begun. The initial outpouring of prayer and support has been generous and
even overwhelming. But where will we be in another month or six months or a year from now?
I now spend Mondays at St. Paul’s Chapel, a church that is part of Trinity Church Wall Street
and is located just one block from the World Trade Center. St. Paul’s was built in the late
1700's and was the church George Washington and the nation’s leaders went to for a prayer
service immediately after his nearby inauguration ceremony as the first President of the United
States. Washington still has a box seat in the church. Many people have remarked on the fact
that most of the surrounding modern buildings were damaged or demolished but St. Paul’s
survived without even a broken window!
St. Paul’s is now a relief site for Ground Zero workers. It is truly an example of the church at
its best. Along the walls downstairs and on the pews in the balconies upstairs are boxes of
clothes, shoes, medical supplies, personal care items, candy, gum, Tums, eye drops, shoe
inserts and everything else anyone might want or need. Yesterday I distributed a zillion pairs
of gloves as an unexpected cold front suddenly dropped the temperatures into the low 40's
and the WTC area was, as usual, whipped by strong winds. St. Paul’s also serves three meals a
day, has cots and pews where weary workers can sleep. Podiatrists and masseuses deal with
aching muscles and feet while pastoral care, worship services and a sanctuary in which to pray
helps people deal with aching hearts and souls. Candles and flowers are everywhere and
letters from children around the country are taped to every pew and spare wall space. A quiet,
reverent, constant flow of workers and volunteers creates a sacred space unlike any I have
experienced anywhere.
What is wonderful about this is the involvement of hundreds of people from all over the United
States. This is our church in action. Volunteers have come from congregations from the next
church to the other side of the country. People have sent boxes of socks or suckers or Sucrets
or anything else they thought would be needed. Many boxes come with photos and letters
from Sunday School classes.
This is all great! But what will happen a month or six months or a year from now? Responding
to the immediate crisis is easy—it is easy because it often addresses our personal need to “do
something” as a way to relieve our own anxiety and feelings of helplessness. That is well and
good. But what is really needed in all crises is ongoing support, and that is much harder. The
immediate response feeds our heroic selves, yet the ongoing work can become boring, difficult
and seemingly meaningless. I waited for two weeks before volunteering because I was familiar
with the usual dynamics after a death—family, friends and all the support generated after a
death tends to disappear about two weeks after the funeral. While there are still lots of
volunteers a month later, the numbers are starting to drop and probably will continue to do so.
Donations of goods and funds will decrease soon. And I suspect that our Sunday School
classes and youth groups are already starting to move on.
So, my challenge to the Journey to Adulthood community is a challenge to remain faithful for
the long haul. Becoming an adult requires remaining committed to a marital relationship when
33 things may not be so great, staying in a job through difficult times, working patiently with your
child who is having a bad year or two, etc. In a time when we are accustomed to the “quick
fix” and an era when we expect things to happen instantly, learning to wait patiently and focus
on something even when it feels like nothing is happening is an important part of faith
formation.
So, what might you do in the months ahead? First and foremost, continue to pray for all those
involved in the events of Sept. 11th and for all those impacted by the actions our nation takes
in response to these events. Go beyond just mentioning it in your opening prayers each week.
Think about things like a monthly prayer vigil, youth leading or modeling a prayer time before
your weekly worship service or whatever the youth in your group feel is a way for them to
pray.
Here are some other suggestions:
•
Write letters to people impacted other than the rescue workers (who get lots of letters).
For example, the iron workers, construction workers, utility workers, safety regulation
staff, etc. are all people who have no training or experience to deal with doing their jobs
in this context. And, unlike police and fire units, they have no chaplains as part of their
work environment. Another group of people not likely to receive letters and prayers from
outside are the businesses that lost many employees, were dislocated or were
essentially shut down for long periods of time and thus suffered enormous economic
losses.
•
We have J2A groups that have been somewhat or severely impacted by this situation.
You might send letters of encouragement to your fellow J2A groups or even plan to do a
pilgrimage this summer to stand in solidarity with them. (See the attached page listing
congregations in the area using the program along with contact information.)
•
If we continue to be at war, think about ways to support our military troops. Prayers
and letters to them or to family members (especially youth and children) may be
appropriate. Think of other “hidden people” who are involved by or impacted by what is
happening, If you, as a young person, were in that situation, what would be helpful to
you?
•
Learn from the situation. Find ways to learn about the Islamic faith or about the roots of
the anger that gave birth to this hatred. Learn something about the nations of the
region (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, etc.) If possible, talk to people who have
experienced hatred, rejection or violence because of who they are. Talk about why and
how we do that to each other. Talk about global affairs, the role of the USA and the
place of Christianity in that role. Learn about grief counseling and, if appropriate, use
that knowledge with youth you know who have had a death in their family or just to
expand your understanding of what others are going through when someone they love
dies.
•
Plan to do something on Compassion and Mercy Sunday (weekend after Easter) related
to this event. Raise funds for a relief agency. Check with churches who are distributing
things and find out what you can collect. (Never send supplies without checking first;
money is usually best but sometimes supplies can be accepted). Reach out to local
34 police, fire fighters, emergency workers, etc. Plan an interfaith project that
demonstrates how youth can serve God together across the usual barriers of faith.
•
Think about your pilgrimage destination. Do you want to stand in solidarity with youth in
Washington and New York City? Do you want to look for God in Jewish and Islamic holy
places as well as Christian holy places—to pray with Jewish and Muslim youth? Do you
want to choose peace and reconciliation as a theme to build your pilgrimage around?
•
Finally, take your faith seriously. Talk about how this event has changed things for
Christians—what impact it has on our faith. This is the first experience most of us in this
country have had where we have been “persecuted” for our faith. What are some of the
ways your congregation can respond to that? How might you live differently because of
it? How can the youth help others in the congregation take their faith more seriously?
What does that mean? What would it look like if all the members of your congregation
were deeply committed to Christ and living as Christ called us to live? What can young
people do to help your congregation move in that direction? Challenge yourselves. Take
this opportunity to lead. Youth are remarkably well suited for the task of calling the
church to a higher vision and a deeper commitment. This is a good time to do just that.
These are just ideas—I’m sure many of you will have your own ideas. My challenge to you is to
keep with this over the months ahead. In just a few weeks it will be easy for most of us to
stop praying, working for peace, struggling to understand, raising money, sending letters or
even talking about this.
Remember that the counseling needs are most likely to peak a year from now and then start
diminishing. The rescue workers are likely to start falling apart 6 months from now when they
finally stop running, their marriages are likely to disintegrate 8 months from now, their children
are likely to start having problems 10 months from now.
So, for at least a year or two, we need to keep praying for and connecting with those whose
lives are so powerfully impacted by this. And we need to talk about what it means to remain
faithful, even when the events of today seem far away and our world has returned to some
semblance of normal.
The Rev. Linda L. Grenz, October 9, 2001
35 Learning About the Bible
Goal
To equip youth leaders with information so they can help participants gain some degree of
familiarity with the structure and content of the Bible
Objectives
•
•
•
To enable teens to acquire some degree of Bible literacy
To help teens find the major stories and the parables and miracles of Jesus in the Bible
To assist teens in making connections between their stories and the Gospel story
Background
Biblical literacy is not, by and large, one of the great strengths of Episcopalians. Joe Russell, the
noted Christian educator, puts it this way: “My twenty years as a Christian educator convinces
me that there is a biblical illiteracy in the Church that is appalling.” (Sharing Our Biblical Story
by Joseph P. Russell; Morehouse-Barlow: Wilton, CT; 2nd Edition, 1988, page 5)
This illiteracy may also be exemplified by the story of a church member who came to her
clergyperson to complain that the phrase, “Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of your eye,” in the
Service of Compline in the Book of Common Prayer of 1979 was too “folksy”… and that this
colloquial phrase was lacking in dignity and therefore not an appropriate phrase to use in our
prayers. It was fortunate that her clergyperson was able to assure her that it was a direct quote
from Psalm 17, verse 8.
And yet we are exposed to a great deal of Bible. The Book of Common Prayer is full of biblical
allusions and, as we have seen above, quotations. We hear a significant amount of the Bible
read over the course of the three-year Eucharistic lectionary cycle. If we practice the discipline
of reading the Daily Office, we will read the entire Bible over the course of a two-year period.
However, show many Episcopalians the Bible, and they may have a hard time finding even the
most familiar of scripture passages.
This is indeed appalling. The Bible is a repository of some of the greatest stories in the world,
including the very greatest of them all. These stories are an ageless love story between Creator
and Creation, often offering timeless paradigms for us. We can juxtapose our stories with those
in the Bible and see the points of congruence, of synchronicity. The Bible stories are lenses
through which we can see our world and our roles in it more clearly.
Given that it is important to teach the Bible to our children, the question becomes how, then,
are we to teach the Bible effectively to teenagers? There are many ways of teaching Holy
Scripture which essentially can be boiled down to two: using rote memorization or examining
the Bible as story and how our own stories and experiences find their counterparts in the great
stories of the Bible. With the creation of children’s programs such as Godly Play, Catechesis of
the Good Shepherd and even the newer rotation models where classes focus on a single story
for several weeks, our younger children are developing language and familiarity with the stories
of our faith heritage. How do we translate these lessons to our young people?
Perhaps the deadliest option for teenagers is rote memorization. It is also the most dangerous.
One can absorb Bible verses (and teenagers have superb memories) without reference to the
context… which can be very dangerous indeed. One can then regurgitate these verses when
necessary to proof-text virtually anything one wants to. Employing this technique, the Bible has
36 been misused, for example, to justify slavery, apartheid, and the subjugation of women. Much
of the material in the books of Numbers and Joshua could also be used to justify genocide.
In the past, the Bible has been misused to “prove” that the sun revolves around the earth and
that therefore the earth is the center of the universe – remember Copernicus and Galileo??
Until quite late in the 19th Century, Catholic universities in Europe were required to teach the
Ptolemaic (geocentric) theory of the universe in parallel with the Copernican (heliocentric)
theory. The Bible was also used to “prove” that the earth is flat. And in our own time, we have
heard arguments for teaching creationism and evolution side-by-side in some school systems.
As a further example of the misuse of the Bible, anatomists were once forbidden by the Church
to teach that men had the same number of ribs as women because of Genesis 2:21-22! Even
more ludicrous, one wonders how many engineering projects would have ended in catastrophe
if the Church had instructed engineers to base their calculations on 1 Kings 7:23, where the
mathematical Pi (π) is shown as being equal to 3 instead of the modernly accepted 3.14159.
We do not lay down any hard and fast rules for teaching the Bible. We do consider, however,
that it is essential that the young people have a working knowledge of the foundation of our
faith. They should know, for example, that the Acts of the Apostles and Epistles follow the
Gospels and that all these are to be found in the New Testament. They should know that the
saga of Moses begins with the Book of Exodus and ends with Deuteronomy.
The Bible Story & Our Story: What does this have to do with ME?
We have already suggested an approach to Bible study which we have found useful with
teenagers. This consists of a Sunday-by-Sunday reading of the Gospel lesson, either in church
or in the classroom, and then asking the young people to give you a summary of the story. It
takes them a while to get used to this, but soon you will get a reasonable rendition.
When they have become accustomed to this and comfortable with it, one may then ask the
question, “Is there anything going on in your life that is similar to what is described here?” This
again takes some getting used to on the part of the participants. However, eventually one brave
soul will come forward with the sharing of a personal story (incidentally, this is one reason why
we insist on confidentiality in the classroom). At this point, as we have suggested above,
mentally fall on your knees and thank God. The group can then be brought into the discussion.
Close Bible study sessions with prayer.
This is not something to be covered in one lesson; rather it is a reference guide. The
participants should be given Bibles and helped to find chapter and verse for the stories listed
below. There are many ways of dealing with teaching this, and each individual leader will have
to develop his or her own techniques.
In terms of teaching the Bible, we suggest the following a three-tiered approach:
1. The Structure of the Bible
2. The Great Stories of the Bible
3. The Relevance of the Bible Today
A neat way to look at the structure of the Bible and give young people a sense of the history of
the Bible is to post long sheets of newsprint paper on the walls and build a timeline with events
and stories in the Bible listed above the line and the books of the Bible listed below the line.
37 More Bible Resources
•
The Doubleday Pocket Bible Guide features an outline and short description of
every book in the Bible (including the Apocrypha) along with key verses from that book.
It also includes a variety of Bible study methods that can be used by the group. These
methods are easy enough for teens to lead them themselves with little or no
preparation. It also includes timelines, lists of places, names and words that are useful
along with verses that relate to various topics (anger, graduation, love, etc.). Contact
LeaderResources for ordering info.
•
In Dialogue With Scripture: An Episcopal Guide to Studying the Scriptures has
17 different Bible study methods and an extensive list of Bible study programs, books
and resources along with a description of each and information on where to obtain
them. In Dialogue With Scripture is published by the Episcopal Church and is available
through the Episcopal Book and Resource Center (800-334-7626)
•
Opening the Bible and Engaging the Word (Boston, MA: Cowley Publications) from
The New Church’s Teaching Series, and the accompanying Leader’s Guide for other
activity suggestions. Each book has a series of questions for every chapter.
•
When it comes to Bibles, we recommend the Access Bible for each leader and young
person. It is written for first-time Bible students, with a running commentary, sidebar
essays, glossary, concordance, and maps to help the reader understand text. The
Access Bible is published by Oxford University Press—known for its excellent scholarship.
Another Bible you may wish to have on hand, not for its scholarship, but for its easy
modern language is The Message by Eugene Peterson. It’s helpful to read familiar
verses in a very new way. Whether you all agree or disagree with the modernization, it
helps foster lively discussions!
Bible Activities
As time allows, you may wish to intersperse some Bible trivia games or activities with your
regular lesson plans. These also work well when you need to fill in a little extra time, or when
the group is having trouble focusing and needs an easy activity. You can offer prizes to the
participants or teams who find items first.
• Two Bible trivia scavenger hunts (and answers) are included on the following pages.
• Search the Internet for “Bible Trivia” or “Bible Games”… there are TONS out there!
• Go to a local Christian bookstore and look for Bible trivia games or flashcards
• Form teams and have each team look for stories from the following lists of selected
stories from the Old or New Testament (ie, “Who can be the first one to find the
temptation of Jesus?”
• Have a quick competition each Sunday to see who can find that day’s Gospel (or Old
Testament, or Epistle) reading in the Bible. Make this fun!
38 Facts About the Bible
Some Bible Trivia
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•
•
•
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The Bible is a collection of books like a library. In the Old Testament there are 39
books; in the New Testament there are 27 to give a total of 66.
Some denominations also include the 15 books of the Apocrypha, making 81 as the
total number of books in the Bible.
The canon of the Bible (the books regarded as being divinely inspired and their
arrangement) was set between the first and fourth centuries after the birth of Christ.
In the King James Version of the Bible, there are 1,189 chapters, 41,173 verses and
774,746 words.
The division of the Bible into chapters is attributed to Stephen Langton, a lecturer at
the University of Paris who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1207.
The division into verses is due to the Geneva printer, Robert Stephanus, in 1551.
The first English translation of the Bible was by John Wycliffe (1330-1384). The
translation on which the King James Version of 1611 is based is due to William Tyndale,
the “Father of the English Bible,” who was burned at the stake for this in 1536.
The Structure of the Bible
The Bible is divided into three major divisions:
1. The Old Testament (also called the Hebrew Scriptures
2. The New Testament (also called the Christian Scriptures)
3. The Apocrypha, or the Deuterocanonical Writings (which are not found in every edition
of the Bible)
To more readily understand the structure of the Bible, these can be further subdivided into the
following categories:
The Old Testament
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•
•
•
•
The Pentateuch, or the Five Books of Moses (the Jewish Torah) which include Genesis,
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
The Histories, which recount the history of the Jewish people from the settling of Canaan
under Joshua until the Babylonian exile and subsequent return to Jerusalem. This section
includes the Books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1
Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.
The Wisdom Books, also known as the Writings, which include Job, the Psalms, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.
The Prophets which include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (the major prophets),
Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai,
Zechariah, and Malachi (the minor prophets).
**Note: Our Jewish brothers and sisters divide the Hebrew Scriptures into three: Torah,
the Writings (Histories + Wisdom), and the Prophets
The Apocrypha
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The word “apocrypha” is from a Greek word meaning “hidden things”
This is an eclectic collection of stories, wisdom literature, and history
39 •
Includes the First and Second Books of Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Additions to the Book of
Esther, The Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus (or the Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach),
Baruch, The Letter of Jeremiah, Daniel and Susanna (or Susanna and the Elders),
Daniel, Bel, and the Snake (or Bel and the Dragon), The Prayer of Manasseh (or
Azariah), the Song of the Three Jews (or the Song of the Three Young Men), and the
First and Second Books of the Maccabees.
The New Testament
•
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The Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – which recount the life and ministry of
Jesus of Nazareth.
The Acts of the Apostles which recounts the early history of the Church from its origins
in Jerusalem to the spreading of the Gospel throughout the Roman world.
The Epistles, a collection of letters, mainly by the Apostle Paul, to the early Church
which set forth the basic theology of Christianity, along with some observations and
instructions on Christian moral behavior and practices of the early Church. These include
the letter to the Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians,
Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, (the Pauline Epistles),
Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2 & 3 John, and Jude (the Pastoral Epistles).
The Revelation to John, a piece of apocalyptic writing similar to the Book of Daniel.
There has been much controversy as to the meanings in Revelation, but for the sake of
our discussion here, we refer to “apocalyptic” or Apocalypse to mean 1) Any of a class of
Jewish or Christian writings of circa 200 B.C. to A.D. 350 that were assumed to make
revelations of the ultimate divine purpose. 2) A prophetic revelation, esp. concerning a
cataclysm in which the forces of good triumph over the forces of evil. 3. Any revelation
or prophecy. 4. Any universal or widespread destruction or disaster. [Greek apokálypsis
= revelation, derived from apokalýptein to uncover, reveal].
40 Handout—Biblical Scavenger Hunt #1
1.
What is the shortest book (number of chapters) in the New Testament?
2.
What is the longest book (number of chapters) in the Old Testament?
3.
How many books in the Bible begin with A?
4.
How many books in the Bible begin with Z?
5.
How many letters (epistles) did Paul write?
6.
How many letters (epistles) did Paul not write?
7.
Between which two books in the Bible is the Song of Solomon located?
8.
Which is the first book in the Old Testament?
9.
Which is the first book in the New Testament?
10. Which is the last book in the Old Testament?
11. Which is the last book in the New Testament?
12. How many Psalms are there?
13. What significant event or document is described in the 5th chapter of Deuteronomy?
14. What significant event occurs in chapter 3 of Exodus?
15. What significant event occurs in chapter 5 of Matthew’s Gospel?
16. What happens in the 20th chapter of John’s Gospel?
17. How many parables are there in the 8th chapter of Luke’s Gospel?
18. How did the two spies escape from Jericho? (See 2nd chapter of Joshua)
19. How is that story connected with the birth of Jesus? (See 1st chapter of Matthew)
20. Which is the longest Psalm?
41 Answers—Biblical Scavenger Hunt #1
1.
Philemon is the shortest book.
2.
Isaiah (66 chapters) is the longest.
3.
Two: Amos & Acts
4.
Two: Zephaniah and Zechariah
5.
13 letters written by Paul
6.
8 not written by Paul: Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1,2 & 3 John, Jude
7.
Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs) is between Ecclesiastes and Isaiah
8.
Genesis
9.
Matthew
10. Malachi
11. Revelation
12. There are 150 Psalms
13. The Giving of the Ten Commandments
14. God calls Moses from a burning bush
15. The Sermon on the Mount (The Beatitudes)
16. The resurrection of Jesus
17. Two: the parable of the sower and the parable of the lamp under the jar
18. Rahab let them down her window on a rope
19. Rahab is one of only four women in Jesus’ genealogy (Matthew 1:5)
20. Psalm 119 is the longest.
42 Handout—Biblical Scavenger Hunt #2
1.
The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35. What does it say?
2.
Which psalm do we use in our Rite 13 Ceremony? (Hint: start at the end of the book
of Psalms and work backwards… it will be faster!)
3.
What were the last words Jesus said on the cross? (Luke 23:46)
4.
What were the last words Jesus said on earth after his resurrection? (end of Matthew)
5.
Where is the story of creation found? (Ok, it was an easy one….)
6.
What is unusual about Ezra 7:21? (Hint: sing the alphabet song)
"And even I, Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are
beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of
heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily."
7.
Who was the oldest person in the Bible and how old was he? (Genesis 5:27)
8.
What bizarre thing did the prophet Isaiah do for three years? (Isaiah 20:2-3)
9.
What is the name given to the 14 additional books which some Bibles exclude?
10. How many chapters are in the entire New Testament?
11. Can you guess which chapter is the shortest one (and comes two chapters before the
longest one) in the Bible? Oddly enough, it is also the chapter that falls exactly in the
middle of the Bible.
12. How many books are in the Old Testament?
13. How many books are in the New Testament?
14. (Now checking your math skills…) How many books are in the entire Bible?
15. Psalm 118:8 is the verse that is exactly in the middle of the Bible. What is this
"central message"?
16. What's the deal with 2 Kings 19 and Isaiah 37?
17. What book of the Bible never mentions God? (hint: It's a woman's name)
18. Who got the most famous haircut in history? (Judges 16:19)
19. Rehoboam had the most children in the Bible – how many? (2 Chronicles 11:21)
20. Isaiah's son had the longest name in the Bible. What was it? (Isaiah 8:1)
43 Answers—Biblical Scavenger Hunt #2
1.
"Jesus wept"
2.
Psalm 139
3.
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"
4.
"And lo, I am with you always - even unto the ends of the earth"
5.
Genesis chapter 1
6.
This verse uses every letter except for J
7.
Methuselah lived to be 969 years old
8.
Walked around naked and barefoot
9.
The Apocrypha
10. 260 chapters
11. Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter. Psalm 119 is the longest
12. 39 books in the Old Testament
13. 27 books in the New Testament
14. 66 books in all
15. "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."
16. The two chapters are almost exactly the same
17. Esther
18. Samson
19. 88 children
20. Maher-shalal-hash-baz
44 The Great Stories of The Bible
or
“How can you tell the players without a score card?”
Once the participants have become comfortable finding their way around in the Bible (“Is that
in the Old or New Testament?”), you can begin to open up the real fun of the Bible — Bible as
story. We lay great emphasis, as we have stated above, on Bible as story. We are people of the
story and the Bible is a repository of stories — mythic stories, legends, heroic stories, humorous
stories, shameful stories, protest or “underground” stories told by an oppressed people, and
parables. When Jesus was asked a question, he generally told a story.
As Joe Russell points out, “Jesus told stories to shake the foundations of his hearers! He
deliberately threw them off base to deepen their thinking, even though many people turned
away from him because they wanted textbook answers.” (Sharing Our Biblical Story by Joseph
P. Russell; Morehouse-Barlow: Wilton, CT; 2nd Edition, 1988, page 11) When asked, “Who is
my neighbor?” he responded with a parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). When
accused of consorting with sinners, he talked of the lost sheep and the lost coin (Luke 15:1-10).
It follows then that if we do not know the Bible stories, especially the Gospel stories, we cannot
tell our own for the Gospel story is our story. There is a resonance between our story and the
Gospel story, and as we grow older the parallels become more and more obvious. Jesus was
tempted in the desert; we also face temptations and desert experiences in our own lives. Jesus
stood up for what he believed and practiced that belief; there are times when we have to take a
stand on our own beliefs. Jesus faced the establishment of his day; so must we from time to
time. Jesus “set his face toward Jerusalem”; likewise, we have to go to Jerusalem in spirit and
face the trials and humiliations, and, yes, even death on a cross.
We do not study Holy Scripture to become erudite;
we study it to become faithful to our story.
These stories are part of the Story of our lives today and our hope is that these resources will
help leaders become more familiar with some of those well-known (or not so well-known)
foundational stories of the Bible.
For example, the Elijah saga is spread over several chapters and books; in order to help leaders
be able to find stories quickly and easily so they can prepare for retelling them to the group, we
have prepared the following guide to some of the great stories of the Bible.
For a more complete listing of Bible stories, see Sharing Our Biblical Story by Joseph P.
Russell; Morehouse-Barlow: Wilton, CT; 2nd Edition, 1988, pages 20-48)
For a superb example of effective retelling of one of the great Bible stories (Jacob), we cannot
commend too highly Frederick Buechner’s The Son of Laughter (HarperSanFrancisco, 1993).
Another excellent retelling of a Bible story we can recommend is Certain Women by Madeleine
L’Engle (HarperCollins) which weaves a fictional modern story into the story of King David.
45 Selected Stories in the Old Testament
The First (P) Creation Story (Genesis 1:1-2:4)
The Second (J) Creation Story (Genesis 2:4-24)
The Temptation of Adam and Eve and the Fall (Genesis 3:1-24)
Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-16)
The Great Flood – Noah and the Ark (Genesis 6:1-9:28)
The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)
The Abraham Saga (Genesis 12:1-25:11)
The Call of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-9)
God’s Covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:1-21)
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-29)
The Birth of Isaac (Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7)
Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19)
Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 24:1-67)
The Jacob, Leah, and Rachel “Soap Opera” (Genesis 25:19-34:29)
Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:29-34; 27:1-28:5)
Jacob’s Dream (Genesis 28:10-22)
Jacob and his Wives (Genesis 29:1-31:55)
Jacob Wrestles with the Angel (Genesis 32:1-32)
The Joseph Saga (Genesis 37:1-50:26)
Joseph and his Brothers (Genesis 37:1-36)
Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife (Genesis 39:1-23)
Pharaoh’s Dreams (Genesis 40:1-41:36)
Joseph and Pharaoh (Genesis 41:37-57)
Joseph and his Family (Genesis 42:1-47:12)
The Moses Saga (Exodus 2:1-Deuteronomy 34:12)
The Birth of Moses (Exodus 2:1-10)
Moses Flees from Egypt (Exodus 2:11-23)
The Calling of Moses (Exodus 3:1-4:20)
Moses and Pharaoh (Exodus 5:1-7:13)
The Ten Plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7:14-12:30)
The Passover and Exodus (Exodus 12:31-15:21)
The Manna in the Wilderness (Exodus 16:1-36)
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-21)
The Golden Calf (Exodus 32:1-35)
The Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 37:1-9)
The Story of Balaam (Numbers 22:1-40)
The Death of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:1-12)
The Battle of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-27)
The Story of Deborah (Judges 4:1-5:31)
Jael and Sisera (Judges 4:4-22)
The Story of Gideon (Judges 6:1-8:35)
The Story of Samson (Judges 13:1-16:31)
Samson and the Lion (Judges 14:5-9)
Samson and Delilah (Judges 16:4-22)
46 The Death of Samson (Judges 16:23-31)
The Story of Ruth (Ruth 1:1-4:22)
The Calling of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-4:1)
Saul as King of Israel (1 Samuel 9:1-31:13)
The David Saga (1 Samuel 16:1-1 Kings 2:12)
The Anointing of David (1 Samuel 16:1-13)
David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1-58)
David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:1-20:42)
The Death of Saul (1 Samuel 31:1-13)
David as King of Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-24:25)
David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-12:25)
Absalom’s Rebellion (2 Samuel 13:1-18:33)
The Death of David (1 Kings 1:1-2:12)
The Reign of Solomon (1 Kings 1:28-11:43)
Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 6:1-8:66)
Solomon and Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-29)
The Division of the Kingdom (1 Kings 12:1-19)
The Elijah Saga (1 Kings 16:29-2 Kings 2:12)
Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 16:29-34)
Elijah and the Drought (1 Kings 17:1-18:46)
Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-24)
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:1-40)
Elijah Meets Yahweh on Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:11-18)
Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 19:19-21)
Ahab and Naboth’s Vineyard (1 Kings 21:1-29)
The Death of Ahab (1 Kings 22:29-40)
The Death of Jezebel (2 Kings 9:30-37)
Elijah Taken to Heaven (2 Kings 2:1-12)
The Elisha Story (2 Kings 2:13-13:21)
Elisha and the Widow’s Oil (2 Kings 4:1-7)
Elisha Raises the Son of the Shunnamite Widow (2 Kings 4:8-37)
Elisha and Naaman the Leper (2 Kings 5:1-27)
The Fall of the Kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 17:5-18)
The Fall of the Kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 25:1-21)
The Babylonian Captivity
The Story of Queen Esther (Esther 1:1-10:3)
Mordecai and Haman (Esther 3:1-7:10)
The Rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra 3:8-6:22)
47 Selected Stories in the New Testament
The Life of Jesus
The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-56)
The Birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18-2:12; Luke 2:1-20)
The Visitation of the Shepherds (Luke 2:8-20)
The Visitation of the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12)
The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-23)
Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52)
The Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:29-34)
Jesus is tempted in the Wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13)
The Calling of the Twelve (Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16; John 1:35-51)
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:29; Luke 6:17-49)
The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-11; Luke 6:20-26)
The Death of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9)
The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36)
The Passion Narrative (Mt 26:1-27:66; Mark 14:1-15:47; Lk 22:1-23:56; John 11:47-19:42)
The Plot to Kill Jesus (Mt 26:1-5,14-16; Mk 14:1-2,10-11; Lk 22:1-6; Jn 11:47-53; 18:2-5)
Jesus in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1-12)
The Trial (Mt 26:57-27:31; Mk 14:53-15:20; Luke 22:54-23:25; John 18:12-19:16)
The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:32-27:66; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42)
The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18)
The Ascension (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:6-11)
The Coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-11)
The Early Church
Peter and the Cornelius, the centurion (Acts 10:1-33)
Philip the Deacon (Acts 8:4-40)
The Calling of Paul
Stephen’s Death (Acts 7:1-60)
The Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-30)
Paul’s Missionary Journeys
The First Journey (Acts 13:1-14:28)
The Second Journey (Acts 16:1-18:22)
The Third Journey (Acts 19:1-21:16
Paul’s Arrest (Acts 21:27-22:29)
Paul’s Imprisonment and Trials (Acts 22:30-26:32)
The Journey to Rome (Acts 27:1-28:16)
48 The Parables of Jesus
The
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alert servants (Luke 12:35-40)
barren fig tree (Luke 13:6-9)
buds on the fig tree (Matthew 24:32-35; Mark 13:28-31; Luke 21:29-33)
buried treasure (Matthew 13:44)
dishonest steward (Luke 16:1-13)
fishing net (Matthew 13:47-48)
friend in the middle of the night (Luke 11:5-8)
good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
great dinner party (Luke 14:16-24)
house with foundations on rock (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:48-49)
laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)
lamp under the bushel (Matthew 5:14-16; Mark 4:21-22; Luke 8:16-17)
lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14; Luke 15:3-7)
lost silver coin (Luke 15:8-10)
man going on a journey (Mark 13:34-37)
man with two sons (Matthew 21:28-32)
master and the servant (Luke 17:7-10)
mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:31-32; Luke 13:18-19)
new patch on the old garment (Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21; Luke 5:36)
new wine and old wineskins (Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-38)
pearl of great value (Matthew 13:45-46)
persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8)
Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14)
prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)
rich fool (Luke 12:16-21)
rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
seed growing in the ground (Mark 4:26-29)
sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46)
sower (Matthew 13:3-9; Mark 4:3-9; Luke 8:4-8)
talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27)
tower and its cost (Luke 14:28-33)
trusty steward (Luke 12:42-48)
two debtors (Luke 7:36-50)
unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-35)
vineyard tenants (Matthew 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16)
wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14)
weeds in the field (Matthew 13:24-30)
wise and the foolish bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13)
yeast (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21)
49 The Miracles of Jesus
Miracles of Nature
The calming of the storm (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:36-41; Luke 8:22-25)
The cursing of the fig tree (Matthew 21:19-22 ; Mark 11:13-14,20-22)
The feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:34-44; Luke 9:10-17; John
6:3-13)
The feeding of the four thousand (Matthew 15:32-38; Mark 8:1-9)
The great catch of fish I (Luke 5:1-10a)
The great catch of fish II (John 21:1-12a)
The changing of water into wine at the marriage at Cana (John 2:1-11)
The money for the temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27)
The raising of Jairus’ daughters (Mt 9:18-19,23-25; Mk 5:22-24,35-42; Lk 8:41-42,49-56)
The raising of Lazarus (John 11:38-44)
The raising of the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-17)
Jesus walks on the water (Matthew 14:23-33; Mark 6:45-51; John 6:16-21)
Miracles of Healing
The healing of a blind man (Matthew 20:30-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43)
The healing of a blind man (Mark 8:22-26)
The healing of two blind men (Matthew 9:27-31)
The healing of a blind and mute man (Matthew 12:22-23; Luke 11:14)
The healing of a man blind from birth (John 9:1-7)
The healing of the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10)
The healing of a crippled woman (Luke 13:10-17)
The healing of a cripple at the pool of Bethsaida (John 5:1-9)
The healing of the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman (Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30)
The healing of a deaf-mute man (Mark 7:31-37)
The healing of a man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6)
The healing of an epileptic boy (Matthew 17:14-20; Mark 9:17-29; Luke 9:37-43a)
The healing of a woman with a hemorrhage (Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48)
The healing of a leper (Matthew 8:2-4; Mark 1:40-44; Luke 5:12-14)
The healing of ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
The healing of a mute man (Matthew 9:32-33)
The healing of Malchus’s ear (Luke 22:50-51)
The healing of a paralyzed man (Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26)
The healing of a possessed man in a synagogue (Mark 1:23-27; Luke 4:33-36)
The healing of the Gadarene demoniac (Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-37)
The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:30-31; Luke 4:38-39)
The healing of a royal official’s son, sick of a fever (John 4:46-54)
The healing of a man with a withered arm (Matthew 12:9-13; Mark 3:1-5; Luke 6:6-10)
50 A User-friendly Guide to The Book of Common Prayer
Goal
To equip youth leaders with information so they can help participants gain some degree of
familiarity with the structure and content of the Book of Common Prayer
Objectives
•
•
•
To outline the overall structure of the Book of Common Prayer
To explore some of the riches in the Book of Common Prayer
To help participants find well-known (and not so well-known) items and details in the
Book of Common Prayer.
Background
The Book of Common Prayer is one of the principal characteristics of being an Episcopalian.
Wherever you travel, if you go to an Episcopal Church to worship on a Sunday, you will find the
same Book of Common Prayer will be used to order the service. Even outside of the Episcopal
Church, while within the worldwide Anglican Communion, we still find great similarities in
worship. The Book of Common Prayer is one of the glues that bind us together.
History of the BCP
The first Book of Common Prayer for the Church of England was compiled and written in 1549,
largely by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, in the reign of Edward VI. (Cranmer was martyred
under Queen Mary in 1556.) According to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, the
purpose of the Book of Common Prayer was “to produce in English a single, convenient, and
comprehensive volume as an authoritative guide for priest and people.” Subsequent revisions
were made in 1552 and 1559. The last revision was adopted in 1662 and still remains the
official Prayer Book of the Church of England.
The first Book of Common Prayer for the Episcopal Church was modeled on the 1662 Book of
Common Prayer of the Church of England and was ratified by the General Convention in 1789.
Subsequent minor revisions were made by General Convention in 1823, 1832, 1838, 1844 and
1871. Major revisions were undertaken in 1892 and 1928. The last revision to be ratified (and
the one used in most Episcopal Churches) was in 1979.
Prayer Book revisions are ordered by the General Convention. They are carried out by the
Standing Liturgical Commission, which is a standing body of General Convention. This body
meets frequently to examine and rule upon liturgical changes and innovations which take place
between major revisions.
Currently, amidst the conversation about electronic versions, another revision of the Book of
Common Prayer is under way at this time. If and when that conversation ends in a new version
of the Book of Common Prayer, it will be presented to General Convention for adoption.
Use of the BCP
The Book of Common Prayer guides those responsible for corporate worship in the
congregation as to the structure of the service. It tells us which scriptural readings are
permissible on any given Sunday in the Church year. It lists the saints that are commemorated
during the course of the Church year. It provides the order for services that are not used with
51 great regularity, such as ordinations and the proper liturgies for Ash Wednesday, Good Friday,
etc.
Activity
Before class, read over the handout “Structure of the Book of Common Prayer” and make
copies of it for each participant.
When the class is gathered, but before you pass out anything, ask your group to tell you what’s
in the Book of Common Prayer. List answers on a sheet of newsprint or a white board.
After the group has run out of answers, tell them there are fifteen different sections of the Book
of Common Prayer and explain that we are going to look at some of these today.
Pass out prayer books to each member of the group. Have them flip through the books. Note
how the pages that contain our forms for Eucharist – pages 355 and after – are usually the
most worn pages (and are sometimes even laughingly referred to as “the dirty pages”) But help
your group work together to discover other treasures within these pages. After all, what’s the
point of having a book with 1000+ pages if you’re only ever going to see 20 or so of them??
Hand out copies of the handout “Structure of the Book of Common Prayer” as a way to guide
you through the major divisions of content, and then spend some time looking through the
Table of Contents, found in the beginning pages of your prayer book.
After looking through the sections, ask some questions, such as:
• How many of these sections have you seen before?
• What did you see that is interesting to you?
• What did you see that is surprising?
• Do you have a favorite phrase or prayer?
• If so, can you find it?
• What is missing from these pages?
It does not contain certain services, such as the blessing of a house, or the institution of lay
Eucharistic ministers in a parish, or the commemoration of certain notable people like Julian of
Norwich, Alfred the Great, or Absalom Jones. These services (and many more!) are found in
two supplements to the Book of Common Prayer — Lesser Feasts and Fasts and The Book
of Occasional Services.
Leaders Hint: If at all possible, before class borrow these books from your
clergyperson to show them to the young people. Remind them that these books help us
in the Episcopal Church to see that everything is done “decently and in order.” If you
are in another denomination, substitute appropriate books (confer with your
clergyperson).
Closure
If time allows, pass out copies of the Prayer Book Trivia Quiz and allow students to search for
answers. (If you run out of time, you can use this lesson plan a second week – review the
main points from the first week, pass out complete the quizzes, and then discuss)
Have the group choose a prayer from the BCP to say together as your closing prayer.
52 Structure of the Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer (1979) is divided into fifteen broad categories:
1.
Introductory Materials (pages 8-33)
This section contains the Calendar of the Church Year (pages 15-33) which lists the
Feasts, Holy Days, Days of Special Devotion, and Days of Optional Observance.
2.
The Daily Offices (pages 36-146)
This section contains the services Morning and Evening Prayer and the following services:
• An Order of Service for Noonday
• An Order of Worship for the Evening
• Compline
• Daily Devotions for Families
All these services may be said by lay persons as indicated by the rubric* on page 36.
(*There are many small-print instructions found throughout the Prayer Book called “rubrics” from
the Latin ruber, meaning “red” because they were originally printed in red.)
3.
The Great Litany (pages 148-155)
This is traditionally said, or chanted, on the First Sunday in Lent.
4.
The Collects for the Church Year (pages 158-261)
Each Sunday has its own Collect, the prayer said near the beginning of the service of Holy
Eucharist. The word “collect” derives from the Latin collecta which means a short prayer
consisting of an invocation, a petition and a pleading in Christ’s name or an ascription of
glory to God. These prayers are a way we collect our thoughts together and offer them to
God. Many of the Collects are very ancient; some were written by Archbishop Cranmer.
5.
Proper Liturgies for Special Days (pages 264-295)
This section consists of the liturgies for the following:
• Ash Wednesday
• Palm Sunday
• Maundy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Holy Saturday
• The Great Vigil of Easter
6.
Holy Baptism (pages 298-314)
This has its own section as befitting the centrality of this sacrament in the liturgy of the
Episcopal Church.
7.
The Holy Eucharist (pages 316-409)
In this section may be found, in addition to the orders of service for the Eucharist — Rite I
(traditional language), forms I and II, and Rite II (contemporary language), forms A, B, C,
and D, and the Penitential Orders used during Lent, and sometimes during Advent:
• The Decalogue (Ten Commandments)
• The Offertory Sentences
53 •
•
•
The Proper Prefaces (these are the prefaces said at the beginning of the
Eucharistic Prayer and change with the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany,
Lent, Easter, and Pentecost)
The Prayers of the People
Communion Under Special Circumstances
8.
Pastoral Offices (pages 412-507)
These are the offices which usually require the services of either a priest or a bishop
(some can be led by a deacon or lay person):
• Confirmation, Reception and/or the Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows
• Marriage and the Blessing of a Civil Marriage
• Thanksgiving for a Child
• Reconciliation of a Penitent
• Ministration to the Sick
• Ministration at the Time of Death
• Burial of the Dead
9.
Episcopal Services (pages 510-579)
These are services at which a bishop presides (Latin episcopus means “bishop”)
• Ordination of a Bishop
• Ordination of a Priest
• Ordination of a Deacon
• Celebration of a New Ministry
• Consecration of a Church
10. The Psalter (pages 582-808)
All 150 Psalms, in a version which differs slightly from the Bible translation, are found in
this section.
11. Prayers and Thanksgivings (pages 810-841)
Special prayers and thanksgivings are found in this section (additional prayers are found
elsewhere as, for example, in Morning and Evening Prayer).
12. An Outline of the Faith (The Catechism) (pages 844-862)
This is something that the leaders might look at to refresh their memory. The participants
might go through this in J2A as part of their preparation for Confirmation.
13. Historical Documents of the Church (pages 864-878)
The following are in this section as a reminder of our heritage:
• The Athanasian Creed
• The Preface to the First Book of Common Prayer
• The Articles of Religion (The 39 Articles)3
• The Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral
3
The Thirty-Nine Articles were originally drafted to define the special character of Anglicanism, as distinct from
Roman Catholicism. As far as the Episcopal Church is concerned, they are more of historical than canonical significance (see, for
example, Article XXXVII. Of the Power of the Civil Magistrates). In England, too, they have become more historical;
undergraduates at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, certainly until the 1950s, had to affirm their adherence to the
Thirty-Nine Articles before being admitted.
54 14. Tables for Finding Holy Days (pages 880-885)
There are two cusps which define the Church calendar: the fixed Feast of Christmas
(December 25) and the moveable Feast of Easter which occurs on the first Sunday
following the first full moon after the vernal equinox (the paschal moon). This section
shows how to find the date of Easter for any year.
15. The Lectionary (pages 888-1001)
This final section contains two lectionaries:
• The Lectionary for Sundays (Eucharistic Lectionary) which follows a three-year
cycle (A, B and C), starting on the First Sunday of Advent in years evenly divisible
by three. It lists the readings for Sundays at celebrations of the Holy Eucharist.
• The Daily Office Lectionary which follows a two-year cycle (Year One begins on the
First Sunday of Advent preceding odd-numbered years) and lists the readings for
each day. By following the Daily Office Lectionary, it’s possible to read the entire
Bible in two years.
55 Handout—The Prayer Book Trivia Quiz
1.
Looking in the Prayers (p. 814-835) where can you find The Prayer of St. Francis?
2.
In that same Prayers section, where is the collect for young people?
3.
Using the Calendar information, what is the earliest date on which Easter can fall?
4.
What is the latest date on which Easter can fall?
5.
Where can you find The Ten Commandments? [Use your structure handout for a hint]
6.
What does the Catechism tell us is the ministry of the laity?
7.
When will Easter be next year?
8.
Is the coffin open or closed at a funeral? [Why do you think the BCP specifies this?]
9.
When is the feast day of Phillips Brooks? [Bonus: He wrote which Christmas hymn?]
10.
How many women are commemorated in the Episcopal Church’s calendar?
11.
What is the Proper Psalm for Thanksgiving Day? [Bonus: Read Psalm. Why was this chosen?]
12.
What are the four ways a congregation can recite the Psalms?
13.
In the marriage ceremony, what is a ring a sign or symbol of?
14.
What words are used before and after a reading from the Bible during a Eucharist service?
15.
When you write your own Prayers of the People, what subjects should be covered?
16.
Where is a collect for schools and colleges?
17.
Who can lay hands on and anoint the sick?
18.
When is the Great Vigil of Easter observed?
19.
What do you renounce and promise to do when you are baptized?
20.
How many versions of the Lord’s Prayer are found in the Book of Common Prayer?
21.
By what other names is the Holy Eucharist known in the Catechism?
22.
What follows the reading of the Gospel at the Eucharist?
23.
In Morning or Evening Prayer, what is the Latin name for the Song of Mary?
24.
What is the name for the last words a deacon or Celebrant says at Eucharist?
25.
Who may officiate at an emergency baptism?
56 Answers—The Prayer Book Trivia Quiz
1.
The Prayer attributed to St. Francis is on p. 833
2.
The Collect for Young Persons is on p. 829
3.
Easter cannot occur before March 22 (p. 15) – although also listed as March 23 on p. 880!
4.
Easter cannot after before April 25 (p. 15)
5.
The Ten Commandments (also called the Decalogue) are on pages 317-318
6.
The ministry of the laity (p. 855) is to represent Christ and his Church.
7.
When will Easter be next year? (see page 882 for table of years until 2089!)
8.
The coffin remains closed at a funeral (p. 490)
9.
Jan 23 is feast day of Phillips Brooks, bishop of MA & writer of O Little Town of Bethlehem
10.
14 women
11.
Page 925 shows Psalm for Thanksgiving as Psalm 65 [Bonus: Read Psalm on p. 672-73]
12.
Direct, Antiphonal, Responsorial or Responsive – see page 582 at beginning of Psalms
13.
A marriage ring is “a symbol of my vow” (p. 427
14.
“A Reading from ___” and “The Word of the Lord”/“Here ends the Reading” (p 325 & 357)
15.
Universal Church, Nation, World, Concerns, those who suffer, the departed (p. 383)
16.
The collect for schools and colleges is on p. 824
17.
A priest, deacon or lay person can lay hands on and anoint the sick (p. 456)
18.
The Vigil happens between sunset on Holy Saturday & sunrise on Easter morning (p. 284)
19.
Renounce Satan, evil, sin & Promise to turn to Jesus, trust and follow him (p. 302-303)
20.
Two versions of the Lord’s Prayer – p. 364
21.
Also Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, Divine Liturgy, Mass or Great Offering (p. 859)
22.
“The Gospel of the Lord” (p. 326 & 358)
23.
The Song of Mary is called The Magnificat (p. 65 or 91)
24.
A dismissal – p. 339, 366 or 399
25.
Any baptized person may officiate at an emergency baptism (p. 313)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints_(Episcopal_Church_in_the_United_States_of_America)
57 Planning the Order of Service from the BCP
Have the group use the Book of Common Prayer and the Hymnal to plan an Order of Worship
for a given Sunday. If your congregation is not Episcopal, substitute your own book of
workshop.
Note: You may find it necessary to involve the clergy in this. It would be helpful if the service
that the young people design could be used as a part of Sunday worship, but this does need
the clergy’s oversight and permission. Use the following guidelines as a start:
1. Form one group of young people who will be responsible for finding out which are the
proper readings (collect, Old and New Testament readings, Psalm, and Gospel reading)
for the particular Sunday for which you are planning the liturgy.
2. A second group will work with the Hymnal to find hymns appropriate to the readings.
3. A third group will examine the Prayers of the People and, if approved by the clergy, will
develop Prayers to be used for the service.
If your primary clergyperson approves your group can be the preaching team. Have the first
group read the lessons, talk about them and how they relate to the lives of most people and
identify the Good News message. Then think about how they can present that message—a
preacher, a drama, a dialogue sermon, readings.....etc.
The groups will have to collaborate to put together the Order of Service, which consists of the
components in the handouts which follow. The first handout explains the components of
service; the second is a blank form which you and the group can use to plan your own Order of
Service.
Note: We made no mention of the announcements. These frequently come after the Peace
and before the Offertory. However, some congregations do these at the beginning of the
service, before the Hymn in Procession, and others at the end, just before the Dismissal.
Closure
Use the following prayer:
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear
them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the
blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Proper 28, Book of Common Prayer, page 236
NOTE: Another helpful resource
Worship Without Words by Patricia Klein (2000, Paraclete
Press)
gives brief, understandable definitions of liturgical terms,
objects in the sanctuary, vestments and the liturgical year.
This small book covers just about everything you can think of!
It would be very useful as a resource for teaching about liturgy.
58 Order of Service – Chart of Responsibilities
Service
Component
Hymn in
Procession
Opening
Acclamation
What?
Who?
Sets the mood; invites Selected by Clergy,
people into worship
Organist, Music or
and praise; may reflect Liturgy Committee;
readings for the given
generally sung by
Sunday.
congregation
Notes
All music and liturgical
decisions are ultimately the
responsibility of the primary
clergyperson, who may
delegate specific decisions or
work to others.
BCP page 355
Celebrant
Collect for Purity
BCP page 355
Celebrant;
Some churches
have the
congregation read
it in unison
The rubrics call for the
celebrant to lead this prayer
but some adapt this, especially
if the service is not the main
service or the congregation is
accustomed to liturgical
changes.
Gloria in Excelsis
Check to see whether
you may need to have
the Kyrie Eleison or
the Trisagion,
depending on the
season. There are
other options too, such
as substituting the
Benedictus es, Domine
(Canticle 13, page 90)
for the Gloria.
Congregation,
Choir,
Special music
group
In services without music these
pieces may be said in unison.
They can also be read by an
individual or group.
Determine which
Sunday it is that you
are preparing the
Collect for the Day
liturgy for and use that
Collect (See pages
211-261).
Old Testament
Reading
Celebrant;
Some churches
have the
congregation read
it in unison
All readings depend on
which Sunday it is
Lay Reader;
(you looked this up for
Someone from the
the Collect) and which
congregation who
lectionary cycle (A, B,
comes up from
or C) the Church is in;
their pew to read it
have group determine
both of these.
59 Some or all of the lessons may
also be chanted. Or they can
be done as a play, musical,
dramatic reading, etc.
Service
Component
What?
Who?
Notes
Gradual Psalm
See OT above
Read in unison
Read responsively
Sung by the choir
Sung by choir and
congregation
Many congregations use chant
tones for the Psalm. There are
traditional Anglican chants,
Gregorian chants, and modern,
Taize-type chants available.
New Testament
Reading
See OT above
See OT Reading
Selected to reflect or
respond to the
readings of the day or
is a musical setting of
the word “Alleluia”
Congregation
Choir
See OT above
Read by deacon or,
if none is present,
by a clergyperson
Gradual Hymn
Gospel Reading
Some congregations use the
Psalms as the Gradual,
especially at a service without
music
Hymn
The Book of Common
Prayer does not call for
a hymn here, but
some congregations
include one (especially
if children leave the
sanctuary for Sunday
School at this point).
Sermon or Homily
Generally based on the
readings; proclaims
the Good News of God
in Christ Jesus.
Primary
clergyperson or
someone
designated by the
primary
clergyperson
Would the clergyperson allow a
young person to preach, or for
the group to prepare a
dialogue sermon, dramatic
presentation, etc.?
Nicene Creed
BCP, page 358
Congregation
Some congregations chant this
Prayers of the
People
Most churches use one
of the forms of the
Prayers of the People,
BCP page 383-393.
However, these are
offered as examples;
the expectation is that
local congregations will
adapt and develop
their own prayers
following the rubrics
Lay Reader
Member of the
congregation
together with the
congregation
Would the clergyperson allow
the group to write their own
form? Check the rubrics on
page 383 for the general
structure of the Prayers of the
People. You might also look at
some alternatives for the
closing prayer (see pages 810841)
60 The BCP assumes that it is best
to move quickly and directly to
the proclamation of the
Gospel—before the people
forget what they just heard!
Service
Component
What?
Who?
Notes
All pray the prayer
of confession
Absolution by the
Clergy
Some congregations omit this
during the Easter Season
on page 383.
Confession of Sin
and Absolution
BCP, page 360
Exchange of the
Peace
BCP, page 360
Celebrant and
congregation
This can be used at the
administration of the
sacrament (see BCP page 407)
or at the end of the service.
The latter is especially useful
at conferences.
Offertory Anthem
Often selected to
reflect the lessons of
the day. May be choral
or instrumental, by a
choir or group or by
the entire
congregation.
Clergy
Organist
Choir Director
Music Committee
or Liturgy
Committee select
Who will take up the collection
and bring the oblations to the
altar? Is the group musical? If
so, is there a piece that they
can rehearse and perform at
this time?
Celebrant
Some congregations say all or
portions of the prayers in
unison
Great
Thanksgiving
BCP, page 361ff.
Eucharistic Prayer
Several forms are
provided for the main
Sunday service; a freeform order is provided
for use at other
services.
Celebrant
Which form of the Eucharistic
Prayer is most appropriate for
the season (see pages 361375)? What is the Proper
Preface for that day (see pages
377-380)?
Lord’s Prayer
BCP, page 364
All
Can use the traditional or
contemporary version.
Fraction
(Breaking of the
Bread)
Versicle and response
often followed by the
Agnus Dei or other
choral response
Communion
Hymns
May be sung by the
choir or by the entire
congregation.
Generally are about
the Eucharist,
meditative, quiet or
reflective in nature.
Clergy
Organist
Choir Director
Music or Liturgy
Committee selects
Prayer after
Celebrant and
61 Celebrant and
congregation
Some congregations sing
whatever song someone feels
moved to lead—generally
simple songs used repetitively.
Service
Component
What?
Who?
Closing Prayer
communion is usually
selected and
introduced by the
Celebrant; BCP, page
365-366
congregation
Blessing
Optional
Celebrant
Hymn in
Procession
Generally an upbeat
hymn sung by the
congregation
Clergy
Organist
Choir Director
Music or Liturgy
Committee selects
Dismissal
Generally proclaimed
and responded to with
great enthusiasm—it is
a “sending forth”
charge!
Deacon, if present,
or Celebrant and
congregation
62 Notes
The Eucharist is a blessing in
itself, so some see this as
redundant.
Alleluias are added in
Eastertide
Order of Service – Blank Chart
Service Component
What?
Who?
Hymn in Procession
Opening Acclamation
Collect for Purity
Gloria in Excelsis
Collect for the Day
Old Testament Reading
Gradual Psalm
New Testament
Reading
Gospel Reading
Hymn
Sermon or Homily
Nicene Creed
63 Why?
Service Component
What?
Who?
Why?
Prayers of the People
Confession of Sin
and Absolution
Exchange of the Peace
.
Offertory Anthem
Great Thanksgiving
Eucharistic Prayer
Lord’s Prayer
Fraction
(Breaking of the Bread)
Communion Hymns
Closing Prayer
Blessing
Hymn in Procession
Dismissal
64 Resources for Games
Never underestimate the necessity for play. In our goal-oriented culture, it isn’t easy for us to
“kick off our shoes” and just PLAY. In play, we learn to laugh at ourselves, to compete joyfully,
to lose and to keep on playing. We learn how to begin, how to end and even how to shift gears
from serious work to serious play—and back again.
Our God is a God of timing (think about the Nativity or about arriving in the Garden of Eden just
when Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit!), a God of laughter (think about the giraffe
or the dolphin), a God of blessing—all within the context of community. Begin with the
suggestions below—but let the young people and the child in you lead the way. We have so
much to be grateful for and play may be an expression of that gratitude. Play is meant to be a
celebration of the inner child, alive and free.
Following is a list of materials you might want to have on hand, if you can find a small storage
space in the room where your youth group meets. Also included is a list of books on games
which will give you innumerable choices for your game time. We suggest that you give some
thought to the kinds of games you’d like to share with your youth group—some kids are not as
good at games as others are, and some sensitivity on your part may eliminate the possibility of
humiliation for the kids. You might also consider whether you want to use extremely
competitive games—if your kids like to compete, stress the idea that the purpose of competition
is to motivate each person to do his or her best, not to be “better than” someone else or to win
at the expense of those who lose. You’ll also want to screen games for safety factors, and we
suggest that you read Better Safe Than Sued: Keeping Out of Trouble in Youth Ministry by Jack
Crabtree (Loveland, CO: Group Publishing, Inc., undated).
That said, have fun! You might even think about playing the game yourself with the kids, to
help them see that even adults don’t have to lose their sense of fun.
Materials to Have on Hand for Games
Construction paper
Crayons
Markers
Pencils
Glue
Play-Doh
Glitter
Scissors
Books on Games
Play It!—Great Games for Groups, Wayne Rice and Mike Yaconelli (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986). Includes 400 indoor and outdoor
games, divided into games for small and large groups, mixers, relays, quiet
games and seasonal games.
Play It Again!—More Great Games for Groups, Wayne Rice and Mike Yaconelli, ed.
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993). This volume
includes 200 more indoor and outdoor games, water games, volleyball and pingpong games, relays and quiet games.
65 Great Games for City Kids, Nelson E. Copeland, Jr. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1991).
The New Games Book: Play Hard, Play Fair, Nobody Hurt, Andrew Fluegelman, ed. (New
York: Doubleday—A Dolphin Book, 1976).
More New Games!, Andrew Fluegelman (New York: Doubleday—Dolphin Books, 1981).
New Games for the Whole Family, Dale N. Lefevre (Perigee, 1988).
The New Games Treasury: More Than 500 Indoor and Outdoor Favorites with
Strategies, Rules, and Traditions, Merilyn Simonds Mohr, Roberta Cooke,
Illustrator (check online bookstores for this title).
66 Movies
A series of recommend movies are included in this manual. If you want additional movies we
recommend Reel to Real: Making the Most of the Movies with Youth from Abingdon Press. Each
issue is about 30-35 pages and includes 5-7 movies, a synopsis of the movie, suggested
activities and discussion questions. They also suggest key scenes (with timing) if you only have
time to show clips from the movie.
Movies are an integral part of our culture—especially the youth culture. Young people can sit
back passively and see glamorized images of a world the director wishes to show them; the
camera even shows them where to look! By welcoming these images and stories into the
Church, leaders make critical discussions possible. With the ready availability of movies on
videocassette coupled with the accessibility of VCRs, we are provided with an ideal teaching
method.
The problem with movies is that, while they raise important issues, they last too long for the
average class time on a Sunday morning. However, when the class meets on a Sunday
afternoon, one has the ideal time for viewing a movie—complete with popcorn and soda. We
suggest that the leaders allocate at least two-and-a-half hours for a movie session. This allows
time for the kids to settle down, to watch the movie and to have some structured discussion
afterward.
The movies listed have, for the most part, been used in classroom situations. They all raise
pertinent issues and have given rise to interesting discussions. Please see also Church World
Service for documentary films dealing with poverty, hunger, refugees and overseas
development and Church response to these issues. (Church World Service, P.O. Box 968,
Elkhart, IN 46515-0968, # 219–264–3102. Church World Service is the relief, refugee
resettlement and development arm of the National Council of Churches. It is also the sponsor of
CROP walks. It has a magnificent film library, and all its audiovisual materials are available for
free loan to churches.)
A good source of movie reviews is a website called “Spiritual Rx”, at www.spiritualityhealth.com.
It is produced by Trinity Episcopal Church, Wall Street, NY, New York. They list reviews for
hundreds of movies.
General Instructions
These instructions apply to any night when you choose to show a movie and have a follow-up
discussion.
•
•
•
Movie nights are always longer meetings. Warn parents ahead of time that you will end a
half-hour or more (see below) after the regular ending time—or you will have a room full of
parents longing to listen in on your discussion time (an absolute no-no; honoring the
confidentiality of the discussions is essential to working well with young people).
Check on the length of the movie you are showing. Add at least half an hour to this to allow
for getting settled and for a meaningful discussion afterward. (If you feel it’s necessary,
schedule an even longer discussion time. Remember that you can also discuss the movie
further at your next regular meeting and may want to refer back to it when appropriate in
the next few weeks.)
Make certain that the participants are on time. Settle them down (bathroom calls, enough
popcorn and drinks, etc.)
67 Equipment Required
•
•
•
•
•
Video or DVD of selected movie – We strongly suggest you get the movie a few days before
your class so that you have time to preview the entire film.
Television set and VCR or DVD player (check ahead of time that these are in good working
order and that you know how to hook them up and use them).
Popcorn and more popcorn (make enough ahead of time so that everyone can sit and watch
the movie without jumping up to get or to prepare more)
Things to drink (soda, juice, seltzer, water)
A box of tissues (there will often be tears; expect them)
Preparation
We cannot emphasize enough the importance for leaders to preview each movie
and decide what preparation may be required prior to showing it to their youth
or whether it is even appropriate for their youth! What may be unacceptable
content to some folks may be fine for others, and each worshiping community
MUST take the responsibility for determining this.
If the movie includes sex, violence or vulgar language (and that’s just about every movie made
these days!), discuss it with your clergy and decide if you want to alert parents ahead of time.
It is helpful to discuss this possibility with parents at one of your parent nights and solicit their
input. Usually you and your clergy will know if there is likely to be negative parental reaction to
youth seeing such movies. You need to talk with parents about whether to avoid such movies
entirely or postpone showing them until the teenagers are older.
If you choose to show movies with sex, violence or vulgar language, you need to decide how
you will handle that in the group. It is best to alert young people before you show the movie so
they will be aware of it. It is also best to address it directly by asking the young people how
they felt about those scenes, why they think the movie makers included those scenes, whether
they feel such scenes are necessary to the storyline, what alternatives might work, etc. These
are “teachable moments”—times when you can talk about the role of sex, violence and vulgar
language in our culture, how it impacts us, how we can respond to it when we encounter it, etc.
This is also the type of conversation you can initiate with the parents. Encourage them to talk
about how they would engage their young people in a conversation about such matters and to
explore what impact it has on them as parents, etc.
68 Star Wars Trilogy
Storyline
The Star Wars Trilogy is probably the most successful modern tale of good vs. evil. In these
three movies Darth Vader and the menacing Galactic Empire fight the rebellious freedom
fighters for control of the Galaxy and The Force, the spiritual power that links all living things.
Purpose
The purpose of watching these movies is to examine the mythic tale of a journey and relate it
to the stories of our own journeys—to see how the archetypal characters in the trilogy relate to
us. It also provides an opportunity to relate the tale to biblical stories (e.g. of David and
Goliath).
Activity
·
Plan to spend a whole afternoon and a good part of the evening watching the three
movies—Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi. Send out for pizza
between the second and third films.
·
Alternatively, begin the first movie immediately after church on Sunday, bring in
hamburgers for lunch and end with a pizza party.
·
Or, you can do this as part of a lock-in.
·
You might want to defer the discussion and reflection session until the following Sunday.
Or, you most certainly will want to pick up the discussion on the following Sunday as you and
your young people will most likely be exhausted after three movies!
Reflection
The Star Wars trilogy is a rich source of mythic material to which young people can relate.
Joseph Campbell has referred to it as a myth for our time. There are many ways in which we
can structure the discussion:
·
How does this journey relate to your own personal journey?
·
Are there any similarities between this and The Lord of the Rings trilogy?
·
Is there a Yoda in your life? What does he or she look like?
·
Why is Luke Skywalker the hero of this story? What does it take to be a hero?
·
How did Han Solo grow and change during the course of the epic? What did you think of
Han’s death-and-resurrection experience?
·
How did Luke’s relationship with Leia change during the course of the epic? What does
this have to say about how we relate to members of the other gender?
·
In what ways are Luke and Leia stereotypes? Are all mythic characters stereotypes?
·
Is there redemption in Darth Vader’s story? How and why did this happen?
·
Do you think that Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Christ-figure? Is there such a figure in your life?
·
Have you ever had to fight against apparently unconquerable odds like the rebels
against the Death Star? Does this story give you hope?
·
Read the story of David and Goliath: 1 Samuel 17:1-51. How does this relate to the Star
Wars series?
·
Can you relate this movie to another Bible story?
·
Can you relate this story to other journeys in the Bible that change people—
Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Jesus, Paul?
69 Now and Then
Storyline
After 20 years, four childhood friends reunite because of a promise made in their youth
to band together when one was in need. During their special reunion they reminisce
about an eventful summer of 1970 when they were 12 years old, just beginning the
progression from girlhood to womanhood.
Purpose
This movie provides an opportunity for young people to explore the “coming of age”
experience of young women and to question the role of “maleness” and “femaleness” in
each of us. It also enables them to explore issues of life and death.
Key Questions
•
•
•
•
•
How does this group’s experience of the last summer before entering the teen
years compare to yours? How was your experience of this summer different from
that of the girls in the movie? Was there a difference between the young men
and the young women in your group?
How did the experience the girls in the movie had of this summer affect their
world view as women? What is the significance of this summer?
How do the young women in the movie grapple with the role of “femaleness?”
How do you identify what constitutes “maleness” or “femaleness” for you?
How do the young women minister to the homeless person in the churchyard?
How did this affect their view of death?
Read Psalm 71:17. How does this passage relate to this movie?
By David E. Crean, © 1996; used with permission. Added 9/96.
70 The Chronicles of Narnia
Storyline
The Chronicles of Narnia includes three of C.S. Lewis’ best loved stories: The Lion, the
Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The
Silver Chair.
In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe four children in an English castle enter
an old wardrobe and are transported to the kingdom of Narnia. The evil White Witch has
kept Narnia in never-ending winter and turned her enemies to stone. Aslan the Lion
leads her overthrow.
In Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader the children return to
Narnia and battle the corrupt uncle of Prince Caspian. Years later, Caspian, Lucy,
Edmund and cousin Eustace set sail to rescue six lords banished to Miraz. Their
adventure leads them to a golden lake, a giant serpent, a fierce dragon and the edge of
the world.
In The Silver Chair the children return to Narnia once more, where Aslan charges
them to embark on a perilous journey through enchanted lands of giants and witches to
find the missing Prince Rilian.
Purpose
To present the Gospel story through a different medium
Key Questions
•
•
•
What is the correlation between the Narnia characters and experiences and the
Gospel story?
Where have you encountered “Narnia characters” in your life?
How is the role of Aslan like Christ? How have you experienced Aslan/Christ in
your life?
[Note: Youth Leaders should read “Leading A Young Person To
Christ” from Shared Provisions)
Aslan is On the Move! is a program available from
LeaderResources based on C. S. Lewis’s children’s book, The
Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It allows you to create the
land of Narnia, and offers participants an opportunity to
experience the story through imaginative drama, games,
discussion, role-playing, and looking for the reflections of the
Narnia experience in our personal stories. This program helps
participants renew their awareness of religious dimensions and of
their way of looking at reality.
By Katie Rost, © 1999; used with permission. Added 8/99.
71 The Mighty
Storyline
This new children’s classic is based on the acclaimed novel by Rodman Philbrick, Freak
the Mighty. The film tracks the adventures of Maxwell and Kevin Dillon, two unlikely
friends who are taunted for being “different.” Maxwell is the simple–minded giant, while
Kevin is a genius suffering from a congenital disease. Together, with Kevin atop
Maxwell’s shoulders, they are “Freak the Mighty,” and are able to take on the world.
Purpose
This movie is about friendship, self-esteem and empowerment. It shows young people
how imagination and strong bonds of friendship help two outsiders overcome their fear.
It is most appropriate for the Rite-13 group.
Key Questions
•
•
•
•
•
What do you think about the way Max was treated by the other kids in his
school? Are there kids in your school that are teased because they are different?
If so, how do you react to this?
Why do you think Max found it difficult to accept Kevin at first as a real friend?
What made them accept each other finally? What did they gain from each other?
Learning about the Knights of the Round Table gave Max more confidence and
made him realize that he could make a difference. How did this help him when
faced with his father’s abusive behavior towards women?
Why did Kevin give Max the blank book? Do you think it helped him deal with
Kevin’s death and the violence in his past? How do you picture Max’s future?
How do you think knowing Kevin changed his life?
Read Proverbs 3:27-35 and relate it to the film.
By Katie Rost, © 1999; used with permission. Added 8/99.
72 Breaking Away
Storyline
Breaking Away is the story of four college age boys from Bloomington, Indiana, in a
pursuit to find jobs and purpose in life. When the friends participate in the classic Little
500 Bicycle Race sponsored by the local college, Dave gains respect and love as an
Italophilic bike racer. In their attempts to “break away” the four friends find that
friendship lasts forever.
Purpose
The film examines why maturing and becoming more independent is essential but
difficult. It introduces a discussion about some of the social and familial pressures to
conform and the ways people redefine themselves in the face of stereotypes.
Key Questions
·
What made it so hard for the central character to “break away”?
·
What empowered him to act as he did?
·
Are there groups in your community which are as powerful and as clearly defined
as in the movie?
·
Are you planning to go to college? What do you risk by going to college? What
do you risk by not going to college?
·
What made it so hard for the father in this story? What makes it hard for your
parents as you grow up?
•
Read Matthew 10:34-39 and Luke 8:19-21. How do Jesus’s words relate to this
movie? To your life?
73 Stand and Deliver
Storyline
This is the true story of Jaime Escalante, a math teacher at East Los Angeles’ Garfield
High who challenges his inner city students to learn and excel in mathematics. With his
unique teaching style of raising the expectation level for the young people in his class,
he inspires 18 youth who were struggling with basic mathematics to become math
whizzes. The ultimate test of Escalante’s efforts comes as the students take the AP
calculus exam. The film celebrates the sacrifices excellent teachers make to produce
excellent students.
Purpose
In the lesson plan, What Role Do I Play? (J2A), we explored how a group works
together to accomplish a task and what role each individual plays in the group effort.
How does the group in Stand And Deliver work together to meet the academic
expectations of Escalante? What role does each individual play?
Key Questions
·
What role does expectation play in the movie? In your life?
·
The poet Robert Browning once said, “Ah, but a man’s reach must exceed his
grasp—or what’s a heaven for?” Can we achieve beyond our ability to dream?
·
How do teachers make all the difference in education? Have you had a good
teacher believe in you? Have you had a bad teacher limit you?
·
What pressures made it especially difficult for the students in this movie? Are any
of these pressures present in your life?
•
Read Luke 17:5-6. How does this passage relate to the movie?
74 Dead Poets’ Society
Storyline
English professor John Keating is an eccentric but inspiring teacher who turns the lives
of his students upside down with his bold teaching style. Keating scoffs at conformity
and challenges his students to do the same, exclaiming... “Carpe Diem, lads! Seize the
Day. Make your lives extraordinary!” Excited by Keating’s challenge, his students begin
to look at life and its possibilities in an entirely new way. Their new take on life is met by
a brick wall as parents and school officials try to deal with the student’s irrepressible
enthusiasm.
Purpose
Dead Poet’s Society helps us examine the cultural, familial and personal pressures that
set difficulties in one’s path. This film connects well with both The Johari Window (J2A),
which examines how well we are known, and Why Am I Doing What I’m Doing? (J2A),
which explores relationships with ourselves and others.
Reflection
Dead Poets’ Society raises questions about pain, loneliness, consequences, unreasonable
demands and unreasonable responses. There are no right or wrong answers to the
discussion questions. Let your own wisdom as a leader get things started, but trust the
young people. This is a good and powerful movie; they will have responses and
questions of their own.
Key Questions
·
How can you “seize the day”?
·
Can we imagine a key phrase that describes our group?
·
Who is the hero of this story? Why?
·
Have you known someone, or known of someone, who has committed suicide?4
Can you tell us the story?
·
How could the story have been different? Can you imagine a scenario in which
the son tells his father of his heart’s desire?
·
Do you think the father loved his son, or just an image of him?
·
How can we get our parents to know us?
•
Read Psalm 37:1-10 or Psalm 139:1-17, 22-23 and relate it to the film.
4
If you plan to ask this question, be sure you discuss suicide with your clergy and have a plan for what
you will do if a young person expresses current suicidal thoughts. Have resource people identified and practice
what you will say to the young people. Even if no one expresses suicidal thoughts, assure the group that no
problem is unsurmountable and that you and other adults love them and are available to help them. Encourage them
to talk with you or another adult they trust if they ever find themselves thinking about suicide.
75 Boyz ‘n the Hood
Storyline
Tre, Ricky and Doughboy are three young black men growing up in South Central Los
Angeles. They live in a neighborhood where drive-by shootings, drug and alcohol abuse
and overwhelming adversity are a constant. While the ‘hood is a violent and painful
place to live, it is also a place where friendship and love flourish. Boyz ‘N The Hood
traces the diverse reactions these three friends have to their bleak surroundings. Tre is
kept on the right track by his father, Ricky is a football-playing college hopeful, and
Doughboy struggles just to stay out of jail. When senseless violence and tragedy strikes
these three young friends, the lessons learned in their youth determine their respective
reactions when violence seems like the only recourse.
Warning
Boyz ‘N The Hood tracks the events of young people growing up in a violent urban area.
The movie is rated R and contains strong language, violence and adult situations. It is
not recommended for Rite-13 groups! Please view it yourself before making a
choice about showing it.
Purpose
In the lesson plan Survival Tactics (J2A) we learn about dangerous situations and
techniques to cope with them. Boyz ‘N The Hood explores the different methods young
people living in a violent urban area use. The dialogue of the group should be led in a
way that stresses the importance of self-defense for survival, not revenge. The path
Doughboy takes is very different from the path Tre takes. This is a good opportunity to
prepare young people for the frustration and helplessness that we feel when we witness
senseless violence.
Key Questions
·
How realistic do you think this movie is?
·
Could you survive in that particular environment?
·
What skills are necessary to survive in that setting?
·
What role did the father play?
·
How do male and female roles differ in this cultural setting?
·
If you could choose, would you rather be a male or a female in this
neighborhood?
·
What makes this movie feel like a tragedy?
·
What element does hope play in setting up a tragedy?
·
Read Matthew 26:51-54 and relate it to the decisions made by characters in the
film.
76 Do the Right Thing
Storyline
It’s the hottest day of the year in this Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn. As
the heat rises so does the tension between black and white, man and woman, love and
hate, and conciliation and violence. This powerful mixture of opposites reaches a
breaking point as the things usually left unsaid begin to surface. In just one 24-hour
day, the lives of these Brooklyn residents will change forever.
Warning
Do The Right Thing is rated R and contains brief nudity, strong language, violence and
adult situations. It is not recommended for Rite-13 groups! Please view it yourself
before making a choice about showing it.
Purpose
In the lesson plans, Rules, Rules, Rules (J2A), we discuss who makes rules, and
methods we can use to change the rules. In the lesson plan Gandhi And Civil
Disobedience (J2A) we examine violent vs. non-violent change. This film looks at an
instance of how civil disobedience is applied to the African-American experience. It
provides an opportunity to reflect on the experience of some Black Americans and what
we might become or do in a similar situation.
Key Questions
·
What did you think of Spike Lee’s vision of urban life?
·
Why do some ethnic groups seem to have so much more trouble breaking out of
the cycles of poverty than others?
·
What examples of “gender proving” did you find in this movie?
·
How could this story have ended differently?
·
Did you believe this movie? Why or why not?
·
Why did Spike Lee close the movies with the two quotations? (NOTE: Youth
leaders should write down these quotations in the likely instance that the young people
will not remember what they are!) Did you find them appropriate to the movie? To your
own life?
·
Can you imagine an oppression so great that you would resort to violence in
order to change it?
°
What would Jesus say and do?
°
What would Gandhi say and do?
°
What would you say and do?
°
What would your friends say and do?
·
What role did parents play in this movie?
·
Read Romans 12:17-21. What does the passage tell us about repaying evil with
evil? Why do you think it is so difficult for people to repay evil with good?
77 Just One of the Guys
Storyline
Terry Griffith, an aspiring teenage journalist, is fed up with not being taken seriously by
the men in her life. Her good looks inspire drooling from her sexist male teachers while
her “perfect” college boyfriend just wants her as a trophy. When she’s rejected for a
summer internship at a newspaper, she assumes it’s because she is a woman.
Masquerading as a boy, she goes undercover at a rival school for a second chance.
Gender-bending high school chaos ensues as Terry finds out that being a boy isn’t as
simple as she thought it would be.
Warning
This film contains brief nudity and sexual references.
Purpose
In the lesson plan, Trying On A New Name (J2A), we recreate ourselves to see how it
feels to literally walk in the shoes of the person we dream of being. In Just One Of The
Guys, Terry is a girl who dresses as a boy to be taken seriously. She addresses
assumptions that both men and women sometimes make about what it’s like to be the
other gender. What she discovers questions the role of “maleness” and “femaleness” in
each of us. This movie encourages young people to explore the meaning of “maleness”
and “femaleness”.5
Key Questions
•
•
•
•
•
Who do you think has it easier in life, men or women?
What does Terry learn about her assumption that men have it easier than
women?
How do we experience maleness and femaleness in ourselves? The psychologist,
C.J. Jung, says we have anima and animus—the female and male principles—
within us. Why is it so hard to let that “other” part of us show? Can we develop
that “other” side of ourselves? What would happen if we did?
Does being a man or a woman absolutely define who we are or how we can
behave?
Read John 4:1-39 or Luke 10:38-42 and relate each to the film.
By Katie Rost, © 1999; used with permission. Added 8/99.
5
It is possible that this discussion will raise the question of homosexuality and its relationship to maleness
and femaleness. Different denominations and even individual congregations may respond to questions about
homosexuality differently. You will need to study your denomination’s position and seek the guidance of your
clergyperson.
78 Double Feature: Romeo & Juliet and West Side Story
Storyline
Both Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story are heart-wrenching stories of teenage love
that fights to exist across cultural or familial lines. Each film ends in unnecessary tragedy
as the teenagers in love struggle with their inner feelings of love and their family and
friends’ feelings of hate.
Suggestion
The more recent version of Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Daines
will probably be most popular with the young people!
Purpose
As pointed out in the lesson plan Do Opposites Attract? (J2A), falling in love, by its very
construction, implies that we are taken over, head over heels, unable to think, unable to
choose. Watching these movies opens up so many questions on prejudice, lust, love,
devotion and family in any time, in any culture. The purpose of watching stories of
tragic teenage love is to open up a discussion about how to be responsible when in love.
Young people need to be reminded at every turn that they are in control. They can
choose who they want as friends and as romantic partners. The discussion should be led
in a way that emphasizes the importance of finding a loving relationship that adds to,
instead of takes away from, the quality of one’s life.
This movie is most appropriate for the last year of J2A. See the lesson plan Meaningful
Is Not Enough (J2A). This would be a good starting point for several discussions on love
and sex.
Key Questions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Have you ever been in love? What does it feel like to be in love?
How do you know if it is enduring love or simply passion?
Why were the different families or ethnic groups of the couples so opposed to
their relationship?
Does love have to be tragic or painful?
Do we have any choice about who we fall in love with?
How could these stories have ended differently? What other choices could they
have made?
Do you think we are only able to fall in love, or might it be possible to walk
carefully into love? What is the difference between the two?
Read Corinthians 13:1-7. What does this passage say about love? Relate this
meaning of love to the film.
79 Consenting Adult
Storyline
The lives of a suburban couple are turned upside down when their perfect, golden-boy
son discloses his homosexuality. The movie addresses the pain in families caused by the
crisis of sexual identity. PLEASE NOTE: Consenting Adult is a film that was made in
the mid-1980's. Do not confuse this film with the more recently made Consenting
Adults, an action film with content NOT appropriate for J2A youth.
Purpose
This film helps to open a discussion on familial expectations. It also engages the group
in an honest dialogue about our own prejudices, fears and thoughts about
homosexuality. This discussion will raise the question of homosexuality and its
relationship to maleness and femaleness. Different denominations and even individual
congregations may respond to questions about homosexuality differently. You will need
to study your denomination’s position and seek the guidance of your clergy before
deciding how you will respond and what you will say.
Warning
This movie is dated! It has an abundance of melodramatic music and too much yelling—
but it’s still worth watching.
Serious Warning!
While we respect denominational and congregational differences in how to approach
homosexuality, we also need to remind people (especially youth leaders) that about a
third of gay males commit suicide in their youth—usually because they feel their
homosexuality is unacceptable to others. So, even if your denomination teaches that
homosexuality is a “sin” remember that we all serve a God of Grace and so please be
very gentle and choose your words carefully. No matter what position you personally
take or your denomination takes, it is important to consistently emphasize that
regardless of what sexual orientation someone is, God created them and God loves
them --- and that God commands us to love one another, no matter what their sexual
orientation is. On the question of sexual behavior, the issues for homosexual youth are
identical to those of heterosexual youth. You want to encourage all young people to be
thoughtful and prayerful and responsible in making a decision about when to enter into
a sexual relationship. And, obviously, we hope that discussion will ultimately help them
decide that now is definitely too soon! If you ask enough questions, teens will often
come to that conclusion on their own. Even if they don’t, they have the voice of loving,
faithful adult Christians to help them in their choices. For more ideas about what to ask,
consult Meaningful is Not Enough in the J2A lesson plans.
Key Questions
•
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Are there things that make it difficult to be gay or lesbian?
Do you know someone who is gay or lesbian?
Are there gay/lesbian kids in your high school? Do you know them? Does it make a
difference to you that they’re gay or lesbian? How do others at school treat them?
Do kids at school use labels like “fag”, “queer”, or “dyke” as taunts? Do you know why?
What do you think might be the consequences of that name-calling?
80 •
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What role does AIDS play in this movie?
If this movie were remade in the 1990's, what would be different? Are we, as a culture,
changing our views about homosexuality?
How do you think you’d react if one of your siblings, cousins, or close friends was gay?
How do adults in your life talk about or treat gay men and lesbians? How do you feel
about that?
How do you think we, as Christians, should treat gay men and lesbians? Why?
Read Matthew 7:1-5, 7:12 and Mark 12:28-34. How do these two passages relate to the
film? How do they relate to your life?
81 Amistad
Storyline
Amistad is based on a true story of the only recorded shipboard slave insurrection and
the series of trials that resulted from the event. The West African slaves are led by
Joseph Cinque. Cinque and the other Africans are captured by American forces and
subsequently arrested and brought to Connecticut. The resulting mutiny trial makes its
way through the US court system as the Africans fight to get home.
Warning
The movie is quite graphic at times. There are scenes containing brief nudity, violence
and brutality in the context of the slave trade. The images can be upsetting.
Purpose
In the lesson plan, Listening Skills Are A Great Place To Begin (J2A), we explore our
capacity to listen carefully to the self and to others. When watching Amistad pay
attention to how the characters are able to overcome cultural and religious barriers to
communicate with one another.
Key Question
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How would you feel if you found yourself in a situation where in order to be free
you had to raise up arms? Is it justified to take a life in order to save your own
life?
What did you think of the fact that the men determining whether the Africans
should be freed were themselves slave owners? Were you surprised that these
men decided that the Africans should be freed? Why?
Why do you think some people came to the defense of the Africans? What
motivated them?
What do you think you would have done if you had been one of the Americans in
the movie?
What are the instances in the Bible where people have used violence to gain or
to maintain freedom? What is God’s stated role in that? How does God’s stated
role relate to our current understanding of God as a God of love?
Relate the film and African slavery in the Americas to the book of Exodus and
Israelite slavery in Egypt.
By Katie Rost, © 1999; used with permission. Added 8/99.
82 The Breakfast Club
Storyline
The Breakfast Club is the story of five teenagers from different social groups who
seemed to have nothing in common. They were labeled by others and each other as the
Jock, the Brain, the Criminal, the Princess and the Basketcase. One Saturday morning
they are thrown together in their school library for detention. At 7:00 AM they had
nothing to say, but by 4:00 PM, they had laughed, cried, bared their souls, and become
good friends.
Warning
The Breakfast Club contains some strong language.
Purpose
This film addresses many of the pressures and fears associated with social groups and
authority figures that teenagers often face in high school. In the lesson plan Why Am I
Doing What I’m Doing? (J2A), we explore ways of relating to the ones closest to us and
ourselves. Knowing our “self” is essential if we hope to understand and give back to the
world around us. The characters in the film seem to learn that lesson over the course of
their day together. The group conversation should pick up where the movie dialogue
leaves us.
Key Questions
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Are social groups in your school similar to the ones in this film?
Do you choose not to associate with some people because they are considered
to be a nerd or a burnout or another such label?
Is it right to make fun of people because they are different than you? If not,
then why do we do it?
What did the characters in The Breakfast Club find out about each other by the
end of the day?
Do you ever act a certain way or take part in activities you don’t like because it is
expected of you?
Read John 4:1-39 and Mark 2:13-17. In these two passages, how does Jesus
interact with people who are “different” from him? Compare Jesus’s behavior to
that of the characters in the movie.
By Katie Rost, © 1999; used with permission. Added 8/99.
83 October Sky
Storyline
This is the true story of Homer Hickam, who overcame the poverty and low expectations
of his West Virginia background to become a noted NASA scientist. While all the other
kids in town are destined to become coal miners, Homer and his friends are determined
to build rockets. It is rated PG for language, brief sensuality and alcohol use, and for
some thematic elements.
Purpose
To share a positive model of people who “dream dreams” and “see visions” and set out
to accomplish them.
This 1999 film, according to Diana Jones of the Church of the Nativity in Baltimore, MD,
goes very well after viewing “Dead Poets Society”. The same issues of daring to dream,
the pressures of conformity, parental expectations, and learning to trust are explored;
but this film has a happy ending.
Key Questions
•
In the movie, who accepts and supports Homer’s vision, and who rejects it? Who
needs to be converted, and how does it happen?
•
In your lives, when you come up with a far-out idea, who tends to accept it right
away and who tends to reject it? Why?
•
Homer’s father had a plan for Homer’s life that had nothing to do with Homer’s
dreams. What would your parents really like you to be when you grow up? What
would you really like to be? If these are different things, how do you work out
the differences?
•
Was Homer’s father free to live his dreams for his own life? What pressures were
working on him? How would this affect his attitude toward Homer?
•
Read Mark 3:31-35. Although it does not say in the text why Jesus’ family came
to him, many have speculated that they wanted him to stop his teaching. Why
would they want that, and why did Jesus reply the way he did?
© 2000, LeaderResources; used with permission; added 11/00
84 Additional Movies
The additional movies listed below have, for the most part, been used in
classroom situations. They all raise pertinent issues and have given rise to interesting
discussions. This section is divided into those films which we feel generally appeal to
young people in either the Rite-13, J2A or YAC components of the program. [Note:
Many of the movies listed here were included because of classroom conversations with
young people who have participated in the J2A program.]
Rite-13
Awakenings—directed by Penny Marshall, starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams
(1990–121 minutes).
The true-life story of a doctor at a psychiatric hospital in The
Bronx and his discovery that comatose patients in the chronic care
ward still have life in them.
Big—directed by Penny Marshall, starring Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Perkins (1988–102
minutes).
What happens when a 12-year-old boy wishes he were “big” and
wakes up the next morning in the body of a 30-year-old man. A
wonderful fantasy which explores, above all, innocence.
Chariots of Fire—directed by Hugh Hudson, starring Ben Cross (1981–123 minutes).
The true story of two British runners who won gold medals in the
1924 Olympics. Raises interesting questions about gifts and
talents, commitment and prejudice.
The Color Purple—directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Whoopi Goldberg (1985–152
minutes).
This film contains some wonderfully evocative images and raises
some deeply profound issues about male-female relationships.
Dances with Wolves—directed by and starring Kevin Costner (1990–181 minutes).
A Civil War army officer, discouraged by war and society, heads
west and discovers the beauty of the plains and of Indian culture.
He then assumes a new cultural identity.
Ever After: A Cinderella Story—directed by Andy Tennant, starring Drew Barrymore and
Anjelica Huston (1998–100 minutes).
This updated Cinderella story stressed the importance of young
women using self-reliance and inner strength rather than waiting
for the Prince or a fairy godmother to fix everything.
E.T. The Extraterrestrial—directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Dee Wallace (1982–115
minutes).
Do we need to introduce this? It’s a wonderful film about love and
innocence and frustration and courage.
85 Field of Dreams—directed by Phil Alden Robinson, starring Kevin Costner and Amy
Madigan (1989–106 minutes).
A novice farmer in Iowa hears a voice telling him, “If you build it,
he will come,” and promptly builds a baseball stadium in his
cornfield. A great story of redemption and faith (which recurs
constantly in discussion with the Rite-13 class).
Gorillas in the Mist—directed by Michael Apted, starring Sigourney Weaver (1988–129
minutes).
A young woman scientist works with lowland gorillas in an effort
to save them from corrupt society. Based on the true story of
Diane Fossey.
Hoosiers—directed by David Anspaugh, starring Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey and
Dennis Hopper (1986–114 minutes).
A failed coach gets a last-chance job coaching a small town
Indiana high school basketball team. His job is to take the team to
the state championship—and to redeem himself. The issues raised
here include commitment and values.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade—directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Harrison
Ford and Sean Connery (1989–127 minutes).
This is sheer adventure. The relationship between Indiana Jones
and his archeologist father is what makes this worth watching.
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear—directed by Peter H. Hunt, starring Mickey Rooney
(1984–100 minutes).
The story of a group of young American soldiers at the end of
World War II trying to sit out the rest of the war—along with a
group of like-minded Germans.
Leap of Faith—directed by Richard Pearce, starring Steve Martin and Debra Winger
(1992–108 minutes).
This film is about Steve Martin as a tent evangelist, with Debra
Winger as his partner in crime. He is a fraud, but encounters true
healing.
Ordinary People—directed by Robert Redford, starring Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler
Moore (1980–123 minutes).
The problems of a well-off suburban family after the tragic death
of an older son. Raises issues of death and dying and the grief
process.
Parenthood—directed by Ron Howard, starring Steve Martin and Mary Steenburgen
(1989–124 minutes).
A fine comedy about the trials and tribulations of parenthood as
seen from several perspectives within the same family.
86 The Princess Bride—directed by Rob Reiner, starring Robin Wright, Cary Elwes and Peter
Falk (1987–98 minutes).
Buttercup, a beautiful maid, finds “true love” with a farm boy.
Their love is put through a series of tests, however, as they fight
pirates, giants, eels, even death to stay together. This movie is a
lighthearted adventure. A perfect Rite-13 movie!
Rain Man—directed by Barry Levinson, starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise (1988–
140 minutes).
A younger son “kidnaps” his older brother, who is autistic, in an
effort to obtain an inheritance. During a cross-country jaunt, he
discovers a relationship which transforms him.
Regarding Henry—directed by Mike Nichols, starring Harrison Ford and Annette Bening
(1991–107 minutes).
An unethical but wealthy attorney has his world shattered by a
gunshot wound. Forced to start over, he builds a better and a
moral life.
To Kill a Mockingbird—directed by Robert Mulligan, starring Gregory Peck (1962–129
minutes).
A white lawyer in a Southern town has to defend a black man
accused of rape—and explain all of this to his two young children.
J2A or Older Rite-13
Children of a Lesser God—directed by Randa Haines, starring Marlee Matlin and William
Hurt (1986–110 minutes).
A young woman, working as a janitor at a school for the deaf,
attracts the attention of a new teacher. Raises issues of
communication and different worlds and values. [Note: Some
people might object to some of the pretty graphic sex scenes, so
be careful about the ages of the kids watching.]
Circle of Friends—directed by Pat O’Conner, starring Chris O’Donnell and Minnie Driver
(1995–102 minutes).
A young Irish woman and her girlfriends leave their small village
for college, where friendship, loyalty, love and morality are put to
the test. The film stresses the importance of staying true to one’s
best nature.
Fried Green Tomatoes—directed by Jon Avnet, starring Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy
(1991–130 minutes).
A repressed Southern wife meets an elderly lady at a retirement
home and becomes fascinated, and ultimately emancipated, by
the tale the old woman spins. It’s a wonderful movie about
women and how they relate to each other—and to men who think
they’re macho. [Note: This film was particularly asked for by the
Rite-13 participants.]
87 The Man In The Moon—directed by Robert Mulligan, starring Reese Witherspoon and
Jason London (1992–99 minutes).
The film follows two teenage sisters, living in a strict household,
and how they deal with heavy issues such as teenage romance,
the meaning of life, forgiveness, and fatal accidents. A wonderful
coming of age story.
J2A
Gandhi—directed by Richard Attenborough, starring Ben Kingsley (1982–188 minutes).
The unforgettable saga of the Mahatma and his rise to become a
leader of India and one of the great human beings of the
Twentieth Century (used in a J2A lesson plan)
Good Will Hunting—directed by Gus Van Sant, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and
Robin Williams (1997–125 minutes).
Damon plays a mathematical genius who works as a janitor at
MIT till he is discovered by a professor. He is forced into a
relationship with a therapist (Williams) which saves his future by
helping him to forgive his tormented past. A wonderfully
humorous yet serious film!
The Joy Luck Club—directed by Wayne Wang, starring Ming-Na Wen and Joan Chen
(1993–138 minutes).
A look at the lives and men of a generation of older Chinese
women whose difficult pasts are affecting the present lives of their
daughters. A wonderfully made story about the complexity of
mother-daughter relationships .
The Last Temptation of Christ—directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Willem Dafoe and
Barbara Hershey (1988–164 minutes).
This extraordinary movie examines Jesus’s self-doubts which arise
when he realizes he is God’s chosen Messiah.
Malcolm X—directed by Spike Lee, starring Denzel Washington (1992–201 minutes).
A sweeping biography of the civil rights leader who preached a
vision for self-sufficiency and progress in the Black community.
Scent of a Woman—directed by Martin Brest, starring Al Pacino (1992–137 minutes).
A timid prep school student “looks after” a blind, crusty colonel for
a weekend to earn some money. The weekend takes in a fling in
New York City and results in the transformation of both men.
[Note: This appeared on a list put together by Rite-13 students.]
Shadowlands—directed by Norman Stone, starring Joss Ackland and Claire Bloom
(1985–90 minutes). (This movie has been remade and was released in 1994;
directed by David Attenborough and starring Anthony Hopkins and Debra
Winger.)
88 The story of C.S. Lewis and his marriage to Joy Davidman and her
subsequent death from cancer. This raises questions about death
and dying and the grief process.
Stand By Me—directed by Rob Reiner, starring River Phoenix and Corey Feldman (1986–
89 minutes).
A coming-of-age tale of four teenage boys who go on an
adventure in the woods to find the body of a missing kid. On their
journey the boys explore the depths of friendship, family secrets,
and the concept of fear and death.
Stepmom—directed by Chris Columbus, starring Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Jena
Malone and Liam Aiken (1998–124 minutes).
A 90's style blend of Kramer vs. Kramer and Terms of
Endearment. A divorced family is forced to deal with a strained
relationship between Mom and Dad’s new girlfriend while also
confronting growing up, romance, cancer and death. This movie is
long and sometimes slow but it’s worth seeing because it covers
so many important issues that affect families of today.
J2A or YAC
Triumph of the Will—directed by Leni Riefenstahl (1935; German–110 minutes).
We hesitate to recommend this fascinating, if repellent and
terrifying, movie—a propaganda film about Adolf Hitler’s Nazi rally
in 1934 at Nuremberg—for showing to young people, even young
adults. However, apart from being one of the finest (and most
deeply religious, in the widest sense of the word) films ever made,
it raises extraordinary and critically important questions about
personality cults. We feel it ought to be shown in conjunction with
or followed by one of the four movies below and needs to be
followed by extended discussion.
The Hiding Place—directed by James F. Collier, starring Julie Harris (1975–145 minutes).
This is the true story based on Corrie ten Boom’s book about
Dutch Christians who helped Jews in World War II.
Life is Beautiful—directed by Roberto Benigni, starring Roberto Benigni (1998—116
minutes).
This wonderful film relates the story of a bookstore owner, Guido
(Benigni), who is taken to a concentration camp with his son.
Guido creates an elaborate game to keep the boy’s mind off the
harsh reality of suffering and death going on around them. This
film shows how laughter can set the spirit free even in the most
dire circumstances (subtitled).
Playing for Time—directed by Daniel Mann, starring Vanessa Redgrave, Jane Alexander
and Marisa Berenson (1980–150 minutes).
89 This brilliant made-for-TV movie is the story of Fania Fenelon who
escaped Auschwitz by playing in a macabre orchestra, “playing for
time” while other inmates were marched to their death.
Schindler’s List—directed by Stephen Spielberg, starring Liam Neeson and Ben Kingsley
(1993–over 180 minutes).
The chilling true story of a German businessman operating in
occupied Poland during World War II and the Jews he manages to
rescue from the Holocaust. Be sure to schedule a good chunk of
discussion time after this one.
YAC
We are not suggesting any specific movies for the YAC to watch. We feel these young
people are quite capable of searching out their own and generating meaningful
discussions about the values raised.
90 Annotated Resource Guide
This Resource Guide attempts to summarize some of the books
and organizations that are useful in supporting this ministry and
program. It does not pretend to be exhaustive. It is offered as a
starting point.
We cannot emphasize enough how important it is for
leaders to preview books and other information, and to
make an informed decision as to whether the material is
appropriate for their use. What may be acceptable content
to some folks may be unacceptable to others, and each
worshiping community must take the responsibility for
determining suitability.
We have divided the guide into four parts:
•
Books
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Organizations
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Hotlines and Helplines
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Youth Ministry Certification Programs
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Publishers and Distributors
Books
This section is divided into several categories: Youth Ministry, Parenting and Classroom
Management; Bibles and Bible Study; Games; Self; Spirituality; Society; Sexuality;
Pilgrimage; and Children’s Books. The books we have listed here are, for the most part,
not intended for use in class, but for use by the group leaders in developing their own
concepts for leading the program.
Youth Ministry, Parenting and Classroom Management
Initiation to Adulthood: An Ancient Rite of Passage in Contemporary Form, William O.
Roberts, Jr. (New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1982).
The book that provided the background for the rites of passage that shape J2A.
An important text for those who want to understand the basic structure of the
program.
The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry, Kenda Creasy Dean,
Ron Foster and Rita Collett (Upper Room, 1998).
A foundational book on relational youth ministry; provides the philosophical
underpinnings of J2A.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey (Fireside, 1990).
Every so often, a book emerges from the “popular culture” which
seems to possess a deeper sensibility than its title suggests. In
this volume, Covey has written a clear thesis on the nature of
91 effectiveness. His work has helped us define what we term, “the
six skills of adulthood.”.
Tips for Raising Teens: A Primer for Parents, Robert J. McCarthy (Paulist Press, 1998).
How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish,
Kimberly Ann Coe (Avon Books, 1999).
Get Out Of My Life But First Could You Drive Me and Cheryl to the Mall?: A Parent’s
Guide to the New Teenager, Anthony E. Wolf, Ph.D. (The Noonday Press, 1992).
It’s Not Fair: Jeremy Spencer’s Parents Let Him Stay Up All Night! A Guide to the
Tougher Parts of Parenting, Anthony E. Wolf, Ph.D. (The Noonday Press, 1996).
Why Did You Have To Get A Divorce? And When Can I Get A Hamster?, Anthony E.
Wolf, Ph.D. (The Noonday Press, 1998).
When Kumbaya Is Not Enough: A Practical Theology for Youth Ministry, Dean Borgman
(Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1997).
Kids Taking Charge: Youth-Led Youth Ministry, Joni Schultz and Thom Schultz (Group
Publishing, 1991).
Especially appropriate for YAC leaders and youth.
Would You Rather.....? 465 Provocative Questions to Get Teenagers Talking, Doug Fields
(Zondervan Publishing, 1996).
Better Safe Than Sued, Jack Crabtree (Group Publishing, Inc., 1998).
An extensive description of safety concerns every youth leader needs to be
aware of interspersed with stories to make the concerns concrete and real. To
order, call LeaderResources, 800-941-2218, or go to www.LeaderResources.org.
Great Fundraising Ideas for Youth Groups, David and Kathy Lynn (Youth Specialties
Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers).
More Great Fundraising Ideas for Youth Groups, David and Kathy Lynn (Youth
Specialties Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers).
The Teaching Church: Moving Christian Education to Center Stage, Eugene C.
Roehlkepartain (Abingdon Press, 1993).
Includes research data to support the importance of Christian Education, and an
outline of changes necessary for it to be effective.
Rites and Symbols of Initiation: The Mysteries of Birth and Rebirth, Mircea Eliade (Spring
Publications, 1994).
Eliade’s book investigates the roles of rituals and symbols in
primitive societies. This is but one of his many insightful works on
understanding what it means to be human and has helped us
develop rituals in the Journey to Adulthood program.
92 To Dance with God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration, Gertrude Mueller Nelson,
(Paulist Press, 1987).
Coming of Age: Traditions and Rituals Around the World, Karen Liptak (Millbrook
Press,1994).
Great resource for parents and leaders seeking more information about the
process, structure, and necessity of coming-of-age rituals.
Will Our Children Have Faith? John Westerhauf (Living the Good News, 2000).
This classic work, re-issued by Morehouse Publishing, provides some of the
foundational thinking in the movement from education as information transfer to
education as faith formation in the field of Christian Education.
Teaching Your Children Values, Linda and Richard Eyre (Fireside, 1993).
The Human Cycle, Colin M. Turnbull (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1983).
This work clearly defines the stages of development which human
beings undergo. It has helped formulate the human development
concepts which undergird the curriculum.
Sacred: Growing Up in America, George H. Gallup, with Wendy Plump (Harrisburg, PA:
Morehouse Publishing, 1996).
This book is based on a Gallup survey on the opinions of teens about the world
that surrounds them. In 81 brief pages, statistics are offered and experts offer
their views on violence in home and schools, teen sex, teen health, drugs,
cigarettes and alcohol, teen suicide and the absolute need to teach values. It
offers a factual underpinning to the issues which J2A seeks to address and
generally supports the approach we take to those problems.
Disorganized Religion: The Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults, Sheryl A. Kujawa,
ed. (Cowley Publications, 1998).
Resource Book for Ministries with Youth and Young Adults in the Episcopal Church,
Sheryl A. Kujawa, with Lois Sibley (Episcopal Parish Services, 800-903-5544).
A potpourri of short articles on every youth-related issue imaginable. It includes
game suggestions, ways to address various topics, how to develop a youth
ministry—a highly valuable resource for every youth minister; useful for all
denominations.
Handbook for Young Adolescents. (Episcopal Parish Services, 800-903-5544).
Introductory resources for youth advisors working with 10-15-year-olds
Handbook for Older Adolescents.(Episcopal Parish Services, 800-903-5544).
Introductory resources for youth advisors working with 16-19-year-olds
The New Church’s Teaching Series
Volume 1: The Anglican Vision, James E. Griffis, 1997
Volume 2: Opening the Bible, Roger Ferlo, 1997
93 Volume 3: Engaging the Word, Michael Johnston, 1998
Volume 4: The Practice of Prayer, Margaret Guenther, 1998
Volume 5: Living with History, Fredrica Harris Thompsett, 1999
Volume 6: Early Christian Traditions, Rebecca Lyman, 1999
Volume 7: Opening the Prayerbook, Jeffrey Lee, 1999
Volume 8: Mysteries of Faith, Mark McIntosh, 2000
Volume 9: Ethics after Easter (available Summer 2000)
Volume 10: Christian Social Witness (available in 2001)
Volume 11: Horizons of Mission (available in 2001)
Volume 12: Christian Wholeness (available in 2001)
A Guide to the New Church’s Teaching Series, Linda L. Grenz (available Summer
2000)
These volumes seek to reveal the distinctive vision that Anglicanism offers the
people of God today. Each book includes a study guide and list of additional
resources. A good resource for youth leaders to gain basic information about the
topics. Developed for the Episcopal Church but several volumes will work well in
any denomination (e.g., those on the Bible, prayer, early Christian traditions, the
mysteries of faith, ethics, and wholeness). To order, call Cowley Publications,
800-225-1534, or go to www.cowley.org.
An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church: A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians, Don
S. Armentrout, Robert B Slocum, editors (Church Publishing, Inc., New York,
1999).
If youth group leaders are teaching in an Episcopal environment,
they should be thoroughly familiar with these terms. Other
denominational leaders may find it helpful if the “Episcopal
language” in the program is not easily translatable!
The Best Time to Act, Paul Burbridge (Hodder & Stoughton, 1999).
Chancel drama theatre book written by the leaders of Riding Lights, a theatre
company associated with a church in York, England.
Spiritual Life: The Foundation for Preaching and Teaching, John H. Westerhoff
(Westminster Press, 1994).
Especially good for youth leaders.
A Dictionary for Episcopalians, John N. Wall (Cowley Publications, 2000).
Bibles and Bible Study
Access Bible (Oxford University Press, 1999).
A Bible with study aids specifically designed to be used with curriculums. To
order, call LeaderResources, 800-941-2218, or go to www.LeaderResources.org.
In Dialogue with Scripture: An Episcopal Guide to Studying the Scriptures, Linda L.
Grenz, editor (Episcopal Parish Services, 800-903-5544).
This book contains several articles on Bible study, fifteen Bible
study methods, helps for group leaders and an extensive
annotated resource guide.
94 The Doubleday Pocket Bible Guide, Linda L. Grenz (New York: Image, Doubleday,
1999).
Each book of the Bible is summarized in a couple of paragraphs
followed by an outline of the book and the famous passages in it.
Several new Bible study methods, the complete Revised Common
Lectionary, lists of people, places, key words, a time line and a
series of maps make this handy little book an ideal overview and
reference book. Great for leaders and as Rite-13 gifts. To order,
call LeaderResources, 800-941-2218, or go to
www.LeaderResources.org.
The Cotton Patch Version of Luke and Acts: Jesus’ Doings and the Happenings, Clarence
Jordan (New Win Publishing, 1973).
This original translation, by its use of vernacular language and by
placing the scenario in the context of modern Georgia and other
southern states, provides interesting and valuable insights into the
Gospel narratives which help in their retelling.
The Message: The New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, Eugene Peterson (Navpress,
1998).
The Message is a paraphrase of the Bible. Can be an excellent tool for youth and
adult ministry, and for getting people started reading the word of God.
The Way of the Wolf: The Gospel in New Images, Martin Bell (Ballantine Books, 1983).
These new perspectives on the Gospel message might serve as
models for re-presenting Bible stories in class.
The Kingdom Within: The Inner Meaning of Jesus’ Sayings, John A. Sanford (Harper San
Francisco, 1987).
Sanford is a trained Jungian psychologist, and this is the
perspective he brings to the parables of Jesus. Accordingly, the
insights that he provides are invaluable to the leader who seeks to
teach those parables.
Offering the Gospel to Children, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard and John Westerhoff (Boston:
Cowley Publications, 1992).
The Catholic Youth Bible: New Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition, Brian Singer,
editor (St. Mary’s Press, 2000).
One Minute Bible 4 Students: With 366 Devotions for Daily Living, Doug Fields, John R.
Kohlenberger (Editor) (Broadman and Holman, 1999).
Games
Play It!—Great Games for Groups, Wayne Rice and Mike Yaconelli (Zondervan Publishing
House, 1986).
Includes 400 indoor and outdoor games, divided into games for small and large
groups, mixers, relays, quiet games and seasonal games.
95 Play It Again!—More Great Games for Groups (Zondervan Publishing House, 1993).
This volume includes 200 more indoor and outdoor games, water games,
volleyball and ping-pong games, relays and quiet games.
Great Games for City Kids, Nelson E. Copeland, Jr. (Zondervan Publishing House, 1991).
The New Games Book: Play Hard, Play Fair, Nobody Hurt, Andrew Fluegelman, ed. (New
York: Doubleday—Dolphin Books, 1976).
More New Games!, Andrew Fluegelman (New York: Doubleday—Dolphin Books, 1981).
New Games for the Whole Family, Dale N. Lefevre (Perigee, 1988).
The New Games Treasury: More Than 500 Indoor and Outdoor Favorites with
Strategies, Rules, and Traditions, Merilyn Simonds Mohr, Roberta Cooke,
Illustrator (Chalice Press, 1997).
96 Books -- Self
Please Understand Me: Character and Temperament Types, David Keirsey and Marilyn
Bates (Del Mar, CA.: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company, Fifth Edition, 1984).
A working knowledge of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicators (MBTI)
is helpful in working with groups of young people. A word of
caution, though: We do not recommend giving young people the
MBTI instrument. However, we feel that the insights afforded by
this book and that by Isabel and Peter Myers (see below) are
most valuable. Accordingly, we highly recommend this for
background reading for group leaders.
Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type, Isabel Briggs Myers, with Peter B. Myers
(Palo Alto, CA.: Consulting Psychologists Press, 1995).
This book provides a more in-depth examination of the MBTI than
Keirsey and Bates.
On Death and Dying, Elizabeth Kübler-Ross (Collier Books, June 1997).
Young people, beginning with Rite-13, are beginning to wrestle
with issues of death and dying. Teenage suicide is for too many a
reality. We regard this as essential reading.
Adam and Eve and Pinocchio: On Being and Becoming Human, Willard Gaylin (New
York, Viking, 1990).
The Marriage Journey: Preparations and Provisions for Life Together, Linda Grenz and
Delbert Glover (Cowley Publications, 1996).
Designed for use by couples preparing for marriage, this book may be useful to
YAC groups which choose to focus on marriage as a vocation. Each chapter has
questions for the couple to discuss and a set for a group to discuss. To order,
call LeaderResources, 800-941-2218, or go to www.LeaderResources.org.
Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility, James P. Carse (Mass
Market Paperback, 1994).
This book raises some important questions about why and how
we play.
The Dream of God: A Call to Return, Verna J. Dozier (Cambridge, MA: Cowley
Publications, 1991).
Provides valuable perspectives on the ministry of the laity, of
which Christian education is but one aspect. Good for YAC groups
focusing on vocation and destiny.
Choose Life: A Vocational Discernment Program for Youth, Episcopal Peace Fellowship
(New York: Episcopal Church Youth Ministries Office, 1992. 800-334-7626).
An excellent curriculum, particularly suited for older J2A and YAC
participants. It examines values clarification, military service, draft
registration and conscientious objection. Deeply rooted in the
Bible, it is a fine resource.
97 The Choice Is Yours: A Teenager’s Guide to Self-Discovery, Relationships, Values, and
Spiritual Growth, Bonnie Parsley and M. Scott Peck (Fireside, 1992).
Building Self-Esteem Through The Museum Of I: 25 Original Projects That Explore And
Celebrate The Self, Linda R. Zack, M.Ed. (Free Spirit Publishing, 1995).
The Hurried Child: Growing Up Too Fast Too Soon, David Elkind (Perseus Press, 1989).
The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self, Alice Miller (Basic Books,
1996).
A Tribe Apart: A Journey into the Heart of American Adolescence, Patricia Hersch
(Ballentine Books, 1999).
Money Matters for Teens Workbook: Age 11-14, Larry Burkett, Todd Temple (Moody
Press, 1998).
My Feelings Are Like Wild Animals: How Do I Tame Them? A Practical Guide To Help
Teens (And Former Teens) Feel And Deal With Painful Emotions, (Paulist Press,
1998).
Ups and Downs: How to Beat the Blues and Teen Depression, Susan Klebanoff and Ellen
Luborsky (Price Stearn Sloan, 1999).
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens: The Ultimate Teenage Success Guide, Sean
Covey (Simon & Schuster, 1998).
98 Books -- Spirituality
The Spiritual Life of Children, Robert Coles (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991).
Dr. Coles has thoroughly illuminated the rich and intricate spiritual
life that all children possess—and which tends to be dismissed by
adults too lightly.
A Spiritual Formation Workbook, James Bryan Smith (HarperSanFrancisco, 1999).
Provides an introduction to exercises in five dimensions of the spiritual life. Best
for J2A or YAC groups.
Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life,
Thomas Moore (HarperPerennial Library, 1994).
On the New York Times bestseller list for nearly a year, this book
seems destined to become a classic for personal spiritual
development. We highly recommend this for background reading
for group leaders.
The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages, Joan Chittister OSB (Crossroads, 1999).
Highly recommended reading on St. Benedict’s Rule of Life. Takes the lay and
monastic reader through the daily reading cycle of The Rule, a tradition shared in
common through the centuries by religious and lay Benedictines alike. Use with
lessons on prayer and the religious life.
Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict, Esther DeWaal (The Liturgical Press, 1984).
Another book on the Rule of St. Benedict. To order, call LeaderResources, 800941-2218, or go to www.LeaderResources.org.
The Rule of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (Cowley Publications, 1997. 800225-1534; www.cowley.org).
Useful for those interested in a contemporary rule of life for a monastic order.
Use with the lesson plan on the religious life.
Living in the Presence: Spiritual Exercises to Open Our Lives to the Awareness of God,
Tilden Edwards (Harper San Francisco, 1995).
Tilden Edwards is the director of the Shalem Institute in
Washington, D.C. His spiritual exercises are always interesting and
fulfilling and may be readily adapted for class use. Especially good
for J2A and YAC groups moving into deeper spiritual practices.
Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, Richard J. Foster (San Francisco: HarperCollins,
1992).
The author’s approach to Christian spirituality is lively and
illuminating. He touches on many aspects of Christian spiritual
practice and discipline, and his books serve as excellent guides to
planning and conducting youth retreats (see also the following
title).
99 Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, Richard J. Foster (Harper San
Francisco, 1988).
Creative Worship Ideas: Meaningful Ways to Involve Teenagers in Worship, Lois Keffer
(Group Publishing, 1993).
Sadhana: A Way to God, Anthony de Mello (Image Books, 1984).
Father de Mello, a Jesuit priest, offers Christian prayer exercises based on
eastern religious forms.
Contemplative Prayer, Thomas Merton, Thich Nhat Hanh (Image Books, 1971).
Written towards the end of Merton’s life, this is a book about contemplation. The
prose is clean and, sparse—Merton at his quietest.
A Seven-Day Journey With Thomas Merton, Esther De Waal, Henri J. Nouwen (Servant
Publications, 1993).
7-day meditations on the best of Merton’s contemplative writings. Good basic
introduction to Thomas Merton, who was a prolific writer and Trappist monk.
Finding Grace at the Center, Thomas Keating (St. Bede’s Publications, 1988).
Father Keating provides a superb introduction and detailed guidance to the
Christian method of Centering Prayer.
Awakenings, Thomas Keating (Harper Collins, 1990).
A great source for prayer focus and insight into scripture, presented with utter
simplicity.
Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer, Richard Rohr (Crossroads
Publications, 1999).
Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers, Thich Nhat Hanh (Riverhead Books, 1999).
Reconciliation: Preparing for Confession in the Episcopal Church, Martin L. Smith, SSJE
(Cowley Publications, 1985. 800-225-1534).
Daily Prayers for Busy People, O’Malley, William J., S.J. (Winona, MN: St. Mary’s Press,
1996).
This book has some wonderful ideas for praying with young
people. It uses a four-week cycle with three sets of prayers for
each day. Each session opens with a brief prayer (Presence),
several readings, both Biblical and secular, and a closing prayer
(Offering).
Grace Happens: Stories of Everyday Encounters with Grace, Bob Libby (Cowley
Publications, 1994. 800-225-1534).
The Forgiveness Book, Bob Libby (Cowley Publications, 1992. 800-225-1534).
Devotional Classics: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups, James Bryan Smith
and Richard J. Foster, Editors (HarperSanFrancisco, 1993).
100 The New Prayer Book Guide to Christian Education, Joseph P. Russell, ed. (Cowley
Publications, 1996).
Themes and suggestions to easily plan the Sunday morning scripture reflection
time.
The Lay Contemplative: Testimonies, Perspectives, Resources, Virginia Mans and Mary
Frohlich, editors (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2000).
Finding the Mystic Within You, Peggy Wilkinson (Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1999).
The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality, Fr. David Reinhart (Doubleday,
1999).
The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions, Brother
Wayne Teasdale (New World Library, 1999).
Angels of Grace, Anselm Gruen (Crossroads, 1998).
Heaven Begins with You: Wisdom from the Desert Fathers, Anselm Gruen (Crossroads,
1999).
Centered Living: The Way of Centering Prayer, Fr. M. Basil Pennington (Liguori
Publications, 1999).
Spiritual Journey: 1000 Young Adults Share the Reconciling Experience of Taize with the
Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey (Morehouse Publishing, 1994).
101 Books -- Society
Experiencing More with Less: An Intergenerational Curriculum for Camps, Retreats, and
Other Educational Settings, Meredith Sommers Dregni (Scottdale, PA: Herald
Press, 1983).
Ideas for retreats and weekend and Sunday afternoon
experiences to help teenagers (and others) examine life-styles,
especially in an age of conspicuous consumption.
The Eucharist and the Hunger of the World, Monika K. Hellwig (Sheed & Ward, 1992).
The slimness of this book belies the richness of its content. This is
the most powerful theological statement we have read regarding
world hunger, and is worth reading for its insights into our own
spiritual condition as inhabitants of that part of the globe that
knows little or no material need.
World Hunger: Twelve Myths, Francis Moore Lappé and Joseph Collins (New York: Grove
Press, 1998).
This book was developed primarily for young people and provides
good background material for developing lessons that focus on
world hunger as a paradigm of human need.
Jubilee 2000: The Year of the Lord’s Favor (Episcopal Parish Services, 800-903-5544).
Jubilee 2000 began as a worldwide movement to cancel the crushing
international debt of impoverished countries. This resource is designed to help
congregations, groups and individuals explore ways they can participate in
Jubilee. Developed by LeaderResources and published by the Episcopal Church.
[See also the New Church’s Teaching Series, especially Ethics After Easter,
Christian Social Witness, and Horizons of Mission.]
102 Books -- Sexuality
Changing Bodies, Changing Lives: A Book for Teens on Sex and Relationships, Ruth Bell
(Time Books, 1998).
A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice,
Matthew Fox (Inner Traditions International Ltd., 1999).
Fox is not the easiest author to read, and some may find his ideas unpalatable.
However, we do recommend the chapter on “Sexuality and Compassion” as a
discussion starter for the youth leaders as they prepare to lead sessions on
sexuality.
The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future, Riane Eisler (Harper SanFrancisco,
1988).
The Sacred Dimensions of Women’s Experience, Elizabeth Dodson Gray (Wellesley, MA:
Roundtable Press, 1988).
Sexism and God-Talk: Toward a Feminist Theology, Rosemary Radford Ruether (Beacon
Press, 1993).
You Just Don’t Understand: Men and Women in Conversation, Deborah Tannen (New
York: Ballantine Books, 1991).
Our Selves, Our Souls and Bodies: Sexuality and the Household of God, Charles Hefling,
ed. (Cowley Publications, 1996).
Essays on human sexuality which can stimulate a discussion amongst youth
leaders or members of a YAC group.
Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, Pipher, Mary, Ph.D. (Ballantine
Books, 1995).
Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood, William Pollack, Ph.D. (Owl
Books, 1999).
103 Books -- Pilgrimage
(Most of these books can be ordered by calling LeaderResources at 1-800-941-2218)
The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker’s Guide to Making Travel Sacred, Phil Cousineau
(Berkeley, CA: Conari Press, 1998).
Soulfaring: Celtic Pilgrimage Then & Now, Cintra Pemerton, O.S.H. (Harrisburg, PA:
Morehouse Publishing, 1999).
On Pilgrimage, Douglas C. Vest (MA: Cowley Publications, 1998).
The Road to Canterbury, Shirley du Boulay (Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing,
1994).
Glendalough: A Celtic Pilgrimage, Michael Rodgers and Marcus Losack (Harrisburg, PA:
Morehouse Publishing, 1996).
A Guide to Monastic Guest Houses, second edition, Robert J. Regalbuto (Harrisburg, PA:
Morehouse Publishing, 1998).
FaithTalk, Merton P. Strommen & Charles Bruning (Minneapolis, MN: Youth & Family
Institute of Augsburg College).
104 Children’s Books
Young people often love children’s books—especially when the setting is right. These are
great for late-night, around-the-campfire, in-the-middle-of-the-sanctuary, on pilgrimage,
on-top-of-a-hill, or high drama times.
The Prince Mammoth Pumpkin: A Parable, James P. Adams (Paulist Press, 1998).
Everybody Needs A Rock, Baylor Bird (Aladdin Paperbacks, 1987).
The Table Where Rich People Sit, Baylor Bird (Atheneum, 1994).
Stellaluna, Janell Cannon (Harcourt Brace & Company, 1993).
A Small Miracle, Peter Collington (Alfred A. Knopf, 1997).
The Empty Pot, Demi (Henry Holt and Company, 1990).
Mean Soup, Betsy Everitt (Voyager Picture Books, 1995).
Does God Have a Big Toe?: Stories About Stories in the Bible, Marc Gellman
(HarperCollins Publishers, 1989).
God's Mailbox: More Stories About Stories in the Bible, Marc Gellman (Morrow Junior
Books, 1996).
You Are Special, Max Lucado (Crossway Books, 1997).
Oh, The Places You'll Go!, Dr. Seuss (Random House, Inc., 1990).
The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein (HarperCollins Publishers, 1986).
The Missing Piece, Shel Silverstein (HarperCollins Publishers, 1976).
Noah's Ark, Peter Spier (Picture Yearling, 1992).
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst (Simon and
Schuster, 1987).
The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams (Henry Holt and Company, 1983).
Old Turtle, Douglas Wood (Pfeifer-Hamilton, 1992).
105 Organizations
AIDS National Interfaith Network (ANIN), 1400 I St. NW, Suite 1220, Washington, DC 20005
(# 202-842-0010; www.thebody.com ; email: [email protected]). Offers compassionate
support, preventative education, technical assistance, and referrals.
Alternatives for Simple Living, P.O. Box 3804, Dillon, CO, 80435-3804 (# 800-821-6153;
www.SimpleLiving.org; email: [email protected]).
An international non-profit organization providing resources for responsible living,
equipping people of faith to challenge consumerism and live justly.
American Anorexia/Bulimia Association [AABA] (Merged with National Eating Disorders
Association in 2001 – see more info under National Eating Disorders Association)
Boys’ Town USA (www.boystown.org; National Child Abuse Hotline: # 800-448-3000).
Family and youth support services, workshops, parenting assistance; geared toward
working with at-risk youth and families.
Bread for the World, 50 F Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC, 20001 (# 800-82-BREAD;
www.bread.org).
This is a nationwide Christian citizens’ movement which lobbies Congress “on behalf of
poor and hungry people in the United States and overseas.” Well worth joining for the
excellent educational materials which it and its subsidiary, the Bread for the World
Institute, produce on hunger and poverty issues.
C.S. Lewis web site: www.drzeus.net/cslewis
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333 (# 800-CDCINFO 24 Hours/Every Day www.cdc.gov)
Multiple resources regarding health topics A-Z. Excellent source for information about
STD’s, HIV/AIDS, smoking, substance abuse, women’s and men’s health issues, and
travelers’ health concerns (for pilgrimage).
Children’s Defense Fund, 25 E Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20001 (# 800-CDF-1200; 800233-1200; www.childrensdefense.org; email: [email protected]).
This group is an advocacy organization for the rights of children. It has many materials
relating to children and sponsors an interfaith Children’s Sabbath on the third weekend
of October each year – download free materials at www.childrensdefense.org/faith
Church World Service, 28606 Phillips St., P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515 (# 800-297-1516;
www.churchworldservice.org; email: [email protected]).
Church World Service is the relief, refugee resettlement and development arm of the
National Council of Churches. It is also the sponsor of CROP walks. It has a magnificent
film library, and all its audiovisual materials are available for free loan to churches. CWS
publishes a list of CROP walks in your area—# 800-456-1310 or online.
Contemplative Outreach, Ltd., P.O. Box 737, 10 Park Place, 2nd Floor, Suite 2B, Butler, NJ 07405
(# 973-838-3384; www.contemplativeoutreach.org).Website for Fr. Robert Keating and
106 the Method of Centering Prayer. Free materials on centering prayer, Lectio Divina and
other Contemplative Practices.
Covenant House, 460 W. 41st Street, New York, NY 10036 (# 212-613-0300;
www.covenanthouse.org; email: [email protected]).
One of the best sources of information on homeless children in America.
They publish several booklets telling stories of these kids.
DramaShare, 82 St. Lawrence Crescent, Saskatoon Saskatchewan, S7K 1G5, Canada (# 877DO-DRAMA www.dramashare.org).
The world’s largest resource center for royalty-free Christian drama scripts, skits,
sketches, sermon starters, monologues or outlines
Ecunet: faith communities online: www.ecunet.org.
A network of people related to faith communities who communicate with one another
through the Internet.
Heifer Project International, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202 (# 800–422–0474;
www.heifer.org; email: [email protected]).
This organization addresses overseas and domestic rural development issues through
providing livestock. Classes may sponsor animals to be sent abroad from rabbits and
bees to goats and, yes, heifers. An excellent program.
Information Center for Children & Youth with Disabilities, 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite
700, Washington, DC 20009 (# 800-695-0285; www.nichcy.org; email:
[email protected]).
NICHY is a project of the Academy for Educational Development in cooperation with the
Office of Special Education Programs, US Department of Education. Excellent resources
for information about concerns such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder,
Dyslexia, Downs Syndrome, etc. Resources available in English and Spanish.
LeaderResources, PO Box 302, Leeds, MA 01053 (# 800-941-2218; www.LeaderResources.org;
email: [email protected])
An Episcopal consulting and publishing organization specializing in Christian formation
resources (including The Journey to Adulthood) that are instantly downloadable from the
website. Wide range of resources available for children, youth & adults, including
ministry & leadership development.
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (www.health.org).
An information service of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention of the US
Department of Health & Human Services.
National Eating Disorders Organization, 603 Stewart Street, Suite 803 Seattle, WA 98101
(#206-382-3587; Toll-free Information & Referral Helpline: #800-931-2237
www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is a non-profit organization dedicated
to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders.
107 National Episcopal AIDS Coalition, 1925 K Street NW, Suite 220, Washington, DC 20006
(# 202–628–6628 or 202-872-1511; www.neac.org; email: [email protected]).
This organization is worth contacting if only to get the Surgeon General’s Report to the
American Public on HIV Infection and AIDS. This is offered in collaboration with the
Center for Disease Control National AIDS Clearinghouse. This report should be in the
hands of every teenager.
The Odyssey Channel (# 800-841-8476; www.odysseychannel.com).
A guide to family television programming on the Odyssey Channel.
Oxfam-America, 226 Causeway Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02114-2206 (# 617–482–1211;
www.oxfamamerica.org; email: [email protected]).
This group is a source of quality educational materials, especially relating to their Fast
for a World Harvest held each year on or around Thanksgiving.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America (www.TeenWire.com www.PlannedParenthood.org)
Publications on family communication, contraception, and health. TeenWire.com is a
safe place for teens to talk about sexual health. Planned Parenthood created this
website for teens to provide uncensored, unbiased sexuality and sexual health
information.
The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, 513 Pound Hall, Harvard Law School,
Cambridge, MA 02138 (# 617–495–1684;
www.pon.harvard.edu;[email protected])
We were impressed by their materials on conflict resolution. Much of this is particularly
aimed at high school students and is applicable to J2A and YAC classes.
Spirituality and Health: The Soul-Body Connection (www.spiritualityhealth.com).
US Department of Education Publications (www.edpubs.ed.gov).
Listing of statistical tables, charts and studies produced by the National Center for
Education.
World Food Day - U.S. National Committee for World Food Day, 2175 K Street NW, Washington,
DC 20437 (# 202–653–2404; www.worldfooddayusa.org).
Endorsed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), this group is
in its 19th year, working with a coalition of over 450 churches and secular organizations
worldwide to sponsor the annual World Food Day activities on/around October 16. Each
year a teleconference on issues related to world food production and hunger is held.
World Vision, 800 West Chestnut Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016-3198 (# 626-303-8811;
www.wvi.org)
WV is an international partnership of Christians which operates in the area of overseas
relief and development in over 80 countries. WV produces excellent written and
audiovisual materials. Of particular use for youth work is their structured fast which
comes with good support information and a fine video.
Youth Ministry Resources (www.gospelcom.net).
108 An interdenominational Youth Ministry Central: includes hundreds of website links for
youth ministry, including fundraising resources, ideas and games, urban ministry, and
general resources.
109 Denominational Centers
The Anglican Church of Canada, Church House, 80 Hayden Street, Toronto, Ontario, M4Y 3G2,
Canada (# 416-924-9192; www.anglican.ca).
Catholic Community (a world-wide Catholic search engine: www.community.catholic.org)
Church of England, Church House, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3AZ (# 020-7898-1000;
www.cofe.anglican.org).
Disciples of Christ (Christian Church), P.O. Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46206 (# 317-635-3700;
www.disciples.org).
The Episcopal Church Center, 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017 (# 800-334-7626;
www.episcopalchurch.org).
The Church Center is a source for many valuable youth resources, curriculums, etc.
Particularly valuable are their materials on stewardship and on the United Thank
Offering (UTO) as well as The Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World Relief. The local
diocesan office may also carry some of these materials.
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA), Churchwide Offices, 8765 West Higgins Road,
Chicago, IL 60631 (# 773-380-2700; resource information service: # 800-638-3522;
www.elca.org).
Moravian Church (www.moravian.org – homepage)
Lists all official boards and offices of the Moravian Church.
Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon St., Louisville, KY 40202-1396 (# 502569-5000; 888-728-7228; www.pcusa.org).
United Church of Christ (UCC), Office of Communication, 700 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH
44115 (# 216-736-2100; www.ucc.org).
United Methodist Church (# 800-251-8140; www.umc.org; email: [email protected]).
110 Hotlines/Helplines
www.mentalhelp.net: the oldest and largest online mental health directory, with an index of
over 9,300 resources.
National AIDS Hotline, English: # 800-342-AIDS (2437), Español: # 800-344-SIDA (7432),
Hearing Impaired: # 800-AIDS TTY (243-7889).
National AIDS Treatment Information Service, # 800-448-0440.
National Hotlines: www.find-a-therapist.com: lists numerous national hotlines, including 24-hour
suicide prevention listings by state. Includes the following:
National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse: # 800-CHILDREN
Child Abuse National Hotline: #800-252-2873; 800-25ABUSE
CyberTipline for reporting the exploitation of children: # 800-843-5678
National Domestic Abuse Hotline: # 800-799-SAFE (7223)
Childhelp USA: # 800-4-A-CHILD
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Issues: # 800-549-1749
Cocaine National Hotline: # 800-COCAINE
Elder Abuse Hotline: # 800-752-6200
Friends of Battered Women and Children: # 800-603-HELP
KID SAVE: Shelter, mental health referrals, sexual abuse treatment, family counseling; for kids
and adolescents in crisis: # 800-543-7283
NAMI: National Alliance for the Mentally Ill: # 800-950-NAMI
National Youth Crisis Hotline: # 800-442-HOPE, 800-442-4673
National Runaway Switchboard: # 800-RUNAWAY, 800-786-2929
SAFE (Self-Abuse Finally Ends): # 800-DON’T-CUT, 800-366-8288
111 Youth Ministry Certification Programs
Journey to Adulthood Institute --- Training program for J2A youth leaders and coordinators
offered by LeaderResources, the publisher of the Journey to Adulthood program. A 3-day
program is offered for those beginning the program and a 4-day program is offered for those
already using the program for at least a year or two. Institutes are offered on a varying
schedule by LeaderResources or may be sponsored by a local group. You can also have a
trainer come to your church. Contact us at 1-800-941-2218 or
http://leaderresources.org/j2atraining
Associates in Ministry Certification --- Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
Youth ministry specialization through Certification Schools at Wartburg Theological Seminary.
Contact Center for Youth Ministries, Wartburg Theological Seminary, 333 Wartburg Place, PO
Box 5004, Dubuque, IA 52004-5004 (# 563-589-0200; fax 563-589-0333;
www.WartburgSeminary.edu; email: [email protected]).
Certificate in Youth and Theology --- Princeton Theological Seminary Institute for Youth
Ministry and School of Continuing Education. Contact Princeton Theological Seminary, P.O. Box
821, Princeton, NJ 08542-0803 (# 609-921-8300; www.ptsem.edu; email: [email protected]).
Certificate Program in Youth Ministry --- Roman Catholic. Developed by the Center for
Youth Ministry Development, sponsored by universities/dioceses from around the United States.
5713 Wollochet Drive NW, Suite A, Gig Harbor WA 98335 (# 253-853-5422; fax 253-853-5448;
www.cmdnet.org/ http://secure.cmdnet.org/pdf/ym_cert_bro.pdf).
Certification in Youth Ministry --- Perkins School of Theology Youth Ministry Institute.
Contact School of Continuing Education, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist
University, P.O. Box 750133, Dallas, TX 75275-0133 (# 214-768-2293; www.smu.edu; email:
[email protected]).
Certification in Youth Ministry --- The United Methodist Church. Contact annual conference
Board of Ordained Ministry, or General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, section of
Deacons and Diaconal Ministries, P.O. Box 340007, Nashville, TN 37203-7048 (# 615-3407400; fax 615-340-7048; www.gbhem.org).
Educator Certification --- (no specialization in youth ministry available). Presbyterian Church
(USA). Contact Presbyterian Church (USA), 100 Witherspoon Street, M003, Louisville, KY 402021396 (# 502-569-5000; www.pcusa.org).
The Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia --- 3737 Seminary Road,
Alexandria, VA 22304 (# 703-370-6600; 800-941-0083; fax 703-370-6234; www.vts.edu - see
MACE/YM Masters of Arts programs).
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary --- 2122 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 602012976. (# 847-328-9300; fax 847-328-9624; www.seabury.edu). Degrees offered: MTS, M.Div.,
M.Div./MTS, Certificate in Young Adult Ministry.
112 Episcopal Publishers and Distributors
The following list is provided to facilitate finding various resources.
You can call most places and ask for a current catalog.
Church Publishing Inc.
Also Living the Good News
Also Morehouse Educational Resources
445 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(800) 242-1918
http://www.churchpublishing.org/
(Episcopal; owned by Church Pension Fund; formerly known as Church Hymnal
Corporation)
Episcopal Media Center (now Alliance for Christian Media)
644 West Peachtree St. Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30308
Local Phone: 404-815-0640
Toll Free: 1-800-229-3788
Fax: 1-404-815-0495
http://www.allianceforchristianmedia.org/
(Formerly Episcopal Radio/TV Foundation; Independent but founded & owned by
Episcopalians)
Forward Movement Publications
412 Sycamore St.
Cincinnati OH 45202
(513) 721-6659
(800) 543-1813
www.forwardmovement.org
(Independent organization but owned by the Episcopal Church)
LeaderResources
P.O. Box 302
Leeds MA 01053
800-941-2218
www.LeaderResources.org
(Founded and owned by an Episcopal priest)
113 Other Publishers and Distributors
The following list is provided to facilitate finding various resources.
You can call most places and ask for a current catalog.
Abingdon Press
201 Eighth Avenue South
P.O. Box 801
Nashville TN 37202-0801
(800) 251-3320
www.abingdonpress.com
(Owned by the United Methodist Church)
ACTA Publications
5559 W. Howard Street
Skokie, IL 60077
(800) 397-2282
www.actapublications.com
Email: [email protected]
(Associated with the Roman Catholic Church)
American Bible Society
1865 Broadway
New York NY 10023-7505
(212) 408-1200
www.americanbible.org
(Non-denominational, independent)
Augsburg Fortress Press
Augsburg Fortress
P.O. Box 1209
Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
(800) 328-4648
www.augsburgfortress.org
(Owned by the Lutheran Church)
The Bible Reading Fellowship
P.O. Box 380
Winter Park FL 32790-0380
(407) 628-4330; (800)749-4331
www.biblereading.org
Email: [email protected]
(non-denominational para-church organization associated with the Episcopal Church)
114 Channing Bete Company
One Community Place
South Deerfield, MA 01373-0200
(800) 477-4776
www.channing-bete.com
(Creates Scriptographic® booklets on health care, public health, teens, and parenting. Nondenominational; for-profit, secular owners.)
Brethren Press
1451 Dundee Avenue
Elgin IL 60120-1694
(800) 441-3712
www.brethrenpress.com
E-mail: [email protected]
(Owned by the Church of the Brethern)
CandlePress
303-337-6852
[email protected]
www.candlepress.com
(Episcopal based small company, lots of resources for baptism, Eucharist, etc.)
Christian Book Distributors
140 Summit Street
Peabody, MA 01960
1-800-CHRISTIAN (1-800-247-4784)
(978) 977-5000/5060/5050/5040
www.christianbook.com
Claretian Publications
205 West Monroe
Chicago, Illinois 60606
(312) 236-7782
www.claretianpubs.org
(Roman Catholic; publishes the US Catholic Magazine; also a Hispanic Ministries Resource
Center)
Cokesbury
P.O. Box 801
201 Eighth Avenue South
Nashville TN 37202-0801
(800) 672-1789;(615) 749-6113
www.umph.org or www.cokesbury.com
(United Methodist Publishing House)
115 Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson
St. Louis MO 63118-3968
(800) 325-3040
www.cph.org
Email orders: [email protected]
(Lutheran Church ownership)
Cowley Publications
Roman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200,
Lanham MD 20706
(800) 462-6420
www.rlpgbooks.com
www.cowley.org
E-mail: [email protected]
(owned by Order of St. John the Evangelist, aka. the Cowley Fathers)
Ecufilm
810 Twelfth Ave. South
Nashville TN 37203
(888) 346-3862; (615) 242-6277
www.ecufilm.org
(Part of United Methodist Communications)
Franciscan Press
1800 College Avenue
Quincy IL 62301
(217) 228-5670
www.quincy.edu/fpress
Email: [email protected]
(Roman Catholic)
Friendship Press
Distribution Office
7820 Reading Road
Cincinnati, OH 45237
(800) 889-5733; (513) 948-8733
www.ncccusa.org/friend/fphome.html
Email: [email protected]
(Interdenominational; owned by the National Council of Churches; global orientation)
116 GateWay Films/Vision Video/
Christian History
P.O. Box 540
Worcester PA 19490-0540
(800) 523-0226; (610) 584-3500
www.visionvideo.com
E-mail: [email protected]
(Interdenominational; for-profit and not-for-profit)
Group Publishing
P.O. Box 481
Loveland, CO 80539
(970) 669-3836; 1-800-447-1070
www.group.com
(Non-denominational; for-profit)
Harper San Francisco
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 E. 53rd St.
New York NY 10022
(800) 331-3761; (212) 207-7000
www.harpercollins.com
(For-profit, secular ownership)
Liturgical Press
St. John’s Abbey
P.O. Box 7500
Collegeville MN 56321-7500
(800) 858-5450
www.litpress.org
(Roman Catholic)
National Bible Association
405 Lexington Avenue, 26th Floor,
New York, NY 10174
212-907-6427
www.nationalbible.org
(Ecumenical)
National Catholic Reporter
Publishing Company
115 East Armour Blvd.
Kansas City MO 64111-1203
www.ncronline.org
(Roman Catholic)
117 NAVPRESS
PO Box 35002
Colorado Springs CO 80935
(800) 366-7788; (719) 548-9222
www.NavPress.com
Email: [email protected]
(Owned by The Navigators Church)
Orbis Books
Price Building
P.O. Box 302
Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
(914) 941-7636 Ext. 2576 or 2477
Fax: (914) 945-0670
www.orbisbooks.com
Email: [email protected]
(Roman Catholic; owned by the Maryknoll Order)
Oxford University Press
2001 Evans Road
Cary NC 27513
(800) 445-9714; (919) 677-0977
Fax: (919) 677-1303
www.oup-usa.org
(Ecumenical)
Parsons Technology
One Parsons Drive
P.O. Box 100
1700 Progress Drive
Hiawatha IA 52233-0100
(800) 779-6000; (319) 395-0466
www.parsonstech.com
(For-profit; secular ownership)
Paraclete Press
P.O. Box 1568
Orleans, MA 02653
(800) 451-5006; (508) 255-4685
www.paracletepress.com
Email: [email protected]
118 Paulist Press
997 Macarthur Boulevard
Mahwah NJ 07430-9990
(800) 218-1903; 201-825-7300
Fax: (800) 836-3161
www.paulistpress.com
Email: [email protected]
(Roman Catholic; owned by the Order of the Paulist Fathers)
Pendle Hill Publications
338 Plush Mill Road
Wallingford PA 19086-6023
(800) 742-3150
www.pendlehill.org
Email: [email protected]
(Affiliated with the Quaker Church)
Resource Publications, Inc.
160 East Virginia St. #290
San Jose CA 95112
(888) 273-7782
Fax: (408) 287-8748
www.rpinet.com
Email: [email protected]
Search Institute
615 First Avenue NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(800) 888-7828
www.searchinstitute.org
(Non-sectarian, non-profit organization does research, programs and products for children,
youth and adults that work with them.)
Sheed and Ward
7373 S. Lovers Lane Road
Franklin WI 53132
(414) 529-6400
Fax: (414) 529-6419
www.rowmanlittlefield.com/sheed/
Email: [email protected]
(For-profit, secular ownership)
119 St. Anthony Messenger Press and
Franciscan Communications
28 W. Liberty Street
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202-6498
(800) 488-0488 ext. 1; (513) 241-5615
www.americancatholic.org
(Roman Catholic; affiliated with the Franciscan Order)
St. Mark’s Press
8021 W. 21st Street N.
Wichita KS 67205
(800) 365-0439; (316) 721-8099
(Owned by an Episcopal parish; largely lectionary related items)
Emailto: [email protected]
St. Mary’s Press
702 Terrace Heights
Winona MN 55987-1320
(800) 533-8095
www.smp.smumn.edu
(Affiliated with the Roman Catholic order of Christian Brothers)
Tabor Publishing
200 E. Bethany Drive
Allen TX 75002
(800) 822-6701; (972) 390-6300
(For-profit, secular ownership; largely Roman Catholic oriented)
Treehaus Communications Inc
P.O. Box 249
906 West Loveland Avenue
Loveland OH 45140
(800) 638-4287
(Independent, for profit; largely Roman Catholic)
Twenty-Third Publications
P.O. Box 6015
New London, CT 06320
(800) 321-0411
e-mail: [email protected]
(Affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church)
120 Upper Room Books
1908 Grand Avenue
P.O. Box 340004
Nashville TN 37203-0004
(615) 340-7200
(Affiliated with the United Methodist Church)
World Council of Churches
Distribution Center
P.O. Box 348
Route 222 & Sharadin Road
Kutztown PA 19530-0348
(800) 523-8211
(Interdenominational)
Youth Specialties
1890 Cordell Ct.
El Cajon, CA 92020
www.youthspecialties.org
(800) 776-8008
Zondervan
DirectSource
5300 Patterson Avenue SE
Grand Rapids MI 49530
www.zondervan.com
Email: [email protected]
(800) 727-3480
(Non-denominational)
121